If my gem never makes it to me...

[Novel]

Thank you to both of you, Sonoma and Fly Girl! Lloyd says it will be in the mail tomorrow. I''ll post pics when I get it (Tuesday?).

 

[Novel]

Ok, I''m beginning to feel a little like Goldilocks (Gemmylocks?). The Clearcut Gems stone was beautiful, but much greener than it looked online (took me three days of looking to find blue in it), and I sent it back. That said, these opposed bar cuts are really neat, no matter the color. I''m thinking, though, that since I''m so new to this, I maybe should stick to something more traditional that won''t surprise me quite so much.

So, I ask for your help, again. Below are some other stones I''m considering. As you can see, I''ve broadened my scope in terms of color and cut. All but the clearly Stair tourmaline are under $200, which is what I''m trying to keep my limit as. Two are from multicolour, so I realize they could look pretty different from how they seem here, but I think they''re cheap enough to try.

My only concern, other than the ones I put in the collage, is that the aqua will be too muted (as D&T said above) for my sister, but you guys can''t help me with that

, I need to figure that part out myself. I want a stone that will show the color is looks like it will show, that will have some life to it, and will have blue as its dominant.

And I''m still hoping against hope (of course!) that Gene''s stone arrives.

So, thoughts? Help is greatly appreciated! Any stones to add would be considered, too!

 

[chrono]

The tanzanite is the nicest but due to its softness & extra care needed, I usually avoid it.
Yes, the cushion spinel is too gray without much base colour
The Dan Stair tourmaline does appear dark in the picture.
Yes, the aqua is very pale.
The trillion spinel is a decent colour. Are you all right with the limited settings out there for trillions?
The last tourmaline isn't as saturated in colour (pale-ish) with dark ends, possibly with a closed C-axis.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

You can try writing to Rick at Art Cut Gems, he''s mentioned in his newsletters that he''ll be listing some nice Nambian blue tourmalines

 

[Novel]

Date: 11/7/2009 1:02:52 PM
Author: Chrono
The tanzanite is the nicest but due to its softness & extra care needed, I usually avoid it.

Yes, the cushion spinel is too gray without much base colour

The Dan Stair tourmaline does appear dark in the picture.

Yes, the aqua is very pale.

The trillion spinel is a decent colour. Are you all right with the limited settings out there for trillions?

The last tourmaline isn''t as saturated in colour (pale-ish) with dark ends, possibly with a closed C-axis.

Chrono, you''re wonderful. Thank you! Ok, at least I know I''m learning, right? As far as the trillion goes, JKT is going to be making me a custom pendant, and D&T''s Sally pendant made me think I ould like it, but I haven''t seen too many in real life.

I was wondering about the coloring of the last tourmaline. I couldn''t tell if the dark ends were the photo or not. That makes a lot of sense, thanks for explaining it. Closed c axis means "optically dense" i.e. not light reflecting, right?

MTG, thanks! I''d been talking to Rick this week anyway (those pretty opposed bar cut garnets, but gold is just too high right now) so perhaps I''ll drop him a line!

 

[chrono]

Novel,
I''d say your general assessment is good. Since you are going with a custom setting, then trillions should not be an issue. A Sally pendant is going to be so pretty too. Blue and blue green tourmalines tend to have a closed C axis where the 2 ends are rather dark and do not have much brilliance there. It''s just the nature of the rough but it can be minimized with the right cut.

 

[Novel]

Thanks, Chrono, for the comment on the pendant idea and the tourmaline lesson. Learning this stuff is so interesting. Its going to be a JKT pendant, but I hope the pretty still holds.

 

[Novel]

I forgot about this one! My sense is that its too gray, but I find something charming and almost lulling about the color.

If any of you gray spinel owners see this, (esp Freke), can you give me your thoughts?

 

[Novel]

IT MADE IT!!!!!!!!!

I''m on my way out, but there was a package downstairs with a "stop the puppy mills" sticker on it! The Precision Gem tourm made it, and oh my god, I LOVE IT!!!

Pictures to come, I have to go!! YAY!

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 11/7/2009 3:44:45 PM
Author: Novel
IT MADE IT!!!!!!!!!

I''m on my way out, but there was a package downstairs with a ''stop the puppy mills'' sticker on it! The Precision Gem tourm made it, and oh my god, I LOVE IT!!!

Pictures to come, I have to go!! YAY!

Awesome! This seems to be working out after all!

Looking forward to pictures. I love Gene''s cuts.

 

[D&T]

Date: 11/7/2009 3:44:45 PM
Author: Novel
IT MADE IT!!!!!!!!!

I''m on my way out, but there was a package downstairs with a ''stop the puppy mills'' sticker on it! The Precision Gem tourm made it, and oh my god, I LOVE IT!!!

Pictures to come, I have to go!! YAY!

Novel!! that is wonderful news! where has it been all this time?

 

[Lovinggems]

Yay!

 

[packrat]

Yay!! Can''t wait to see your pics!

 

[T L]

That''s wonderful news!! Something is sure up with the mail. I sent something first class insured, and it took almost two weeks to arrive to the point of delivery.

Well, better late than never as they always say.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

YYAYY!!!

Looking forward to pictures

 

[chrono]

All right!

It''s about time USPS did something right for us PSers.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Oh that''s great! I''m glad it finally made it''s way to you and that you LOVE it!!

 

[Novel]

Thanks Fly Girl, D&T, Lonvinggems, Packrat, TL, MTG, Chrono, and Stone Hunter ! I''m so excited

I know, better late than never, right? Gene did say he had a feeling it would turn up eventually. Apparently, it wanted a little PA holiday before making its way to me.

I''ll take some pics tomorrow when there is light. The amount of colors it shows is amazing to me! BD says I''m obsessed and that I need to keep it for myself...

We shall see

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Hehe, can''t wait to see pictures! I''m sure it''s a stunner, I definitely want more Gene stones in the future!

I actually almost bought the stone you have, but went with the tanzanite instead. It''s still on the wishlist though since I love the pixelated look!

 

[Novel]

MTG, thanks for leaving it for me!

Ok, here we go. Disclaimers: my camera is dead, BF''s is a digi SLR - it has no macro and its function is totally beyond me. I think I captured some of the different colors it shows, but no where near all!

I think the most magical thing about this stone is that it got BF away from in front of his comp and into taking pics of it, too! He then asked me "what a gem is." Mission accomplished?

I love that when its just resting, the color is a pretty calm, but not uniform, blue green, but then you move it, and the color basically breaks into moving pieces. I can''t remember who said it looked like a lightboard, but it really does!

Gene, you''re a gene-ious!

 

[Novel]

eta: out of the light, impressive, no?

 

[Novel]

....

 

[Novel]

....

 

[Novel]

....

 

[Novel]

and my favorite shot, the clock radio!

 

[AustenNut]

I''m so glad your stone made it! And it looks really beautiful too. Looking forward to seeing the JKT sketches (and final product).

 

[packrat]

It looks great, and I''m excited to see how it turns out! That cut is so cool!

 

[chrono]

I like the second picture best; it reminds me of the old black and white pixelated TV screen.

 

[Novel]

Thanks, AustenNut, Pack, and Chrono! I''m really happy with it.

Chrono, the more I look at the pics, the more I like that one best, too! It looks so electric!

 

[T L]

Cool stone!! I like how the cutting gives bright points of random light.