Newbie Seeking Advice on First Colored Stone Purchase

[pixie712]

Hi, everyone! I'm a brand new member to PS and this is my very first post. I chanced upon this site and have now completely fallen in love with colored stones! Everyone's posts have been so helpful and I've definitely been learning as much as I can, but I would be so grateful if I can get some advice from the expert ladies on this forum!

I'm looking for a peachy champagne colored stone to put into a simple rose gold ring setting. Ideally, I would like a smaller stone between 0.8 to 1.5 carats; I'm definitely more drawn to either round or square cushion cuts and I'm not as fond of oval or emerald cuts (I guess I like more of a symmetrical look? ). As for the type of stone, I love spinels and tourmalines, but any other stone where I can get the right color and a decent hardness would work as well.

Now here's the hard part...I have a VERY limited budget. If I can get a stone for around $100 or less, that would be amazing! Please tell me if I'm crazy and if this price limit is impossible. I definitely checked out a lot of the reputable vendors suggested on this site, but most don't seem to carry the color I'm looking for or the price is out of my budget. I found a couple of examples from Ebay but have no idea how trustworthy the vendors are or whether the stones are truly good quality. I know the saying goes, "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is" so I'm hoping to get you ladies' opinions on these stones! I would also love you forever if you can find any other stones within my budget!

This stone is bigger than what I'm looking for, but I love the color; the price is unbelievably low, so I would like to know if it looks like a decent stone:

Seller's Description:
Weight: 1.99 Carat.
Gem Type: 100% Natural Spinel.
Shape: Antique Cut (No Window)
Size in millimeter: 7.1 Length. 6.4 Width. 5.1 Deep.
Color: Peach Salmon Pink.
Clarity: VS 1.
Luster: Very Good.
Origin: Sri-Lanka.
Treatment: Unheated / Untreated.
Hardness: 8.0.
Refractive Index: 1.718.
Specific Gravity: 3.75 - 3.90.
Certificate: Not Included ( Buy Certificate )

Here is another stone that's the right size and color:

Seller's Description:
Quantity : 1
Gem Type : Topaz
Average Size : 7.00mm X 4.00mm - Note : 1 inch = 25.00mm
Clarity : VVS
Shape : Diamond Cut
Treatment : None
Color : Light Peach to Colorless
Total Weight : 1.35ct
Original : Africa
*100 % Natural, each bid is for 1 stone , THE STONES LOOK DARKER IN THE PHOTOS THAN IN NATRUAL SUNLIGHT

 

[LD]

Hi, everyone! I'm a brand new member to PS and this is my very first post. I chanced upon this site and have now completely fallen in love with colored stones! Everyone's posts have been so helpful and I've definitely been learning as much as I can, but I would be so grateful if I can get some advice from the expert ladies on this forum!

I'm looking for a peachy champagne colored stone to put into a simple rose gold ring setting. Ideally, I would like a smaller stone between 0.8 to 1.5 carats; I'm definitely more drawn to either round or square cushion cuts and I'm not as fond of oval or emerald cuts (I guess I like more of a symmetrical look? ). As for the type of stone, I love spinels and tourmalines, but any other stone where I can get the right color and a decent hardness would work as well.

Welcome to the forum!

Is this for an occasional or every day ring? If it's occasional then tourmalines, spinels and others would be fine. However if you''re going to wear it every day then you either (a) have to take good care of the ring or (b) buy a sapphire or something that will have slightly better durability.

If it's occasional, have you looked at Morganite? Morganite comes in the exact colour you're looking for and you can buy it very cheaply so it'd probably be within budget.

By the way, what mm size are you looking for? Carat weights vary depending on the gemstone so it's better to have an idea of the size you want instead.

The spinel you've posted is very pretty and that colour isn't that expensive (hence the price tag). However, you need to make sure that this is real and not synthetic. If it's a vendor that we talk about on this board then it's probably safe to assume it's ok but if not then I would think about getting the lab report that it mentions you can buy for extra (unless it's not something that bothers you).

 

[pixie712]

Hi, LovingDiamonds! Thank you very much for your post. This will be an everyday ring, which is why I was hoping for a more durable stone. I definitely love the color of Morganite, but am a bit worried about scratching it; Sapphires are gorgeous but I have yet to find one within my budget, unfortunately. As for the size of the stone, I'm looking for something within the 6mm to 8mm range.

Oh, wow...I did a quick search in the forums of the Ebay vendor selling the Spinel. He seems to have a horrible reputation of selling windowed stones and poor customer service...I should've checked first! Thanks for your advice, I guess the search continues......

 

[T L]

Check out malaya garnets as well. They come in a peachy pink color, and look a lot like pink champagne diamonds.

Welcome to Pricescope!!

ETA: This one is above your budget, but it's from a trusted vendor, and gives you an idea of what malayas look like.

http://cgi.ebay.com/3-35ct-Top-Notc...424?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5643965a38

This one is around your price range, nicely cut and a highly desirable round shape.

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-13ct-HiEnd-Ro...725?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cf6671ae5

Not sure if you want something lighter in tone though. Malaya garnets sparkle like mad. They have a high refractive index.

 

[loriken214]

Welcome to PS and CS!!! You've found the right place for advice!

Lori

 

[marcy]

Welcome to Pricescope! How exciting to be buying your first colored stone. I am sorry to hear the ebay seller with that spinel doesn't have good reviews because I thought that was such a pretty color. Hopefully you can find another spinel in that color.

 

[pixie712]

TL: Thank you so much for your advice! I've been searching for Malaya Garnets like mad after your suggestion...they really are lovely stones! The two stones you posted are beautiful...unfortunately, like you said the first one is a bit out of my budget. I love the second one, though...I've been reading some great things about Odysseygem so this one definitely has potential, thanks!! I originally was looking for a lighter colored stone, but the sparkliness of Malayas definitely won me over! You've been such a great help and I would really appreciate it if you could give me your opinion on a few Malayas I found. Also, in your opinion how does the hardness and durability of a Malaya Garnet compare to a Tourmaline? I've looked at the Mohs Scale for these stones but the range seem to be pretty similar...I'm curious about the real life perspective on these babies!

I love the color of this one and the color change is interesting; can't tell with my untrained eyes if it has a window though...

Seller's Description:
1.03ct.RAVISHING AAA Rare Color Shifting Malaya Garnet
Gem Type: 100%Natural Malaya Garnet
Cut: Uncommon AAA Ultra Master Fancy Classic Cushion Cut! Unbelievable!
Weight: 1.03 ct.
Dimensions: 5.65 x 5.20 x 3.80 mm
Color: Absolute AAA Rich Classic Champagne Peach Pink Change To Neon Bright Raspberry Bougainvillea Red-Pink (Very Rare and Very Attractive!)(85%+ Change!)
Clarity: Clean
Luster: Beyond Marvelous!
Origin: Bekily, Madagascar
Treatment: None
Hardness: 7-7.5

This one is a bit more pink than peach, but still a pretty stone:

Color Description: Light Red [Pink]
Clarity: Eye clean
Image Light Source: Cool Daylight
Shape: Round
Cut: Diamond
Length (MM): 6.30
Width (MM): 6.30
Depth (MM): 4.20
Weight (CTS): 1.160
Enhancement: (N) None
Origin: East Africa

This one is also a bit pinker, but according to the description it is peach in daylight?

Stone: .7 ct
Malaya (Pyrospessartite) Garnet
mixed brilliant round
5.28 mm
Clarity: eye clean
Origin: Tanzania
Ours is a rose-red in incandescent and daylight, and orange-red in fluorescent. Photo at left is taken in daylight. The color in incandescent light is pale pink; in daylight and fluorescent, peach.

 

[pixie712]

Lori: Hi, Lori, thanks a lot for the warm welcome! You're right, everyone has been very friendly and helpful so far and this site has a wealth of information on CS...I'm definitely lucky to have found you ladies!

marcy: Hi, Marcy, thank you for your post! Now I'm a bit conflicted about that Spinel ! It seems some PS ladies had pretty good experiences with that seller...it's a hit or miss, I suppose?? The color of that stone really is gorgeous and the price is unbelievably low...I don't know if I should just take a risk since it won't be too devastating price-wise if it doesn't turn out to be as nice as the picture...

Just to add some more stones to the mix, here are a couple Tourmalines I found. The colors seem a little pinker than what I was looking for by the pictures, but they are beautiful none the less and the descriptions describe them as being "peachy pink". What do you ladies think?


Light Pink Tourmaline Round Cut
Weight: 1.24 cts
Measurements: 7 mm
Clarity: VVS
Origin: Nigeria
Enhancements: None
Price: $95.00
Order/Stock No.: tourmaline_rp_1025
Description: Beautiful light peachy-pink. Clean and well cut, very bright.


Pink Tourmaline Round
Weight: 1.05 cts
Measurements: 6.4 mm
Clarity: VVS
Origin: Afghanistan
Enhancements: None
Price: $ 95.00
Order/Stock No.: tourmaline_rp_1043
Description: Lovely pale peachy-pink. Extremely bright and brilliant, clean.

 

[T L]

TL: Thank you so much for your advice! I've been searching for Malaya Garnets like mad after your suggestion...they really are lovely stones! The two stones you posted are beautiful...unfortunately, like you said the first one is a bit out of my budget. I love the second one, though...I've been reading some great things about Odysseygem so this one definitely has potential, thanks!! I originally was looking for a lighter colored stone, but the sparkliness of Malayas definitely won me over! You've been such a great help and I would really appreciate it if you could give me your opinion on a few Malayas I found. Also, in your opinion how does the hardness and durability of a Malaya Garnet compare to a Tourmaline? I've looked at the Mohs Scale for these stones but the range seem to be pretty similar...I'm curious about the real life perspective on these babies!

I love the color of this one and the color change is interesting; can't tell with my untrained eyes if it has a window though...

Seller's Description:
1.03ct.RAVISHING AAA Rare Color Shifting Malaya Garnet
Gem Type: 100%Natural Malaya Garnet
Cut: Uncommon AAA Ultra Master Fancy Classic Cushion Cut! Unbelievable!
Weight: 1.03 ct.
Dimensions: 5.65 x 5.20 x 3.80 mm
Color: Absolute AAA Rich Classic Champagne Peach Pink Change To Neon Bright Raspberry Bougainvillea Red-Pink (Very Rare and Very Attractive!)(85%+ Change!)
Clarity: Clean
Luster: Beyond Marvelous!
Origin: Bekily, Madagascar
Treatment: None
Hardness: 7-7.5

This one is a bit more pink than peach, but still a pretty stone:

Color Description: Light Red [Pink]
Clarity: Eye clean
Image Light Source: Cool Daylight
Shape: Round
Cut: Diamond
Length (MM): 6.30
Width (MM): 6.30
Depth (MM): 4.20
Weight (CTS): 1.160
Enhancement: (N) None
Origin: East Africa

This one is also a bit pinker, but according to the description it is peach in daylight?

Stone: .7 ct
Malaya (Pyrospessartite) Garnet
mixed brilliant round
5.28 mm
Clarity: eye clean
Origin: Tanzania
Ours is a rose-red in incandescent and daylight, and orange-red in fluorescent. Photo at left is taken in daylight. The color in incandescent light is pale pink; in daylight and fluorescent, peach.

The top one is very poorly cut, even for me, so I would skip it.

The middle one is sold by a very respected seller, and it's pretty, although kind of small.

The bottom one is too small for my taste, and I prefer the color of the middle one the best.

Tourmalines do come in peachy hues, but they won't sparkle like a malaya garnet, or a spinel for that matter. If buying a tourmaline, you really have to make sure they're really well cut, high crown, and with lots of faceting, to get some decent sparkle. Garnets and tourmaline have around the same hardness/durability. Spinels are much more hard and durable.

I prefer the first tourmaline you chose to the second.

Also check out bobkast.com for very affordable precision cut peachy tourmalines. I just got an orangey pink tourmaline from Odysseygem for very little money, I'm almost too embarassed to say how little. It's around 1.8 carats. Here's a pic. The point is you shouldn't pay too much for pale pink/orange tourmalines.

 

[pixie712]

TL: Wow, your Tourmaline is so pretty...I love how clear it is! Thanks a lot for all the information, I'm definitely learning a lot more about these stones! I'm really looking for the sparkliness in a stone, so perhaps Malayas are the way to go since they are on par with Tourmalines in terms of hardness. I did check out Bob Kast's website before and his stones are lovely; he doesn't seem to have the cut and color combo I'm looking for right now, but I'll definitely keep checking back to see if he has anything new. His prices seem very reasonable as well...if I change my mind and decide to go with the Tourmaline route, I'll keep in mind your advice and look for prices more in the lower range.

By the way, I'm totally kicking myself because I actually mixed up the descriptions for those last two Malayas (have to go edit that)! Like you, I also like the second Malaya's color best, but it is also the smallest stone. I actually don't mind the size as long as the sparkle factor isn't diminished...but perhaps it's hard to tell how sparkly it is unless I see it in real life?

Again, thanks for all your help...I really appreciate it!

 

[T L]

TL: Wow, your Tourmaline is so pretty...I love how clear it is! Thanks a lot for all the information, I'm definitely learning a lot more about these stones! I'm really looking for the sparkliness in a stone, so perhaps Malayas are the way to go since they are on par with Tourmalines in terms of hardness. I did check out Bob Kast's website before and his stones are lovely; he doesn't seem to have the cut and color combo I'm looking for right now, but I'll definitely keep checking back to see if he has anything new. His prices seem very reasonable as well...if I change my mind and decide to go with the Tourmaline route, I'll keep in mind your advice and look for prices more in the lower range.

By the way, I'm totally kicking myself because I actually mixed up the descriptions for those last two Malayas (have to go edit that)! Like you, I also like the second Malaya's color best, but it is also the smallest stone. I actually don't mind the size as long as the sparkle factor isn't diminished...but perhaps it's hard to tell how sparkly it is unless I see it in real life?

Again, thanks for all your help...I really appreciate it!

You're welcome. Malays tend to go more peach/brown in daylight, and pinker in incandescent light (with a touch of orange).

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I actually just bought an "imperial" malai garnet from Barry, I'll probably post photos when it arrives. I think he said he is getting more rough in.

 

[natsplat]

Makingthegrade: oooo you got that gorgeous stone?! Congratulations! I'm glad that I'll see more pics of it here (and a wee bit jealous! ;P but more glad)

 

[pixie712]

MakingTheGrade: Ahh, you're the lucky gal who got the Barry Garnet! Thank you for posting...that stone is gorgeous and I would LOVE to see pictures of it when you get it! I check Barry's website everyday but you ladies are too fast for me...the stones get bought so quickly!

 

[marcy]

It looks like you are having fun looking at many pretty stones. I think you'd be very happy with a malai garnet; you mentioned you want something that sparkles and garnets are certainly lively gems. I can't wait to see what you find. Yes, the gems posted online sometimes disappear very quickly.