Affordable magenta stones

[AustenNut]

I''m starting to think about an earring and necklace/pendant project and I would love it to have magenta colored stones. I love the color of this AJS spinel (http://www.ajsgems.com/spinel/gemstone-gems-1706882624-2046340460.html) but the $3000/ct price tag is way too steep for me. I know spinel and sapphires (or would this color fall into the ruby zone?) have colors like these, but which other stones do? Since it is for earrings/necklace, it would not have to be nearly as hardy as the two stones I know of, so hopefully the cost will go down too!

 

[AustenNut]

Another stone that has the color I love. And at a little more than $2600/ct, I''m really coming down in price!

http://www.ajsgems.com/spinel/gemstone-gems-174613420-2046340460.html

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Is this Tanga Garnet in a colour you like?

http://www.acstones.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=139&idproduct=2914

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Or this one?

http://www.acstones.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=139&idproduct=2913

 

[LaurenThePartier]

How about this Umba garnet from Gemrite?

http://gemrite.com/cubecart/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=192

 

[AustenNut]

Thanks Lauren for your quick responses! The first tanga is too dark for my tastes, as is the second (but that burgundy is gorgeous!). The umbalite garnet is getting closer to what I’m looking for, though perhaps with a bit less blue/purple (or maybe lighter in color…I’m still not really good with my gem terms). But the prices look great!

If I can’t get right around the shade of those spinels I’d rather veer pink than red, more like this tourmaline. (And yes, I’m still browsing AJS.

So many stones to browse through!)

Also, if I want a stone to have a stone that faces up the way those spinels do once they’re set, do I actually need to be looking for a few shades lighter than those stones?

http://www.ajsgems.com/spinel/gemstone-gems-174613420-2046340460.html

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 9/5/2009 11:43:05 AM
Author: AustenNut
Thanks Lauren for your quick responses! The first tanga is too dark for my tastes, as is the second (but that burgundy is gorgeous!). The umbalite garnet is getting closer to what I’m looking for, though perhaps with a bit less blue/purple (or maybe lighter in color…I’m still not really good with my gem terms). But the prices look great!

If I can’t get right around the shade of those spinels I’d rather veer pink than red, more like this tourmaline. (And yes, I’m still browsing AJS.

So many stones to browse through!)

Also, if I want a stone to have a stone that faces up the way those spinels do once they’re set, do I actually need to be looking for a few shades lighter than those stones?

http://www.ajsgems.com/spinel/gemstone-gems-174613420-2046340460.html

Depends on how you want to set them, and on the stone itself. I''ve had stones go dark in prong settings, and colour improve in bezel settings.

I love that tourmaline, though, and I think you''ll likely have better luck browsing around for a magenta pink tourmaline for the colour you''re looking for.

 

[ma re]

Well, the color you''re showing with those photos doesen''t look like magenta on my monitor, at least not like my idea of a magenta (THIS is what I think magenta looks like; THIS is more similar to your color if I''m right). And there really aren''t many stones that show a good magenta (my version) and are affordable - it''s one of the most sought after colors so they''re all pretty pricey. I''d describe the color you like as a light pinkish red, sort of like a color of a fresh raspberry. That color is a bit easier to find, maybe if you browse some reddish spessartites, malaya garnets or faceted rhodochrosites, you might find something you love at a good price. Do you have a specific size you''d like to get?

 

[AustenNut]

Ah, the problems of computer colors! Well actually, I was looking around for a magenta stone (which is slightly more like what you showed in your first link) but just LOVED the color in these two stones. MaRe’s second link sort of has some of the coral-colored element that the stones I show have, but it then is mixed with too much deep red.

As I’ve continued to browse the gem websites I probably am looking for what you really consider a magenta. Here are two items from Paraiba’s website to illustrate what I’m looking for.

This pair of pears has the color I would call magenta, and I also love their color in the video. The $300-400/ct range seems to be common for this color of tourmaline.

This stone is redder in the picture than I might have originally gone for, but the video shows it to have the color I like. And at $164/ct it’s among the more affordable I’ve found.


In terms of the size I’m looking for for the necklace, it’s going to be big.

If I’m doing a pear I’d like it to be at least in the 12x7 range, but it can go up to about 25x17.

If I’m doing an oval probably at least 12x10, but again, preferably much larger.

If I’m doing a marquise then at least around 14x7, but again, preferably much larger.

As far as earrings go, it’ll be much smaller.

Pear: At least 5x8
Oval: At least 5x7
Marquise: At least 9x5

The size of the stone I end up going with will probably be mostly dependent on my budget. I don’t have a fixed budget in mind yet (I’m just starting the process and am pricing out stones to see if the project is doable). I do know, however, that I’m looking for stones that will end up costing less than $1000, preferably far less. In fact I was actually hoping I could find a set of stones for less than $1000.

 

[LD]

Isn't it strange how we all perceive colours differently? For me, Magenta has a blue base so veers away from the hot pink and more to the raspberry shades.

Have you looked at Rubellite? You can get a similar colour to the gemstones you posted and they should be more affordable.

ETA : Just seen the pears you posted above. I adore the colour of those. WOW! That's more what I'd call magenta

 

[AustenNut]

Is rubellite the same thing as rubellite tourmaline? I''ve seen some places list rubellite, others list rubellite tourmaline and have just been assuming it''s the same. At Paraiba I browsed both pink tourmaline and rubellite (among other things) and with the exception of the stone I posted above, they were in the $300-400/ct price range for the colors that I liked.

 

[T L]

Date: 9/5/2009 2:32:34 PM
Author: AustenNut
Is rubellite the same thing as rubellite tourmaline? I''ve seen some places list rubellite, others list rubellite tourmaline and have just been assuming it''s the same. At Paraiba I browsed both pink tourmaline and rubellite (among other things) and with the exception of the stone I posted above, they were in the $300-400/ct price range for the colors that I liked.

Just so you know, be leary of paying high prices for rubellite tourmaline as some of it is irradiated to get that color. Make sure you buy from a reputable dealer that can verify that it''s untreated. Jason of selectgem.com has some very affordable rubellites right now, ask about a discount (do not pay the listed prices). I hope they didn''t sell. I can''t vouch for them as far as treatment is concerned, but if you''re looking for something affordable, he has some rubellites up for consideration.

 

[AustenNut]

Thanks for the info.

Does anyone know of stores carrying faceted rhodocrosite? I don''t think I''ve come across any as of yet during my browsing.

And thanks for the tip on heated vs unheated tourmaline. How much of a price discount should there be for a heated stone? I guess what''s the price range for unheated and what''s the range for unheated?

 

[T L]

Date: 9/6/2009 10:39:50 AM
Author: AustenNut
Thanks for the info.

Does anyone know of stores carrying faceted rhodocrosite? I don''t think I''ve come across any as of yet during my browsing.

And thanks for the tip on heated vs unheated tourmaline. How much of a price discount should there be for a heated stone? I guess what''s the price range for unheated and what''s the range for unheated?

Thegemtrader.com sometimes carries it. Check out the website for his latest selection. Fine quality is very expensive, and it''s so soft, I don''t recommend wearing it in anything except earrings or a pendant, and even then you have to be careful. It would be challenging to also find a benchman talented enough to properly set it as well. It''s a very soft and brittle stone.

As for heated vs unheated tourmaline, it''s difficult to detect the treatment so all I can state is to make sure you deal with someone reputable that knows the treatment. Some heated tourmalines are very expensive regardless of the treatment. For example, almost all paraibas are heated. As for rubellite treatment, it is generally heated and then irradiated, which again is difficult to detect except by some reputable gem lab like the GIA. Private gemologists cannot detect this treatment since they don''t have the sophisticated equipment. Therefore, just make sure you''re not spending too much on an irradiated tourmaline.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I think I would personally look at some garnets, they''re a nice durable stone, with some great color!

 

[AustenNut]

Thanks for the suggestions. Has anyone seen any garnets that are in the color range that I''m looking for? I''ve seen pinky-orange ones and I''ve seen burgundy ones, but not more magenta ones (and I can have a wee bit more red than magenta calls for; I just haven''t seen anything close).

Also, has anyone had any luck matching stones (for an earring set) when they were not sold as a matched pair?

 

[ma re]

Rhodolites can have a hue similar to what you''d like, but they most often lack color saturation that you''re after. Malayas may come close, but not really close (also often lack that vibrancy and vividness of color in purplish hues).

 

[marcy]

I was going to suggest rhodolite as well.

 

[chrono]

I’ve not had much luck getting separate stones to match up as pairs. They usually need to be recut to match and the hunt can take many months. It is far easier to purchase a matched set.