Spinel...Underappreciated?

[TanzyFan]

Maybe it is just me, but I find that Spinel is underappreciated. It is very durable and just as rare in some case if not more than Sapphire. I have been loving the Vibrant Neon Pinks and Reds that I have seen lately. Just though I would share.

 

[GemRite]

You are correct in your observation of spinels. Many jewelers I deal with don''t even carry spinels. I ask why and they reply "the consumers that walk in never heard of it and wouldn''t buy it". It is too much trouble for your average jeweler to take the time to inform the customer. Just like Tsavorite garnets though it is more common to see in a jewelry store, just many consumers are not familiar with it. It is a shame, there is so much out there besides the blue sapphire, pink sapphire, emerald and ruby that most people think of when looking into colored gems. When I think of getting something special for someone I look for something unique and not what everyone else is wearing. Spinel fits the bill, it''s durability, rarity and color range make it a winner in my book. I have cut a lot of spinels over the years, and it continues to be one of my favorite gems along with Tsavorites.

 

[Kelli]

I have never seen one in person, but I''m LOVING the ones I''ve seen around here. I''d like to have someday, when I can buy things again

 

[BWise]

I too totally agree that spinel are under-appreciated! I love spinel for its clarity, choices of color, and its high R.I. that makes it sparkle. I have actually noticed some price increase over the past 4 years on spinel, anyone who can confirm that?

 

[T L]

Well I have to say that the Colored Stone forum really appreciates Spinels!! I have never seen one in person that I loved, but I do see pictures of some nice ones here!! The really nice thing about them is that they''re not treated (at least that I know of).

 

[coatimundi_org]

I adore spinel.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

I love mine. I kind of think of tourmalines as very bright happy stones, because the color can be so vivid. On the other hand, spinels seem to me to be darker, moodier, changeable (love the color change ones), but because of that, they also appeal to me. It''s kind of like apples and oranges - each type of stone personifies a different personality to me, and both equally appeal to me depending on the mood

 

[TanzyFan]

Thanks for the input. Can hardly wait to do something terrific with this. 3.00ct +.

 

[colormyworld]

Date: 2/11/2009 3:11:03 PM
Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl
I love mine. I kind of think of tourmalines as very bright happy stones, because the color can be so vivid. On the other hand, spinels seem to me to be darker, moodier, changeable (love the color change ones), but because of that, they also appeal to me. It's kind of like apples and oranges - each type of stone personifies a different personality to me, and both equally appeal to me depending on the mood

It would seem you are not alone in your opinion. Let me just say, There is a reason FINE spinels are increasing so fast in price and it is not because they are dark and moody. Of course this is just my opinion but you have heard the old saying, Where there's smoke there's FIRE.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/11/2009 5:15:05 PM
Author: colormyworld

Date: 2/11/2009 3:11:03 PM

Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl

I love mine. I kind of think of tourmalines as very bright happy stones, because the color can be so vivid. On the other hand, spinels seem to me to be darker, moodier, changeable (love the color change ones), but because of that, they also appeal to me. It''s kind of like apples and oranges - each type of stone personifies a different personality to me, and both equally appeal to me depending on the mood

It would seem you are not alone in your opinion. Let me just say, There is a reason FINE spinels are increasing so fast in price and it is not because they are dark and moody. Of course this is just my opinion but you have heard the old saying, Where there''s smoke there''s FIRE.

Actually I''m so glad I found PS for many reasons, but one of them is that I''d never even heard of spinel until I joined. And since then I''ve seen some really pretty ones! (Freke''s ering anyone?) I love that clear blue color of a fine sapphire, but there''s also something about spinels too - I know some don''t like the grayness to a lot of the blue ones, but I''m fine with it, and the color changers are just so fun! But I don''t mean dark and moody in a bad way - I kind of mean that it just seems there''s more to appreciating a pretty spinel than a first glance. Tourmalines are very easy to love (I love them myself, and I think the number of tourms I have outnumber anything else I have!) but spinels need a second glance..but they''re totally worth it. Maybe it''s like an outgoing stone v. a shy stone?

 

[Richard M.]

Date: 2/11/2009 2:07:23 PM
Author: yingh
I too totally agree that spinel are under-appreciated! I love spinel for its clarity, choices of color, and its high R.I. that makes it sparkle. I have actually noticed some price increase over the past 4 years on spinel, anyone who can confirm that?

Price increases over that period have been huge, especially on fine red spinels from Burma, Vietnam, Mahenge in Tanzania and Afghanistan. Strong pinks (a tone of red) have seen similar increases. Fine blues have always been pricey due to scarcity and those prices have also gone up in response to greater demand.

I''m personally very fond of some of the less saturate colors that exhibit wonderful brilliance and transparency. Spinels also come in color-change types as well as star stones but good ones are hard to find.

Richard M.

 

[elmo]

I agree with RichardM - "underappreciated" is not the first thing that comes to my mind when I see some of the asking prices for top color 5+ carat stones over the past few years

.

 

[movie zombie]

Date: 2/11/2009 7:57:37 PM
Author: elmo
I agree with RichardM - ''underappreciated'' is not the first thing that comes to my mind when I see some of the asking prices for top color 5+ carat stones over the past few years

.

+1.

there is an abundance of affordable spinel...much of it with a lot extinction.....but the top quality spinel even in sizes under 5 carats can be intimitating.......

mz

 

[FrekeChild]

I think everyone here knows I love spinels. I also think they are unappreciated except for the top reds and blues.
Which is fine with me, because that just means I can pick up more of them for a cheaper price!

Let me think...
1 round gray from Barry
1 dark gray cushion from Dan
1 baby pink round from Dan
1 baby pink round little guy from Barry
1 dark blue color shifter from Dan
1 medium blue color shifter from Barry (ering!)

I love them all. And they will have more friends in the future. I''m also a big fan of them because of their moodiness and gray undertones--and just like BEG, I consider that an asset instead of a negative like many of the posters here. After all, we all have very different things we look for in gemstones.

Besides, the less people I talk into loving them, the more stones there are for me to buy!!!

 

[T L]

Date: 2/11/2009 8:19:31 PM
Author: FrekeChild
I think everyone here knows I love spinels. I also think they are unappreciated except for the top reds and blues.
Which is fine with me, because that just means I can pick up more of them for a cheaper price!

Let me think...
1 round gray from Barry
1 dark gray cushion from Dan
1 baby pink round from Dan
1 baby pink round little guy from Barry
1 dark blue color shifter from Dan
1 medium blue color shifter from Barry (ering!)

I love them all. And they will have more friends in the future. I''m also a big fan of them because of their moodiness and gray undertones--and just like BEG, I consider that an asset instead of a negative like many of the posters here. After all, we all have very different things we look for in gemstones.

Besides, the less people I talk into loving them, the more stones there are for me to buy!!!

I don''t think this post helps in that department. Ha!! Now I want one!!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/11/2009 8:25:23 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 2/11/2009 8:19:31 PM

Author: FrekeChild

I think everyone here knows I love spinels. I also think they are unappreciated except for the top reds and blues.

Which is fine with me, because that just means I can pick up more of them for a cheaper price!


Let me think...

1 round gray from Barry

1 dark gray cushion from Dan

1 baby pink round from Dan

1 baby pink round little guy from Barry

1 dark blue color shifter from Dan

1 medium blue color shifter from Barry (ering!)


I love them all. And they will have more friends in the future. I''m also a big fan of them because of their moodiness and gray undertones--and just like BEG, I consider that an asset instead of a negative like many of the posters here. After all, we all have very different things we look for in gemstones.


Besides, the less people I talk into loving them, the more stones there are for me to buy!!!

I don''t think this post helps in that department. Ha!! Now I want one!!

Hahaha. I think if you''ve convinced TL to want a spinel, you''re a persuasive lady Freke!

TL you should totally get one! Give those tourmalines of yours some moody company

 

[FrekeChild]

LMAO!!! Didn''t see that one coming at all!!! (But I''m totally supporting this decision TL!!!)

 

[Harriet]

Underappreciated? A few years ago, I''d say. There are precious few top reds in the larger sizes. I''m searching for a blue and a flame. I''m also in love with a certain Mahenge. It''s 5+ ct. and has orange and pink flashes. Sigh.

 

[chrono]

Spinel is certainly not mentioned much in the real world but that's okay with me because I can buy them ALL!

In seriousness, it's the very fine quality stuff that has seen an increase in prices and scarcity.

 

[Imdanny]

Our ancestors did not fail to appreciate spinel.

I apologize to everyone who's seen this-

http://www.palagems.com/spinel_ball.htm

In the market? I don't know. Like many things in life, there seems to be a threshold that has to be met for a certain quality level.

I adore spinel, too.

 

[innerkitten]

I''m a fan too. It does seem to be harder and harder to find what i like though. I joined PS in 2003 and at that time you could still get some real deals and in top colors.

 

[Fly Girl]

I asked my jeweler, who carries a lot of colored stones in his shop, why he doesn''t carry spinel. He said he used to, but people expected the stones to be in same color in different lighting as in the store, and too many of the spinel were returned. Too much of a nuisance, so he quit carrying them.

 

[FrekeChild]

That is so weird Fly Girl!!! I love the color shifts in spinels.

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 2/12/2009 5:45:14 PM
Author: FrekeChild
That is so weird Fly Girl!!! I love the color shifts in spinels.

I know. I agree that color shifting is very cool, but maybe if people weren''t expecting it, then they think something is wrong. I expect he needed to find a way to demonstate it in a jewelry store environment, and it wasn''t worth the effort.

 

[T L]

Okay, I admit it, and I hope people don''t faint from the shock, but I caved in and bought a spinel about a week ago

. I got it from a faceter (I''m not saying who). it was in the blue family, but not pure blue, that''s all I''m going to say about the color.

When I got it, it was completely grey and dead in diffused sunlight, so that really bothered me, and I decided to return it. At the post office, it sparkled, had gorgeous color and was beautiful under the flourescent lighting, and I just thought, "why can''t this stone look this color all the time?"

I know stones change in various lighting, but the change here was very dramatic. In a sense, to me, it was very unattractive in one light source, and very beautiful in another. Very opposite extremes. Unfortunately, for me, I can''t have such opposite extremes in a gem. However, I do understand what it means when people say they have rainbows coming out of their spinels!

 

[FrekeChild]

Yeah I can imagine it would involve light boxes or something like that. My jewelry store doesn''t carry them either because the general population doesn''t have a clue what they are. In fact the sales guy asked me if my ering was synthetic. The benchman I talked to thought it was fantastic, and I could tell he wanted to get his hands on it and go check it out under other lights.

 

[FrekeChild]

Date: 2/12/2009 5:53:13 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Okay, I admit it, and I hope people don''t faint from the shock, but I caved in and bought a spinel about a week ago

. I got it from a faceter (I''m not saying who). it was in the blue family, but not pure blue, that''s all I''m going to say about the color.

When I got it, it was completely grey and dead in diffused sunlight, so that really bothered me, and I decided to return it. At the post office, it sparkled, had gorgeous color and was beautiful under the flourescent lighting, and I just thought, ''why can''t this stone look this color all the time?''

I know stones change in various lighting, but the change here was very dramatic. In a sense, to me, it was very unattractive in one light source, and very beautiful in another. Very opposite extremes. Unfortunately, for me, I can''t have such opposite extremes in a gem. However, I do understand what it means when people say they have rainbows coming out of their spinels!

WHAT?!?!?!

Did you take any pics? Are you going to try again?

(Wanna come over and play with my collection?

)

 

[T L]

Date: 2/12/2009 5:56:18 PM
Author: FrekeChild

WHAT?!?!?!

Did you take any pics? Are you going to try again?

(Wanna come over and play with my collection?

)

FC,
I didn't take pics because it looked like a black stone. Besides, I don't like to talk about the stones I returned, only the ones I keep.

I made an exception here because I thought it would be interesting to comment on my spinel experience.

I would love to see all your spinels in one picture lined up.

 

[FrekeChild]

I''ll think about it. That would mean I''d have to stop being lazy and actually exert effort in picking up the camera, finding decent lighting and actually pushing the camera buttons. I don''t know if I''m capable.

I''ll look into it when I get home. Or maybe tomorrow since I won''t get home until after dark tonight. Any special requests for lighting?

But seriously, think you''ll ever delve back into the spinel world again?

 

[T L]

Date: 2/12/2009 6:28:52 PM
Author: FrekeChild
I''ll think about it. That would mean I''d have to stop being lazy and actually exert effort in picking up the camera, finding decent lighting and actually pushing the camera buttons. I don''t know if I''m capable.

I''ll look into it when I get home. Or maybe tomorrow since I won''t get home until after dark tonight. Any special requests for lighting?

But seriously, think you''ll ever delve back into the spinel world again?

Maybe I would. I actually have a violet tourmaline that looks quite a bit like the color of a violet spinel, so that will keep me satisfied for a while. It doesn''t flash rainbows though, but it is a sparkley portuguese cushion and I love the color.
Amazingly, my tourmaline has grey in it, but it does not go black. I would rather have a violet spinel that doesn''t go black. I could handle a little grey, but I don''t want the stone to go black. I know some people don''t mind that though, but for me, it bugs me. It''s a matter of personal preference.

I have a white gold trellis setting like BEG just got, and I wanted a stone for it, so I thought I''d get one. Alas, it was not meant to be.

I hope you get to take pics!!

I love taking pictures of my gemstones.