Teaser pics of red spinels available!

[GliderPoss]

Dear All,

As we all know pure red stones are the holy grail on PS - I got a sneak heads up that two are coming up and should be available for sale tomorrow arvo on Bespoke Gems (Doug Menadue's site). Due to their large size and my current tiny budget I am guessing they will out out of my price range BUT I hope someone else here will snap them up and do them justice! Doug very kindly sent me a few pics and I hope he will not mind me posting them here....

http://www.bespoke-gems.com/SacredGeometrics_Page_News.php

 

[Gempassion]

Looks very tempting!

 

[Arkteia]

Very pretty... It looks red, with a tiny amount of orange overtones... I may be not adept in reading Doug's pictures since I never bought from him. Overall, a very fiery stone.

 

[ooo~Shiney!]

Just totally YUM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RED PEAR !!!!!!!!!!!
Where is my Santa Claus ?!?!?!?!?

 

[snoopkat]

Oh it's such a juicy red colour, it's beautifu! is there a link to the site? I'm tempted, very tempted....

 

[snoopkat]

nvm, I just read the post again and found the link

 

[chrono]

This spinel is from the Mahenge area? Still no update on pricing?

 

[talamasca]

Oooo that's lovely

 

[y2kitty]

Mouth watering.

 

[T L]

Very orangey red, like a flame spinel.

 

[movie zombie]

i also think its more orange flame in color.......but i wouldn't turn it down!

MoZo

 

[brandy_z28]

I'm seeing orange too!
I can't buy them. I really hope whomever ends up with them will post LOTS and LOTS of pictures on PS!

 

[Aoife]

It would be interesting to see this IRL, since in his description he states that this stone has no orange or pink, but the photos certainly hint at some orange. On the other hand, if you look at the color of the grass in the hand photo, the grass has a very strong yellow component to the green, so it makes me wonder if it's his camera color balance that's off, and it's his description that's accurate. Speaking as someone whose photos never, ever look anything at all like the stones IRL.

 

[T L]

One should note that pinkish reds command a higher price per carat (all else being equal) than orangey reds.

 

[T L]

It would be interesting to see this IRL, since in his description he states that this stone has no orange or pink, but the photos certainly hint at some orange. On the other hand, if you look at the color of the grass in the hand photo, the grass has a very strong yellow component to the green, so it makes me wonder if it's his camera color balance that's off, and it's his description that's accurate. Speaking as someone whose photos never, ever look anything at all like the stones IRL.

Very good point. Also some pink spinels tend to color shift to a more orange hue in certain lighting, and that should be noted as well. They typically go more orange under artificial light, so if it looks very orange under daylight, I would be concerned that the white balance is very off, or it is truly a very orange stone IRL.

I would also ask about fluorescence in this stone. If the fluor is weak, or non-existent, it is probably not as saturated IRL either.

 

[y2kitty]

They are uncerted and I think for the price they should be sent to AGL first.

 

[T L]

They are uncerted and I think for the price they should be sent to AGL first.

I don't know the price, but if one is concerned about the quality of red, and if it is rather expensive, I would do a color analysis on it via AGL, as ABGF did on her new red spinel. If you look closely at ABGF's report, that she kindly posted in her thread on red spinels, it denotes the amount of Red, Orange and Pink in the stone, and the overall quality of the gem, and tonality. I find that very valuable, and I'm glad ABGF posted it as it is also very educational.

 

[y2kitty]

Based on the pictures, which some find orange in, what would be a fair price per ct?

Based on the description, of pure red, what would be a fair price per ct?

 

[T L]

What is the carat weight? I know that very fine quality pinkish red mahenges are going for at least $1500/ct, in 2 carat sizes, but this is not pinkish red if the photos are accurate. It's also precision cut, and many lapidaries charge their own premium for the cutting, which is predetermined by what they think their cutting is worth.

Does this stone have silk, or is it very clean (crystal), as that also makes a difference as well. More crystal stones are more expensive if all else is equal. From the photos, I certainly wouldn't qualify it as red or pinkish red, it's definitely orangey red. It does not appear to be dark in tone, which is a good thing, as orangey red spinels that are too dark in tone are dead ringers for pyrope garnets.

 

[y2kitty]

The pear is 2.8 ct.

 

[GliderPoss]

Description of the stone by Doug which may answer some questions:
Stone : Red Spinel
Cut By : Doug Menadue, 2011
Item : #359
Design : Brilliant Pear (Jeff Graham)
Origin : Mahenge, Tanzania
Treatments : None
Weight : 2.8 carat
Clarity : Very Slightly Included
Size : 8 x 10 x 5.5 mm

Comments : This beauty is one of the finest red spinels that I have cut and is that very rare of beasts... a pure red spinel. To my eye, and believe me I have looked alot at this gem, I could not detect any secondary tones... in my opinion it is as pure red as a fire engine. If there are any secondary tones then they must be very subtle indeed because I cannot spot them.

As always, the pics do not do the gem any justice. If the pics suggest any orange or pink tones then that is the fault of the camera and my photography skills. This is simply a stunning gemstone and if you think you've seen a red gems before, this will really show you what a red gem looks like!

The gem has some minor inclusions that are common to spinel but nothing that detracts from the visual beauty of the stone. It does seem to have a slight sleepiness about it as well that I find actually adds to its allure. I can't see any "silk" inside the gem so I figure its just the way the stone is.

Now, what really puts this gem firmly on the top shelf is how it looks at night... in one word, breathtaking! Under lights the colour looks even better then it does at night and holds it pure red tone. Its bright and fiery and what's more, there is no extinction or "going dark"... it stays open, gloriously so! This is a sign of a top gem. I'd be finding any and every excuse to wear it out at night it if graced my fingers.

This gem is being sold on behalf of the collector that I cut it for and as such the price is as marked... there is no discount on this gem. The collector personally sourced it from Mahenge, Tanzania. So in addition to its great colour it also has the right pedigree and Mahenge spinels, especially these pure reds, are becoming exceptionally hard to obtain. Very little good rough is coming out of this area now so this gem represents an excellent investment.

This is a beautiful, stunning gem, folks, plain and simple. Its one of those rare gems that will stop people in their tracks at first glance and you'll see people constantly trying to catch a better look at it. A top red spinel gemstone from Mahenge!
-------------

 

[GliderPoss]

EDIT: Just been informed the description above is a draft. More details to follow! Gosh can't wait to see who gets these beauties I am so jealous ........ (sigh)

 

[ooo~Shiney!]

Well, I just got a pair of Umbalite Garnets from Doug (today, waiting for me at the office, I have been out of town for a week)

They are just BEAUTIFULLY cut, and because of that the color is
absolutely JUICY ~ the stones almost look WET.
That is about the only way I can describe them.
They are gorgeous.
I snapped a few pictures after I got home, but it was very cloudy and rainy,
so I will have to try later.
I don't know if I can even do these stones justice with my poor camera skillz....

My point is...
They are beautiful Garnets, but not beautiful Spinel....
I believe Doug's description.
You are SO very very limited when taking photos.
I bet that those Red Spinels just SCREAM color....
And the sparks that fly from them are probably awesome, to say the least.

If I had a Santa or a Sugar Daddy, I know what I would be asking for tonite

 

[T L]

If it's pure red, he needs to get a better camera.

Red, like some other hues, can be subjective. You need to see a lot of really fine true red gems to determine what a "pure red" looks like.

 

[bright ice]

What are we talking on pricing for these? I see no information.

 

[y2kitty]

Over 4k for the pear.

 

[T L]

The photos leave much to be desired for that price, but if it's much better than the photos, and a saturated red without much pink and/or orange, it would be worth that much. It looks like it has some silk.

 

[bright ice]

Over 4k for the pear.

Where are you finding the pricing?

 

[y2kitty]

Over 4k for the pear.

Where are you finding the pricing?

Doug told me. Email him if you are interested, he's very nice. But I really feel these stones should be AGL certed for that price.

 

[y2kitty]

Listed now: http://www.bespoke-gems.com/SacredGeometrics_Gemstones_Spinel.php#image_359