Step Cut City - recent additions, Gary Braun Aqua and Afghan plus a Peridot

[LaurenThePartier]

Hi all, I have a few updates, so I thought I''d wait to post until I had all 3 finished.

In the line up is my 4.92 ct. Gary Braun Afghan Tourmaline - original thread here: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/gary-braun-afghan-tourmaline-asscher-4-92-ct-9-5-mm.115789/ I''m super disappointed in this one because my jeweler must have brought in a different benchman for today, because he cracked that inclusion even further. Not sure what I''m going to do about it, but it sort of ruins the stone for me.

But, now onto happier subjects, my 2.9 ct. Gary Braun Aquamarine - original thread here: https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/asscher-aqua-setting-ideas-help-please.101797/ I''m in LOVE with the baguette setting with this aqua. Just love the simplicity, and the architectural lines. I highly recommend this LOGR setting. Quality seems exceedngly nice for the price.

Last up, but first for photos; a 3.45 ct. Peridot I received as a gift purchased from my local jeweler. It has a bit of a window in it, but I adore the setting. This is a Jewe2004/Jewelryhoo setting and it''s very classic and lovely.

The peridot:

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Profile. It sits very low.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Hint of the window here.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

The aqua. zOMG, I haven''t taken it off since I got it back.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Handshot with my eternity.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Look at that pattern!

 

[LaurenThePartier]

The prongs come fairly chunky, but I asked my jeweler to thin them down and finely point them.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

With my Scapolite;

 

[miraclesrule]

Good lord I could get happily lost in that Aqua and never re-surface!!

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Collection before the Afghan and Aqua.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 10/31/2009 6:04:09 PM
Author: miraclesrule
Good lord I could get happily lost in that Aqua and never re-surface!!

Thanks, hun!

I honestly did NOT expect it to turn out so . . . BLUE!

 

[princessplease]

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Now, unfortunately, to bring it down a bit. That inclusion grew. A lot.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 10/31/2009 6:05:59 PM
Author: princessplease

LOL, thank you Princessplease!

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Asschers!!!

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Loose plus set asschers.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

All step cuts!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

That aqua is BEAUTIFUL!!

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Loose plus set asschers again.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Newest rings.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Same 5 again.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

THERE''S the tourmaline . . .

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Part of the collection as of today.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

And the other half . . . I have one more project I''m planning (my grossular garnet in YG), and I''m on the lookout for a red spinel and a Tsavorite, but after that, I think I''ll be moving onto earring projects!

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Date: 10/31/2009 6:10:07 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
That aqua is BEAUTIFUL!!

Thank you, MTG!!!!

 

[iluvcarats]

What a delicious feast for the eyes LTP! YUMMMY

 

[LD]

W

W

First of all, I have to say that your collection is a wonderful rainbow of colour. Truly sensational. You must be so proud of your rings.

Onto your new acquisitions ............ love the Aqua and I''m stunned that''s an LOGR setting! Did you have to have it modified to fit your Asscher? I was considering something similar for mine but it was working out very expensive. I adore your Peridot (window or not). It''s a lovely colour and the setting really compliments it. Again, I was surprised that it''s a Jewe2000 setting! You have a knack of turning what could be an ordinary setting into a work of art.

I''m so sorry about your tourmaline. You must be so disappointed. Is it too late to ask Gary to repair it? I think it would be worth it now if it''s going to annoy you as it is. What a terrible shame because it''s a gorgeous stone.

Very many congratulations on your wonderful new additions.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Profile of the Tourmaline ring. This sucker is extremely deep.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

And the aqua, there''s a flaw with the basket brace, but it was polished out nicely when I received it.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Thank you so much, Iluvcarats!!!

Date: 10/31/2009 6:18:44 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
W

W

First of all, I have to say that your collection is a wonderful rainbow of colour. Truly sensational. You must be so proud of your rings.

Onto your new acquisitions ............ love the Aqua and I''m stunned that''s an LOGR setting! Did you have to have it modified to fit your Asscher? I was considering something similar for mine but it was working out very expensive. I adore your Peridot (window or not). It''s a lovely colour and the setting really compliments it. Again, I was surprised that it''s a Jewe2000 setting! You have a knack of turning what could be an ordinary setting into a work of art.

I''m so sorry about your tourmaline. You must be so disappointed. Is it too late to ask Gary to repair it? I think it would be worth it now if it''s going to annoy you as it is. What a terrible shame because it''s a gorgeous stone.

Very many congratulations on your wonderful new additions.

Thank you LovingDiamonds! I appreciate your very kind words, dear!

I have to say, I wholeheartedly endsorse the baguette setting from LOGR. I had them both custom made, and the customizing fee was quite reasonable. It looks like a MUCH more expensive setting (until you look at the basket, but how many people will ever see that?)

I had actually ordered the peridot setting for my aqua, and had told Jewelryhoo to please modify it for an 8.5mm asscher. When it arrived, it was made for a 8.5mm princess cut, not an asscher, so I was a bit disappointed there. I brought it into my jeweler to see if there was anything that could be done, and he had this step cut cushion peridot that fit amazingly well. I sat on it for about 2 weeks, but my husband, who was with me at the time, brought the peridot home to me one day after I had an especially bad day at work.

I''m not sure what can be done about the tourmaline. It seems as if that inclusion is too deep to just recut into an asscher, but I''m not a professional, so who knows. Perhaps I should have let Gary recut it in the first place, but I loved it in the asscher cut. Something to note: that stone is 100% camera shy. It looks a bit like a very clear emerald with a bit of a dark tone in real life, but it just doesn''t shine in pics. I just can''t get either camers, my P&S or my new DSLR to bring out the colour, or portray the light return very well.