Red gemstones other than rubies?

[northstar_78]

What about spessarite garnets and red spinel? I''ve seen a few pieces and they are lovely! Are they hard enough to withstand every day wearing?

 

[MINE!!]

Northstar.. I cannot tell you about spinels.. but I know a lot of PS''s love them and wear them in their rings and such. I am sure they are going to give you some great advice.

I am in the process of getting a spessartite in my engagement ring for the center stone. I plan on wearing it 24/7.. unless I am building a house or gardening. They are a 7.5 on the hardness scale and like all stones you have to be careful.. I have been goven some great advice about these stones. I love them. I think they are yummy and vibrant and I have to say they are just about my all time favorite gemstone. Many people can help you with information.. Richard_M and Richard W and you can check out Richard Homer. MJO and Val and lonewoodminer. They are a great source of info.. I would PM them for more info.

I like these more than I like the rubies. But it is always just a matter of personal preference. How are you going to set it?

I would also do a search on PS and I am sure that you will come up with a lot of posts on these types of stones. Good LUCK!

 

[northstar_78]

I''d love to have it as a center of a three-stone ring. I do love the red-white combination! Thanks for your advice; I''ve already visited Richard Homer''s website and was blown away...beautiful stones.

Keep me posted!

 

[MINE!!]

Also, I know that spessartite are not heated.. I think you also asked a question about heating before. I am not sure about spinels though.

 

[Matata]

I''ve got a 3.21c red spinel in my e-ring. I''ve worn it every day for several months, banged it against several hard surfaces (I''m a klutz), and there aren''t any chips or scratches.

 

[movie zombie]

for info on color gems, check out:

richard wise''s book ''Secrets of the Gem Trade''

and

http://jcrs.com/JCRS_for_consumers/jewelry_information/colored_gems/cs_color.htm


Mine has a gorgeous red/orange spess cut by richard homer coming. i have a pure orange that i got from richard wise. because of its size, i''m going to have to design some protection for it...which will include a bezel around the girdle.

like Mine, i''m going to wear my spess pretty much 24/7 but take it off when gardening, doing household repairs, etc. i''m rough on my hands but i''m used to wearing large rings. i do expect to have to have it repolished at some point.

spess comes in a range of colors from a yellow/orange all the way through to a very very dark red. you''ll probably want to see as many stones as possible before deciding which spess color is for you. also, cut is everything. i''d sacrifice size to get a great and superior cut. shape is personal choice but i do think more care has to be taken with the marquise cut if you''re looking for a stone that will be even in color throughout...the tips tend to be more tonal.

you might also check out ''rubelite'' which is also a garnet. from what i''ve seen of it, it can be as gorgeous as a ruby.

don''t discount buying online but make sure to check out how long you have to preview the stone and if there is a restock fee.

good luck!

peace, movie zombie

 

[velouriaL]

Spinels would definitely work, as would garnets (rubellites, spessarites, and others).
Check out these red spinels from acstones.com. Spinels are studier and would definitely work for everyday use. Spinels are also never heated. Try a search for Raddygast''s post out finding the perfect red spinel for his fiance.

\
Spinels from acstones.com

Spinel from ajsgems.com

Spinel from multicolour.com

 

[MJO]

I love red spinel and it is fine to were everyday with light use. Even the toughest stones will chip if not treated well. I have a star ruby I wear everyday that has chipped slightly. My fingers got too fat and I can''t get it off . Spessartite is nice also but to me doesn''t look as nice as fine Burma Spinel (but is nowhere near the price either).

 

[pearcrazy]

I have a red spinel that I''m planning on making a 3 stone ring out of. Check out AGBF''s gorgeous three stone red spinel ring in this thread:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/agbfs-spinel-is-set.27024/

 

[AGBF]

Date: 5/6/2005 4:46:13 PM
Author: pearcrazy
I have a red spinel that I'm planning on making a 3 stone ring out of. Check out AGBF's gorgeous three stone red spinel ring in this thread:
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/agbfs-spinel-is-set.27024/

Thank you. I had decided to comment on the durability of red spinels as I was reading the thread, then I saw that my stone was mentioned!

I will preface this by saying that I am a consumer, not a gemologist, and thus that my experience may not be representative of the norm.

My red spinel apparently fractured. I do not yet know exactly how bad it was, whether it could have been worn safely or not. What I do know is that it is a Type II Colored Gemstone and, as such, is prone to inclusions. The bright, stoplight red stones are particularly prone to inclusions.

I have a tanzanite ring. Tanzanite is fragile. I have a cherry red fire opal ring. Opal is fragile. Red spinels can be gorgeous. HOWEVER, they can, in my own experience (which, remember, may not be representative of the norm) can also be fragile. They are not diamonds!

Deborah

 

[AGBF]

Richard Hughes, author of "Ruby & Sapphire", wrote of red spinels:

"In terms of clarity, spinel is often cleaner than ruby. However, the very finest reds are so rare that some clarity defect is almost always present (usually fractures). Included crystals are quite common in spinel. Many stones display natural iron-oxide stains in their fractures."

Deborah

 

[pearcrazy]

Hi Deb,

Just wondering, what''s the status on your ring? Are you searching for another red spinel? How did you find the inclusion? Could you see it with the naked eye and where was it in the stone? I''ve been searching mine with a loupe ever since I heard about yours but haven''t found one yet. (I must admit that I''m not too good finding inclusions in ANYTHING with it) My jeweler hasn''t seen it with his loupe yet, I''m still waiting for him to finish my sapphire/diamond 3 stone first and see how I like it before moving onto the next project.

 

[valeria101]

AGBF, is your spinel still in one piece ?

From an older thread I remember that the jeweler who mounted it declared that the stone has some inclusions and this, in theory, makes it less durable than a flawless spinel. But the stone was intact, no ?

It is not clear if by "fracture" you mean stone-busted-in-piecs or some feather-like inclusion (the inlcusions elegantly called "feathers" for damonds are internal fractures as well, only the diamond trade found a "lighter" name for them).

 

[AGBF]

pearcrazy and Ana,

Thank you for your interest. I am not trying to hold out on you, but I do not, yet, have a grasp of the situation. Everyone involved has been great. I am still trying to find out how damaged it is and what (if anyone knows) caused the damage. However, Pala has said they will replace the stone. Jim Grunberger (my local jeweler) had said *he* would replace it if it was his fault (if it was damaged during setting). Everyone on earth has examined the stone.

I do not know if Pala felt it was a prior inclusion that caused the current trouble (whatever it was) or if they are just being generous. I have to say that their offer certainly has won them my goodwill, however! I will let you know more when I know more.

Isn''t it nice when someone is helped by the jewelers with whom he has been doing business and can come here and report that?

Deb

 

[AGBF]

Hi, fellow colored stone lovers-

Matata''s posting about "losing" the pair of red spinels she had been watching on a gem website made me decide to vent a little.

I am feeling a little frustrated. Pala Gems generously offered to replace my fractured/included red spinel. They sent two stones to DBOF (the vendors who sold the spinel to me), but neither was the quality of my original stone. I believe one was not a true red (whereas my first stone was a stoplight red) and that the second was included on the table.

Pala is supposed to find a suitable replacement stone and while I am happy that they are doing this, I am concerned about what they will eventually find! The waiting is making me anxious.

At any rate, it feels as if no sooner did I finally have a ring made, than I lost it!

Deb

 

[Kamuelamom]

Deb, I''m sorry to hear about the issues you''re having with your spinel. I hope everything gets worked out in your favor.

Hugs.

 

[AGBF]

Date: 7/25/2005 6:19:58 AM
Author: Kamuelamom
Deb, I''m sorry to hear about the issues you''re having with your spinel. I hope everything gets worked out in your favor.

Rather than both to hijack this thread and also to have the story of my spinel in every thread on Pricescope, I am going to invite anyone who is interested in the setting of my spinel to return to this thread for an update!

AGBF''s Spinel Problems

Deb