Would you keep this spess? (TL?)

[K9]

I lost my 11yr old lab this last fall so I'm working on a project which incorporates his birthstone - garnet.

I came across this nice looking spess so I bought it to see it in hand. It wasn't cheap and I'm having a hard time determining if it was a good value. I like it a lot - it has a magnificent orange highlighter color to it with some yellow. I just need it to be a good value as I know nothing about spessartites.

It's 8x6mm, 1.3ct from Nigeria

Thoughts? I'm open to hearing good AND bad observations.

 

[T L]

I lost my 11yr old lab this last fall so I'm working on a project which incorporates his birthstone - garnet.

I came across this nice looking spess so I bought it to see it in hand. It wasn't cheap and I'm having a hard time determining if it was a good value. I like it a lot - it has a magnificent orange highlighter color to it with some yellow. I just need it to be a good value as I know nothing about spessartites.

It's 8x6mm, 1.3ct from Nigeria

Thoughts? I'm open to hearing good AND bad observations.

Depends on the price. It looks very clean, is it IRL? It also looks very yellow in your photos. Are the photos true to life in color?

 

[y2kitty]

Have you seen this one?

http://www.mastercutgems.com/preview.php?cat=284&id=6466

 

[K9]

Depends on the price. It looks very clean, is it IRL? It also looks very yellow in your photos. Are the photos true to life in color?

It was just over $600.

It's VERY clean - clean under 10x loupe and is a lively little bugger.

My photos are making the center appear yellow, but it's definitely orange. I'll try to snap some better shots here to see if my camera will cooperate...

 

[K9]

Have you seen this one?

http://www.mastercutgems.com/preview.php?cat=284&id=6466

I did see that one, but the inclusions are what usually drive me away from spess (yeah, I'm one of those people)

Here's another shot - it is the closest I could get to how the stone looks to my eye IRL (color-wise).

 

[T L]

Depends on the price. It looks very clean, is it IRL? It also looks very yellow in your photos. Are the photos true to life in color?

It was just over $600.

It's VERY clean - clean under 10x loupe and is a lively little bugger.

My photos are making the center appear yellow, but it's definitely orange. I'll try to snap some better shots here to see if my camera will cooperate...

Seems like a fair price, not a bargain, but a fair price. Is it precision cut? It's cut very well, so that's a plus, and you'll be paying a premium for that. Orange is very hard to photograph. None of my photos accurately capture the saturation of my spessartites. The most saturated spessartites look like those neon orange traffic cones, so that will give you an idea.

 

[T L]

Have you seen this one?

http://www.mastercutgems.com/preview.php?cat=284&id=6466

I did see that one, but the inclusions are what usually drive me away from spess (yeah, I'm one of those people)

Here's another shot - it is the closest I could get to how the stone looks to my eye IRL (color-wise).

It's a little on the yellow side, which may or may not be your thing, but I prefer a yellowish orange spess to a reddish orange one. It's not the neon orange of top spessartites, but they're really not available anymore, and if you can find them, they're $$$$. Pretty stone though. I like it.

 

[K9]

Seems like a fair price, not a bargain, but a fair price. Is it precision cut? It's cut very well, so that's a plus, and you'll be paying a premium for that. Orange is very hard to photograph. None of my photos accurately capture the saturation of my spessartites. The most saturated spessartites look like those neon orange traffic cones, so that will give you an idea.

It's a little on the yellow side, which may or may not be your thing, but I prefer a yellowish orange spess to a reddish orange one. It's not the neon orange of top spessartites, but they're really not available anymore, and if you can find them, they're $$$$. Pretty stone though. I like it.

It is not precision cut, no.

I feel better hearing that it seems fair since I know nothing about spess. Especially since I really do rather like it.. I just couldn't decide if I $600 liked it, you know?

Even that last photo looks wrong now that it's uploaded. Oh well, you get the gist.

It for sure isn't on the red side of orange.... and it's not traffic cone bright orange except maybe at the tip (which I cannot capture). It reminds me of a lite brite peg! Though, it's highlighter orange.

One last shot.

 

[T L]

It could be precision cut, and you just don't know it. It looks to be, and I don't see a huge bow tie that I often see in pear cut gems, which is also nice. In any case, I think it's also $600 because you're paying for the exceptional clarity as spessartites are almost always included. I personally do not mind inclusions, and all my spessartites have them, and most cannot be seen without a loupe. It has allowed me to afford some larger gems for smaller prices. However, if a flawless gem is what you're after, then you're probably not likely to find another one that easily in a spessartite, so keep it and enjoy it!

 

[K9]

Thanks TL! You have totally validated all of the reasons I suspected I should keep it. My limited knowledge was giving me pause, but I feel much better.

I wasn't really looking for a spess, I just happened upon this one that had nice clarity so I thought I'd check it out. Dumb luck I guess.

Thanks so much for the feedback!

 

[Deia]

I don't know what it is about it, but I really like it. It's somehow peaceful looking to me Enjoy it, and I am sorry about your lab =(

 

[movie zombie]

it is a fair price.
what counts is that you like it.
i'm sorry for the loss of your lab.

 

[chel180]

i like orangey-yellow stones so your pear does appeal to me. I hope you love it too and decide to keep it. what would be you plans for setting it?

 

[minousbijoux]

Oh K9, I am really sorry to hear about your lab. I remember when you were trying to sell several pieces, most notably your beloved (and coveted by me) beautiful tourmaline - I swear it has to be cuprian - ring because of the vet bills. I just assumed it had a happy ending. My condolences.

 

[T L]

Stupid me! I'm also very sorry about your lab. So sorry!

 

[Enerchi]

K9 - I'm sorry about the loss of your beloved lab - that is so sad. I hope you are managing okay. What lovely way to remember him!

 

[athenaworth]

I'm so sorry you lost your baby. It hurts so bad, I know. I love that you're making a birthstone ring. I love mine for Dude and every time I wear it I feel like he's with me. I know you'll feel the same with yours.

I think that stone is really pretty - but I feel like it's not as all that saturated. Have you ever seen a spess with inclusions? You'd be AMAZED at the amount of glow they give off. I've seen spesses without inclusions and while they're pretty, the glow is just to die for. Just my two cents.

PS - I'm clearly no pro at this stuff. XOXO

 

[K9]

dela - It is really a soothing gem - reminds me of a campfire.

movie zombie - true. I do really like it... I just wanted to make sure I didn't overpay since my knowledge is limited.

chel180 - I will for sure be keeping this one. Not sure what I'll do with it yet, but it will probably be set into a ring.

minousbijoux - I too still think that tourm might be copper bearing! I will now keep it because I do love it so. It will likely be sent to AGL this spring to find out for sure... I can't stand not knowing.

TL, Enerchi, minousbijoux, movie zombie and dela - thank you all for your condolences re: my pup. It was a rough few months at first without him, but knowing we did all that we could and that we made all of the right decisions - that is what keeps us at peace.

athena - thanks for the input on the spess! I have limited exposure to them IRL but I do really like the color despite it not being super saturated. I have had my eye on another one that is more included for a while but have not pulled the trigger. I may just buy it to see how much I like it in comparison. What's going to happen is I'm going to end up with a whole bunch of birthstone rings in honor of Bee because I can't make up my mind! LOL

And yes - it is SO hard. The pain is unreal. I miss everything about him every day.

 

[LD]

K9 - first of all I'm so sorry about your lab. Hugs to you.

Onto the spess ......... may I just add another perspective please? I'm going to tell you what I "see" and that is a bowtie and also more saturation at the pointy end of the pear than the other end. So it looks very yellow at the fat end, loses some colour in the middle and moves up to orange.

Now then, because I'm a symmetrical nut that would drive me bonkers. I have a yellow diamond that does the same thing but the other way around and I always want to hold it downwards in the hope that the colour will spill into the end!!!!

I'm only mentioning it because these little things either make you love a gem or over time become an annoyance. If you love it then of course keep it but if you think it may drive you bonkers later down the line then take a bit more time to consider whether it's a keeper.

 

[movie zombie]

pears are hard to get everything "right" w/o spending a lot of $.
the stone also appears shallow so the color isn't the best throughout the stone because of that.
however, the clarity is excellent! rare to see that.
somethings bother some people more than others.
sometimes they don't bother us until someone points it out.
and sometimes having too much info makes us uncertain.
color stones: gotta love them but man they are a lot of work!

 

[K9]

LD - I see just what you're pointing out and I have noticed that the color shifts up to the point. That's why I think it kinda looks like a flame! It doesn't bother me at all.

MZ - You totally nailed it on the head! Sometimes too much information can lead to doubt. I accept the stone for it's flaws, but love it for the flaws it doesn't have.

 

[LD]

LD - I see just what you're pointing out and I have noticed that the color shifts up to the point. That's why I think it kinda looks like a flame! It doesn't bother me at all.

MZ - You totally nailed it on the head! Sometimes too much information can lead to doubt. I accept the stone for it's flaws, but love it for the flaws it doesn't have.

Everything you've said above points to the fact that this is THE stone for you! Congratulations on giving a stone a loving home and I can't wait to see how you set it. Just a FYI - I set one of my pear spess into w/gold and it was a huge mistake. The stone before setting was a lovely orange and once set the w/gold just made it look cold, less vibrant and even brown! I was sooooo disappointed and I've never worn the ring. Actually, thinking about it, it's a waste so I'm going to remove it from the setting.

 

[K9]

Everything you've said above points to the fact that this is THE stone for you! Congratulations on giving a stone a loving home and I can't wait to see how you set it. Just a FYI - I set one of my pear spess into w/gold and it was a huge mistake. The stone before setting was a lovely orange and once set the w/gold just made it look cold, less vibrant and even brown! I was sooooo disappointed and I've never worn the ring. Actually, thinking about it, it's a waste so I'm going to remove it from the setting.

Pears are not normally my "thing" but the shift of color give it some personality. I know that the photos make it look like it has a bowtie, but all I see is mango goodness in the center (I think my black camera was reflecting in some photos). I HATE bowtie! It's a really neat gem, I just didn't want to be overpaying.

And yes, thank you for mentioning the white vs yellow gold! I can see how white would make a stone like this just sorta "eh".

 

[colorluvr]

I'm so sorry about your pup.... I truly know what you are going through. I know what you mean about pictures not capturing the glow, and I love your color description "Mango" as opposed to Fanta or Mandarin..... maybe you will start a trend in stones that color and they will be know as "Mangos"!

 

[VapidLapid]

I'm so sorry about your pup.... I truly know what you are going through. I know what you mean about pictures not capturing the glow, and I love your color description "Mango" as opposed to Fanta or Mandarin..... maybe you will start a trend in stones that color and they will be know as "Mangos"!

And maybe when they have lots of little black inclusions in them they can be called Papaya!
Seriously, very sorry about the pup. They are special. I can imagine the hole in your life such a loss makes.
I like the stone a lot, and the pear shape is reminiscent of the shape of a dog head.

 

[K9]

I'm so sorry about your pup.... I truly know what you are going through. I know what you mean about pictures not capturing the glow, and I love your color description "Mango" as opposed to Fanta or Mandarin..... maybe you will start a trend in stones that color and they will be know as "Mangos"!

And maybe when they have lots of little black inclusions in them they can be called Papaya!
Seriously, very sorry about the pup. They are special. I can imagine the hole in your life such a loss makes.
I like the stone a lot, and the pear shape is reminiscent of the shape of a dog head.

Hehehe... you guys are funny. Maybe we can start a whole new fruit movement! Peridots with little black spots will be kiwi, Pad sapphires will be grapefruits... you get the idea.

Thanks vapid. I hadn't actually thought about the pear shape and a dog's head! Perfect!