already preforemed which means I was about ready to cut them and then stopped for some reason  hahaha

spess around 6cts with the tourms around 4-4.5cts

You needn't worry about your "no-no".  You're correct that those lighter areas along the edge of the spessartine are areas of greater fracturing, which is no doubt the reason the small pieces came off.  Fractures generally cause a lightening of color and lessening of transparency. Gemminess in crystals is most often determined by the amount of internal fracturing, the less fractures, the more gemmy.  Inclusions and external damage also contribute to a lack of gemminess, but not so much as fractures.  But I wouldn't go picking at it when you're in a bad mood and have had a few beers! It's a very interesting piece.  The spessartine (yes, this is a variety of garnet) looks surely like the material from the Jeffrey Mine in Canada, and if it has vesuvianite, it probably came from there as well.  You probably improved the piece, but I wouldn't make it a habit.  Welcome to the board!