GRADING REPORT PADS295
- Identification: Natural Unheated & Untreated Padparadscha Spinel
- Carat: 2.95
- Shape: Oval
- Measures: 10.19x7.72x4.93 (millimeter)
- Color Grade: Excellent
- Tone: MD60
- Color Zoning: None
- Clarity: Free of Inclusions
- Cutting Grade: Very Good
- Brilliancy: 66%
- Depth: 64%
- Origin: Sri Lanka (Ceylon)
- Treatment: None
Certificate No: AIGS GB13111580
Overall Grade: Very Good+
Comment: One of the sweetest padparadscha spinels in memory. Mild, yet richly colored, not too dark, not too bright, just as padaparadscha should be, whether spinel or sapphire. Fact is, they are hard to distinguish, even the super-pro buys a spinel in a sapphire parcel, or vice versa, more often than most will admit in public. Especially in one direction, sapphire amongst spinel, are hard to catch. Most sapphires can sit happily hidden in spinels, yet some spinels, not only cobalt but also the dark blue-green, or some cloudy purple types are easier to pick from a handful of sapphires. Those do betray their spinel-ness by some typical color or inclusion. Not so this totally clean, exquisite liquid crystal. It is indistinguishable from a sapphire without detailed analyze. That aside, no window, well cut, no treatment: 3*NOS quality class. Near 3 carats, where the air is getting thin. Note, in the side image, how slender its under-belly is cut, a minus-belly almost. Gives us 10x8mm without the weight to pay. On the orange side (pink mixed in orange). If you can’t raise 20k for an unheated perfect orange-pink sapphire in the three carats range, this is a fine choice. Padparadschas are by definition not flashy or neon but glowing gently, compared to blossoming. It was said only the mines of Sri Lanka could produce this famous mélange of pink and orange, but this romantic notion has been laid to rest, and yet the origin adds to its value, as does Burma add to ruby or an opal from Lightning Ridge still does not only SOUND more expensive but does pull a higher market value than a Welo type of equal quality would. Why? It's the... we all know the saying, true for most goods but especially for gemstones, it is the market deciding a unique rarities' price. No pricelist for truly rare gems, many-a-fools have tried (like us :-) but only the most simplistic gems (like white diamonds) allow to be pressed into a chart. Others have worked with data on post-sales averages of, say, 'royal blue round two carat sapphires' but a short web-surf will discourage you soon. And 'post' is just that, without a tomorrow.
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