which of the <$1500 spinel for an engagement rings

[RudiYansur]

Hi,

I need to find a nice red spinel for an engagement rings. First, I was thinking about ruby, but it's too expensive
my budge is something less than $1.5k, but I'm willing to go up to 2k if the stone looks impressive. I was thinking about:

http://www.gemfix.com/spinel.html
spinel_319
spinel_338
spinel_286

any other recommendation?

thx

 

[chrono]

Stones from Gemfix are typically darker and browner/grayer than pictured so it is best that you adjust your expectations accordingly. Red spinels have this fantastic ability to colour shift becoming orangish and/or brownish under fluorescent lights so if this bothers you, I would inquire with Andrew first. Having fluorescence is always a plus too.

 

[RudiYansur]

how about this

http://www.atggems.com/Photos_Spinel.htm
pengm-14-01
have you heard atggems before?

 

[Niel]

breaks my heart to recommend this as i want it!
but

http://thegemtrader.com/Jul14BSpinelPage.htm

 

[ecf8503]

breaks my heart to recommend this as i want it!

I've been eyeing that one too!

 

[alexah]

breaks my heart to recommend this as i want it!

I've been eyeing that one too!

Me three! I've been checking back on it the last few weeks or so... I can't believe it's still available!

 

[VirginiaZee]

how about this

http://www.atggems.com/Photos_Spinel.htm
pengm-14-01
have you heard atggems before?

I actually saw that stone... it's a lovely red under bright and direct fluorescent light (we have CFLs in the house) but goes pitch black as soon as you so much as take it away from a direct light source.

 

[mystmeree]

This might be smaller than what you wanted. It's from Jeff Davies.
.99ct red Spinel - Burma 7.01 x 4.80 x 3.35 mm clean, nice cut, $285 shipped - http://pinterest.com/pin/A_OeRwAQAMEE1Mn0BYEAAAA/?utm_source=android_share

 

[Starzin]

how about this

http://www.atggems.com/Photos_Spinel.htm
pengm-14-01
have you heard atggems before?

I actually saw that stone... it's a lovely red under bright and direct fluorescent light (we have CFLs in the house) but goes pitch black as soon as you so much as take it away from a direct light source.

Rudi - atggems is well known and on the list of recommended vendors at the top of the forum.

VZee - thanks for confirming that because the "off" facets indicated this is a VERY dark stone.

Niel & other droolers - Brad describes this as a flame spinel and I think the OP is trying to find something to emulate a ruby.

 

[Niel]

how about this

http://www.atggems.com/Photos_Spinel.htm
pengm-14-01
have you heard atggems before?

I actually saw that stone... it's a lovely red under bright and direct fluorescent light (we have CFLs in the house) but goes pitch black as soon as you so much as take it away from a direct light source.

Rudi - atggems is well known and on the list of recommended vendors at the top of the forum.

VZee - thanks for confirming that because the "off" facets indicated this is a VERY dark stone.

Niel & other droolers - Brad describes this as a flame spinel and I think the OP is trying to find something to emulate a ruby.[/quote

Really??? That stone looks far more red than any of the others posted, or ones I've seen listed, besides ones 3 times his budget for the same size. I think for his budget the very slight orange modifier would be forgivable, especially sense, though not trade ideal, rubies can have orange modifiers as well.

Brad (the seller) is very great with returns, op, I'd you wanted to see if it was "ruby like" enough for you. I'll admit spinel with pink modifiers never look red tocme, though.

 

[VirginiaZee]

Okay, so I'm way out on a limb here since this is set in a pendant, but I'm thinking a jeweler could remove the spinel (and maybe the diamonds, if you wanted to use those too in some other way). This might be too pink for you though...https://www.etsy.com/listing/153684716/mahenge-red-spinel-and-diamonds-pendant?ref=related-0

 

[chrono]

Sorry, Niel, I like you and Brad a lot but disagree that the spinel has very little orange. It looks strongly orange red but I know you love this hue. It's a great looking flame spinel though.

Edited for typo. Wrote red instead of orange.

 

[Niel]

Sorry, Niel, I like you and Brad a lot but disagree that the spinel has very little red. It looks strongly orange red but I know you love this hue. It's a great looking flame spinel though.

I guess I dont have your eyes, as its the only one that looks red to me.

I dont know what kind of eyes the OP has, but its in budget, lovely, and described as red by the vendor, so ill still post it :

Feel free to veto it OP, for for the rest of us that love it

 

[T L]

Sorry, Niel, I like you and Brad a lot but disagree that the spinel has very little red. It looks strongly orange red but I know you love this hue. It's a great looking flame spinel though.

I guess I dont have your eyes, as its the only one that looks red to me

Red is typically more orange or more pinkish. The one you chose is more on the orange side, as opposed to one on the pinkish side, like this stone, which is a ruby.



Pinkish reds are often more desired, but again, it's what the OP likes. I just worry about orangy reds tending to look more brownish in some lighting. I have an orangy red spinel that I love, so they're are some nice ones out there, but one must always ask about color shifting, and brown as a modifier in artificial lighting. I will agree that most pinkish red spinels I have seen are very pinkish, more than the saturated pinkish reds you see with fine rubies, as in the above pic.

 

[RudiYansur]

This might be smaller than what you wanted. It's from Jeff Davies.
.99ct red Spinel - Burma 7.01 x 4.80 x 3.35 mm clean, nice cut, $285 shipped - http://pinterest.com/pin/A_OeRwAQAMEE1Mn0BYEAAAA/?utm_source=android_share

is this photoshoped? the stone looks good, but the price is way too cheap. is there anything wrong with this spinel? Do you know the import duty regulation to USA?

 

[T L]

This might be smaller than what you wanted. It's from Jeff Davies.
.99ct red Spinel - Burma 7.01 x 4.80 x 3.35 mm clean, nice cut, $285 shipped - http://pinterest.com/pin/A_OeRwAQAMEE1Mn0BYEAAAA/?utm_source=android_share

is this photoshoped? the stone looks good, but the price is way too cheap. is there anything wrong with this spinel? Do you know the import duty regulation to USA?

It looks extinct and brown. I think $285 is too much.

 

[T L]

Okay, so I'm way out on a limb here since this is set in a pendant, but I'm thinking a jeweler could remove the spinel (and maybe the diamonds, if you wanted to use those too in some other way). This might be too pink for you though...https://www.etsy.com/listing/153684716/mahenge-red-spinel-and-diamonds-pendant?ref=related-0

That's very pretty, but I would want to see a pic of it in artificial light.

 

[chrono]

is this photoshoped? the stone looks good, but the price is way too cheap. is there anything wrong with this spinel? Do you know the import duty regulation to USA?

No, not photoshopped; just going to be very dark in person and most likely to be rather brownish. And no, there is no import tax on gemstones into the USA.

 

[chrono]

Okay, so I'm way out on a limb here since this is set in a pendant, but I'm thinking a jeweler could remove the spinel (and maybe the diamonds, if you wanted to use those too in some other way). This might be too pink for you though...https://www.etsy.com/listing/153684716/mahenge-red-spinel-and-diamonds-pendant?ref=related-0

That's very pretty, but I would want to see a pic of it in artificial light.

Ditto; this one shows promise.

 

[OTL]

breaks my heart to recommend this as i want it!
but

http://thegemtrader.com/Jul14BSpinelPage.htm

Last time I checked, it is sold already.
slightly or very orangish red, it has great saturation without any darkness. And that's rare to see.