Advice Please on Zultanite

[jacqualina]

DH has kindly asked me to choose something for my birthday and I thought I might dip my toe into the Zultanite market, so I've been watching the Gems Special this morning and also watched a bit of Don on Rocks yesterday afternoon.
I really don't know much about Zultanite (apart from the fact that it,'s rare, rare, rare!), so am a little confused. As I see it, the pieces on Gems are quite pale and I do find them a bit drab looking. On the other hand, most of the pieces on Rocks yesterday looked fab with all sorts of colours (champagnes, pinks, greens) going on. They looked much richer and I must say that their designs appealed much more to me as well - far more attrractive, classic designs and they just looked far less clunky and classier. Problem is, they were also far more expensive.
Do the colour change properties depend on the quality of the stones as in Alexandrite? I know that sounds a silly question, but I only ask because on some of the Rocks pieces you could see it happening there and then and I was wondering if it was possibly down to their lighting because I'm sure their lights are specially designed to enhance the stones.
I feel that as usual you probably get what you pay for, but there is this niggling doubt about lighting effects etc, so I'd be very grateful for any advice.
P.S.The 'new' Don looks great and apparently the fab Debbie (This Ring Looks Great On Me) Cavell (sp?) might be appearing today. :clapping:

 

[wireless]

Ironically , I have just come back from Turkey.

Zultanite is rare but not that rare, just in Voque and fashionable at the moment.

I gather when I asked at the Turkish jewellers. It is the rich stunning deep colours that are rare and desirable and can be pricey,

The pale stuff was easily available and reasonably price in Turkey and the jewellers there only got excited with large carat weight and colour. And said Zulanite must be in large carat weight to get maximum colour change.
Small carat weight and pale they said was not worth setting in Gold and a lot was set in Silver !!

I hope this helps ?

 

[Meeshoo]

Wireless - be careful buying gemstones in Turkey. They're normally fake and highly treated. :down: Interestingly, I've never seen it for sale in Turkey and most of the jewellers I know there, don't know much about it. What they've told you is rubbish!!! Size has absolutely nothing to do with colour shift or depth of colour! I had a jeweller who once tried to sell me an "Alexandrite" which I knew wasn't! He put a lighter under it to get it to change colour! After I'd picked myself up off the floor laughing I ran for the hills!!!

Jacqualina - As you suspect, like all gemstones, there's good and bad quality. The good quality Zultanite (Diaspore if you want its real name!), is an apple green during the day and will shift to peach and raspberry tones in the evening. However, it's not a colour changer like Alexandrite or some garnets and sapphires. It has a shift BUT the shift doesn't stay holding like with an Alex. For example, an Alex in daylight is green and in incandescent will take on a purple/pink colour. You can't get it to look green at night unless you have daylight bulbs. It will always look purple in incandescent lighting.

With Zultanite what happens is that the body colour shifts to a rosy colour and then you see flashes of pink/red (in good ones). However, the shift isn't as spectacular as Alexandrite and is more muted. Some Zultanite doesn't perform, doesn't shift at all and all that happens is that the body colour can look a bit muddy in colour.

It's a "nice" stone but it doesn't have the WOW factor of the real colour changers. It's pretty and if you like muted pale gemstones then it may be the one for you. Sizes under 1ct are easy to come by. Over 2ct is more difficult etc etc. Look for a clean stone and one that you definitely see the shift with. You'll probably have to order a few and send most back before your prince comes along!

It's a bugga to photograph I'm afraid and I've added some photos but honestly the colours aren't really represented to their best here (sorry).

 

[wireless]

You are right Meshoo, buyer beware from unknown jewellers . In Turkey Zultanite was mainly being sold a Colour Change Diaspore but it's origins were "Mined in Turkey". The better pieces I saw were certified but still not the high prices commanded here in the UK. The jewellers I spoke to were dismissive of Murat Akgun( site owner of the mine , mining colour change Diaspore known as Zultanite and said there were other pockets of Colour change Diaspore around.

I love Gems but seem to be getting addled as who says what as the actual truth be it in a Turkish jewellers or on TV. So thank Meshoo for your input, appreciated

Still a very nice Gem . Some had fantastic colour ranges.