spinel - questions about cut

[deco1]

Hello,

Have been lurking here for a little while and recently purchased my first spinel. I'll be returning it (due to the color), but before sending it back, I'm trying to learn more about the quality of its cut. Excerpted from the seller's description: "Cut into a classic cushion shape with great proportions. Clarity is super clean. It grades at the very top end of VVS1."

To me it looks poorly cut; I'm looking at facet shapes, symmetry and meet points. Maybe,

https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/22035724160
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/22035944430

You can click on the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for your help!

 

[chrono]

If you are looking for precision cut, this isn't it. There are plenty of well cut stones that aren't precision cut. I am not bothered by facet shapes and imprecise meet points although I do like some sort of obvious symmetry. This particular spinel was cut to make the most of the rough material, as most coloured stones are, so although it doesn't have a window, the angles are such that it will show a tilt window easily.

Note that almost all CS will show a tilt window, depending on the cut and R.I. In the case of spinel, it should not show a tilt window this large at such a slight angle. I still would not call it poorly cut by my standards.

Picture 1 - tilt window (seen only at an angle).
Picture 2 - no window (only when viewed perpendicular to the table)

 

[deco1]

Thanks, Chrono. This pic shows doesn't show the faceting very well, but gives you a better look at the window:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/22212196652

 

[deco1]

And another taken in my hand:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/21604118083

 

[chrono]

Both of the latest two pictures show a tilted stone, so it is a tilt window. When you place it between your fingers, I can see the facets all the way to the culet because the table is perpendicular to the camera, so there is no true window.

Can you try a picture where the camera is exactly 90 degrees to the table of the spinel? It has to be precise.

 

[deco1]

Thank you, Chrono. Until you mentioned it, I hadn't given much thought to the tilt window. Good to know.

ETA – will try to get a photo straight on, later today.

 

[chrono]

I hope my posts didn't sound too argumentative or belligerent or biased. If nothing else, I am trying to be fair to both parties. My replies might seem to be against you but in actuality, I am trying to be as precise as possible.

 

[deco1]

Not at all. As a newbie, I appreciate your willingness to help. I've got a lot to learn.

 

[deco1]

After looking at these last few photos, I'm disliking it even more.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/22219316092
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/22206000306
https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/22219172602

 

[chrono]

Best that you return the stone. Personally, the tilt window is uncomfortably large for me too.

 

[deco1]

Glad to have your assessment, Chrono. Thanks.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

To me it looks like the spinel has a large window with plenty of extinction, and I agree with Chrono that you should return the stone. I think this precision cut spinel would be more worthy of your consideration.



http://www.artcutgems.com/item.php?item_id=878&category_id=48

 

[Area57]

How big is it and how much was it? I don't think it looks cut poorly, but I am picturing it being pretty small. It's the color I don't like. I like the precision cut example much better for color

 

[deco1]

Yes, the Art Cut stone is much prettier. The main factor in my purchase was color; the spinel was advertised (and displayed in still photos and video), as having shades of pink with purple, peach and violet blue flashes. I'm looking for something multicolored...

 

[deco1]

It was 1.83 ct. (slightly smaller than the Art Cut stone above), dimensions were 7.7 x 6.6 x 4.3 mm. I paid $160.