My Swala Spinel and Tsavorite

[portia]

I''m late in sharing pics of my stones I purchased from Swala. I received them before Christmas, but haven''t had a chance to take photos. I''m very happy with them and Eric was wonderful to work with... very helpful and great communication!

First up is the 3.4 ct. Mahenge Spinel.

 

[portia]

Another... it''s so difficult to get good photos! This one unfortunately has a reflection on the table.

 

[portia]

On my hand (and *very* carefully placed in a ring holder)...

 

[portia]

2.95 ct Tsavorite

 

[portia]

another...

 

[portia]

Group shot with a 4.88 ct Peridot purchased from Richard Wise.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Ack! I''m dying of jealous over here!!

Those are both just gorgeous, congratulations!! I''m especially partial to that tsavorite, hehe.

Any setting plans?

 

[virgoruby]

Beautiful stones - love them all!

 

[portia]

Thanks MakingtheGrade and virgoruby!

As far as setting plans go, I think I''m going to halo both the spinel and tsavorite. I''ve always wanted a legacy-style ring and I think the tsav would be really pretty in that style. For the spinel, I think I''d like to incorporate some rose gold, but not exactly sure yet. Maybe rose gold halo and the rest platinum or white gold? My problem is that I keep spending my money on new stones and not settings for existing stones I have. This forum is such a bad influence! LOL

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Date: 12/27/2009 3:54:30 PM
Author: portia
My problem is that I keep spending my money on new stones and not settings for existing stones I have. This forum is such a bad influence! LOL

Oh...I'm sure many of us can relate

I wouldn't be able to stand not being able to wear those though, I would want to stare at them all day.

It's the weirdest thing but it seems like I can't get to Swala's webpage from China.

 

[portia]

Date: 12/27/2009 4:00:22 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade

Date: 12/27/2009 3:54:30 PM
Author: portia
My problem is that I keep spending my money on new stones and not settings for existing stones I have. This forum is such a bad influence! LOL

Oh...I''m sure many of us can relate

I wouldn''t be able to stand not being able to wear those though, I would want to stare at them all day.

It''s the weirdest thing but it seems like I can''t get to Swala''s webpage from China.

I know... I drive my husband crazy walking around the house with my loose stones looking at them in different lighting. He thinks I''m going to lose them.

I think for 2010 I should make it a goal to set just one stone! heheh

 

[LD]

Very very pretty and what a way to end 2009. Congratulations. Beautiful gemstones.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Date: 12/27/2009 4:10:50 PM
Author: portia

Date: 12/27/2009 4:00:22 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade

Date: 12/27/2009 3:54:30 PM
Author: portia
My problem is that I keep spending my money on new stones and not settings for existing stones I have. This forum is such a bad influence! LOL

Oh...I''m sure many of us can relate

I wouldn''t be able to stand not being able to wear those though, I would want to stare at them all day.

It''s the weirdest thing but it seems like I can''t get to Swala''s webpage from China.

I know... I drive my husband crazy walking around the house with my loose stones looking at them in different lighting. He thinks I''m going to lose them.

I think for 2010 I should make it a goal to set just one stone! heheh

I can relate! I hope to set a few of my "good" stones in 2010 as well. I only seem to set the inexpensive ones, as practice stones.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Date: 12/27/2009 4:10:50 PM
Author: portia

I think for 2010 I should make it a goal to set just one stone! heheh

I vote for the Tsav!
If you don't want to wait to save up funds on a custom setting, you could always get a Legacy style setting from LOGR. LaurenThePartier, Tourmaline Lover, and others seem very happy with their LOGR legacy's.

I tend to set stones I really like relatively quickly, just because I want to wear it ASAP (though to be fair, my settings are pretty simple and inexpensive). I recently ordered a sapphire (hopefully I'll be seeing it in a week or so) which I promised myself I'd earmark for my graduation or push-present and not set /wear until then. We'll see if I can control myself.

 

[portia]

Date: 12/27/2009 4:34:33 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade

Date: 12/27/2009 4:10:50 PM
Author: portia

I think for 2010 I should make it a goal to set just one stone! heheh

I vote for the Tsav!
If you don''t want to wait to save up funds on a custom setting, you could always get a Legacy style setting from LOGR. LaurenThePartier, Tourmaline Lover, and others seem very happy with their LOGR legacy''s.

I tend to set stones I really like relatively quickly, just because I want to wear it ASAP (though to be fair, my settings are pretty simple and inexpensive). I recently ordered a sapphire (hopefully I''ll be seeing it in a week or so) which I promised myself I''d earmark for my graduation or push-present and not set /wear until then. We''ll see if I can control myself.

I''ve seen the LOGR settings and they look really nice. I just love LTPs collection (especially the Legacies)! I may have to look into those for my other stones, but I really like this ring for the tsav from Brian Gavin. In fact, I emailed them to get a quote so we''ll see what happens!



Can''t wait to see your sapphire! I love the stone in your avatar, too!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Portia, they''re just gorgeous! I''m especially in love with the spinel - wow it glows!

 

[klewis]

Portia, you''re quite a shopper, and discerning too. I''m very envious of your new gems, all three look gorgeous and doesn''t the Peridot hold its own next to the Tsavorite and Spinel!
More pics?

 

[bling addict]

They''re both really gorgeous! I especially love love love the spinel

I like the setting you posted from BGD.

 

[portia]

Thanks LovingDiamonds, Lady Disdain, BEG, klewis and bling addict! This gemstone collecting is seriously addicting!

BEG, I wish I could capture just how much the stone glows. It's amazing... I've never seen a stone do that before! I have lots of fun looking at it in different lighting conditions. My hubby just shakes his head. lol

klewis, I totally agree about the peridot. The photo just doesn't capture the beauty of it. The grass green color is so pretty. I'll take more pics tomorrow.

 

[icekid]

Love the Mahenge!! You are so right, portia; they are truly special stones.

The halo idea is great, though I don''t think I would go with LOGR myself for such substantial stones. BGD would definitely do them justice, though!

 

[portia]

Thanks icekid! I keep seeing such beautiful rings from BGD I figure I should check them out.

So does anyone have any ideas setting ideas for the Mahenge? If I set the tsav early in 2010 I probably won''t be able to set the spinel for a while, but I always like to have a plan. Maybe I should just get a temp setting for it so I can enjoy it like MTG said.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Thanks for clarifying for me Portia, I definitely meant for the LOGR recommendation to be a temp setting. Those babies deserve a much better forever-home!

 

[chrono]

Gorgeous stones! That Mahenge has truly eye popping colour, the tsav is such a rich pure green while showing off its brilliance, and the peridot is lovely too. It''s a tough choice but I think the Mahenge is deserving of going first.

 

[icekid]

Date: 12/27/2009 9:19:10 PM
Author: Chrono
Gorgeous stones! That Mahenge has truly eye popping colour, the tsav is such a rich pure green while showing off its brilliance, and the peridot is lovely too. It''s a tough choice but I think the Mahenge is deserving of going first.

I vote for the Mahenge first too

 

[AmberGretchen]

GORGEOUS stones - such beautiful colors and cuts!!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

::shakes fist at Chrono and Icekid::

Bah! It''s a spinel conspiracy!

 

[portia]

LOL!! You all are too funny! I was going to go ahead with the tsavorite since I know exactly what I want to do (taking MTG''s advice and getting one set rather than stare at loose stones). I figure that one''s easy... tsav + legacy = Portia''s first completed project.

So, if I was to set the spinel, how would you set it? Ideas?

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Haha, taking my side over Chrono and Icekids? What is the world coming to?

I kid, I kid.

Hmm...I''m not sure how I''d set the mahenge. I think so much depends on what style you enjoy. Vintage? Modern? Blinged out? Sleek?

 

[Fly Girl]

Love your two new stones, especially that gorgeous Mahenge. Certainly a nice sized stone, and soooo brilliant.

But, if you know how you want to set that beautiful tsav, I say, go for it!

 

[Lovinggems]

Gorgeous colours! Swala''s Tsavorites and Mahenge Spinels are truly special aren''t they? Congrats on your savvy purchases!