Please advise: pendants/enhancer with red stone - ruby or spinel?

[Rosa]

Hi there,

I have been a longtime lurker on Pricescope, which I discovered a few years back after my now-hubby proposed and we needed diamond education and stumbled across this fabulous site!

This may be a long question, but please bear with me! My question today concerns finding a ruby or red spinel pendant/enhancer.

My father gave me a strand of pearls that had been my mother''s (actually, he gave them to her as a wedding gift!) so they have a lot of sentimental value for both him and for me as my mother is deceased. He also gave me some money to buy something to "attach" to the pearls, with the idea that it could also be "attached" to a gold chain - I think from looking online this is called an "enhancer" and he specifically said that he would like it if I would get a ruby for this purpose b/c my mother''s name was Rosa (hence my forum name) and she loved the color red.

So, I have started reading the posts on rubies and learned that:

1) they are more expensive than I suspected

2) a buyer must be very careful with rubies as most all of them seem to have been at a minimum heated, and many if not most on the market have also been "healed" (I would be ok with the use of a little heat but don''t like the idea of flux-healing)

3) a lot of Pricescopers seem to like red spinel as an alternative, although one really detailed & informative post by Raddygast from 1/30/2005 at 3:59:47 AM (sorry, don''t know how to get a link to it in here) said it was fairly difficult to find what he wanted.

I had my heart set on ruby, but after reading all this can probably learn to love a red spinel. I do have the time to devote to the search, but would love advice from you all on how. I looked at some of the sites mentioned in the colored gem forums (e.g. Palagems, Art Cut, RW Wise, Winfield''s) but my head is swimming and many places do not list prices.

For the size of the pearls, the stone would need to be at least 1 carat - 2 carats in size. I would like to use 18kt yellow gold (the clasp on the pearls is yellow gold, and I have a lot more yellow gold chains if I choose to wear it with those as a pendant.) Lastly, I would like to dress it up with some diamonds!

I really think this style is elegant and timeless (photo has an emerald, but imagine with a red stone) - and any shape could be set in this type of setting - oval, pear, cushion, etc.: http://www.firenzejewels.com/diamonds/info/15-Pendants-133-3599-000-Lady-s-diamond-and-emerald-18k-white-gold-pendant-000-.html




Advice please! Ruby or spinel? What kind of budget? (fyi, I have $2000 from my dad but could add some to that.) Buy something premade or try to buy my center stone and have someone create it for me? All input is welcome...



Many thanks in advance! p.s. I live in NYC - so in theory, that should give me a good selection, right? Any suggestions as to places on 47th St?

 

[eac]

What a thoughtful thing your father has done for you! You are very lucky, and he is very kind.

If I was you, with a budget of $2000, a desire to have a sizeable red stone and diamonds, and the desire to have the setting be 18k yellow gold, I would either go with a red spinel or even a very good quality, very well-cut garnet. There are some stunners out there, such as the ones from Gram Faceting:

http://www.faceters.com/gemstones/custom/garnet.shtml

You may also want to consider rubellite tourmaline: some rubellites are very "red" looking.

http://www.faceters.com/gemstones/custom/matian_trinity.shtml

Either a garnet or a rubellite tourmaline would give you a lot of gemstone for your money, compared to spending the same money on a ruby. You should know that when you order a gemstone from a web site, you usually have the option to return it if you don''t like it.

Another thing to consider is that there is a range of quality available with diamonds; being open minded about color or clarity can help you get more for your budget.

I would pick out your center stone, and then have someone custom-make the piece for you. Fellow Pricescopers, any recommendations for NYC jewelers and gemstone sellers?

 

[Kismet]

You could also try looking here: http://gemsfromearth.com/home_main.asp and
http://duttonsdiamonds.com/. But if it's really stressing you out, you should probably call someone like Wink Jones or Richard Wise or Gary Dutton, tell him what you want, what your budget is and have him look for a stone for you.

 

[RevolutionGems]

A little Photoshop work for you...

 

[FrekeChild]

Link to 1.4ct red oval spinel

Darker pink oval 2ct Mozambique Tourmaline cut by Barry Bridgestock.

Ok. So spinel is pretty rare, but not very well known, so it''s relatively cheap for the moment. I would also recommend branching out with Garnets and Tourmaline. And I thought I''d expose you to Artistic Colored Stones, who is one of my favorite vendors. Also, Barbara should be coming out with new stones the day after tomorrow, June first, so you might want to keep an eye on her site. Good luck! I''m anxious to see what you get.

 

[pjean]

Date: 5/30/2008 3:52:49 PM
Author: FrekeChild
Link to 1.4ct red oval spinel

That spinel is gorgeous! I''d snap it up if I had the money.

 

[Rosa]

Hi EAC, Kismet, Revolution, FrekeChild and Pjean,

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. I apologize for not replying sooner. Went out of town unexpectedly this past weekend and when I checked my email account there was nothing there (I thought the replies would be sent to me! Sorry, I''m new to using message boards but was sure that I ticked a box that said it would happen.) So I looked at this page (which I''d left open on a laptop I dont use that often) and boom, there were all these great suggestions!

So thank you very very much.

EAC, thank you - I do feel lucky and my dad is a sweet guy. It makes it extra-important to me to find something just right! I looked at the Gram Faceting website and all I can say is wow. The photos and description of the cutting of that "martian trinity" http://www.faceters.com/gemstones/custom/matian_trinity.shtml that EAC pointed me to are amazing. Now I know what you are paying for when you buy a good cut!

Kismet, both the sites you mentioned have some lovely stones - I noticed a lot of them were from "Viet Nam" or said "Viet Nam - Luc Yen" - I just wondered if anyone knew anything about this - is that to spinel what Burma is to rubies?

Revolution (Jeff) - thanks - that is awesome looking! I love your photoshop skills.

FrekeChild - thanks! That 1.2 ct red oval spinel is a perfect size and price. I am thinking about it and plan to monitor the site.

I promise to post an update with whatever I buy and pics! This may take me a few months. It is my first time to go through this process and I notice between work and family that I usually only get a chance to look in brief glimpses.

I bookmarked all the sites you have all suggested and will consider contacting some of the jewelers mentioned. As an etiquette point, am I supposed to only contact one and work with that person exclusively, or is it ok to contact several and let them know what I''m looking for?

Thanks all - your feedback is definitely helping me stay focused as otherwise I''d be overwhelmed.

 

[chrono]

Spinels are usually found where rubies are. I love Burmese spinels but pretty Vietnam spinels can be found too. Most Vietnamese spinels tend towards brown but a good pure red can be found.

 

[Rosa]

Hi Chrono,

Thanks. Another question - I read here on pricescope when I was looking for rubies that so many are heat-treated to make them redder, whereas spinels are often untreated. However, since you mention the tendency for them to be more brown than red, I am wondering if it is possible to tell if a spinel has been heated? Also, do they come with a "GIA-type" certificate the way a diamond would?

 

[Rosa]

Hi again,

I have been trying to narrow down in my mind a style before looking for a stone. So far, I think an oval stone would look nice sideways (does anyone know the name for this orientation?) I came across this pic on a jewelry site and it is lovely gives the overall effect, even though it isn''t exactly what I had in mind. The pictured item is a garnet - ignore the chain - it would hang from an existing gold chain sometimes but mostly from the pearls as an enhancer.


Any opinions?

I am also considering pear shaped stones since that is a classic pendant shape and will post some of those.

 

[Rosa]

Another idea is something like this:

This is also a garnet. I really think I''d like to go with spinel, but this is another classic look:

Thoughts?

 

[Rosa]

Ok, I do not have photoshop, but in my mind I can picture this with a red stone and 18k yellow gold. The idea with this one is that I could spend more on the stone and less on the setting, but it would still be dressy enough to wear with the pearls. Although, I do hate to give up the idea of some diamonds.

 

[Rosa]

I like the swirls of yellow gold and the diamonds that are on the bale of this pendant and think that would also look good with a red stone(just look at the bale, please - I know we are not supposed to discuss pearls!)

 

[Rosa]

Last pic for now - this is the back of that pretty swirling bale - can someone please tell me what this type of closure is called?

 

[Kismet]

I like the oval east-west setting the best. The swirly bale looks good with the pearl but I think it might look a bit strange with faceted stone that doesn''t have as much depth.

 

[chrono]

Spinels are not treated at all because heating just doesn''t do anything for the stone. I have heard some whispers here and there that there are people trying to treat spinels but haven''t had much success.

 

[eac]

I too am liking this innovative east-west setting for an enhancer.

With garnets, it''s really important that you see the stone in person! There is a lot of color variation, and larger garnets can often be dark. However, most reputable online gem dealers will send you stones on approval, and if you don''t like them, you send them back.

 

[Harriet]

Hi and welcome,
How sweet of your dad! The closest substitute for a ruby is a red spinel, but be forewarned that they are not easy to find. Unfortunately, I don't know any spinel dealers on 47th. Do contact Richard M. at www.artcutgems.com (as you mentioned). He can also help you source them.

 

[Rosa]

Kismet and EAC,

"EAST-WEST" setting - wow, what a cool term! Yes, I am so glad you both approve b/c that orientation caught my eye but I wasn''t sure if it would look awkward or clunky. I have a lot going on in the next few weeks, but as soon as I can boogie myself to midtown I will walk through 47th Street and try on a few pendants in this style, just to see how they look on my neck.

So far, I''ve only looked online!

Kismet, I think you are right about the swirly bale. It might overpower the piece and actually, I was tired when posting all those before, but it just also occurred to me that it might not "sit" on the pearl necklace correctly either. I guess I''ll save that concept for a future piece of jewelry - I think I am starting to become obsessed!

 

[Rosa]

Thanks Chrono, very interesting. So it is good to know that is not something I need to be worried too much about.

 

[Rosa]

Hi Harriet,

Thanks - yes, it is sweet! I have read tons of good things about Richard Martin of artcutgems.com. I probably will contact him and a few other vendors in the next month or so, but I definitely want to narrow down my ideas first so I don''t waste people''s time! I do wish he was in NYC instead of California, just for convenience, but it seems like all of the internet vendors recommended here have fair return policies so I will be able to see stones in person before making a commitment.

This site has been a fabulous resource - just reading people''s opinions and running ideas past other jewelry lovers is great! I don''t want to bore my dh with this (he watches sports; I look at jewelry!) Better than that, though, is that everyone really helps me to refine ideas and get a better picture in my mind what to look for.

This weekend hopefully I will have a few moments to post some pics of spinels I''ve seen online and get feedback from everyone! :-}

 

[Harriet]

Rosa,
I live in New York too and had to get my red spinel from California. Just make sure you buy from a reputable place with a good return policy.

 

[Rosa]

I found a few stones that I think would be nice choices for the pendant - set "east west" with yellow gold and diamonds... I''m still working on refining that idea.

Everyone has been so helpful - it would have been so daunting to start looking without this community, so thanks!

I would love to hear opinions on these stones.

This first one is a 2.5 ct red spinel - listed with AJSGEMS.com for $1250.

 

[Rosa]

This one is 2.01 cts listed with forevergemstones.com for $1020.

 

[Rosa]

A 3rd one - listed with gemsfromearth.com (Gary Dutton and David Perry are listed as the US reps - Kismet you had mentioned Gary''s name and I read his history on his website, so that gives me some peace of mind in terms of the stone probably being represented truthfully.)

This one is 1.98 cts and lists at $1481.

 

[Rosa]

This one is 2.24 cts listed at Palagems - they don''t list prices so I would need to find out from a stone dealer or jeweler what the price is.


Out of curiosity, would the price be the same no matter which jeweler I would get it from?

(i.e. is there a set price that Palagems makes sure gets charged by the jeweler, or is the jeweler free to mark up or down the stone depending on his costs, e.g. fancy store vs. internet-only merchant?)

Has anyone bought from Palagems and if so, who did you use as an intermediary and were you happy with the transaction?

 

[Rosa]

This is a slightly different shape but would also look great - it is listed on multicolour.com as being 2.64 cts and asking price is $1188.

 

[Rosa]

One more from multicolour.com - a pear shape - 2.14 ct - $963.

 

[Rosa]

So, any favorites?

Also, each of them is represented as natural, unheated, & eye-clean (excepting Palagems - they didn''t have "clarity" listed as a category on the details page.)

It is hard to know how computers represent colors, but just so you know when evaluating all of these, they are all supposedly red, slightly orangeish red, or slightly purplish red.


Thanks again for any and all input!

 

[FrekeChild]

Um, if I''m to be honest I think all of them but especially the last two are lacking a bit. Those last two has windows and are pretty pink, one of the other one looks pretty included(third one up), I think another one is concave cut but kind of funky looking(4th up?), and the top two have windows too, it looks like. Having said all of that, I would pick the first one just because I like the color the most. But...color on a computer monitor can be VERY different from what it is in person.