Pink Spinel

[simplysplendid]

Hello,

I have on hand a pink spinel with a GRS certificate with the following details:

Identification: Natural Pink Spinel
Weight: 9.78ct
Dimensions: 12.37 X 10.65 X 8.89 mm
Cut: brilliant/step (7)
Shape: Cushion
Color: Pink
Comment: No indication of treatments

It is a nice pink, I think it can be called hot pink. No windows, no extinction, very glowy. There''s no location stated on the GRS certificate and my jeweler says it is from Burma. As the location information is not on the certificate, I asked how he was certain that it is from Burma and according to him, this information was provided by the cutter.

Any ideas why GRS did not state the location on the certificate? My untreated ruby had the location (Burma) on the certificate. Any idea what kind of price I should expect for a spinel like this?

Thanks!

 

[Upgradable]

I can''t help you but to say it sounds lovely, and please post pictures! (where''s that gif when you need it?)

 

[chrono]

My guess is that GRS could not find characteristics that strongly point it to a Burmese origin during their review of the spinel. Pricing depends on the nuances of colour (tone, hue and saturation). Also, how clean is the stone and the evenness of colour?

 

[simplysplendid]

Thanks Upgradable..

Chrono, it is eye clean and the colour is very even throughout the entire stone.

 

[chrono]

But how would you rate the colour of the stone?

Hue: Pure pink? Any hints of brown? Hints of blue? Hints of orange? If so, what is the degree of the undertone? Are your eyes trained enough to pick up these nuances of colour?
Tone: Light, medium light, medium, medium dark?
Saturation: medium, strong or vivid?
Are there any cutting issues like zoning, extinction, etc?

Because of the nuances of colour as described above, it is difficult to even give a ballpark value without knowing anything about its colour. An accurate picture might give us some idea.

 

[Upgradable]

Chrono, is there a website that explains GIA''s colored stone grading scale? I know there are letters and numbers involved, but looking at them means nothing to me.

 

[simplysplendid]

Date: 3/24/2010 1:52:41 PM
Author: Chrono

But how would you rate the colour of the stone?

Hue: Pure pink? Any hints of brown? Hints of blue? Hints of orange? If so, what is the degree of the undertone? Are your eyes trained enough to pick up these nuances of colour?
Tone: Light, medium light, medium, medium dark?
Saturation: medium, strong or vivid?
Are there any cutting issues like zoning, extinction, etc?

Because of the nuances of colour as described above, it is difficult to even give a ballpark value without knowing anything about its colour. An accurate picture might give us some idea.

Hello, my eyes pick up a pure pink, no orangey or brownish undertones. No purplish undertones too. Not a pinkish red or reddish pink either. I think the GRS certificate did not indicate the undertones as well. Hmm, let me go find a picture of the colour that is closest to what I see. There is no zoning nor extinction.

 

[chrono]

Date: 3/24/2010 1:55:53 PM
Author: Upgradable
Chrono, is there a website that explains GIA''s colored stone grading scale? I know there are letters and numbers involved, but looking at them means nothing to me.

http://www.multicolour.com/catalogue/source/clg.html
There are some colours here which might help somewhat. As you can see, pink is not in a colour category by itself because it is a desaturated red.

 

[simplysplendid]

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pink-spinel-from-tanzania-how-should-i-set-it.98634/

The colour is quite close to AN''s spinel on the second and third picture. There is no or very little red on the one I am looking at. I would say that my spinel is not ultra saturated, but good enough. It is not a washed out looking stone.

 

[chrono]

In looking at the second and third pictures, I’m seeing some pink, red and orange, yet you say yours is a pink stone. Also, AN’s stone is very well saturated, so I don’t know what “good enough” is. Do you see where I am going? Without details, it is very difficult to give a ball park value.

 

[Upgradable]

Now we DEFINITELY need pictures!!! Over 9 carats??




And Chrono, thanks so much for the link to the color chart. That helps me make so much more sense of these color ratings!

 

[simplysplendid]

Hmm.. I guess I have just taken that stone and put it right next to the picture I see on my laptop screen and compared it and the colour is close. I can take pictures but I am unable to download it to my pc right now. I guess that''s not enough info. It looks similar in terms of the "crystal", not sure if you know what I mean - it is not a sleepy looking stone. It is not a pastel looking pink. Anyway, wouldn''t the GRS certificate indicating no undertones (it just says "pink" instead of "purplish pink" or "bluish pink" or "reddish pink" or "orangey pink", comments which I have seen before on other coloured stones certified by GRS) be sufficient to gauge?

 

[chrono]

SS,
Here is an example cert from GRS: http://www.gemresearch.ch/report.htm
Here, it states that the saturation and hue is a vivid red. It also made a note of the quality (rare size and colour). Does yours not provide any such information? If you read through their website, it also explains how they grade the colour of the stone, which may provide you some of your answer as to the perceived value of the spinel.

 

[T L]

Date: 3/24/2010 1:58:33 PM
Author: simplysplendid

Date: 3/24/2010 1:52:41 PM
Author: Chrono


But how would you rate the colour of the stone?

Hue: Pure pink? Any hints of brown? Hints of blue? Hints of orange? If so, what is the degree of the undertone? Are your eyes trained enough to pick up these nuances of colour?
Tone: Light, medium light, medium, medium dark?
Saturation: medium, strong or vivid?
Are there any cutting issues like zoning, extinction, etc?

Because of the nuances of colour as described above, it is difficult to even give a ballpark value without knowing anything about its colour. An accurate picture might give us some idea.

Hello, my eyes pick up a pure pink, no orangey or brownish undertones. No purplish undertones too. Not a pinkish red or reddish pink either. I think the GRS certificate did not indicate the undertones as well. Hmm, let me go find a picture of the colour that is closest to what I see. There is no zoning nor extinction.

Unfortunately, you really need someeone with a trained eye to be able to evaluate color properly, especially when trying to estimate a value on a stone. I"m not as familiar with GRS reports, but the AGL report has very comprehensive scientific information on the color of a gem, and that is something I would place a lot of trust in. As Chrono indicated, there are so many nuances with color, that just defining something as "pink" and not having anything else to gage it by, can be tricky and misleading. It can also cause you to perhaps overpay for a stone that might not be worth as much.

 

[Harriet]

I''ve missed you!

 

[haagen_dazs]

9ct + of spinel goodness!
please do share some photos !

 

[simplysplendid]

Hi Chrono,

No no, the spinel I have is nothing close to a magnificent gemstone! It is a very pretty pink spinel in a large size but I doubt this size is really rare. Anyway, thanks for helping, I understand it is not much use without pics and will try to get one soon.

 

[simplysplendid]

Thanks TL. In the part of the world I live in, the jewelers hardly ever get an AGL cert. I guess they don''t want to ship it halfway round the world to get it certified.

 

[simplysplendid]

Hi Harriet! Thank you.. I have been incredibly, incredibly busy, both on the home front and at work, so much so that I skipped Pricescope and I have missed all of Barry''s new drops since January. I even skipped the purse forum! Fortunately or rather, unfortunately, my kids'' school is just literally about 200meters (or perhaps less!) away from my jeweler''s.

 

[ma re]

You can try getting the sense of what it might be worht by browsing websites of vendors and seeing what are (generally) the prices of similar stones - say, 8-10 ct range, similar clarity and with a description of color that sounds a lot like yours. Might give you some idea.

 

[PumpkinPie]

we totally need pictures! it''s huge and I love pink spinel

 

[haagen_dazs]

where are the photooosssssss???????