multicolor.com gems

[kallard]

So, I am looking at some gems on Multicolor.com.

I have never bought just a gemstone before. I have put several in my wish list and would like to get some opinions on them. This is for my anniversary/engagement ring/everyday wear ring. I am not certain that I am going to go this route or not or not, but this is what I am considering. I love the color of the zircon, but didn't really want round. I was originally looking for a sapphire in a different than the standard blue, but didn't find any in the color/size/price range I was looking for. I also was considering a red, purple, or green but didn't find any on this site, so none are included below.

Aquamarine (though a little pale for me, but is my birthstone): http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/single/aquamarine/zaq125aa/

Red/Purple Spinels
http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/single/spinel/sn11345ab/ vs.
http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/single/spinel/sn11345ac/

Blue/Blue-Green Spinels
http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/single/spinel/ysp541ac/ vs.
http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/single/spinel/ysp560aa/

Zircon
http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/single/zircon/yzi341ab/

 

[Marlow]

I like from the pictures the second blue spinel. Much better color.

The Zircon is very nice too - on another forum Roger Dery recut a blue zircon with a minimal loss of weight and the result is awesome.
I don't know why so many gems on MC are cut with this ugly pavillion ( some alexandrite and others)??

The red/pink spinels have a color similar to Rhodolite - so try to find a heart shape Rhodolite - much cheaper and only a bit softer then spinel (7,25-7,5 vs. 8 ). RI is a bit higher then Spinel.

 

[chrono]

Aquamarine - cut very beautifully but very pale to the point of being colourless. A bit chippy so it'll need to be worn with a lot of care.

Purple spinels - very dark and not recommended.
Blue green spinels - very dark and very gray; not recommended
Zircon - nice colour but so easily abraded that I cannot recommend zircon with a clean conscience as an e-ring stone.

 

[kallard]

Do you have a recommendation then?

 

[Niel]

You seem open to any color, open to most colors other than round and seem to have a budget under 500. Am I correct?

 

[kallard]

Actually, my budget us more toward $800-$1,000. The ones coming up in my searches were lower. I am partial to hearts. My current ring is a heart-shaped aquamarine. When I asked before, sapphires and spinels were recommended. Some said zircons and topaz if careful, but others didn't. Rubies, but the ones I like are above my price point. My current aquamarine is roughly 10mm, so that is part of my problem... I don't want to go too much smaller, maybe 8mm.

I am open to any bright color except yellow, but my favorites are blue/green or some variety or purple.

I love tanzanite, amethyst, tourmaline, and rubelite colors, but they are too soft. I also like mystic topaz, but realize that it is a manipulated creation and not valuable.

 

[chrono]

Something has to give because $1K isn't going to get you a 24/7 wear bright coloured 8 mm stone.

 

[kallard]

If my total budget for a ring is $3,000, how much of it should be on the stone?

 

[chrono]

If my total budget for a ring is $3,000, how much of it should be on the stone?

That is up to you because it depends on the type of setting you want.

 

[kallard]

Sigh. Maybe I should just go back to looking at premade rings. A teacher with 5 kids and one in college can only dream.

 

[chrono]

Pre-made is almost 100% guaranteed to get a subpar commercial quality stone.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Going out on a limb here. Have you ever considered a Montana sapphire? The reason I ask is because I feel like Blaze could find you a piece of rough that would be suitable for what you're looking for. Not 10mm but probably 7 or 8, especially if it doesn't need to be that deep. I'd get in touch with him and at least ask. It couldn't hurt. [email protected]

ETA: For example, here's a sky blue piece that might work. Not sure if you love the color, but it's $1,500, VVS and 13 X 8 X 7mm, and Blaze is usually pretty decent about wiggling a little. If you're dead-set on a heart, you might want to contact a someone like Jerry Newman and ask about dimensions for cutting a heart. Get an idea and then talk with Blaze.

 

[Niel]

Sigh. Maybe I should just go back to looking at premade rings. A teacher with 5 kids and one in college can only dream.

Don't get down. I'm sure there's something out there for you.

What style of ring were you looking at? Do you have a picture ?

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Gotta throw this out there too. If I were you, I'd buy this and save a little bit for a setting (even if it's a simple setting). This thing is screaming to be worn! I get that it's smaller than your current stone, but look at the color.

 

[kallard]

I was originally looking at JuliaBJewelry on Etsy.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/234547957/custom-design-iris-ring-with-diamond?ref=shop_home_active_17


or
https://www.etsy.com/listing/188878922/custom-design-iris-ring?ref=shop_home_active_9


Those are for the setting only.

Originally, I was thinking this design or something like it:

 

[chrono]

Okay, I think we are getting somewhere now. If you are going with JuliaB, you should be fine getting both the stone and setting from her shop.

 

[chrono]

How about these?
https://www.etsy.com/listing/198452355/207-carat-violet-purple-spinel-in-white?ref=shop_home_active_19
https://www.etsy.com/listing/176749702/blue-sapphire-engagement-ring-224-carat?ref=shop_home_active_3

 

[kallard]

I would like either one of those IF they had a different band...that is where I get stuck. I just don't think my fingers would look good with such a dainty/thin band. That was why I was looking at the Iris design, either halo or non-halo. With the halo, Julia and I had discussed mixing colors rather than white diamond accents. She had suggested the zircon as an alternative, knowing the budget constraints.

There are two other Etsy sellers I also looked at, once on the recommended list, and another I had looked at before discovering PriceScope.

AdziasJewelry and the surf ring
https://www.etsy.com/listing/242544149/order-your-ocean-surf-themed-ring-in?ref=shop_home_active_8


There are others there that I like too, but my husband likes this one.

However, none of those are hearts, which I guess is why I haven't proceeded (well, also because I needed to replace the roof on our house also!).

I do actually like the design of the ring I have, but stones would need replacing...and since I got it in an auction, I don't know if it is worth the trouble. Not even sure of the authenticity...only know that it is stamped 14k.

 

[dk168]

OP, if you go with JuliaB, you can ask her to make a ring with a thicker shank by paying a little bit extra.

That is the joy of going bespoke/custom route - you get to specify how the ring should look and be made.

Therefore, I would advise you to think outside the box, get as much inspirations as possible by trawling the net for ring designs, and come up with a design that suit your own needs and wants.

DK

 

[Marlow]

Going out on a limb here. Have you ever considered a Montana sapphire? The reason I ask is because I feel like Blaze could find you a piece of rough that would be suitable for what you're looking for. Not 10mm but probably 7 or 8, especially if it doesn't need to be that deep. I'd get in touch with him and at least ask. It couldn't hurt. [email protected]

ETA: For example, here's a sky blue piece that might work. Not sure if you love the color, but it's $1,500, VVS and 13 X 8 X 7mm, and Blaze is usually pretty decent about wiggling a little. If you're dead-set on a heart, you might want to contact a someone like Jerry Newman and ask about dimensions for cutting a heart. Get an idea and then talk with Blaze.

I would not buy this sapphire!!! It has an ugly skin disease

 

[kallard]

Marlow,

You suggested Rhodolite earlier. I love them, but they are not hard enough. Zircon really isn't either. I wear my ring all the time and am an elementary science teacher - always using my hands.

I really like the color teal, but haven't found anything that will work in that color variety either.

I will most likely just go with JuliaB....but still have been looking anyway.

This is not the only thing I have a hard time making decisions about! lol!

 

[Sungura]

Kallard:

Here are a few inspiration photos and thoughts
- you can get heart shaped sapphires and rubies in small sizes to use as side stones or suprise stones. You can see some at AfricaGems
- there are many ways to include a heart element in a ring including the gallery or engraving or side stones
- teal (blue green) sapphires are beautiful though not as flashy as zircon or glowy as paraibas. Julia B has examples with blue green Montana sapphires (bottom left two pics are from her shop). The blue green small rounds and the radiant but pics are from mountainmamagema on etsy
- colored stone halos are beautiful - you could consider little purple sapphires as a halo stone
- purple and teal/blue green pair beautifully together IMO. The example I used is from Yvonne Raley's shop. The purple is a spinel and he teal is tourmaline I think

Have fun creating your ring. Pinterest is also a great place to search for inspiration ideas

 

[kallard]

Here is my pin board: https://www.pinterest.com/kimberlyaallard/rings/
lol!

The one you have on the bottom left from JuliaB is along the lines I am shooting for, except I would want split shank, or slightly wider shank. I also have been watching her videos on her YouTube channel. That helps me quite a bit.

I will also check out the others you mentioned.

 

[Niel]

How would you feel about a trillion??

 

[kallard]

Hadn't really thought about it.

 

[Niel]

Hadn't really thought about it.

In case you'd consider them, I do think they look a bit like a heart and they face up large so you can get some mm size in there

http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/gemstones/?sku=3812

http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/gemstones/?sku=7108

The pink might be wonky but it also might just be at an angle.

 

[kallard]

Ok, since I am looking at gem sites....how can I tell much from pictures like this?:

Located here: http://www.africagems.com/cushion-green-sapphire-ja-2999.html


The same is true from the pictures from my original post....but at least they were better than this.

I also found this:
http://mastercutgems.com/index.php?page=viewgem&id=8155


Which is a much better representation.

 

[Sungura]

Lol Kallard I just checked your Pinterest board and immediately repinned a few. Though this is off topic (sort of) if you put these three words [boodles, ocean, tanzanite] into Pinterest search I think you will love what you find

Here is my pin board: https://www.pinterest.com/kimberlyaallard/rings/
lol!

The one you have on the bottom left from JuliaB is along the lines I am shooting for, except I would want split shank, or slightly wider shank. I also have been watching her videos on her YouTube channel. That helps me quite a bit.

I will also check out the others you mentioned.

 

[Sungura]

I'm still very much a newbie but I have learned (from all the many wise Ps'ers) that videos can be really valuable. AfricaGems will send you more pics and a video if you ask. I learned a lot by looking at gems on eBay and comparing the stills to the videos. Also there is a stickie thread here in colored stones forum that shows examples of vendor pics vs PSer pics


https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/vendor-pictures-and-owner-pictures-of-ps-stones.109420/

 

[Marlow]

Marlow,

You suggested Rhodolite earlier. I love them, but they are not hard enough. Zircon really isn't either. I wear my ring all the time and am an elementary science teacher - always using my hands.

I really like the color teal, but haven't found anything that will work in that color variety either.

I will most likely just go with JuliaB....but still have been looking anyway.

This is not the only thing I have a hard time making decisions about! lol!

Zircon is quite brittle - normally hard enough but brittle so you you will see abrasions after a few years or month ( depends on how you treat your jewellery).

Rhodolite is hard enough imo - compared to spinel ( esp. with the same color!) much cheaper and much easier to replace and only a bit softer.

But you should buy a sapphire or diamond if you know that you will wear it all the time...

This is my personal opinion and many here will not agree - gems are a wonder - million of years old.
I treat them with respect - most here want perfection - a perfect cut sapphire with the best color - of course untreated!! They are incredible rare. Sometimes I wish you buy them and collect them but use a synthetic for your jewellery if you are "cruel" with your rings.