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Spinel recut/ heard back from Dan Stair/need advice

CHRISTY-DANIELLE

CHRISTY-DANIELLE

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 10, 2017
Messages
2,583
As most of you here know, I bought a lavender spinel a few months ago. It wasn't the shape I wanted, but I loved the color. I listed it for sale recently but then someone suggested I contact Dan Stair about recutting it. I was thinking he could make it an oval.

He just got my stone today and looked it over in person. He said it has nearly flawless clarity, so he even tested it to make sure it is real not lab! ( it's real!). He also said the color is very nice and the crown is cut well.
Dan recommends just tweaking the pavillion for better dispersion. He said he could do an oval but it "would be a crime to waste material off such a nice spinel".
Here is where I need advice. He can perfect its current shape, or do a radiant (like a princess cut), or he can do a barion cut which he felt would make the prettiest , most dispersive result.
If I were recutting with 50% chance I'm going to try to sell again, what cut do you think would be best? At this point I am doubting I want him to do the oval because it would waste material.
Please tell me your thoughts! And can anyone show me their barion cut?
Stone as is:
20190321_212417.jpg
 
would tweaking the original cut close the window?
 
Yes. I believe any pavillion refinement would. He said the window is actually small anyway.

I have no idea what would look the best. Keep it emerald/step or do the barion? I guess the barion would be super sparkly?
 
I wouldn't change the shape, just let him fix it up. It is a beautiful stone! The window doesn't bother me, especially if it is minimized when set. If you are still contemplating selling it, is this worth the time and money?
 
Another vote to listen to the lapidary since their advice is usually sound. Keep the shape and tweak only.
 
I guess the sell or not sell decision would depend on whether the recut made me love it. I just started thinking about the money to do a custom setting for a stone I don't absolutely love. I had it listed for a few days and got zero responses. Thought if nothing else if it's pretty color, great clarity AND cut by Dan Stair it might get interest if I do sell. Feel like either way, the recut might help.
 
I wouldn't recut at all if you are planning on selling it. Mine actually changed the color by a fair bit with just a pavillion recut and about 20% weight loss.
 
I’d let him do whatever he thinks is best
 
chrono said:
Another vote to listen to the lapidary since their advice is usually sound. Keep the shape and tweak only.
Click to expand...
From his email, he seemed to think the barion cut to the pavillion would have the best result. I am too new at this! Wondering if making it more dispersive will also ruin the lavender color?
 
Based on your most recent response, I’d sell it as is then.
 
I'm not an expert, by far, but I don't think recutting the pavilion would ruin the lavender color at all - if anything, I believe it would enhance it a bit.
Personally, I would leave the crown alone and recut the pavilion only.
My lab paraiba YAG has a "mixed" emerald cut that has a crown similar to yours but with a faceted pavilion. 20190325_172347.jpg
 
I would be interested but the timing isn’t right :( do you have a LT link so I can contact you?
 
I had an over 4 carat red/purple spinel that when re-cut in a barion cut turned into a purple/red spinel. The cutting is beautiful but the stone lost all appeal for me with the color change. I put it up for sale twice and no one was interested in it- even with the precision cut and priced well below most vendors.
 
Hivona said:
I would be interested but the timing isn’t right :( do you have a LT link so I can contact you?
Click to expand...
I just sold an engraved platinum band yesterday on Diamond Bistro, but you can "contact seller" to reach me. ( Look for the blue butterfly, that's me). I'm on the fence anyway, no rush. (But as will happen , I have my eye on another lavender spinel that's oval.....)
 
LisaRN said:
I had an over 4 carat red/purple spinel that when re-cut in a barion cut turned into a purple/red spinel. The cutting is beautiful but the stone lost all appeal for me with the color change. I put it up for sale twice and no one was interested in it- even with the precision cut and priced well below most vendors.
Click to expand...


That's scary! Sorry that happened. I guess it's a real gamble. Ah, what to do?! I just asked Dan what ,with his experience, he thought might happen to the color with the cut options. Do you have a pic of the stone you had recut? I'd love to see it.
 
I would ask Jerry Newman his opinion as well. Not all lapidaries have the same ideas, and two heads are better than one. That’s a tricky stone cut to mess with.
 
T L said:
I would ask Jerry Newman his opinion as well. Not all lapidaries have the same ideas, and two heads are better than one. That’s a tricky stone cut to mess with.
Click to expand...
Jerry looked at it already! He wasn't 100% sure he could recut the pavillion, and we talked about using it as rough for total recut, but it might have lost a carat or more. Dan seems confident he can recut successfully,. This has been a real learning experience for me > no matter the outcome.
Jerry did an excellent job on a zircon for me, so would use him again in the future for sure!
 
I'm not really the gambling type, but gamble I am doing. Dan is recutting. Barion with brilliant pavillion and step cut crown. He feels the new pavillion will pool the color better rather than it leaking out the back as it does now. Fingers crossed over here!
 
I'd say tweak and keep the step-cut shape...then I can buy it from you! :Up_to_something:
 
Christy-Danielle-

Dan is an experienced lapidary with a large pool of knowledge. Stone cutting never has finite results. Barions in my experience provide more depth, especially in stones cut poorly. Folks often start splitting hairs but the reality of the situation is in that particular stone with the existing tone and saturation you would be doing it a disservice by not improving it. IMHO You made the correct choice and wouldn’t br surprised if you end up keeping it.=)2
 
Holy crap! Now aren't you glad you sent it to him?
 
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