Show your Spessartite

[bright ice]

I am beginning to search for a Spessartite and I know that the color is very important. With that being said, would you say that one particular location produces better color and clarity gems than others?

Please show me yours!

 

[bright ice]

What do you all think of this one?
http://www.litnon.com/index.php?page=viewgem&id=8870

 

[Enerchi]

Can not give you an educated opinion -(lets hope you hear from the experts like TL, LD, Pandora, etc...) - but my initial reaction was it glows beautifully and the inclusions give it personality, and no window or bow tie. Pleasing to my eye!

Hope others chime in!

 

[y2kitty]

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/daniel-m-spess-ring.154847/

 

[T L]

I am beginning to search for a Spessartite and I know that the color is very important. With that being said, would you say that one particular location produces better color and clarity gems than others?

Please show me yours!

Namibia - all the true mandarin orange stones came from this location, and it supposedly had the most neon orange color, although slightly sleepy. It has been mined out for years. I would be careful of anyone claiming to have true Namibian fanta material, especially from the original mine.

Loliondo, Tanzania - almost always included and on the yellowish side of orange

Nigeria - cleaner than the Tanzanian material, but more on the reddish orange side, and can be a little brown

There are some other places in the world that produce orange spessartite, but the African locations typically have produced the best color. There's something about Africa that really brings out the best in gem variety and color.

This is a stone I bought around ten years ago. I don't know the origin, but photos don't do it justice. It looks like those neon orange traffic cones IRL. I have been able to set it in white gold because the color is so saturated. I don't advise others to set spess in white gold otherwise. High karat yellow gold is always best IMHO.

 

[cellentani]

So far, I've collected three examples from different locations:

6.34ct Namibian


1.90 Loliondo


A pair of 4.5mm Nigerian Spessaritites

 

[K9]

So far, I've collected three examples from different locations:

6.34ct Namibian

*faints*

This is gorgeous cellantani!

 

[colorluvr]

Let me just say that Cellentani's Namibian stone (which I have seen in person) is a complete fireball - one of my all time favorite rings. I have a stone which was sold to me as being Namibian (can't prove it) that is currently with Jerry Newman getting "buffed up" that is pretty dang close in color to Celle's. I just love it.... it's not as big as hers, but it pretty clean so I'm hoping to find a perfect setting for it some day. I tried to set it in an existing setting I had and it looked horrible (and also got a small scratch when it was set, which is why it is with Jerry right now). The big pear I posted in the "less than perfect" thread is supposed to be from Tanzania and looking at the inclusions, it probably is. I'll see if I have a decent photo of the Namibian one to post.

 

[Upgradable]

Bright Ice, I also had a long search for the perfect spess for me. I like mine on the yellow-orange side, and one of our beloved fellow PSers heard of my search and sold me this one. It is a Loliondo, precision cut by Jeff White. I'm currently working on a mounting for it.

Best of luck in your search! My only advice is don't rush into it. Take your time to find the perfect color, size, and tolerance/desire for inclusions.

 

[athenaworth]

I have no idea the origins or even the size of mine, but I love it nonetheless

 

[Enerchi]

GORGEOUS ring Athenaworth!

 

[colorluvr]

So far, everyone has been posting their "Fanta" orange (or almost Fanta) spessartites which appears to be what the OP is looking for based on her link, but I thought I'd show my more red spessartite as a comparison. It was also supposed to come from Namibia, but unlike the more Fanta orange stones, it is very very clean with no eye visible inclusions. It can show brown in some lighting, but most of the time it is the color of lava. specs: 3.04ct scissor cut - VVS

It looks kind of flat in these pictures, but I assure you it's not. It has great luster, but unlike the Fanta's, it does not glow.

I had two matching stones that were less red than this one, but more red than the Fantas, but I just recently sold them as a set.....I also had a couple that were red red, but shot off orange flashes in the light, I only have one of those left.

I think that is one of the reasons I like them so well, they come in soooo many colors of yellow/orange/red.

 

[bright ice]

Thanks everyone for sharing your beauties.

I went ahead last night and bought the one from Litnon to check it out IRL. I can always send it back.

I am also waiting to hear back from Gene about his new Tanzanian rough he picked up at Tucson (spoke to him 2 weeks ago about getting one of the pieces cut). Just got an update from him and he is cutting now So I'll have another to look at. That will give me two to compare.

 

[colorluvr]

Thanks everyone for sharing your beauties.

I went ahead last night and bought the one from Litnon to check it out IRL. I can always send it back.

I am also waiting to hear back from Gene about his new rough he picked up at Tucson (spoke to him 2 weeks ago about getting one of the pieces cut).

Good luck! I hope it is everyone you are looking for!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

In this thread is my Spess--from Roger Dery.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/canuk-gal-your-princess-wb.169809/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/canuk-gal-your-princess-wb.169809/[/URL]

cheers--Sharon

 

[VapidLapid]

here is my spess from tan. got it over a year ago in auction. roughly 1.4 carat and was about $30.



and here is the setting it is going to go into, about 5 steps ago. I was working on it this week, hoping to be done in another day.


eta: in real life not at all so brown.

 

[bright ice]

Well, I just got an e-mail that my purchase of the Litnon Spessartite was refunded because someone beat me to it by a few moments last night. I should have completed the purchase prior to posting it here. I know it happens all the time. I guess that's a lesson learned. OH WELL, maybe the buyer will love it!

 

[Upgradable]

Gem Line/Litnon "lost" the first spess I ordered. I'm still disappointed about it.

 

[colorluvr]

Well, I just got an e-mail that my purchase of the Litnon Spessartite was refunded because someone beat me to it by a few moments last night. I should have completed the purchase prior to posting it here. I know it happens all the time. I guess that's a lesson learned. OH WELL, maybe the buyer will love it!

I'm sorry Bright Ice - that sucks!

 

[NKOTB]

Gary at Finewater just posted a small but nice spess if you're interested.

 

[bright ice]

Gary at Finewater just posted a small but nice spess if you're interested.

Yes, I just got that too. It's just too pricey for such a small size though don't you think?

 

[NKOTB]

Well, I don't have that kind of budget, generally, but bigger isn't always better. It depends on how much inclusions bother you, how big your fingers are, what your taste is like, etc. If you don't mind inclusions, and prefer a larger stone, then I'd wait. Or, if you have a decent budget, maybe something will come up that's bigger and still clean and saturated.

 

[bright ice]

Well, I don't have that kind of budget, generally, but bigger isn't always better. It depends on how much inclusions bother you, how big your fingers are, what your taste is like, etc. If you don't mind inclusions, and prefer a larger stone, then I'd wait. Or, if you have a decent budget, maybe something will come up that's bigger and still clean and saturated.

I bet it would be stunning with a square halo though to increase finger coverage

 

[1001smiles]

Interesting that Gary lowered the price from 1000 to 800 a few minutes after posting...

Anyways, here's another 6-ct Loliondo, although I don't think I know enough to judge quality (seems a bit shallow):
http://rough2refinedgemstones.com/?page_id=2078 (scroll down)

 

[Pandora II]

Gary at Finewater just posted a small but nice spess if you're interested.

Yes, I just got that too. It's just too pricey for such a small size though don't you think?

If it's as good as it looks and as Gary says then I think the price is fine considering the difficulty of finding a really good spess with both colour and clarity.

 

[melave]

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150516780479861.395106.314821064860&type=3

Might be worth enquiring about this one?

 

[gammygam]

Here's my orangey/red with a tint of brown.

I'm getting a pair of close to 6 ctw matched fantas for earrings. I can't wait GL on your search!

 

[Treenbean]

Wow Gammygam I love how autumnal that ring looks. It's a beauty!

 

[LD]

Here's one of mine that's like a little ball of fire (but probably has too much yellow to be considered "fanta") but then I'm also attaching my 3.81ct red variety. In real life this is very red, much more so than it looks in the photos and in all honesty I think that the red one has more punch and is easier to wear in general than the orange:

 

[innerkitten]

So far, I've collected three examples from different locations:

6.34ct Namibian


1.90 Loliondo


A pair of 4.5mm Nigerian Spessaritites

All the stones in this thread are gorgeous but I'm in love with the studs! I want a pair too some day.