Tanzanian Rocks!.

[Love in Bloom]

I''m very much new to colored stones and recently made my first loose gemstone purchases. Here they are...

In order of appearance in the first picture:
Mozambique Tourmaline 7.1mm modified square brilliant
Tanzanian Spinel 5.8 x 7.6mm supernova oval cut
Umbalite Garnet 6.3 x 8.3mm also supernova oval cut

 

[Love in Bloom]

All were purchased from Barbara Smigel at http://www.acstones.com/ . When I spoke with her she was really interesting...she holds a doctorate in biology and after teaching she decided to become a gemologist. She mentioned it took something like 7 years to get GIA certified because she grew bored with diamond classes; gemstones are definitely her specialty!

On to the rocks:

The cut of the tourmaline is cool...kind of like an OMC with flair. The color, however, is a strange neon pink in real life and not the antiquey pale pink like in the photo. It would look decent as a pendant but I'm probably gonna return this one. However....

I am so enchanted by the nova cuts and absolutely refuse to part with either of them. The spinel is a steely violet blue and throws off some pretty nice rainbowy glints. But the Umbalite garnet...I have never seen anything like it...is the BEST. The garnet is a fascinating and almost indescribable deep violet pink...clear, yet somehow metallic...a bit coppery in some lights and my favorite by far. It also looks neat under my microscope (I work in a biology lab

).

Barbara explained to me that Umbalites are a type of rhodolite garnet mined by the Umba River in Tanzania. There are also sapphires found in the same place by that river; they are called Umba sapphires. Please excuse me if this is common gemstone knowledge...I had no idea thought it was very interesting!

 

[Love in Bloom]

Here are the supernova ovals cut by a man named Barry Bridgestock

 

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This is my garnet under the scope. The white speckles are dust, but you can see some fun stuff inside the stone...

 

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[LittleRock]

Those are so beautiful!!!

I''m gonna have to check that site out.

 

[Love in Bloom]

Also got a 2.15 ct cushion cut purple spinel from http://www.artcutgems.com . Thought I might send this one back, but I''m falling more in love with it the more time I spend staring at it

. Here it is under magnification:

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 4/25/2008 2:59:47 PM
Author: LittleRock
Those are so beautiful!!!

I''m gonna have to check that site out.

Ooooh, have fun LittleRock! I love the acstones site...there are TONS of stones to look at and lots of information too

 

[Selkie]

Woooooow! Those are beautiful, esp. the spinel and garnet. Oddly enough, I've been perusing that site for a few days now, and have my eye on a couple of garnets there. I'm glad to see the gems look as good in person. I think you may have just pushed me over the edge! You're such an enabler!

 

[LittleRock]

oooooh, it gets even better! Such sparkles!

 

[chrono]

LIB,
Wonderful, wonderful stones.

Barry has cuts a mean stone and his choice of rough is always good. So... any plans for the 3 stones?

 

[Love in Bloom]

Here are the spinels:

 

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The Tourmaline (heated):

 

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My favorite ...

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 4/25/2008 3:10:53 PM
Author: Selkie
Woooooow! Those are beautiful, esp. the spinel and garnet. Oddly enough, I''ve been perusing that site for a few days now, and have my eye on a couple of garnets there. I''m glad to see the gems look as good in person. I think you may have just pushed me over the edge! You''re such an enabler!

Thanks Selkie! I was never a garnet lover until I realized (thanks to PS) that there are tons of garnet colors. The spinels are new to me too. That''s funny how now I''m the enabler ... your colored stone purchases actually prompted me to take the plunge

!

 

[Selkie]

LOL! Well, this could be a vicious circle then! My collection is skewed toward the blues and greens (with a couple yellows thrown in), and I decided I need a big red stone next. I''ve got my finger on the trigger to get one of these:

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 4/25/2008 3:13:18 PM
Author: Chrono
LIB,
Wonderful, wonderful stones.

Barry has cuts a mean stone and his choice of rough is always good. So... any plans for the 3 stones?

*Phew* Chrono! Glad to know I made a safe choice with Barry's cuts. I'm definitely a fan of his work - when I picked out the stones I didn't realize they were all cut by him.

So as far as plans go...there are just too many ideas! I would love the Umbalite as a pendant but I think it might be too pretty not to be able to see it while wearing it. I would love the oval spinel in a three stone ring with oval diamonds, and the cushion spinel in a ring with half moons but I'm definitely open to suggestions

. Any takers?

 

[FrekeChild]

I love the supernova oval cut. I got my "Silvery Topaz" there awhile back and I''m hooked. I''m hoping that BF will get some kind of Barry Bridgestock cut stone for my e-ring because...wow. They''re gorgeous!

So, any plans for them? I''m jealous of your spinel-its such a pretty color!

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 4/25/2008 3:31:25 PM
Author: Selkie
LOL! Well, this could be a vicious circle then! My collection is skewed toward the blues and greens (with a couple yellows thrown in), and I decided I need a big red stone next. I''ve got my finger on the trigger to get one of these:

In this case Selkie, I think red means GO

!

 

[Catmom]

Ooooo, those are sooo cool, LIB!!! I have to say though, I really, really love the cut and color of that spinel. YUMMY

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 4/25/2008 3:39:24 PM
Author: FrekeChild
I love the supernova oval cut. I got my 'Silvery Topaz' there awhile back and I'm hooked. I'm hoping that BF will get some kind of Barry Bridgestock cut stone for my e-ring because...wow. They're gorgeous!

So, any plans for them? I'm jealous of your spinel-its such a pretty color!

After I got my novas I scanned all of the other nova cuts on the site, saw the silvery topaz ... but drats, it was sold (to you, of course!). Your silvery topaz is a stunner FrekeChild, and I'll bet a supernova ering would be just G

RGE

US!

Here is a better picture of the darker spinel. She is mostly just that - dark - but throws off some nice sparkle in certain lights:

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 4/25/2008 3:49:48 PM
Author: Catmom
Ooooo, those are sooo cool, LIB!!! I have to say though, I really, really love the cut and color of that spinel. YUMMY

Thanks Catmom ... it feels good to have some cool rocks

.
Are you referring to the lighter spinel, or the darker one?

 

[innerkitten]

Those are nice. Neon pink, cool! I especially love the purple red on that garnet. So what are your lans wih these?

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 4/25/2008 4:20:40 PM
Author: innerkitten
Those are nice. Neon pink, cool! I especially love the purple red on that garnet. So what are your lans wih these?

Thanks Innerkitten! I would love to put the garnet into this pendant if not in a ring. The weird thing is, the garnet was not too expensive (under $200) and the setting is probably super hella expensive (it's by VC). I think the stone would look good in this pendant setting...

Would it be too weird to have such an inexpensive stone made into a pendant like this?

 

[wen104]

Beautiful stones I am jealous! That is funny you have spinel cause the local jeweler told me today that spinel are all synthetic and no one sells them anymore. Also he said that they don't come in purple

 

[Linda W]

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I love that spinel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Linda

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 4/25/2008 4:47:35 PM
Author: wen104
Beautiful stones I am jealous! That is funny you have spinel cause the local jeweler told me today that spinel are all synthetic and no one sells them anymore. Also he said that they don''t come in purple

is right! This person is *hopefully* not a gemologist. I wonder if the jeweler honestly believes this...

Perhaps you should buy a purple spinel and show it to him/her....

 

[Love in Bloom]

Date: 4/25/2008 4:51:48 PM
Author: Linda W
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I love that spinel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Linda

Thanks LindaW! LOL, which one are you referring to? There are several comments on a spinel that do not specify... is there a favorite??