Sources for high quality red (or red/orange) spinel?

[valleyviolet]

I''ve been trying desperately to find a reputable dealer online who carries high quality, round cut, red (or red orange) spinel. So far my local jewelers are all very dismissive of my desire for this stone for an engagement ring (some were downright awful about the fact that I don''t like diamonds...).

I don''t know who to trust (irl or online) or what sort of certifications or credentials to ask for. Please help!

 

[Gypsy]

Call Wink and ask him to show you, link you, to the spinel Layla (Gypsy) just called him about from Palagems. It's a lovely round I was eyeing, red in color and very pretty. The price was very good for the quality of stone it is, the spread was nice and the color fabulous. But its a little out of my price range this year... so enjoy it! www.winkjones.com


Here it is! http://www.palagems.com/php/db_search.php?action=gemdetail&inventory_number=439

 

[strmrdr]

Gary at http://www.diamondexpert.com
Can get a variety of kicken spinels
He has a few on his website but more are available.

 

[Gypsy]

http://www.cherrypicked.com/

and

http://www.rwwise.com

have very high quality stones as well.

 

[valleyviolet]

Thanks so much Gypsy and strmrdr!

 

[colormyworld]

You could try multicolor.com. They have a large selection to choose from.

 

[Gypsy]

I was wracking my brain to think of where I had seen an amazingly cut spinel of gorgeous color recently... THEN I remembered: whitesgems.com AND I emailed Jeff White a while back, and he still had some of the lovely rough!! I''d TOTALLY get a custom cut spinel from him (actually he''s recutting my topaz for me next month), he does all different types of facetting too, which personally I think is IDEAL for an an special engagement ring.

 

[simplysplendid]

Date: 10/8/2007 11:32:06 PM
Author: Gypsy
I was wracking my brain to think of where I had seen an amazingly cut spinel of gorgeous color recently... THEN I remembered: whitesgems.com AND I emailed Jeff White a while back, and he still had some of the lovely rough!! I''d TOTALLY get a custom cut spinel from him (actually he''s recutting my topaz for me next month), he does all different types of facetting too, which personally I think is IDEAL for an an special engagement ring.

Hi Gypsy, is whitesgems expensive?

 

[Gypsy]

Depends what your comparing them too, I think.

Here is the page with their pre-cut gems check out the prices and see what you think. I think, for the quality of the cutting, he''s reasonable. His flat facet re-cut is going to cost me a fair bit (more than the 10 x 12 topaz cost me) but well, it''s going to be a stunning stone when it''s done, and exactly the teal blue color I want... so it''s worth it to me. I also like the orange oval on his site, and have been eyeing it consideringly-- but the topaz is going to remain an oval, so I''m looking for a different shaped stone for my next aquisition.

http://www.whitesgems.com/cutgems1.htm

 

[simplysplendid]

Thanks Gypsy!

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 10/9/2007 1:02:31 AM
Author: simplysplendid
Thanks Gypsy!

Any time.

 

[Harriet]

I second Jeff. He has a firecracker of a spinel (it's not round, though). Had it been larger, I'd have grabbed it. There are a number of other dealers who have red spinels (apparently with no secondary orange or pink). They're not round either. You could have Jeff re-cut them.