GRADING REPORT OCO293
- Identification: Natural Unheated & Untreated Cobalt Spinel
- Carat: 2.93
- Shape: Oval
- Measures: 9.59x7.80x5.76 (millimeter)
- Color Grade: Excellent
- Tone: Medium Dark 80
- Color Zoning: None
- Clarity: Very Lightly Included
- Cutting Grade: Very Good
- > Brilliancy: 50%
- > Depth: 73%
- Origin: Ceylon, Sri Lanka
- Treatment: None
Certificate No: GGTL 26136 (see 'more images')
Overall Grade: Very Good+
Comment: Cobalt spinel in ultramarine-blue, the famous Ceylon-spinel-color mixing blue and green and violet, all in their deepest tones, Medium Dark 80, just before we reach the blackish end of the scale (with '100' being black without color and '0' being white without color). Competing with finest sapphires. The close-up image below gives a nice view into the color without being distorted by reflections or brilliancy. That said, as should be obvious in the hand-shots, please do NOT expect this gem to be 100% of that color at all times, as many spinels is sways and changes but is always beautiful. One colorless bubble sits in the culet and is visible only under the lens and doubly reflected in our show-all images (which need full day-light). All-in-all a wonder of the gem kingdom, certified as such, not wished-for, flawless cutting, no window, near 10x8mm in almost 3 carat, with all WildFish extras, love and care.
Remark: We might be the only people around here praying for cloudy weather, because a gem like this, as opposed to the brighter hues earlier this week, needs a cloudy day, not a blue-sky to make its photo-debut. It would be easy to show this MD80 in fantastic bright always-mega-blue with a strong sky reflection behind the camera, but we prefer honest grading rather than angry returns. This does NOT mean other traders write dishonest grading reports but if you see such a three carat spinel for $300/ct in always shining bright blue, you will not find a report at all, only a surprise when you open the package. Alternatively, you can order 20 dark blue spinels and search true cobalt spinels that give you such an extraordinary color experience.
