It''s here! Help me set my green tourmaline!

[biggemlover]

The lovely green tourmaline we purchased from Gene at Precision Gems arrived today!!!!! BF came over to my office so we could check it out together. Unfortunately, our first look was under harsh fluorescent office lights, and in that light the stone appears MUCH lighter and less saturated than in the website photos. However, we brought it home and checked it out under incandescent lights, and WOW! Gorgeous! Also, it glows beautifully in low light. A real winner! I will take some pics and post next to Gene''s pics for comparison tomorrow. I feel like the color is a touch lighter than what''s posted below, but we''ll see what I''m able to capture with my camera skillz (which are pretty much non-existent). Oh, and it''s BIG. REAL BIG!

So, now we decide on a setting. I was originally thinking I wanted to have it kite set, but now that I see the cut in person, I think I prefer it set straight. The stone has one axis that has a strong blue hue, so it looks sort of weird to me at kite angle because that axis just looks like an odd diagonal slash rather than a center axis, plus the cushion-y sides don''t have the same impact when the stone is held at the kite angle.

Anyway, here are some new favorite ideas (some pulled from my earlier thread, thanks to all who posted there!). I''m particularly loving the two morganite settings, but I also love the JAR one in the lower left. If anyone has other ideas or suggestions for sites that have a lot of inspiration photos, that would be great - I am having a hard time finding a good variety of non-diamond pics. Thanks in advance!

 

[T L]

I'm actually rather happy it's lighter toned, and not darker. I bought a similar colored tourmaline once (not from Gene), and it looked just like Gene's photo of your stone, and it was really dark and extinct IRL. I sent it back.

Please take pics, would love to see more photos of it in various lighting conditions. I really love the Leon pink stone setting.

Unfortunately, I don't think the JAR is doable due to the intricacy of it, and it would be costly to recreate as well. It is unique though.

 

[biggemlover]

I will definitely take pics, inside and out. Outside may not happen tomorrow, though, since it''s supposed to rain all day here! I am partial to the Mege morganite setting as well, and it''s BF''s fave, with the other morganite a close second. I love the JAR setting, but as you said it may be impossible to duplicate, and I actually prefer to leave more of the bottom of the stone showing a la the Mege setting.

 

[Indylady]

I really like the Leon Mege setting the best. Since it is going to be your engagement ring, I would opt for a more "classic" style: prongs at the corners, set "straight" (not kite set), etc.

 

[biggemlover]

Okay, here are some preliminary pics. Please forgive the terrible photography and general blurriness. Any pointers on how to best photograph this rock would be much appreciated - you all post such great pics!

This hand shot was taken under overhead incandescent lighting - I had a hard time avoiding shadow.

 

[biggemlover]

This one was taken in very dim natural light.

 

[biggemlover]

Brighter natural light (it''s an overcast day). It''s sitting on a blanket that I think of as being kind of a cool mink brown color, not grey as it appears in this pic (on my monitor at least).

 

[biggemlover]

Again, brighter natural light - I''m holding it right in the window.

 

[biggemlover]

This was taken in a combo of dim natural light and a dim CFL bulb. It''s sitting on my microfiber couch, which is your typical neutral pale tan/stone color.

 

[biggemlover]

Not sure how much you can tell from my terrible photos, but to me it seems a lot less blue than Gene''s photos, and somewhat less intense/saturated. I actually like that it''s less blue, since I really wanted green, and I rather like the lighter color as well - it''s sort of in between the true mint stones we saw and the darker greens out there. Thoughts?

 

[VapidLapid]

I think the stone is fantastic!
Tourmaline will show differing personalities color-wise in all types of light.
Here are some settings you may like.

 

[VapidLapid]

 

[cellentani]

I''m especially loving the photo of the tourm in the palm of our hand! I like all of your inspiration pics so far - large yummy stone with a delicate band is always a favorite of mine. What about a couple of the Vera Wang designs, like the candy ring or twisted shank? They might be too simple for what you''re looking for though....

Here''s a photo of the candy style:

 

[cellentani]

profile of the candy. I know it's shown in YG, but you could choose any color of course!

 

[cellentani]

and a Vera Wang twisted wire design

 

[marcy]

Very pretty stone.

 

[T L]

Date: 4/17/2010 10:21:13 AM
Author: VapidLapid
I think the stone is fantastic!

Tourmaline will show differing personalities color-wise in all types of light.

Here are some settings you may like.

Tourmalines are notoriously moody stones. They often switch between lighting. At least your stone doesn''t go severely extinct, which again, is another notorious habit of these stones. It''s a huge stone, and I think all the ideas are lovely. My only caveat is that you must be very careful wearing it since many of the designs picked out involve a delicacy about them. A bezel would be more protective of the corners. I love the work of James Meyer (he''s reasonably priced to from what I hear) and I would trust him on a bezel with this stone if you opted to do that. I would leave the pavillion very open though to let the light in.

This is a beautiful example showing the side of the ring as well, and while not a cushion, I know he''s done Gene''s cushions before.


https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/james-meyer-bezel-reset-has-arrived.97999/

 

[biggemlover]

Date: 4/17/2010 12:51:10 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 4/17/2010 10:21:13 AM

Author: VapidLapid

I think the stone is fantastic!


Tourmaline will show differing personalities color-wise in all types of light.


Here are some settings you may like.

Tourmalines are notoriously moody stones. They often switch between lighting. At least your stone doesn''t go severely extinct, which again, is another notorious habit of these stones. It''s a huge stone, and I think all the ideas are lovely. My only caveat is that you must be very careful wearing it since many of the designs picked out involve a delicacy about them. A bezel would be more protective of the corners. I love the work of James Meyer (he''s reasonably priced to from what I hear) and I would trust him on a bezel with this stone if you opted to do that. I would leave the pavillion very open though to let the light in.


This is a beautiful example showing the side of the ring as well, and while not a cushion, I know he''s done Gene''s cushions before.



https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/james-meyer-bezel-reset-has-arrived.97999/

I don''t notice any extinction IRL, actually, although I know some of my pics look dark. The one that is closest to what I see is probably the one in my palm, but I think the stone may even be a little lighter than that.

Thank you for the link to that lovely bezel set diamond - that is actually a terrific idea and one of the few bezels I''ve seen that would display the bottom of the stone. I just worry that a bezel would disguise the subtle outline of the ring - it seems as though the four smaller points might just disappear. I will definitely send that photo onto my jeweler for inspiration, though!

I like the Vera Wang ideas posted above as well - fabulous! Keep ''em coming! I will try to take more pics in different light, maybe with a tripod to minimize fuzziness.

 

[oddoneout]

Huge and beautiful stone. I like Cellentani''s idea of a more delicate setting. I think that would really showcase the stone.

 

[PumpkinPie]

I love the Leon setting.. it''s a fabulous stone and will make such a big statement as an e-ring

 

[Indylady]

Date: 4/17/2010 12:51:10 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 4/17/2010 10:21:13 AM

Author: VapidLapid

I think the stone is fantastic!


Tourmaline will show differing personalities color-wise in all types of light.


Here are some settings you may like.

Tourmalines are notoriously moody stones. They often switch between lighting. At least your stone doesn''t go severely extinct, which again, is another notorious habit of these stones. It''s a huge stone, and I think all the ideas are lovely. My only caveat is that you must be very careful wearing it since many of the designs picked out involve a delicacy about them. A bezel would be more protective of the corners. I love the work of James Meyer (he''s reasonably priced to from what I hear) and I would trust him on a bezel with this stone if you opted to do that. I would leave the pavillion very open though to let the light in.


This is a beautiful example showing the side of the ring as well, and while not a cushion, I know he''s done Gene''s cushions before.



https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/james-meyer-bezel-reset-has-arrived.97999/

+1, especially since it is an engagement ring and not a special occasion ring. Lovely pics btw!

 

[jstarfireb]

Also check out Julia Kay Taylor on Etsy for beautiful handmade bezels. She could make a really nice and unique custom design for you. Here''s a thread with some of her work, including the zircon ring I had commissioned on the 3rd page.

 

[Arcadian]

Beautiful stone! if you prong set it, you may want to go with a double prong. With my cushion stone from Gene, the only thing my jeweler griped about was the fact that the corners weren''t flat, which can sometimes lead to issues when setting. He made it work fine with the setting I chose, but he did say that those types of stones really do better with custom setting and/or a double prong set. It certainly makes sense when you think about it.



-A

 

[biggemlover]

Date: 4/17/2010 4:17:16 PM
Author: Arcadian
Beautiful stone! if you prong set it, you may want to go with a double prong. With my cushion stone from Gene, the only thing my jeweler griped about was the fact that the corners weren''t flat, which can sometimes lead to issues when setting. He made it work fine with the setting I chose, but he did say that those types of stones really do better with custom setting and/or a double prong set. It certainly makes sense when you think about it.

-A

Thanks Arcadian - I really like the look of the double prong in the Mege morganite setting so doing a double prong shouldn''t be an issue. Good to know about the non-flat corners, though. So many things to think about!

 

[Gailey]

Congratulations Biggemlover

Here are a few suggestions for you:

1. Christopher Phelan
2. Krikawa
3. & 4. McTeigue & McLellland

 

[Gailey]

And a few more from some PS members:

5. Claude Thibaudeau
6. Manhattanlawyer''s Amethyst
7. Unknown.

 

[Gailey]

Also, check out the work of:

Ray Griffiths
Rodney Rayner

 

[Barrett]

very nice stone!..seems to have some blue secondary

 

[biggemlover]

Date: 4/17/2010 7:23:20 PM
Author: amethystguy
very nice stone!..seems to have some blue secondary

Thank you! It does have blue secondary (one axis), although IMO less so than what you see in Gene''s (and my) pics. I actually love that the blue isn''t too strong - because it''s more of a straight up green, I think it looks great with both warmer and cooler colors.

 

[Barrett]

yea it''s showing that open axis by that slight blue..like you said