Anybody got any necklace setting ideas for a spinel?

[LGK]

I really needed a colored stone project like a hole in the head. Really. But I ''vewanted to see a Barry Bridgestock oval for a long time. And a neat color. And I''ve kinda wanted bluishgreypurple spinel since I saw a lovely one at work. I''m sure the color is nothing special for a spinel, but I like grey and purple tones- purer blues are not my thing. (I''m hoping it isn''t too blue for me- I don''t think so though.)

However. What the heck do I do with it now???

I''m guessing it''s gonna sit in my jewelry box for some time no matter what, but I should, yanno, eventually do something with it! I''m thinking necklace, because I have a hard enough time choosing what I''m gonna wear on my right hand already! I''m not a fan of plain solitaire type necklace settings, on me anyway.

So, anybody got any ideas for setting a 1.59 carat 8x6ish Barry Bridgestock supernova oval cut spinel? That wouldn''t break the bank, hopefully, either. But, really, it was such an impulse purchase I''m pretty much fresh out of ideas, so fire away

First colored stone purchase, for me. On purpose anyway! (Erm, I had my favorite bench guy destroy a larger antique cut amethyst a month or so ago, to get it out of the cool platinum setting it was in, so I could put my OEC diamond in there- is that colored stone heresy?

)

 

[ma re]

Not sure about "not break a bank part", but I''d like to see this set in a white gold clasp for a strand of tahitian pearls (blue, grey and purple remind me of tahitian pearl body color and overtones). OK if this is too much, you can opt for a pendant incorporating those materials and wear it on an existing white gold/platinum chain.

 

[chrono]

Are you thinking of diamond accents? Plain metal design? How much does it take to break the bank?

If the former, maybe a halo style from LOGR. If the latter, Etsy is very expensive for excellent custom work.

 

[gemgirl]

LGK, if you like greyish-bluish-purple, you''ll really like that stone. It''s flawless at 10x too, if I''m remembering correctly. It will change color for you also, depending on the lighting your in. I had that stone for a couple of days and only sent it back because it wasn''t the color I expected, but there''s nothing wrong with the color. Just not what I expected.

8x6 is a very common size in both pendant and ring mountings. I think you just have to decide if you want it on your neck or your finger.

 

[LGK]

Date: 12/3/2009 9:18:15 AM
Author: gemgirl
LGK, if you like greyish-bluish-purple, you'll really like that stone. It's flawless at 10x too, if I'm remembering correctly. It will change color for you also, depending on the lighting your in. I had that stone for a couple of days and only sent it back because it wasn't the color I expected, but there's nothing wrong with the color. Just not what I expected.

8x6 is a very common size in both pendant and ring mountings. I think you just have to decide if you want it on your neck or your finger.

Oh cool! I'll give it a good home, promise

It's definitely going around my neck. My right hand has too many choices to contend with already.

I do like the idea of it as an enhancer with my Tahitian baroque pearl strand. I'll look at them together and see what I think; the pearls might be way off in proportion though. I have some other pearl strands it might go better with, too- maybe my 3 strand choker of light blue lavender 4mm rice pearls. Hmmm. Good idea!

As far as budget, I really dunno. It seems silly to spend way more on the setting than the stone, but that is probably inevitable here. I'll have to browse LOGR's stuff, it's been a long time since I looked.

 

[gemgirl]

Date: 12/3/2009 1:30:34 PM
Author: LittleGreyKitten

Date: 12/3/2009 9:18:15 AM
Author: gemgirl
LGK, if you like greyish-bluish-purple, you''ll really like that stone. It''s flawless at 10x too, if I''m remembering correctly. It will change color for you also, depending on the lighting your in. I had that stone for a couple of days and only sent it back because it wasn''t the color I expected, but there''s nothing wrong with the color. Just not what I expected.

8x6 is a very common size in both pendant and ring mountings. I think you just have to decide if you want it on your neck or your finger.

Oh cool! I''ll give it a good home, promise

It''s definitely going around my neck. My right hand has too many choices to contend with already.

I do like the idea of it as an enhancer with my Tahitian baroque pearl strand. I''ll look at them together and see what I think; the pearls might be way off in proportion though. I have some other pearl strands it might go better with, too- maybe my 3 strand choker of light blue lavender 4mm rice pearls. Hmmm. Good idea!

As far as budget, I really dunno. It seems silly to spend way more on the setting than the stone, but that is probably inevitable here. I''ll have to browse LOGR''s stuff, it''s been a long time since I looked.

If I have a chance, I''ll take some photos of an Estruscan style enhancer that I wore with off-white pearls as my girlfriend''s MOH. The center is an 8 x 6 mm Iolite that I had loose for years and there is a five point diamond on either side and I think the mounting from Stuller was around $150.- back then (five years ago). It''s funny that the enhancer loop (that didn''t come with it) was as expensive as the stone I think. The whole thing didn''t cost me all that much but it came out pretty.

 

[Stone Hunter]

I think the enhancer idea sounds GREAT. Of course it does stink that gold is so high making settings as expensive or more expensive than stones right now.

Looks like a lovely cut and color. Congrats!!

 

[loriken214]

I wondered who got this beauty!!!!

Lori

 

[ma re]

Date: 12/3/2009 1:30:34 PM
Author: LittleGreyKitten

I do like the idea of it as an enhancer with my Tahitian baroque pearl strand. I''ll look at them together and see what I think; the pearls might be way off in proportion though.

Well setting some white diamonds around the stone always helps with that problem

Jokes aside, enhancer can be quite a bit larger than the stone, maybe something that would look like a locket, with your stone - for example - bezel set in the center (if you know what I mean, like THIS but it doesen''t have to open and hold pictures...and not done in oxidized silver, unless that''s what you like).

 

[Lovinggems]

You can use Argentium silver instead of white gold. I love the idea of a enhancer pendant for a strand of pearls.

 

[LGK]

Date: 12/4/2009 4:00:10 AM
Author: Lovinggems
You can use Argentium silver instead of white gold. I love the idea of a enhancer pendant for a strand of pearls.

Ok. I've been wondering this for a month. What's argentium silver?? Something other than sterling? It sounds interesting!

It'll definitely be a pearl enhancer, for sure- I have a number of pearl strands, from nicer, larger ones like my Tahitians and my blue/lavender natural colored freshwaters, to cheap but pretty dyed freshies, and most of them are in shades of grey or purple. I love that idea, and I wouldn't have ever come up with that on my own, so thanks everyone so much for that idea! Mayyyyyybe, if I feel like spending $$$ on it, I could talk DH into getting it made by Greenlake Jewelry- I was checking out their recent additions to their website and I've wanted something by them for ages and ages, and I know DH loves their stuff too. I like the lockety looking one, that's cool- maybe something like that with some of GLJ's gorgeous engraving. Still, pricier than I was thinking. I take a while usually deciding on settings so I'll contemplate the spinel when it arrives, and see what I think then.

I have to go get the prongs tightened on one of my rings- I'll have to look through the Stuller catalogue to see what they've got, too.

 

[ma re]

Date: 12/7/2009 3:20:54 AM
Author: LittleGreyKitten

Date: 12/4/2009 4:00:10 AM
Author: Lovinggems
You can use Argentium silver instead of white gold. I love the idea of a enhancer pendant for a strand of pearls.

Ok. I''ve been wondering this for a month. What''s argentium silver?? Something other than sterling? It sounds interesting!

It''s a different kind of silver alloy that is less prone to tarnishing, so it doesen''t ask for as much maintainance.