What am I seeing in these gems?

[PrecisionGem]

I don't think I can comment directly on some ones stone, but a few comments in general.

Taking pictures in direct sunlight almost never works very well. It's best to view and photograph any stone not in direct sunlight. Zircons especially seem to go crazy in direct sun.

One fun thing about most zircons is that can be modified with very low temperature heat. If you hold them with forceps over candle flame in a few minutes the color will start to change. Normally this color starts getting lighter in tone and the brown burns off somewhat. Some of the darker red need a bit more heat, and these I use an oven and heat them to 720 degrees F. But normally I do them in steps stopping at maybe 550 first then working up so that they are not over heated. Most zircon if you heat them enough turn colorless.

 

[Odyssey44]

How are you and the zircon getting acquainted Odyssey? Any updates?

None yet! I have put it away and will come back to it and see how it hits me and let you know.

 

[Odyssey44]

I don't think I can comment directly on some ones stone, but a few comments in general.

Taking pictures in direct sunlight almost never works very well. It's best to view and photograph any stone not in direct sunlight. Zircons especially seem to go crazy in direct sun.

One fun thing about most zircons is that can be modified with very low temperature heat. If you hold them with forceps over candle flame in a few minutes the color will start to change. Normally this color starts getting lighter in tone and the brown burns off somewhat. Some of the darker red need a bit more heat, and these I use an oven and heat them to 720 degrees F. But normally I do them in steps stopping at maybe 550 first then working up so that they are not over heated. Most zircon if you heat them enough turn colorless.

Interesting. I knew direct sunlight is not good for most colored gems,.having been told here, but I did it to show that certain angles in shade, or even inside, this zircon browns out in very similar ways to direct sunlight.
I do know this is unheated. Hmmmm. Heating to improve color. Gives me dangerous ideas.
Without commenting on the stone directly, I would be interested to know your thoughts on the oval half-extinction phenomenon. Is it just luck whether or not an oval displays this unfortunate characteristic? Are some types of oval cuts going to avoid this? I love the finger coverage of an oval, but this does feel a bit like Russian roulette with the half extinction possibility.

 

[PrecisionGem]

Interesting. I knew direct sunlight is not good for most colored gems,.having been told here, but I did it to show that certain angles in shade, or even inside, this zircon browns out in very similar ways to direct sunlight.
I do know this is unheated. Hmmmm. Heating to improve color. Gives me dangerous ideas.

If you end up keeping it, and don't like the color, and don't feel comfortable heating it your self, send it to me and I'll heat it in the oven for you. No charge, and no guarantees as heating is always a little unpredictable.