Translucent and opaque stones...

[Kim Bruun]

...are rarely discussed here, and I am a little curious as to why that is. It seems that transparent, facetted stones hold the biggest attraction for members of this forum, and generally, they do for me too - but imperial jade can be just as costly as many of the other gemstones discussed here. Sugilite and charoite come in splendid colours, and the colour play of precious opal is surely one of the most beautiful things that nature has rendered. Lapis lazuli and turquoise have a rich and ancient history as gem stones, and feldspar can display optical effects not seen anywhere else.

Do these types of gem stones appeal less to you guys?

 

[Upgradable]

I would love to have a gorgeous cab of nice robin''s egg blue turquoise!!! Surrounded with a halo of omc diamonds.......

 

[RevolutionGems]

Its a little ironic that this thread is sitting right above a thread about a star sapphire....

I have never been a big fan of cabbed stones. There are some that are indeed quite beautiful but they just don''t appeal to me. Around here, we have lots of dinosaur bone and petrified wood. I see alot of it in rings, necklaces, etc. Though they are very pretty and, in some cases, undoubtedly expensive, they don''t hold the depth, character or fascination that comes with a faceted stone.

That is, of course, my opinion. There are many other who would directly challenge me on it...

 

[Kim Bruun]

I can appreciate the irony, Revolution, but you have to admit, the transparent varieties are discussed much more frequently. I thank you gor your explanation, though.

I love opal, and the lavender to mauve colours of charoite and sugilite are really beautiful to me... I am just curious why the translucent to opaque stones are discussed less frequently.

Sugilite is not a cheap stone, for instance, and like I said, imperial jade can be very pricey at up to 2000$ per carat (possibly more).

 

[Stone Hunter]

Maybe it''s an exposure thing. I am in the US in an area that doesn''t really know anything about Jade. I would NEVER consider buying jade here. Although I would like a nice pair of earrings.

And I''ve never personally liked Opals, my Mom has some and there is nothing wrong with them...I find myself liking them more now that I am older. Like that Faceted Opal a PSer posted.

 

[T L]

Many Pricescopers are into precision faceted cuts as well, and that could be another reason. I personally like transparant faceted stones better myself. Opaque stones do not really do much with light, and I lose interest with them. I personally enjoy the color shifts and play of light inside a transparent faceted stone, which is a bonus to enjoy aside from just color.

 

[RevolutionGems]

You are correct. There is very little discussion of the translucent and opaque varieties here.

I am going to risk making a general and blanket statement (PLEASE understand the context of the statement and that it does not apply to all opaque stones)

In general, I think opaque stones are not thought of as "precious" stones. Therefore, they are relegated to area of "costume" jewelry.

((waits to be struck upside the head with a large turquoise bracelet))

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 2/9/2010 12:08:39 PM
Author: Kim Bruun
I can appreciate the irony, Revolution, but you have to admit, the transparent varieties are discussed much more frequently. I thank you gor your explanation, though.

I love opal, and the lavender to mauve colours of charoite and sugilite are really beautiful to me... I am just curious why the translucent to opaque stones are discussed less frequently.

Sugilite is not a cheap stone, for instance, and like I said, imperial jade can be very pricey at up to 2000$ per carat (possibly more).

I saw imperrial jade only a few times, and it is stunning. Especially when it is almost opaque and a little bit of light gets through - maybe it is just the way it was cut. I have a charoite and it is beautiful. I have seen sugilite only in pictures but the colors were wonderful. Same for lapis.
Unfortunately for turquoise, it gets "sick" pretty often. Still beautiful, but it is an issue.
I like smooth cold feeling of cabbed stones. I think often cabochons have a better "feel" while transparent stones have a better "look".
I can also add aventurine, a beautiful stone.
Too bad that turquoise and lapis are often "reconstituted" or frank fakes.
I should probably post my filigree silver set with turquoise. It is "green" but still beautiful. Very old and definitely real.

 

[Kim Bruun]

I can certain follow that, stone hunter. For that same reason, I am not particularly interested in turquoise and lapis lazuli. Even sugilite is not a favourite with me, unless transparent material is discovered some day...

But the colour play of opal is just so endlessly fascinating, and the swirls in some charoite can be almost bewitching. Even the hazy blue sheen in a clean moonstone is not to be dismissed, I think. But I agree to some extent, and most of my favourites are transparent stones - but I'd take a precious opal cab over a topaz any day, regardless of who cut the topaz.

 

[jewelz617]

I love Jade and opal, star sapphires...

But generally I'm drawn to stones that have sparkle, a specific cut, light play. Sleepy (opal and star sapphires excluded) stones can be beautiful in their own right for sure, but for me they don't always have that WOW factor I look for when buying a stone.

 

[T L]

An opal always has the same color play patterns in various light sources. An opaque stone with patterns always has the same patterns, but a transparant faceted stone, depending on the light source, can have a myriad of different looks, especially if the light hits it just right. It's fun to move it around and in different light sources and see the sparkle and scintillation. Translucent stones like jade are all about color, and to get the best color, it's very expensive, so that's probably why you don't hear a lot about fine translucent stones on PS.

 

[chrono]

Faceted stones are cut as such to display flash and brilliance, in addition to the colour. A not so nice stone can be made more attractive by precision cutting to allow it to sparkle and take the intense scrutiny off its average looking body colour. Cabochons are done as such to display colour only. It has nothing to help improve its colour. I like both as they each have their pros and cons.

 

[ma re]

Same as Chrono, I love them all, cause they all have a certain charm and appeal. In fact, I somehow feel that cabs and phenomena stones are more of gemstones than faceted materials, in my personal opinion.

The reason I say that is the way they make me feel. While I like how faceted stones look, apart from appearance and obvious beauty, I don''t really feel "connected" to them. Maybe it''s a cultural thing, maybe it''s something to do with me connecting gemstones with legends and stories, but when I hold some sort of a opaque/translucent material, I''m much more under the influence of emotions, than when I see faceted stones. They don''t even need to be fashioned if you ask me, and they''ll still make me wonder some things and spark my imagination. Like how a tree sap fell on the ground God knows where some tens of millions of years ago and now I hold that same piece of nature in the form of an amber! Or how a white piece of rock that, at a glance, almost looks like chalk can all of a sudden start showing all kinds of colors twinkling from within (opal). Or how sea creatures give us corals and pearls. Or how that tiger''s eye really does remind you of a tiger''s eye, not to mention having your own piece of moonlight in your hand by holding a moonstone - those are the things that drew me to gemstones in the first place. And while many of them will never be thought of as the most beautiful gems in the world, to me they are more magical and wondrous than so many coveted and sought after pieces.

Well, that''s a bit of my view on the subject. Sometimes I go a bit gah-gah when writing about my fascination with gems - don''t hold it against me

 

[Hest88]

For me it's not about cabs; it's about how luminous a stone may look--which is nearly always related to how translucent it is as well. So I will never get interested into turquoise or lapis, other than academically, but my interest in jade or sugilite will depend on the individual stone. For instance, I love Imperial Jade that's a fine, Emerald City color--of the type the Chinese call "water jade"---that glows from within like a moonstone, and I like white jade or purple. I love black opal because of the bright play of aurora borealis colors. And I like most other precious gems to one degree or another depending on how much they reflect and/or let in light.

I also liked stained glass windows. And Charms candies.

 

[T L]

Pearls are probably the most popular opaque stone, and there''s a whole subforum on those.

 

[yssie]

I love opal, but even though it''s opaque (sometimes) there''s interplay of colours and light within the material. I guess that''s the important thing for me - seeing what''s going on inside the stone.

 

[Kim Bruun]

Date: 2/9/2010 3:39:01 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Pearls are probably the most popular opaque stone, and there's a whole subforum on those.

Pearls aren't my thing for two reasons:

1) Like tourmaline_lover said, opaque stones don't do much with the light. Pearls have a soft lustre that is fairly unique, but I feel one becomes boringly familiar with them fast.

2) Pearls don't work on a guy, IMO. And I am a pretty risk-taking guy - heck, I can even see myself wearing pink sapphire, if the cut and setting were right - but pearls? No way.

I do think pearls look classy on elegant, middle-aged women, though.

 

[DistinctionJewelry]

Well, there may be some of us lurking around who don't talk about them much because this *is* a forum very much focused on faceted gems. Personally, I find cabochons and faceted gems to be equally appealing, albeit in different ways.

I have a huge cabochon collection, and one of the appeals to me is often their one of a kind nature. An artist-cut cabochon stands apart from the crowd just the way an artist-cut faceted stone does, and there are so many incredibly talented cab cutters who highlight fantastic patterns in the stone with exotic cuts that I just can't pass them up. What one sacrifices in sparkle, one gains in the often amazing stone patterns. They are like nature's abstract art.

The feldspars are amazing (my avatar is labradorite) and some top material can give opal a run for its money in the fascinating color play department while being cheaper and more durable.

There are also of course the non-patterned ones I love just for the color, like sugilite and chrysoprase. Genuine and beautiful turquoise is still out there (search for stuff from the Sleeping Beauty and Nacozari mines if you want to look) and while I'm very picky about lapis I love it. Opals are stunning but too temperamental for me.

 

[ma re]

Date: 2/11/2010 6:38:51 PM
Author: Kim Bruun

Pearls aren''t my thing for two reasons:

1) Like tourmaline_lover said, opaque stones don''t do much with the light. Pearls have a soft lustre that is fairly unique, but I feel one becomes boringly familiar with them fast.

2) Pearls don''t work on a guy, IMO. And I am a pretty risk-taking guy - heck, I can even see myself wearing pink sapphire, if the cut and setting were right - but pearls? No way.

I do think pearls look classy on elegant, middle-aged women, though.

Well, the two of us seem to be complete opposites on some topics

I would never (and I mean never) wear a pink sapphire set into anything, not just because such colors don''t appeal to me in men''s jewellery, but also because pink in general is one of the least interesting colors to me - just a personal preference, of course.

And I also think that pearls can work in men''s jewellery, and I even think they should be used more in men''s designs. Dark colors like those of Tahitians can work amazingly well in some contemporary pendants, while lighter colors of mabe pearls (silvery whites, beiges, goldens, lavanders...) can make for some very elegant gents rings, in the right setting (dark ones too, of course).

But I guess we all can''t love the same, and variety in this case is a very good thing.

 

[LD]

I adore Opals and have quite a number. I also own cabochons (in fact just recently posted a thread on a new Santa Maria Cat''s Eye Aqua I bought) and also like as Sugilite, Chalcedony, Charoite, Hemimorphite, Pearls, Ammolite etc etc. I don''t tend to post them on here as (I think) they have a limited appeal and audience.

 

[T L]

Date: 2/11/2010 6:38:51 PM
Author: Kim Bruun

Date: 2/9/2010 3:39:01 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Pearls are probably the most popular opaque stone, and there''s a whole subforum on those.

Pearls aren''t my thing for two reasons:

1) Like tourmaline_lover said, opaque stones don''t do much with the light. Pearls have a soft lustre that is fairly unique, but I feel one becomes boringly familiar with them fast.

2) Pearls don''t work on a guy, IMO. And I am a pretty risk-taking guy - heck, I can even see myself wearing pink sapphire, if the cut and setting were right - but pearls? No way.

I do think pearls look classy on elegant, middle-aged women, though.

Kim,
You''re a guy???!! I had no idea!!

Men do wear dark grey Tahitians in cuff - links and on rubber chockers. They''re kind of masculine.

 

[LD]

Date: 2/12/2010 4:46:18 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 2/11/2010 6:38:51 PM
Author: Kim Bruun

Date: 2/9/2010 3:39:01 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
Pearls are probably the most popular opaque stone, and there''s a whole subforum on those.

Pearls aren''t my thing for two reasons:

1) Like tourmaline_lover said, opaque stones don''t do much with the light. Pearls have a soft lustre that is fairly unique, but I feel one becomes boringly familiar with them fast.

2) Pearls don''t work on a guy, IMO. And I am a pretty risk-taking guy - heck, I can even see myself wearing pink sapphire, if the cut and setting were right - but pearls? No way.

I do think pearls look classy on elegant, middle-aged women, though.

Kim,
You''re a guy???!! I had no idea!!

Men do wear dark grey Tahitians in cuff - links and on rubber chockers. They''re kind of masculine.

Please translate because this sounds, ummmmm, naughty!

 

[Lovebaubles]

I love transluscent stones and some opaque ones. I love Moonstone, and I always liked Malachite (not in jewelry though, but I have a piece in my collection.) I love milky cabs, and I think opals are gorgeous. I definitely love more than just faceted stones.

 

[Kim Bruun]

Date: 2/12/2010 4:46:18 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Kim,
You''re a guy???!! I had no idea!!

Sorry to disappoint you!

Maybe I should make a signature of it to avoid future confusion?

 

[Honey228]

I might have come here for the diamonds initially, but I will stay for the pearls and colored stones. I think that learning about the work of James Meyer and many many etsy artisans (Sally especially) has greatly increased my appreciation for translucent cabs. I would love to have a piece of jadeite, but I am still intimidated to buy it. I would have no hesitations about setting it though.

I hadn''t heard of sugilite until a couple of days ago when I found this 15 mm bead strand on etsy. Is this a good example?

 

[T L]

Date: 2/12/2010 6:07:11 PM
Author: Kim Bruun

Date: 2/12/2010 4:46:18 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Kim,
You''re a guy???!! I had no idea!!

Sorry to disappoint you!

Maybe I should make a signature of it to avoid future confusion?

Not a disappointment, just a shocker, with your first name being Kim. I think you once mentioned you were from Denmark, so is that a male name there? Well, nice to meet you Mr. Kim Brunn!!

 

[Kim Bruun]

Yes, tourmaline_lover, Kim is a male name in Denmark. Of course, with Kim being a female name in most of the world, not to mention my infatuation with purple and violet gems, I can understand why people would get confused.

That is a cute strand, Honey228. It is opaque, but some of the stones have a nice, vivid colour. The most expensive sugilite is sugilite gel, which is translucent rather than opaque. I haven''t seen any in person, but in pics, some of the better examples seem to almost glow.

 

[pregcurious]

I think they''re less discussed because this website is based in the US and is written in the English language. I think opaque gems are more popular in Asia. I am drawn to cabochons and opaque gems because I grew up with them in my mother''s jewelry and grew up in Asian culture.

Preg