Help me find a pretty dark blue or dark green gem?

[girk]

Hi, everybody!

Brand new here. Thanks to what I've gathered here from you guys, I've been much more informed while searching and researching a stone to buy.

Still, I was hoping for some help! We're looking to design a ring (not an engagement ring, just a nice ring) for several reasons:

A) I have very small hands and very small fingers. There seem to be a very limited few options for what looks flattering on my hands.

B) We are seem to be pretty picky on the setting. Compounded difficult for the aforementioned reason of small hands and small fingers, the band needs to be very thin and the stone needs to be set fairly high.

I've been looking extensively on multicolour.com, which I found from the respected vendors thread. There are lots of things we like, but I'm not sure there is one that we love.

Here are some criteria:
-Rectangular, somewhere between 9mm and 11mm at the longer side.
-Cushion cut or step cut or something similar looking.
-Prefer sharp, square edges to rounded edges, but mostly okay with both.
-Deep, dark blue; dark greenish-blue; deep, dark green.
-Budget of about $300.

I guess this might sound silly, but I don't want it to be mistaken for a birthstone or cz or something. So, it would be nice if it was something that was recognizable to the general public, like a sapphire.

Here are some that I like:

#1 Sapphire. But it's marquis, not rectangle.
http://www.multicolour.com/picture/j2w_sa7953ab.jpg

#2 Saphire. It's absolutely perfect in every way, including size at 11.5mm by 7.4mm, except price at $576.
http://www.multicolour.com/picture/j2w_sn11128aa.jpg

#3 Sapphire. Love, love, love the color, but not the right cut.
http://www.ajsgem.com/sites/default...node/public/blue-green-sapphire-sbg-00040.jpg

#4 Tourmaline. $7000. *cry*
http://www.multicolour.com/picture/j2w_ch10425aa.jpg

#5 Spinel. $576.
http://www.multicolour.com/picture/j2w_sn11128aa.jpg

#6 Also spinel. $6700. *more crying*
http://www.multicolour.com/picture/j2w_sn11434aa.jpg


I might also consider an elongated oval, if the proportions are right. Like this:
http://www.multicolour.com/picture/j2w_sn10921af.jpg
Spinel, 10.3mm by 6.8mm, $162.

Is this a good start? I would love some help from all the experts here! :bowdown:

Best,
Melissa

 

[Niel]

I can't tell how flexible your budget is but

http://www.thegemtrader.com/Oct%2007%20Tsavorite%20Page.htm

 

[girk]

If it helps, this is what I would imagine the finished product to look like, in terms of setting:





Thanks,
Melissa

 

[JewelFreak]

Melissa --

Welcome. Sounds like a fun project. One very helpful thread is this one https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-to-coloured-gemstone-buying-read-this-first.174284/. It has a lot of info that can save you time & help you evaluate what you see (and want).

Most of the stones you linked are so dark that they would tend to black out in low light, possibly even in normal everyday light. The photos on websites are usually taken in a great deal of light to show the gem to its very best advantage, but that's not the way we wear them every day. Many also have cutting issues -- bow ties, etc. Color is not uniform throughout in many of the stones -- that may be a look you like, but it will not give you that overall blue or green you want; it can look great if the stone is cut on purposely to show more than one color, but it can also result from a not-so-hot stone or cutting.

Are you sure you want one that large if you have small fingers? 9 to 11 mm is a good-sized stone. I wear a size 7 ring & doubt I'd wear an 11 mm stone (unless it's a big honking fancy vivid colored diamond ). Finding a nice sapphire or tourmaline of that size for $300 will take time & luck.

Take a look at this one: http://www.litnon.com/index.php?page=viewgem&id=9426. It's a good tourm & within your budget. There are one or 2 others you might like on that page.

Try going through all the listed vendors to get an idea of what's available & at what prices, if you haven't already. Good luck & come back if you have more questions.

 

[minousbijoux]

Melissa --

Welcome. Sounds like a fun project. One very helpful thread is this one https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-to-coloured-gemstone-buying-read-this-first.174284/. It has a lot of info that can save you time & help you evaluate what you see (and want).

Most of the stones you linked are so dark that they would tend to black out in low light, possibly even in normal everyday light. The photos on websites are usually taken in a great deal of light to show the gem to its very best advantage, but that's not the way we wear them every day. Many also have cutting issues -- bow ties, etc. Color is not uniform throughout in many of the stones -- that may be a look you like, but it will not give you that overall blue or green you want; it can look great if the stone is cut on purposely to show more than one color, but it can also result from a not-so-hot stone or cutting.

Are you sure you want one that large if you have small fingers? 9 to 11 mm is a good-sized stone. I wear a size 7 ring & doubt I'd wear an 11 mm stone (unless it's a big honking fancy vivid colored diamond ). Finding a nice sapphire or tourmaline of that size for $300 will take time & luck.

Take a look at this one: http://www.litnon.com/index.php?page=viewgem&id=9426. It's a good tourm & within your budget. There are one or 2 others you might like on that page.

Try going through all the listed vendors to get an idea of what's available & at what prices, if you haven't already. Good luck & come back if you have more questions.

I was going to say the exact same thing! As you know, gems are categorized in 5 categories of tone. On one end, the most dark stones are given the descriptor of "dark." Any stone with this label, will largely look almost black - it may infrequently have flashes of color, but for the majority of the time, the stone will appear switched off and black. The next category, where you are focusing your attention right now, is medium dark. Again, this will be a stone that in bright light appears to have strong color, but in most other lighting conditions, will appear darkish with occasional flashes of color. Is this what you seek? If it is what you seek, you will have endless inexpensive options, so I suggest taking your time.

I really don't know what you are aiming for, but my gut says that the darkest you should go is a medium dark stone. The beauty of colored stones is seeing the color and the great flashes of scintillation shooting sparks of color - you don't want to miss that, do you?

 

[velouriaL]

Blue emerald-ish cut Australian sapphire for $380, 8.2mm x 5.6mm
http://www.mastercutgems.com/preview.php?cat=251&id=6683
This looks to me like a well-cut and quite sizable sapphire. It's priced low because it's a bit dark for most people's taste. It also has yellow zoning, which might actually give it a cool green kick. Dana's picture often don't do the stone justice, and he's very easy to work with. Worth checking out. Dana always says to contact him for best prices, so maybe he'll work with you. He may have more in stock as well.

Blue oval spinel for $300, 8.1mm x 6.5mm
http://loupetroop.com/listings/loose-stones-colored-gemstone/~reduced-~-2ct-precision-cut-blue-spinel-oval
From a private seller, been listed for a quite a long time so might(?) take offers, but probably no returns. I am a BIG fan of the supernova cut. It will help the darker material perform nicely.

I would also contact Michael E at Gemshoppe. He is a jewelery and lapidarist who has VERY fair prices. He will likely give you a deal if he supplies the setting and the gem.

If this is an engagement ring, am going to suggest going with a sapphire or spinel over other gems, even though you can get great color and price on a blue-green tourmaline. I wore one everyday for years and it got pretty beat up in short period of time.

ETA: I know these are a bit smaller than what you were looking for, but I really think you might find that a slightly smaller gem is what you want. I wear a 7.25 ring and this is close to the biggest I'd go. IMO, anything larger, especially in a colored gem, will look like a cocktail ring and seem like less expensive material.

 

[JewelFreak]

Didn't think of pre-owned, great idea. I'd go for that spinel in a minute -- Melissa, it's a good buy & will be more durable than a tourmaline.

--- Laurie

 

[JewelFreak]

Girk, forgive me for calling you by the wrong handle! Somehow I got another poster's name stuck in my head!