Pink Spinel ~ Help!

[blingbae]

Aloha Everyone!

I am looking to "build" my first custom ring and have been addicted to this forum for all of the helpful information, recommendations, and awesome community. Fell in love with the ring here and am looking to do something very similar: https://www.angara.com/p/claw-cushion-pink-tourmaline-and-diamond-solitaire-ring-sr1068ptd

However, after doing research I learned that tourmaline stones are not recommended for everyday wear (which I totally plan on!). Here are the main things I am looking at for my stone:

• Shape: Oval/rectangle like the ring in the link
• Sparkle: I need to ring to have a nice brilliance and be sparkly.
• Minimal inclusions: I will be staring at this all day and it would really bug me.. lol.
• Color: I like a lighter pink but open to brighter colors. Need something that leans more warm than cool.

And thats how I ended up looking at spinels... I've found a jeweler who can do the setting, but I am trying to settle on a stone. Two of my main questions:

1. Pricing: I've been looking at many of the websites/instagram/etsys on this site and am astonished at the price differences.... Some are a few thousand, and others a few hundred... I guess I just don't understand why. They all look to have great clarity and very slight inclusions.. Would love if you folks could check out my contenders and provide me with some feedback about the pricing. Yavorskyy seems like a very high end vendor, but I'm a little skeptical of the pricing. Also, when would I ask for a certification? Is that common for stones this size or mostly for bigger ones?
2. Quality: Aside from the pricing, is there one stone you would recommend over the others in my links below? I asking for more of a technical perspective rather than just how they look to the naked eye. Wondering if the videos reveal anything about the clarity or inclusions that I am missing as they all look great to me.

• https://yavorskyy.com/collections/pink-spinel/products/vivid-pink-spinel-1-29-ct
  • Not sure if sparkly
• https://yavorskyy.com/products/pink-spinel-1-95-ct?variant=18854355664966
  • My top pick!
  • Worried that this will be too light but I love the light pink!
  • Love the sparkle
• https://yavorskyy.com/collections/pink-spinel/products/pink-spinel-1-62-cts
  • Like this one but in the video it seems like the bottom of the stone is scratched?
• instagram: haydenfred_gems - 1.37 ct spinel (photo attached, also my second pick)
  • Second pick
  • Loveeeee this pink color
  • Unsure of buying from instagram
  • Can't tell quality

I would sincerely appreciate any help/feedback!

 

[lovedogs]

Anything cut by yyvorsky is likely to be amazing. They are nice so I would email about the 3 you like and get their thoughts

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

Yes, price for pink spinels do tend to be all over the place, but color is king. The closer to jedi, we are talking 1000s a carat. Pure pinks with medium saturation are next. Pinks with grey or brown undertones tend to be more affordable. All can be beautiful! It boils down to what shade speaks to you the most. I will say I recently purchased from haydenfred_gems and it was a wonderful experience. Great communication and super fast shipping. I do wish I had upgraded shipping to DHL and will do so in the future, but that was the post office's current Covid issues, and not the seller. You can ask her for videos of the stone you are interested in. She has sent me several.

Good luck with your decision! Spinels are the best, imo!

 

[blingbae]

Anything cut by yyvorsky is likely to be amazing. They are nice so I would email about the 3 you like and get their thoughts

Thank you!! I emailed them this morning just waiting to hear back

Yes, price for pink spinels do tend to be all over the place, but color is king. The closer to jedi, we are talking 1000s a carat. Pure pinks with medium saturation are next. Pinks with grey or brown undertones tend to be more affordable. All can be beautiful! It boils down to what shade speaks to you the most. I will say I recently purchased from haydenfred_gems and it was a wonderful experience. Great communication and super fast shipping. I do wish I had upgraded shipping to DHL and will do so in the future, but that was the post office's current Covid issues, and not the seller. You can ask her for videos of the stone you are interested in. She has sent me several.

Good luck with your decision! Spinels are the best, imo!

Thank you, the pricing was freaking me out a little! I'm glad to hear you had a good experience with haydenfred and will definitely upgrade the shipping, especially since im in Hawaii things take forever to get here!

 

[T L]

Depends what you like the best. As for the supposed scratch in the third stone you mentioned above, that could be an inclusion instead. I would ask about it because I think it’s the best value of all the Yavorskiy gems you highlighted.

 

[blingbae]

Another contender.. https://gemstore-24.com/?product=spinel-129-ct-2&lang=en

Any thoughts on buying from this site and the stone i've linked?

 

[chroman]

Any thoughts on buying from this site

I’ve purchased from this vendor a few times - no problems.

 

[blingbae]

Totally ditched my original plan and fell in love with this stone. The color is what got me. I love how its a brighter neon pink, but also more red toned. I just ordered it and will post photos once it arrives!! Some of the specs listed in the photo description. Size is just over a carat.

The photo is nice but doesnt do the stone the same justice as the videos. Not sure how to share those here!

 

[blingbae]

Depends what you like the best. As for the supposed scratch in the third stone you mentioned above, that could be an inclusion instead. I would ask about it because I think it’s the best value of all the Yavorskiy gems you highlighted.

Thank you! Haven’t heard back from them yet.

I’ve purchased from this vendor a few times - no problems.

Thank you for sharing!

 

[lovedogs]

Totally ditched my original plan and fell in love with this stone. The color is what got me. I love how its a brighter neon pink, but also more red toned. I just ordered it and will post photos once it arrives!! Some of the specs listed in the photo description. Size is just over a carat.

The photo is nice but doesnt do the stone the same justice as the videos. Not sure how to share those here!

Oo yay! I've bought from that vendor before and love the stone.

 

[peacechick]

If that spinel has that metallic lustre and is super clean, I do think it could defeat a fancy pink diamond for sure! Look forward to seeing it!

 

[blingbae]

I figured out how to do videos!

Also posted another thread looking for opinions on a heart shaped spinel if you folks would like to help me out again

 

[lovedogs]

I figured out how to do videos!

Also posted another thread looking for opinions on a heart shaped spinel if you folks would like to help me out again

Omg now THIS is a stone I love. Super bright and saturated

 

[chrono]

Wow, tough choices. Obviously, I gravitate to the most intensely coloured ones. What is your preference?

 

[AnastasiaBeaverhausen]

I figured out how to do videos!

Also posted another thread looking for opinions on a heart shaped spinel if you folks would like to help me out again

The big one. I like the big one!

 

[Cerulean]

I figured out how to do videos!

Also posted another thread looking for opinions on a heart shaped spinel if you folks would like to help me out again

Oh wow these are AMAZING - my eyes go straight to the one on the far right but I like bold colors!

 

[blingbae]

Wow, tough choices. Obviously, I gravitate to the most intensely coloured ones. What is your preference?

I ended up going with the one on the left! I liked the tone of the pink a bit more than the others.

The big one. I like the big one!

That one is still available I believe

Oh wow these are AMAZING - my eyes go straight to the one on the far right but I like bold colors!

I believe that one is still available I ended up going with the one on the **LEFT**.

 

[Cerulean]

I ended up going with the one on the left! I liked the tone of the pink a bit more than the others.


That one is still available I believe


I believe that one is still available I ended up going with the one on the **LEFT**.

Lovely choice! Excited to see it!

 

[blingbae]

Got the stone today and i love it! I have large fingers (size 10) so i don’t know what i was thinking buying such a small Stone lol. While browsing on Instagram, i came upon this setting that i really like!
Wondering if anyone has feedback on this jeweler because i couldn’t find much info on them online and no mention in PS at all. They’re called Sevun Design.

 

[blingbae]

Would you call this “99% clean, tiny inclusions if checking with a loupe”

inclusion looks like theres a speck of dirt in the stone. Not sure if i am overreacting.

 

[T L]

Would you call this “99% clean, tiny inclusions if checking with a loupe”

inclusion looks like theres a speck of dirt in the stone. Not sure if i am overreacting.

That’s a negative crystal inclusion I believe. You would have to see it face up to see if it’s distracting, but what I like about those is that it shows the stone is natural, There’s so many synthetics on the market, it’s often difficult to tell. I have a Burmese hot pink spinel with a similar color and inclusion.

 

[JackTrick]

Would you call this “99% clean, tiny inclusions if checking with a loupe”

inclusion looks like theres a speck of dirt in the stone. Not sure if i am overreacting.

+1 to judging it by looking through the table/crown of the gemstone. It *does* look big enough such that "99% clean" is a bit hyperbolic sounding, but if I don't notice it when looking at it from the top, I'd probably be fine with it.

 

[blingbae]

That’s a negative crystal inclusion I believe. You would have to see it face up to see if it’s distracting, but what I like about those is that it shows the stone is natural, There’s so many synthetics on the market, it’s often difficult to tell. I have a Burmese hot pink spinel with a similar color and inclusion.

+1 to judging it by looking through the table/crown of the gemstone. It *does* look big enough such that "99% clean" is a bit hyperbolic sounding, but if I don't notice it when looking at it from the top, I'd probably be fine with it.

The seller said it is a "graphite inclusion".
Thank you both for the reassurance. I was taken aback because I thought there was a huge black speck inside of the stone lol. However, from the top view its not too noticeable, only in certain angles. I can live with that, lol. This is my first time doing something like this, so I guess I'm being overly cautious.
Now to decide on a setting

 

[peacechick]

The definition of “eye clean” is judged by looking into the gem from its face. I learnt this when I bought a stone with a deep natural, almost like a gouge on the pavilion but you could not tell from the face as the cutting was good. Not all vendors will describe external blemishes if it doesn’t affect the stone’s performance.

In your case, it seems like you can see the speck from viewing certain angles? Then I would not call it 99% eye clean. I hope it still holds its value against what you paid for it.

 

[blingbae]

Looking at another pink spinel! I’m mesmerized by the color... Would like to know everyone’s thoughts on the following!

2.52 ct
$3,800
8.7x6.7x5mm
Lab report from American international gemlab. Seller stated if I want a Gia report I will need to pay for it. They are assuring me it’s natural.

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

That is a gorgeous saturated hot pink! From my observations it seems to be on par price wise, but I've never done a serious search for hot pink (just red). Because of the popularity of this color, I would invest in a GIA or the like report for sure.

 

[T L]

By the way, when looking for settings, you may need to get longer or double prongs, due to the high crown and deep pavilion. A standard issue setting might not fit or be secure.

 

[lovedogs]

That's a lovely stone and I would say the price is fair

 

[blingbae]

That is a gorgeous saturated hot pink! From my observations it seems to be on par price wise, but I've never done a serious search for hot pink (just red). Because of the popularity of this color, I would invest in a GIA or the like report for sure.

I agree, I’ll just pay for the GIA certification for my own piece of mind.

By the way, when looking for settings, you may need to get longer or double prongs, due to the high crown and deep pavilion. A standard issue setting might not fit or be secure.

Thank you for the tip! I think I’ll definitely need to look into that.

That's a lovely stone and I would say the price is fair

Good to know! I just messaged to see it is still available. Fingers crossed!!

 

[blingbae]

Pulled the trigger on this one. Getting Lotus certificate for an additional $50. So excited!