ths small spinel...

[Arkteia]

OK i won this 1-ct spinel from Tan for $ 36.00. It came today. I did not even know why I bought it; habit, I get, knee-jerk reflex. Here it came...

 

[Arkteia]

day (behind the window glass)

 

[Arkteia]

evening

 

[Arkteia]

Three spinels I bought from Tan

 

[Arkteia]

In my view, the color is beautiful. The heart-shaped one is very saturated as well. The left one is glowy in real life.

All of them were cheap. I never asked for a certificate, of course. Who would in an $ 36.00 spinel? But... It is so pretty, so red that I wanted to make a piece of jewelry from it.
Here is my question: should I send it to AGL?

Whether I decide to set it or not depends on the results and the color is superb so this miniscule stone deserves to be set, if it is natural.

 

[Imdanny]

Congrats on your new spinel!

Pretty collection!

 

[JewelFreak]

What a nice spinel, beautiful raspberry! Really lovely color & "bargain" doesn't half say it! Great job, Crasru! Do you think Tan would misrepresent it? Or maybe get wrong info from his vendor -- in that case, it's really a question of whether the expense of certing it is worth the certainty for you. If you do set it & later sell it, a certificate would be helpful, but if you intend to keep it for yourself, it's a matter of how important it is to you to be absolutely sure.

All of them will make something really lovely if set, that's one thing for certain!

--- Laurie

 

[T L]

Great buy, but then again, that's one of the reasons I shop with Tan. I have a $22, 1.1 carat pear shaped Mahenge from him that is absolutely gorgeous. It would be at least 20 times the price somewhere else. I was the only bidder, which is weird (strange luck huh?).

I wouldn't bother to send it to the AGL. I've won other cheapo ones from him that I did get memos on and they were authentic. For such a small price, it's not worth it. My pear has a similar inclusion to the ones I did get memos on, and they were deemed natural.

 

[Arkteia]

Hi, Imdanny, JewelFreak and TL. Thank you for support and comments. You see, I would like to set the heart-shaped and the red one. Tan would not intentionally misrepresent anything but there are synthetic spinels everywhere and I am just too amazed at the color. Since I plan to invest in setting, I want to be sure.

This being said, I never had problems with the spinels I bought. Tan's spinel was natural (the one that I bothered to check), and so was Eric's. I wish I had asked Tan to get a memo, but for $ 36.00... I never expected to get anything that red. It may be included although it does not look sleepy but I do not care, because color rules, and color is beautiful!

 

[Kismet]

It's a lovely stone! In fact, all 3 are lovely.

If you really want the peace of mind from AGL then send it off but the cert (including shipping both ways) will end up costing a lot more than the stone.

 

[T L]

It's a lovely stone! In fact, all 3 are lovely.

If you really want the peace of mind from AGL then send it off but the cert (including shipping both ways) will end up costing a lot more than the stone.

I would probably go with the little gem brief memo for $60 (I think that's the last price for this). For all three stones, it would be $180 to get memos then.

 

[Arkteia]

I shall not send the lightest one, if anything, it will be used only in combination with other stones, so it is fine.
I am thinking of sending only the reddest one. I browsed ETSY, every good artisan's work still costs something, but a good one can made something really nice even with a small ring.

 

[minousbijoux]

Crasru: that is a glowy little thng - good job! I love when an inexpensive stone exceeds expectations!

TL - I think we have to crown you Queen of Bargains. A 1 ct mahenge for $22?!!! I don't know how you do it, but you rock!

 

[Arkteia]

Queen of Bargains and Palette Police. No grey or brown modifier can find its way into this forum as long as you are here.

 

[Agnesg]

This is one good buy I am envious.. Tan is a trustworthy seller I would not worry

 

[Arkteia]

agree - finally!