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Purrrfect color, but...

FallenRox

Shiny_Rock
Joined
May 1, 2011
Messages
248
My spinel for my ering project arrived yesterday. It is more beautiful in color and saturation than I had expected from the pictures. It's an ebay stone. Just under 7 carats @ $199.00 it is impressive (to me.) A lovely rosey lilac.

BUT
- There are visible inclusions on the end of one side and along the very outside wall of the back. It was said to be a VS, but I'm thinking it's not. Anyway, I just sent it off to Jerry of Gemart Services to make sure that he can recut it without an issue to an 9 X 8 very slightly elongated asscher. (His estimated dimensions)

I did write to the vendor because there is a 7 day money back return policy and there is a chance I'll go over the 7 days depending on when I hear back from Jerry. I asked the vendor for a 3 day extension on the return policy, but their response was that they'd take 25% off. :|

I don't need a discount. I need the right stone, so I'm just crossing my fingers that Jerry says he can work his magic with the stone. To be continued.....
 
Any pictures? Sorry to hear about the inclusions. Will these end up going away with the re-cut?
 
Yep, have pics- and I knew from these that it wasn't perfect. I even sent them to Jerry and yes, hopefully he can work it out. I just don't know enough about recutting and what stays and goes and can be changed or hidden or if that's even possible. Total newb in that area.

I can't get good pics yet with my camera, and the 6 days of overcast/rain hasn't helped, so here are the vendor images....

top and bottom.JPG
 
May I make a suggestion? You say you're blown away by the colour and saturation. The gem (as it is) is over 7ct AND you paid less than $200. In my book, that makes it a very very good buy. If it can't be re-cut to the shape, size you want, then I would strongly urge you to keep the stone as it is and mask the inclusions (if possible) with a clever mount. The inclusions (left hand photo, right hand side of the gem) are not, if the photo is accurate, too bad. Are they visible when the gem is at arms length i.e as you would normally see it?

Sometimes we strive for perfection and it's very rarely attainable. It sounds to me like you're 90% there with that stone and in my book that makes it a great buy and a keeper - definitely NOT one to return. It is incredibly difficult to find colours that make your heart sing. When you do, please keep hold of them!
 
LovingDiamonds|1308694638|2951332 said:
May I make a suggestion? You say you're blown away by the colour and saturation. The gem (as it is) is over 7ct AND you paid less than $200. In my book, that makes it a very very good buy. If it can't be re-cut to the shape, size you want, then I would strongly urge you to keep the stone as it is and mask the inclusions (if possible) with a clever mount. The inclusions (left hand photo, right hand side of the gem) are not, if the photo is accurate, too bad. Are they visible when the gem is at arms length i.e as you would normally see it?

Sometimes we strive for perfection and it's very rarely attainable. It sounds to me like you're 90% there with that stone and in my book that makes it a great buy and a keeper - definitely NOT one to return. It is incredibly difficult to find colours that make your heart sing. When you do, please keep hold of them!

I agree with the above bolded points. It's a very good price for such a large spinel, and I think Jerry can make it look fantastic with his cutting. I can't wait to see the results!! :appl:

This is one project I'm really looking forward to because it shows how you can find bargains on ebay and have them recut to look like they're so much more than you paid. :naughty:
 
LovingDiamonds|1308694638|2951332 said:
May I make a suggestion? You say you're blown away by the colour and saturation. The gem (as it is) is over 7ct AND you paid less than $200. In my book, that makes it a very very good buy. If it can't be re-cut to the shape, size you want, then I would strongly urge you to keep the stone as it is and mask the inclusions (if possible) with a clever mount. The inclusions (left hand photo, right hand side of the gem) are not, if the photo is accurate, too bad. Are they visible when the gem is at arms length i.e as you would normally see it?

Sometimes we strive for perfection and it's very rarely attainable. It sounds to me like you're 90% there with that stone and in my book that makes it a great buy and a keeper - definitely NOT one to return. It is incredibly difficult to find colours that make your heart sing. When you do, please keep hold of them!

LovingDiamonds-
I love you right now. :) Thank you for that. You're right. I guess when you're on the hunt for what seems like a very long time you get tunnel vision and forget the finer things about what you were looking for to begin with. I'm keeping it regardless. Thanks again.

The thing that I was worried about was that the cut I wanted for my ering wouldn't even be possible with the inclusions. Hell, I don't care if the stone isn't perfect but knowing nothing about recutting I have no idea if the stone just couldn't take it etc. But yes, I'm confident that it could be set in a gorgeous setting with it's faults, no matter what he says. =)

TL - I should hear from him Thursday. He's super duper busy from now till the 4th of July with all kinds of cutting projects but that's great timing for me. And I'm glad you're excited, because you are the reason that my passion for spinels has spun out of control. :lol: Thanks again, to both of you!
 
Honestly, for a stone that size and colour there had to be something that was making it the price it was.

Coloured stones are graded with the naked eye not with a loupe like diamonds are so a VS in a coloured stone will look much like an SI1 in a diamond.
 
Pandora|1308761945|2952049 said:
Honestly, for a stone that size and colour there had to be something that was making it the price it was.

Coloured stones are graded with the naked eye not with a loupe like diamonds are so a VS in a coloured stone will look much like an SI1 in a diamond.

Yep, I'm sure that there was. The inclusions, and the fact that it isn't a highly strong saturated color, which is perfect for me but not necessarily the ideal stone by book-quality standards. Just personal preference of mine.

Looking at the stones on this forum that are super saturated, very well cut and very clean are beautiful but not necessarily what is the most attractive for me to wear personally. My best guess anyway for the pricing.
 
FallenRox|1308766904|2952117 said:
Pandora|1308761945|2952049 said:
Honestly, for a stone that size and colour there had to be something that was making it the price it was.

Coloured stones are graded with the naked eye not with a loupe like diamonds are so a VS in a coloured stone will look much like an SI1 in a diamond.

Yep, I'm sure that there was. The inclusions, and the fact that it isn't a highly strong saturated color, which is perfect for me but not necessarily the ideal stone by book-quality standards. Just personal preference of mine.

Looking at the stones on this forum that are super saturated, very well cut and very clean are beautiful but not necessarily what is the most attractive for me to wear personally. My best guess anyway for the pricing.

At least you know what you want, and you are paying a fair, actually a terrific, price for it The important thing is not always to buy the best saturation (who could afford it anyways??), but to know what vivid saturation is for a particular gem species/color, and to pay a fair price on anything that falls below vivid saturation. Some gems do not always need fine color, but particularly in the case of high RI stones like spinels, they can offer great luster, sparkle and brillance.
 
TL|1308768779|2952149 said:
At least you know what you want, and you are paying a fair, actually a terrific, price for it The important thing is not always to buy the best saturation (who could afford it anyways??), but to know what vivid saturation is for a particular gem species/color, and to pay a fair price on anything that falls below vivid saturation. Some gems do not always need fine color, but particularly in the case of high RI stones like spinels, they can offer great luster, sparkle and brillance.

AND- He went ahead and credited me $50.00 for my worries. Can you say thrilled to pieces? :D
If we all liked the same thing, life would be very boring. IMHO I started off here in this forum looking for black diamonds, then black spinel, then dark purple spinel, then medium purple, then gray and now look. LOL

Also figuring out what you like to look at versus how it looks next to your skin tone is huge. Lots of lessons learned and to be learned, I'm sure. =)
 
7 carats, nice! Just something to keep in mind: a recut might change the color some--hopefully Jerry will be able to offer his thoughts.
 
IndyLady|1308773699|2952243 said:
7 carats, nice! Just something to keep in mind: a recut might change the color some--hopefully Jerry will be able to offer his thoughts.

Ahhh, never thought about that!
This shall prove to be interesting, no doubt :)
 
Honestly, I don't think I would worry about it too much since the stone is not that strongly saturated. I really think stones like these benefit best from recuts, especially those light in tone. Now if you were recutting a neon paraiba. . . . :eek:

I personally think the recutting may even help the color a bit since there is a window, and if it closes up, you'll see more of an even color thorughout the stone.
 
TL|1308776672|2952272 said:
Honestly, I don't think I would worry about it too much since the stone is not that strongly saturated. I really think stones like these benefit best from recuts, especially those light in tone. Now if you were recutting a neon paraiba. . . . :eek:

I personally think the recutting may even help the color a bit since there is a window, and if it closes up, you'll see more of an even color thorughout the stone.

Nah, not worried, but you know- when I looked at the stone compared to others that I know have windows- I didn't see one. Maybe because it's pale or I'm just untrained. I couldn't see through anything in multiple lighting situations, but in the image, there certainly looks to be one.

*makes note to look up a neon paraiba... .. . lol
 
FallenRox, I'm emerging from long-time lurkdom to share how excited I am that you've found a stone! It's gorgeous, and I can't wait to see how it turns out. So much potential!!! :appl:

I've been following your quest with much interest, because while my boyfriend and I have discussed engagement and our desire for a non-diamond centre stone, I've been having similar flip-flops on colour choice. I can't decide whether I want barely-there-colour in a pale pale violet, or a more medium purple, so I am really appreciating the opportunity to "watch and learn" through your experience. I'm sure I'll be back sometime soon with a topic of my own to get some expert opinions for my upcoming project, but for now I couldn't hold back from chiming in on your great find.
 
petit_bijou|1308783898|2952342 said:
FallenRox, I'm emerging from long-time lurkdom to share how excited I am that you've found a stone! It's gorgeous, and I can't wait to see how it turns out. So much potential!!! :appl:

I've been following your quest with much interest, because while my boyfriend and I have discussed engagement and our desire for a non-diamond centre stone, I've been having similar flip-flops on colour choice. I can't decide whether I want barely-there-colour in a pale pale violet, or a more medium purple, so I am really appreciating the opportunity to "watch and learn" through your experience. I'm sure I'll be back sometime soon with a topic of my own to get some expert opinions for my upcoming project, but for now I couldn't hold back from chiming in on your great find.

That is so awesome!!! If you can find inspiration to seek out what you really want, and felt compelled to chat a bit here, I am beyond thrilled. It's the little things sometimes that really make a difference in experiences in life and online. This forum is a godsend. I know without it, I'd end up with a repeat of what I've done in the past. Now, after learning and talking and reading and exploring... it's a whole new world.

I'll definitely encourage you to buy some test stones if you haven't already. It's a blast, inexpensive, and a true hands on way to really see for yourself what you like in color or even lack thereof. Can't wait to hear more from you too!

*cheesy grins* :D
 
FallenRox|1308785995|2952364 said:
That is so awesome!!! If you can find inspiration to seek out what you really want, and felt compelled to chat a bit here, I am beyond thrilled. It's the little things sometimes that really make a difference in experiences in life and online. This forum is a godsend. I know without it, I'd end up with a repeat of what I've done in the past. Now, after learning and talking and reading and exploring... it's a whole new world.

I'll definitely encourage you to buy some test stones if you haven't already. It's a blast, inexpensive, and a true hands on way to really see for yourself what you like in color or even lack thereof. Can't wait to hear more from you too!

*cheesy grins* :D

*cheesy grins* for sure! :D It was so exciting to get my first reply, hahah.

I'm really excited to have come "out in the open", as I've loved observing the great online community from afar for the last few months. All I knew before PS was that I wanted a purple stone (I didn't even know what a spinel WAS), and now I feel like I've been exposed to a whole new world!! I ordered my first test stone, but due to the Canada Post strike (I'm Canadian), who knows when I'll get it... :roll:
 
petit_bijou|1308787975|2952393 said:
*cheesy grins* for sure! :D It was so exciting to get my first reply, hahah.

I'm really excited to have come "out in the open", as I've loved observing the great online community from afar for the last few months. All I knew before PS was that I wanted a purple stone (I didn't even know what a spinel WAS), and now I feel like I've been exposed to a whole new world!! I ordered my first test stone, but due to the Canada Post strike (I'm Canadian), who knows when I'll get it... :roll:

ooooh! do you have pics? I wanna see! and yes, this lovely colorful world is just opening for some of us. Thankfully we have the experts to guide our little clueless selves. But hey- I think I know more than most local jewelers which is kinda cool. lol
 
FallenRox|1308788659|2952405 said:
ooooh! do you have pics? I wanna see! and yes, this lovely colorful world is just opening for some of us. Thankfully we have the experts to guide our little clueless selves. But hey- I think I know more than most local jewelers which is kinda cool. lol

I got brave and posted my first topic with a picture!

I'm excited to get some feedback, even though I know it's not a great stone (there's a reason I paid a dollar for it).
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/1st-topic-1st-test-stone-please-advise.162372/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/1st-topic-1st-test-stone-please-advise.162372/[/URL]
 
Ooooooo I'm loving the colour, congrats :D
 
talamasca|1308842609|2952934 said:
Ooooooo I'm loving the colour, congrats :D

Thanks! It's darker IRL but it's perfect as far as I'm concerned :)


Anddddd I have an update- got an email from Jerry and he says no problem on getting the imperfections out of the way. He's going to try for a slightly elongated asscher and since I couldn't decide between an emerald cut and asscher in the beginning, it seems like the ideal compromise. A blessing really!

He won't be able to get to my stone until the first week of July but I'm in no rush.
I'm just thrilled it sounds like it is going to work out. =)
 
I am SOOOOOOOO pleased for you! It sounds to me like this is going to be a very well loved stone!

Now, I just want you to bear something in mind ............... when we have something re-cut (or a mount made for that matter), we get pictures in our head right? It only takes a very slight variance and we can be disappointed. So, my advice is to always assume the worst. Believe you won't like it. Don't get over-inflated expectations otherwise you'll open the package and may not go "WOW". If you assume the worst, you're prepared for something awful to jump out. That way, when something lovely peeks out of the package it won't have to work so hard for your love!

Remember, with a re-cut you will see a slight change in colour in all probability, so be prepared for that also.

Lastly, please don't forget to update us and include new photos. I'll be waiting in anticipation.
 
LovingDiamonds|1308931242|2954033 said:
I am SOOOOOOOO pleased for you! It sounds to me like this is going to be a very well loved stone!

Now, I just want you to bear something in mind ............... when we have something re-cut (or a mount made for that matter), we get pictures in our head right? It only takes a very slight variance and we can be disappointed. So, my advice is to always assume the worst. Believe you won't like it. Don't get over-inflated expectations otherwise you'll open the package and may not go "WOW". If you assume the worst, you're prepared for something awful to jump out. That way, when something lovely peeks out of the package it won't have to work so hard for your love!

Remember, with a re-cut you will see a slight change in colour in all probability, so be prepared for that also.

Lastly, please don't forget to update us and include new photos. I'll be waiting in anticipation.

Excellent advice, LD, and yes, a very well loved stone it shall be. :)

You know what's funny? I don't have a picture in my head of how it will look and wondered if that was bad.
I've seen several asscher patterns and can visualize them, but with mine- I honestly have no image floating around
up there. I think it's because I'm not setting out to have a perfect 8x8 square and letting Jerry decide what is best
for recovering the good bits and just sort of going with the flow. Totally against my Leo-ness. :lol:

I figure the worst that can happen is that I don't like it for my e-ring and I start over? Then I put it in something else...
This lovely group has infected me in the best way. I'm not a knick-knacky person either, so what better to accumulate
than beautiful natural shineys!

As for pictures- UGH! I have a pretty decent camera- Canon Powershot S3iS, but I'm fit to be tied to get a good image
of these stones I have. So I have a couple weeks to practice. Does Kenny take photography commissions? ha ha
 
This is such an exciting project! Looking forward to seeing the recut :love:
 
I love it, it's a very pretty color, very flattering! :love: what a dream ring!
 
FallenRox, can you please share which ebay vendor you got this from? I'm now looking for a pale colored spinel and I love the color of yours!!! :love: Would love to see what other colors they may have....THANK YOU!!!!
 
kt|1309269646|2956995 said:
FallenRox, can you please share which ebay vendor you got this from? I'm now looking for a pale colored spinel and I love the color of yours!!! :love: Would love to see what other colors they may have....THANK YOU!!!!

I'm happy to, but I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you get multiple additional pictures in various lighting and perhaps even a video of their stones. They are not a recommended vendor by anyone here and although I feel I got lucky with my purchase, there are far more sound tried and true vendors out there. I will say though, they were awesome in communicating with me and very professional after I told them that I wasn't as happy with the stone as I thought I'd be.

In fact, if you like that stone, I had a second one in mind from a preferred vendor if that one didn't work out.... I'll give you that link too :)

Ebay vendor: http://stores.ebay.com/aaahiendgemstone

The second stone I had as back up- (much better cut too, obviously, but I knew I was doing a recut so that wasn't a huge factor for me)
http://www.gemselect.com/spinel/spinel-261477.php#

The PSers here are awesome with direction on stone finding, so if you don't find joy with this, just post what you're looking for. ;))


And to everyone else- thanks! we'll see how it goes :)
 
FallenRox - the Ebay seller you've bought from has some rather concerning feedback:

http://toolhaus.org/cgi-bin/negs?User=kilimanjarogems&Dirn=Received+by&ref=home

For peace of mind, can Jerry check it out for you? Having said that, the vendor also has some positive feedback but I like to look through negatives/neutrals because lots of buyers won't leave any feedback so you can bet that the actual number of disappointed buyers is more like double the amount shown here.
 
Thanks so much fallenrox! I'll check themm both out. I hope your stone turns out to be awesome as that will be an amazing price for a stone that size! A jeweler I use has a lavender blue spinel that is antique cushion cut (what I'm looking for) that's about 2.3 ct and I'm getting quoted $500! I will hopefully get pics to post here, but if you get yours and it's nice I'll be sooo jealous! Can't wait to see pics.
 
LovingDiamonds|1309296307|2957306 said:
FallenRox - the Ebay seller you've bought from has some rather concerning feedback:

http://toolhaus.org/cgi-bin/negs?User=kilimanjarogems&Dirn=Received+by&ref=home

For peace of mind, can Jerry check it out for you? Having said that, the vendor also has some positive feedback but I like to look through negatives/neutrals because lots of buyers won't leave any feedback so you can bet that the actual number of disappointed buyers is more like double the amount shown here.

Thanks for that link, I meant to save it last time I saw someone had posted it. And yes, Jerry already has the stone and we've talked about it. He agrees that it's a tad darker than the pics (which I like) and the inclusions/bubbles can be handled with the cut he's doing thankfully. I had it overnighted to him the day I got it because I was paranoid as all get out about it.
 
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