Thoughts on red garnet?

[bianka]

So I picked this up on impulse from Chris Auletta. 7 day return period. What should I be looking out for when I have it in hand?

7.8ct, 11.9x9.77mm (depth of 7.2mm). Eyeclean untreated. Chris says he sees no secondary color or brown shift. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

 

[chrono]

I would look at it in person and utilize the 7 day return period if necessary. Unfortunately, I see a lot of orange and brown, but am willing to give Chris the benefit of the doubt.

 

[bianka]

I would look at it in person and utilize the 7 day return period if necessary. Unfortunately, I see a lot of orange and brown, but am willing to give Chris the benefit of the doubt.

Agreed. I saw no secondaries on my iPhone but it looked completely different on my computer monitor at home. Will be a learning experience either way.

 

[TheElms]

If you don't mind me asking how does Chris sell these days? His etsy store looks empty?

 

[bianka]

If you don't mind me asking how does Chris sell these days? His etsy store looks empty?

LoupeTroop and Facebook.

 

[TheElms]

LoupeTroop and Facebook.

Thanks! Looking forward to seeing pictures in hand!

 

[T L]

Red almandine/pyrope garnet almost always has some brown in it, as does non mandarin variety of spessartite. You're not going to get a typical ruby red color in these species of red garnet, which this gem is probably in the family of, therefore I would base it on its merits next to other red garnets. I would check it in different lighting and make sure it doesn't go overly black, as they tend to do in daylight. From the photos, it looks like a pretty orangey red garnet with typical brownish modifier. The nice thing about it is that many red spinels or red zircon look similar, but are usually much more pricey. It also looks cut well. I bet it has nice sparkle too. Good luck.

 

[junebug17]

Bianka, I hesitated to respond because I am so not a CS expert, but I do think it is a lovely color, and the cut looks really nice to me. My mother's birthstone is garnet and I remember her purchasing garnets when I was a kid - now those were brown garnets! I see a decent amount of red in the stone. I'm looking forward to hearing what you think when you get it. Keep us posted!

 

[PrecisionGem]

Red almandine/pyrope garnet almost always has some brown in it, as does non mandarin variety of spessartite. You're not going to get a typical ruby red color in these species of red garnet, which this gem is probably in the family of, therefore I would base it on its merits next to other red garnets. I would check it in different lighting and make sure it doesn't go overly black, as they tend to do in daylight. From the photos, it looks like a pretty orangey red garnet with typical brownish modifier. The nice thing about it is that many red spinels or red zircon look similar, but are usually much more pricey. It also looks cut well. I bet it has nice sparkle too. Good luck.

Exactly. A garnet will never have that ruby red red look.

 

[bianka]

Well the garnet is here.
Apologies for my chafed hands, which are recovering from a bout with paint stripper.
Please let me know your thoughts. I've never photographed a gem before and that probably shows.
The stone is 100% eye clean and no haziness so attribute any blurriness to my camera or my thumbprints.
Indoors under fluorescent light, overcast at high noon:

Indoors, night time. Incandescent light:






So questions:
1. Would you recco keeping it?
2. If so, how would you suggest setting it.

Of note: I definitely see brown but the color shifts to a sort of marsala color rather than the dried blood brown garnets I recall seeing at the maul as a kid. I do not see orange in any light (yet). I've not seen the stone black out totally unless I was blocking the light source.

 

[bianka]

Thanks for chiming in, Janny. Anyone else? I could really use the sage Pricescope advice.

 

[TheElms]

I think it looks great! But the real question is whether you like it, i.e. is it too dark or too brown for your own personal taste. If you do decide to keep it I'd recommend an open setting to let lots of light in in yellow or maybe rose gold. I think a bezel would darken it a lot.

 

[T L]

I like red garnets in vintage looking jewelry like ornate crosses or other similar styles. As for liking it, I like the size and the cutting, but it is the color of a typical red garnet, which appeals to some but not others. Therefore, the question is do YOU like the color and was it priced well enough for you to keep?

 

[bianka]

I think it looks great! But the real question is whether you like it, i.e. is it too dark or too brown for your own personal taste. If you do decide to keep it I'd recommend an open setting to let lots of light in in yellow or maybe rose gold. I think a bezel would darken it a lot.

I like red garnets in vintage looking jewelry like ornate crosses or other similar styles. As for liking it, I like the size and the cutting, but it is the color of a typical red garnet, which appeals to some but not others. Therefore, the question is do YOU like the color and was it priced well enough for you to keep?

Thank you both for your input.
I love the cut and the size. I like the color a lot but am afraid of it being too dark or brown when set, even though I personally like moody, dark aesthetics. More than that it seems like red garnets are just not very desirable material and I'm not sure how I feel about that. Does it matter if others don't like it? Were it an $85 stone like some of the big, inexpensive amethysts I've seen I'd def keep it. At $850 I'm not entirely sure... But if I return it I'll still miss it an awful lot.

 

[T L]

It doesn't matter if it's not a desirable stone. What matters is if YOU like it. Likewise, there are stones that are highly desirable to the trade and others, that personally make me go ????? I'm not naming those stones as to not offend anyone, lol.

 

[distracts]

Personally I like it - but I like garnets of almost all colors. The cut looks beautiful and it is certainly very large. It doesn't look too dark for a red garnet or too brown. I agree with TL that I like red garnets in vintage looking styles - like this I see in yellow gold with engraving.

 

[bianka]

Personally I like it - but I like garnets of almost all colors. The cut looks beautiful and it is certainly very large. It doesn't look too dark for a red garnet or too brown. I agree with TL that I like red garnets in vintage looking styles - like this I see in yellow gold with engraving.

Thank you so much for chiming in. That's exactly what I was wondering; for a garnet (as opposed to any other red stone) is it too brown or dark. It's so good to hear from someone who actually likes red garnets.

It doesn't matter if it's not a desirable stone. What matters is if YOU like it. Likewise, there are stones that are highly desirable to the trade and others, that personally make me go ????? I'm not naming those stones as to not offend anyone, lol.

TL, of course you are right but I suppose that jewels are a rare thing where I've kind of gotten sucked in to other peoples' opinions just because I value their expertise. Somehow over the years of lurking around the edges of PS I've slowly gone from wanting to just make sure I wasn't being swindled or just making a dunderheaded mistake to having a nagging feeling that I need to buy the 'best' stone in the 'best' material set into the 'best' setting for the money. I so admire a lot of longtime contributors here (including you) and I guess I just feel confused about how and why I decided to buy such an 'undesirable' rock rather than sticking to something more popular / safer.

Anyway, something to sleep on, I suppose! I need to pretty much decide whether to ship this back in the AM. Not fun.

 

[lilmosun]

Laughing - While I owe PS a lot in terms of education, the one drawback was that I started looking at things I once loved too critically. I became even more critical of ovals and elongated cuts. I have a 4ct precision cut red spess garnet ring bought preloved from another PSer when I first started. I loved it but then it got pushed aside in favor of more desirable/favored/rare stones seen on PS. Recently, I've pulling out old pieces and enjoying them again. In fact, I wore my red spess ring yesterday and based on the compliments it got, others liked it too. If you are truly on the fence, I would return it. But if you love garnets as I do (oddly enough because of PS) and want a large red one, I'd keep it. I think the color is nice for a red garnet, well cut and I love the size. I'm glad I have mine.

 

[distracts]

Ah, we have ALL been sucked into the PS criticism and wanting the PERFECT thing. Sometimes I have to step back from PS for a while or not read too many of the threads because I know what I personally prefer is different from "the best of the best" and I start second-guessing everything.

I've had the same experience as lilmosun - pieces that are by no means anywhere near the most desirable on PS are often liked by a lot of people in the real world. I have a dark, dark green tourmaline ring that is probably about as dark green as your garnet is red, and I get SO many compliments on it whenever I wear it. On PS it's not all that but in the real world it attracts way more attention than my hot pink spinel ring. Dunno why. (Also @lilmosun - I love the band your garnet is on! Is it by Megan Thorne?)

 

[elle_71125]

Personally, I love it. I think the color is so pretty and it looks freaking huge!

 

[chatoyancy]

I personally think it's a beautiful stone! I don't think it looks too dark at all. It looks huge too!

 

[lilmosun]

@distracts , I was told it was designed by Megan Thorne and the setting is one of my favorites.

OP - did you decide to keep the garnet...if so, do you have any idea on how you will set it?