Please help me pick Alexandrite!

[GemQuestions]

Hello everyone, I am a newbie and looking to buy an Alexandrite for a ring for our 10 year anniversary. This forum has been very helpful in providing me lots of info. I have narrowed down my search to two stones. My top criteria is colour change followed by clarity and my budget is less than 3k. Please let me know what you think is better.

Multicolour
http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?-1458877526
- I read people have used this vendor and it's a good site.
- I feel the stone is a bit on the lighter side.
- how accurate are the pictures on this site?
- I am still not too comfortable that The dealer is in Thailand ,is that a problem. I am in Canada

GEMSNY
http://www.gemsny.com/loose-alexandrite/0.68-Carat-Oval-Alexandrite-AL99081AOV
- I have seen a few good reviews on them but don't see it listed in the vendor list.
- thier suggested retail price is garbage
- I would prefer a GIA cert instead of what they have.
- the colour online looked a bit too dark so I called and spoke with Vishnu and he answered all my questions and I asked him to send me pics from his cell phone(I know it's hard to photograph) so he sent me some, attaching




Please provide your feedback, I really appreciate it.
Thanks,
Jay

 

[lovedogs]

Hi Jay,
I'm not an Alex expert by any means, but Multicoulor is a very trustworthy vendor who we recommend very often for Alex stones. I would 100000% recommend multicoulor over gemsny. That stone looks pretty bad (no offense meant to you!), and I worry about the certification. I also prefer the color in the multicoulor stone. I know people here have purchased alex stones from multicoulor--hopefully they could chime in about their experiences with the photography, but as far as I understand the photos are typically accurate.

You can also email multicoulor to see if they have any other stones that aren't on their website. The owner is super responsive and very nice. Also check out his website (http://www.davidwein.com/jewelry/52002435-the-tsar-s-treasure.html) in case you see a ring on there you are interested in (if you want to purchase both stone and ring in one place).

Essentially my advice is to run away from the gemsny vendor and go with multicoulor

 

[GLbluegreen]

I have made two ring purchases from David at Multicolour and was very pleased with the results. His pictures are very close to the items I received. One of them was a ring with a 0.63ct Alex. Both rings have quality gems and as a whole are very nice looking and well made. David takes care of all of the international shipping requirements up front and I had my items within 4-5 days once he shipped them. The only downfall was that about 2-3 months after receiving them I was sent a tax bill from my state of residence. It wasn't a problem, just that I wasn't expecting it and David himself can hardly be responsible for knowing which states do this and which do not. I believe it is initiated while going through customs. I think they notify the state it is going to and from what I read while researching it, not all states handle them the same. I don't have any clue how it would work in Canada. But as far as Multicolour and David the quality of the items and service I received were excellent. Plus the GIA report was a bonus.

 

[qubitasaurus]

I agree the multicolour stone is a lot better choice than the GEMSNY. However I probably couldn't live with the huge window in the multicolour stone, especially since this seems to be a big purchase.

Maybe a different multicolour stone like this one would be a better buy?

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/alexandrite/yax725ab/&930512007

I would also consider asking for some more (daylight and mixed light) photos of this finewatergems one

http://www.finewatergems.com/store/p118/0.62_ct_Alexandrite.html

 

[GemQuestions]

Thanks so much for your replys. Pardon my ignorance but what's a window on a gem? And I will follow up on that Finewater gem.

 

[qubitasaurus]

No problems, this thread explains it well

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-to-coloured-gemstone-buying-read-this-first.174284/

Once you get it set the window will have the following operational effect: the middle of the stone will look dead (no sparkle because the facets are not reflecting any light) and finger colored (because you will be able to see a patch of your finger underneath the stone).

 

[chroman]

Also, is 3K your budget for just the stone, or does that include your setting budget?

 

[GemQuestions]

My budget is 3k for the gem, but that's CAD so about 2400 USD. I am open to other ones, let me know if you think any other on Multicolour is better. Thanks again.

 

[marymm]

If you're open to a pear-shape, this one from Multi-Colour is a real beauty IMO - great color-change, very nice cut, decent face-up size - I think if you search the Sku number (yax725ab) on PS, a couple threads positively referencing it should pop up too.

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/alexandrite/yax725ab/&930512007

 

[chroman]

I can't speak for the accuracy of their photos, but how about one of these:

http://www.africagems.com/trillion-alexandrite-gemstone-14720815.html
http://www.africagems.com/alexandrite-round-gemstone-19721029.html

They're smaller for sure, but *might* have better color that the multicolour pear.

 

[GemQuestions]

Those look great, what do you guys think of the size. I really like the size of the first one. Do you think the pear one multicolour will look small on the ring?

 

[qubitasaurus]

Honestly the face up size of the first stone is so large because it is pancake shaped; and this is what has caused the window. I have a size 8.5-9 finger; so I really get where your coming from. But I've found I prefer being able to see more of my finger outside the stone; over being able to see my finger in the middle of the stone. If that makes sense .

If you're worried; why not try the following exercises? Cut a piece of paper in a 6 by 4 pear and try resting it on the back of your finger. Also maybe stop shopping for the time being and go buy a really badly windowed cheap 6.5×5 stone off ebay and see what it looks like on the back of your hand. That way you can work out how you feel about these things before laying out heaps of money.

 

[chroman]

Just an idea to throw out - would color change garnet be of any interest?

If its the color and shift of alexandrite that's the main draw, it might be worth a look. Good color and shifts arn't cheap, but it also isn't quite the same price range as alex.

OTOH, if its really alexandrite you want, then nevermind!

 

[lovedogs]

Whats your total budget for stone and setting? I ask because it may be more cost effective to get the entire ring from David Wein's website (or at least ask him). He has a good deal of rings online, and you would be able to ask him about the options for size/quality, etc of alexandrite.

Here are a few examples, but there are tons more on the site. It might be an easier way to get a quality stone + setting for a good price.

http://www.davidwein.com/jewelry/alexandrite-white-diamond-and-white-gold-ring-00111669/overview/181/96/0
http://www.davidwein.com/jewelry/alexandrite-white-diamond-and-white-gold-ring-00111645/overview/181/96/0
http://www.davidwein.com/jewelry/alexandrite-white-diamond-and-white-gold-ring-00110877/overview/181/96/0
http://www.davidwein.com/jewelry/alexandrite-white-diamond-and-white-gold-ring-00111522/overview/181/96/0

Just in case color change garnets are an option, this one is gorgeous from wildfish (a trusted vendor). http://www.wildfishgems.com/inc/sdetail/color-change-garnet-1-08-carat/5413/14926

 

[qubitasaurus]

So I might be biased, but the top ring lovedogs posted is just stunning.

Whats your total budget for stone and setting? I ask because it may be more cost effective to get the entire ring from David Wein's website (or at least ask him). He has a good deal of rings online, and you would be able to ask him about the options for size/quality, etc of alexandrite.

Here are a few examples, but there are tons more on the site. It might be an easier way to get a quality stone + setting for a good price.

http://www.davidwein.com/jewelry/alexandrite-white-diamond-and-white-gold-ring-00111669/overview/181/96/0
http://www.davidwein.com/jewelry/alexandrite-white-diamond-and-white-gold-ring-00111645/overview/181/96/0
http://www.davidwein.com/jewelry/alexandrite-white-diamond-and-white-gold-ring-00110877/overview/181/96/0
http://www.davidwein.com/jewelry/alexandrite-white-diamond-and-white-gold-ring-00111522/overview/181/96/0

Just in case color change garnets are an option, this one is gorgeous from wildfish (a trusted vendor). http://www.wildfishgems.com/inc/sdetail/color-change-garnet-1-08-carat/5413/14926

 

[chroman]

http://www.africagems.com/trillion-alexandrite-gemstone-14720815.html
http://www.africagems.com/alexandrite-round-gemstone-19721029.html

I just notices that Africa Gems is having a 20% sale on Alexandrite during June. Unfortunatly it doesnt look like that helps put any other of their stones into your budget

 

[marionberry]

Bump! I'm curios about what the thread starter ended up with.