my small collection :)

[pokerface]

Yes, I have been holding out. My stones are all quite inexpensive, but some are nicer than others. Enjoy!

Not cooperating for this photo session was my 1.87 ct greenish blue zircon and my .92 ct pinkish orange tourmaline.

First up! 3.67 ct purportedly Zambian amethyst



Next - 1.38 ct bi-color (orange and violet) sapphire



And together... perhaps a pendant?



Or maybe a crappy looking photoshopped ring?

 

[pokerface]

Star ruby, supposedly untreated...but I think that's a pipe dream. 8.79ct, with an uncooperative star






Next, a group of four...I have dreams of using these to form the body of a butterfly pendant.
.37 ct green tourmaline
1.01 total weight, two unheated tanzanites
.92 ct reddish purple tourmaline

 

[pokerface]

1.11 ct cheap paraiba tourmaline. Not from Brazil, but definitely copper-bearing - the inclusions are eye-visible. The stone is the exact color I wanted and anything that I like better costs about $20,000....so I'm happy!



nice and glowy

 

[pokerface]

Sold as a topaz ring, stamped 14k, four small diamonds inside milgrain leaves, double-claw prongs. I dream of this stone actually being aquamarine, but I'm too cheap to find out!

looking more steely blue



brighter in natural light

 

[pokerface]

And the grand finale - my "paraiba" apatite ring - looks pretty close to the real thing to me!



handshot

 

[distracts]

Oh, that apatite is brilliant! I'm also a fan of the bicolored sapphire - can't wait to see that set! (Or just more pictures in lots of different lighting conditions. heee!)

 

[GemFever]

lovely I'm also starting small, so I can relate to having smaller, less perfect, cheaper gems. They are still fun, and still make me happy
Good luck with all the settings plans!

 

[Arkteia]

Very nice gems, and good pictures. They are so mood-lifting...

 

[Blue-Seeker]

I like them all -- nice collection. And I like your ideas for setting them, too.

 

[Arcadian]

We all started somewhere and starting small isn't a bad thing trust me.

-A

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Very pretty, colorful collection and I loved the pics!

 

[chrono]

A couple interesting stones in your collection. BTW, where did you get the setting for your blue topaz (milgraine leaves and double claw prongs)? It's very pretty.

 

[LD]

I'm sure you know this but please be careful with your apatites. They are not durable gemstones and you need to be uber careful when wearing them. Some jewellers won't even set them!

 

[NKOTB]

Very nice! I would also like to know where you got the blue topaz setting.

 

[pokerface]

Thank you for all the nice comments! The topaz ring was purchased as-is from the ebay seller hgitner for $100. It was advertised as vintage, but I have no idea if that is actually the case. I have done many searches looking for something similar and have come up pretty empty-handed, unfortunately.