Pure grey spinel........

[digdeep]

On another thread (which started with the topic above) a question came about as to whether there might be pure grey spinel's that don't have modifiers.....or at least aren't so visible. So, with that question in mind.....does anyone see pure grey or other shades in this spinel?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PREMIUM-CUT-GREY-SPINEL-CEYLON-WATCH-VIDEO-/370947814069?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item565e3672b5

 

[chrono]

This type of spinel is shifty so this is a question best posed to the vendor. I suspect this one might black out under certain lighting conditions because it is dark to begin with.

 

[erinl]

I am purchased an returned A LOT of gray spinels--have not yet found the one. That one appears to me to have purple. I think it will look purplish gray bordering on black in some lighting.

Edited to add though: Frekechild would be much more of an expert than me.

 

[digdeep]

Thanks......I'm just curious as to what other's see since it's clear that eye's do see different color's based on receptors, etc.

To me, a lot of darker spinels seem to black out -- or at least I haven't seen one that hasn't to some degree. I'm talking deeply saturated blue's in particular. And I guess you can't get more saturated than a black stone. Part of this question also came from a black diamond discussion. It came down to.......would a sparkly grey spinel perform better and fit the expectation that most people (NOT CSer's!!) have when the term black diamond is used? I know this is a different question.....but it's part of how this subject came about.

Freke.......where are you?

 

[chrono]

The blackness seen often has little to do with over-saturation but with tone. When the tone is dark, the stone will appear blackish. When the saturation is low, the stone will appear grayish. GemWizard's computer model shows that it is not possible to have a strongly saturated blue stone be black. At that point, it is no longer considered strongly saturated but falls into the category of having a dark tone with lower saturation.

Referencing the chart below:
A black coloured (blue) gem is considered to have a very dark tone with very low saturation.
A grey coloured (blue) gem is considered to have a very light tone with very low saturation.

 

[FrekeChild]

Thanks......I'm just curious as to what other's see since it's clear that eye's do see different color's based on receptors, etc.

To me, a lot of darker spinels seem to black out -- or at least I haven't seen one that hasn't to some degree. I'm talking deeply saturated blue's in particular. And I guess you can't get more saturated than a black stone. Part of this question also came from a black diamond discussion. It came down to.......would a sparkly grey spinel perform better and fit the expectation that most people (NOT CSer's!!) have when the term black diamond is used? I know this is a different question.....but it's part of how this subject came about.

Freke.......where are you?

That will be darker than it looks in his photos. It also looks like it has a purple modifier.

Black diamonds and spinels are typically opaque, since black is the absence of light, this makes sense. I've had a few very dark gray spinels that are not opaque. I'll attach some pics of the darker ones.

 

[digdeep]

OK......I stand corrected, Chrono. Tone, not saturation........... Thanks Freke. Perhaps that was the question all along......the opaque factor.

 

[T L]

If a stone is really "black," it is typically no longer grey, since grey still allows for the transmission of light flow. Black sucks up all light and doesn't return it back to your eye, hence the reason it would be opaque.

 

[velouriaL]

So, what is the best way to determine from a photo or video if the stone has very light tone and low saturation? I think that's what I want. Doesn't have to be "pure" gray.

 

[FrekeChild]

So, what is the best way to determine from a photo or video if the stone has very light tone and low saturation? I think that's what I want. Doesn't have to be "pure" gray.

This is the problem. Because in pictures and videos, the camera interprets light return as white, and the facets that aren't returning light as black, so the overall effect is a black and white stone instead of the actual body color of the stone. It's incredibly difficult to photograph these stones and capture the body color.

 

[NKOTB]

Partly, it's getting to know a particular vendor's photos. I would also ask the vendor (e.g. where the stone falls on a scale of 1-10, where 1 is colourless and 10 is black). The lighter it looks in the photo/video, the better your chances are, because I almost always find them darker IRL. The lighter ones seem to be more popular, so if you see one you like, I would ask the vendor to hold it for you while you ask your questions.

 

[velouriaL]

On that note, does anyone know if Jeff Davies actually sees his stones? Or if he is more of a broker? He's in UK and the stones are in Thailand, no? Or not? I'm not complaining, I know his stones are priced very well...

 

[digdeep]

I've wondered as well......

 

[erinl]

Jeff lives in Thailand. He is originally from the UK.

 

[FrekeChild]

He is in Thailand and he handles the stones himself.

 

[velouriaL]

thanks! good to know.

 

[velouriaL]

So the Jeff Davies spinel I posted in the other thread arrived. It's really interesting and quite beautiful! I can't post photos now, but I will asap! I walked home from the post office and stared at it the whole way! I must have looked crazy.

It's VERY sparkly and well-cut. It has many personalities. Here's the rundown so far:
direct sunlight: steely blue
indirect sunlight: periwinkle silver mixed with copper!
drug store: lilac purple pink gray
home: kind of a more coppery lilac pink?

I was most surprised by all the coppery gold tones, and really love that personality the best. I was looking for something that would go in rose gold and from my initial tests with a penny, some gold jewelry, and some platinum, I really think the rose gold was the winner.

What a cool, weird stone!

 

[Niel]

So the Jeff Davies spinel I posted in the other thread arrived. It's really interesting and quite beautiful! I can't post photos now, but I will asap! I walked home from the post office and stared at it the whole way! I must have looked crazy.

It's VERY sparkly and well-cut. It has many personalities. Here's the rundown so far:
direct sunlight: steely blue
indirect sunlight: periwinkle silver mixed with copper!
drug store: lilac purple pink gray
home: kind of a more coppery lilac pink?

I was most surprised by all the coppery gold tones, and really love that personality the best. I was looking for something that would go in rose gold and from my initial tests with a penny, some gold jewelry, and some platinum, I really think the rose gold was the winner.

What a cool, weird stone!

Oh awesome!
I bought a grey stone but I didn't want to post vendor pics. I was waiting till it gets here.

I can't wait to see yours.

 

[JewelFreak]

Dying to see your stone! It sounds fascinating & fabulous. I don't envy you trying to photograph it! But glad you're going to try.

 

[carmen1]

I had been eyeing the grey spinels Jeff has been posting lately, it sounds gorgeous and I can't wait to see photos!

 

[minousbijoux]

That does sound like a fascinating stone. Question for you: do you think that the body color actually appears coppery at times, or is it coppery in the spectral flashes you see from the stone? I ask because my favorite thing about spinels is the color flashes - the colors are so unusual and gorgeous. You may in fact have a color shifter/changer as well.

 

[velouriaL]

So, I tried to take pictures and it was a total bust. Hopefully I'll have more time this weekend to give another go.

Tough question, Minou. I'll say that it gives off a lot of colorful flashes. I was surprised because it's not as light as I thought it was going to be, so I didn't think I'd get as much as a rainbow as I do. In most artificial light, it holds a lilac (pinky purple gray) color and in most sunlight, it's more of a steel blue gray. Both of these colors have a lot of colorful flashes. Then, in certain mixed or indirect sunlight, the body color really does look pale indigo mixed with peachy copper. Perhaps this is a shifting between the lilac and steel? Like, the relative warmth of pink/lilac looks peach/copper next to the relative coolness of the steelier color? This also gives off colorful flashes, which are more goldeny than it other lights. What does it sound like? I wish I had better vocabulary and knowledge of optics!

In anycase, I do wish it were the blue-copper color all the time. I like the steely blue gray a lot, and I like the lilac okay... but I *personally* prefer the other colors and wish I didn't get the pinkier tone at work most of the time, though it is very pretty, I'm just not a pink girl. But, if that base lilac means that it looks better in warm metal, that's okay, too...

These grays are so weird and unpredictable!

 

[woofmama]

I'm also having a very hard time getting any true to life looking pictures of my Jeff Daniels grey cushion spinel.
Managed one decent shot at the jewelry store. It is sitting on top of a setting in this picture.
I have to leave for work now so I'll check back on this thread tonight.

 

[Niel]

I agree that I see copper as well, vL. I bought a small one as they had peaked my interest.

 

[velouriaL]

Niel - I mentioned it in your other thread, but I really like your stone a lot!! I look very well cut for not being precision. Could have fooled me in the pics. Interesting that you get the peach/copper too, even though our colors are fairly different.

Woofmama - I also really like yours a lot! It looks a little bit darker and bluer than mine. Does it get multicolored sparkle, or more blue sparkle? Does it black out? I LOVE that shape, and I think it looks really nice in that ring.

 

[woofmama]

First I have to mention-big oops My stone is from Jeff Davies, not Daniels I was in a major rush to get to work when I posted that pic and screwed up.

To answer your question, it does appear somewhat deep blue but in most light it leans more toward a plumish silver. It is dark. I was sitting on the fence considering returning it. It wasn't inexpensive enough to keep if I was unsure about liking it. I love the cut and in sunlight or grocery store light it's a sparkly silver, really pretty. I also love the size so I'm going to set it. Most likely in a setting like the pic I posted. I was originally thinking a YG claw prong solitaire but next to Yg it just looks dark. The WG with the diamond shank looked smashing so I'll do that. There's a jeweler near me that's extremely gemstone savvy which I would like to show my spinel to. Curious to get his setting ideas. I have taken it with me everywhere and will add a few more pictures.

 

[minousbijoux]

Woofmama, yours looks awesome as well. Tell us about the sparks it gives off, pretty please

 

[velouriaL]

Okay, here are some horrible pics of mine. None of them really capture the lilac gray it settles into in most artificial light, nor do any really capture the multicolor sparks, but oh well!

This is the vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5Zh23XorXc
...which is fairly close to accurate? Actually, I think it's lighter in real life.

And the vendor photo:

(That is, I'm 99% sure it's the vendor photo. I saved two to the my folder, one of which I bought, one of which I didn't)

This is the photo that comes *closest* to capturing the character of the spinel, but even it isn't exactly right:


And some more, just to attempt to give a better impression:

 

[velouriaL]

Round two...

Edited: to switch out duplicate photos and to say that this stone is NOT perma-dirty or included IRL. I think I just manhandled it when trying to take photos. Also, it's SO much lighter and brighter in person, in most light.