more headache

[Arkteia]

I can not upload the vendor''s picture but it is in the newest section of "the gem trader". I was the latest to arrive - in the evening, I was debating whether to buy the ruby or not, it was gone by the morning. Same for other nice stones. I really wanted bixbite but someone was quicker. Ah, what the deal.

But I always wanted to have a topazolite, since it is so close to demantoid, and I have a soft spot for Russian garnets. I have never seen "a live one", and hope it will live up to my expectations! Now it is hard for me to make any pictures, but I shall try my best when it comes.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Congrats!! It is a good size. I wonder how the color looks IRL? Please post your thoughts when you get it.

 

[Arkteia]

This is the vendor''s picture. I am waiting for it to arrive to see if it is as sparkly as demantoid - from my scanty knowledge, they both are andradite garnets and should be close in properties. I was looking for an uvarovite, but they seem to come only in druses.

 

[Arkteia]

Well, I got the stone. The photographs were not good - I was testing my friend's theory about "direct source of strong light" (theory not good either but someone small smashed my computer screen two days ago so I had to leave it as it was). I am posting the photos - they still look quite true to the original. Impression? Very olive but sparkly. Would not have bought if saw "in person" first. But then I wanted a "topazolite" merely because of the name.

 

[Arkteia]

And another one to demonstrate brightness

 

[Arkteia]

But I was really unhappy with twin peaks amethyst. I mean, I heard these stones were very good. This one, although well-cut, is bleak and pale. JXR that I bought from Amguy is much better!
Also, sorry for poor quality of photos but this is the only one which has marginally captured "red flash".

 

[Arkteia]

sorry poor photograph

 

[VapidLapid]

I think you should write to Brad and send them back. If they aren''t right for you he wouldn''t want you to keep them.

Then have a look at these topazolites at d&j (you need to scroll all the way down to find them all)

http://www.djraregems.com/raregems.html

I have never seen one that looked like a demantoid but it should be at least a little sparkly. And more importantly, you should be happy with your purchase!

 

[Arkteia]

I never saw this company. Unfortunately, the best one is very small although it can be used in a project. But they have other stones that are very nice. Thanks for the tip!

If Brad would allow me to return the stones, I''ll definitely return the amethyst. I think the company carries nice stones, but at the time when I was buying these ones the best ones were already reserved. So I just bought something not to "go home empty-handed". Brad sounded like a nice guy, though, he did not push me to buy, and the whole transaction was pleasant. So my posting is not an angry one, merely a statement that the amethyst is not the best one. As to topazolite, the size is pretty impressive. I may buy the ones from D&J, just to compare, and then decide what to do with this one.

 

[VapidLapid]

I can tell you from my own experience that Brad is really great. I bought some stones from him that I was very interested in but when they came were not what I was wanting as examples of such. He never missed a beat, said I should send them back which I did. I ultimately found other stones from him which I did get and they are everything and more that I wanted in those.

 

[VapidLapid]

here''s another topazolite I found

http://www.litnon.com/index.php?page=viewgem&id=7232

 

[DistinctionJewelry]

Your four peaks amy looks a lot like one I ended up with - I have it around for novelty, but as an example of amethyst it''s far from the best. I wonder if it''s like stones from other localities, some really good examples and then a bunch of substandard material being sold on name alone.

 

[ma re]

Date: 5/22/2010 8:36:46 PM
Author: crasru
But I was really unhappy with twin peaks amethyst. I mean, I heard these stones were very good. This one, although well-cut, is bleak and pale. JXR that I bought from Amguy is much better!
Also, sorry for poor quality of photos but this is the only one which has marginally captured ''red flash''.

This really made my day, don''t know if it was intentional or not...

 

[Arkteia]

It was not...funny, though. I spend so much time on my BB... You know how it is, with Blackberrys, all typos go because the font is so small. So I guess it started spilling onto my regular e-mails and postings.