A few new things *picture heavy*

[Arcadian]

I got the majority of what I''ve been waiting on, with one disappointment. Its not the stones fault, more like mine!

So first up, a 2ct sunstone cab with lots of schiller

 

[Arcadian]

Next up, 2ct ruby cab. Its unheated from Burma.

 

[Arcadian]

Here they are with a little closeup action. I had the star sapphire out as well.

 

[Arkteia]

They are beautiful. The sunstone looks like an orange aventurine. Pretty interesting, I think inclusions, actually, make it special.

 

[Arcadian]

a small but very cute violet spinel. its 1.16ct cushion

 

[Arcadian]

As you can see, its got a rather large tilt window on it. still, it was 20 bucks, so not much to complain about.

 

[Arcadian]

Here it is very indirect lighting.

 

[Arcadian]

The source of my disappointment is a 2.5ct blue spinel.

Let me say this first; I love this stone, I love the color, and the stone on its own dosen't go dark on its own, as you can see....

 

[Arcadian]

...unless its against my skin!! Its like, my skin is the black hole that sucks the light right away from this stone!

I took a pic against my husbands skin (he forbade me to post it) and it looks amazing

I want to CRY because I do love the stone, its just too dark for me

 

[Upgradable]

Why the disappointment? It looks lovely!

Oh, I see now. But what about mounting it rather high in an open, tension type mounting to let the light in all around?

 

[Arcadian]

So its unfortunate. I''m gaga''s over it, but against my skin, I absolutely hate it. Very indirect sunlight, dark area of the room.

It still looks gorgeous

 

[Arcadian]

When I purchased the ruby I got some lovely gifts from Michael at Litnon.

1 pair mali Garnet, 1 pair kornerupine. Not a great picture, but both sets are very sparkly


Thats all for now! I will be sending the largest spinel back, though not because I hate it but because against my skin it just dies.

-a

 

[Arcadian]

thanks uppy and crasru. Uppy, luckily you weren''t here when I first put it against my hand. I was absolutely heart broken by what I saw.

I purchased it from Tan after a lot of back and forth in emails. He''s a great guy to do business with. He totally understands says he''s got a few that will look better against my skin.

-A

 

[cellentani]

Goodness Arcadian, putting stones in the crook of your finger is probably the worst way to view them - most of the light is completely blocked, so of course your stone looks dark. Put that spinel in a white gold setting, and I''ll bet there will be a world of difference. And if you don''t like how it looks in an open back setting, try a more closed one, where there''s metal between the stone and your skin. I did that with one of my stones, and it looked a lot better.

 

[chrono]

Arcadian,
So sorry to hear about the blue spinel darkening up on you; don’t suppose hubby will wear it for you, will he? Is the violet spinel also from Tan? It sure is a bright looking stone.

 

[Arcadian]

Chrono yes the violet one is also from him. Its a lovely stone, just a wee bit small

I''d like to set that with the pink spinel I have from Dana.

cellentani, I''ve tried pics against my hand every which a way and it just hates my skin. Here''s what it does, It goes navy, no light comes out, not even in sunlight. Its like the back of my hand sucks all the life out of the poor thing. I''m a little scared to try it in a setting to be honest.

My husband probably wouldn''t wear it (he barely wears any jewelery at all) but it looks smashing against his skin and just glows and looks happy. I asked if we could trade, and he just looked at me funny.


-A

 

[ma re]

Nice new stones! Regarding the spinel, you could mount it into some kind of pearl enhancer, in a charm suspended on a bracelet, in a pendant, a necklace clasp, or as mentioned above, a ring with a rather high and open setting.

However, I''m pretty certain that a good and experienced jeweller could build such a ring setting which would brighten that stone as much as possible even when it''s on your finger, without mounting it like two inches above your hand. It''s a good thing that metals are reflexive so you can use that property to bring out the gemstone''s beauty and even lighten it if necessary. Don''t take this as a certainty, but I think there''s a good possibility that this can be done.

 

[T L]

Date: 3/17/2010 12:18:48 PM
Author: Arcadian
The source of my disappointment is a 2.5ct blue spinel.

Let me say this first; I love this stone, I love the color, and the stone on its own dosen''t go dark on its own, as you can see....

Arcadian,
You''re not going to set it directly on top of your skin, but in a mounting, so I don''t understand why you don''t like it, even if it goes dark against your skin. Do you have an empty mount you can pop it in? It looks to be well cut, so it should have a lot of light return unless it''s a very dark toned stone.

 

[VapidLapid]

That sunstone is such a bright cheerful orange and the perfect thing to see you out of the winter dark. I''m nuts about star sapphires so it''s always a joy to see one posted and yours fits the bill, plus its not too dark, again perfect for springtime!
I agree with everyone else that a) you wont be wearing the spinel against your skin between your fingers and b) you could have it set in a way that would help brighten it. I''ve been thinking a lot lately about doing a victorian-ish setting with a gold shank and 999fine silver for the mount. Something like that could both heighten the contrast of the stone and your skin while brightening the stone itself from behind.

 

[Indylady]

Arcadian, your new pieces are lovely! Ditto TL, you''ll be setting this, so its ok if it doesn''t look good on your skin (though I think it looks just fine!)

Arcadian, how do you contact Michael? I''ve tried his online request system, and I''ve contacted him via email a few times and gotten a response, but it remarked that it was an address he doesn''t use often. What does he use?

 

[Kismet]

Ooh, pretty. I especially like the sunstone.

 

[Arcadian]

Don''t you hate it when you''ve got something typed out and get an error instead?

Indylady, If you''re interested in a particular stone, I send him an email through his site. Thats probably the best way of reaching him.

TL, my husband is a LOT lighter than me. it could be the reason why it looks best against his skin than mine, could be that the blue isn''t the right color blue for me (which is what I''m leaning towards) I will say that I hardly ever wear navy. Anytime I do, I''ve been asked if I''m ill. My dad however looks great in any type of blue...(so does my mom but she''s also very light...that may not count) Purple I can wear all day and all night, no matter the tone. This color blue appears to be as much of a nemis for me as peachy pink.

A lighter blue will probably make me a happier person all the way around I think, plus, they tend to look best against my skin.

All, thanks so much for the suggestions, but I know what If I kept it, I would never set it, and considering how much it was, I need to spend that type of money on something I like not only in the box but on my skin too.


-A

 

[baby nurse]

Yeah, you probably should put the money toward something you''ll really like. When a stone gives such a negative vibe, it likely won''t go away.
I love the sunstone, I don''t own any cabs and it''s really pretty.

 

[oddoneout]

I really like the sunstone. I''ve been obsessed with them lately.

 

[T L]

Date: 3/17/2010 5:24:46 PM
Author: Arcadian
Don''t you hate it when you''ve got something typed out and get an error instead?

Indylady, If you''re interested in a particular stone, I send him an email through his site. Thats probably the best way of reaching him.

TL, my husband is a LOT lighter than me. it could be the reason why it looks best against his skin than mine, could be that the blue isn''t the right color blue for me (which is what I''m leaning towards) I will say that I hardly ever wear navy. Anytime I do, I''ve been asked if I''m ill. My dad however looks great in any type of blue...(so does my mom but she''s also very light...that may not count) Purple I can wear all day and all night, no matter the tone. This color blue appears to be as much of a nemis for me as peachy pink.

A lighter blue will probably make me a happier person all the way around I think, plus, they tend to look best against my skin.

All, thanks so much for the suggestions, but I know what If I kept it, I would never set it, and considering how much it was, I need to spend that type of money on something I like not only in the box but on my skin too.


-A

I guess I''m still confused Arcadian. If you have it in a mounting, it''s really not going to be against your skin. Maybe halo it so the edges don''t show up with your skin as the background???

. I know some people are precarious about certain metal colors against their skin, but that actually touches your skin, not the stone. I don''t know, maybe I''m just not seeing what you''re seeing??

 

[Barrett]

Look at you..got all kinds of newbies..like the $20 stone....heck whats $20 between stones, ya know..that sunstone is really cool..seems to have lots of life...so as to not suck the life from your spinel you can send it to me..i have pasty skin so should look good..oh wait i don''t wear jewelry..damn

 

[virgoruby]

Wow, what a fantastic collection of gems!
I''m sorry to hear that you are not too keen on the blue spinel though... I hope you find something better soon..

 

[Arcadian]

TL, totally get what you''re saying, but no halo for this stone. Its just not the right color for my skintone, thats regretable but it does happen. When its a stone I plan to set, I take into account what it may look like AGAINST my skin. thats the largest color on me!

Amguy, HA I think thats what it is! On my husband it looks great (he''s kinda pasty too LOL)

vigoruby, thanks. I need to stick to warmer blues. Those may be safe but they look great on me.


-A

 

[Arkteia]

I agree, if you mount it higher it will complement your skin.

The spinels are beautiful. The prices are even more beautiful. They are gorgeous! I LOVE these prices.

Too bad your husband refuses to wear it! Can you photograph it against his skin so that I could get the concept? (I do not see anything wrong in how it looks against your skin). Maybe I do not understand this concept at all. My thinking - well, it is not a dress so you can wear whatever stone you want and it should look fine with your skin.

Arcadian - I looked again at your photo. IT LOOKS FINE! Spinels are bright, and I remember how nice bright colors look on you. You've posted photographs.

 

[PumpkinPie]

it''s a beautiful blue - I''m sorry about your disappointment!