Opinions & advice on this Australian amethyst

[Ally T]

I bought this amethyst in 2002 when on a trip to Sydney. The owner advised that it came from a mine in the North West of Australia, but I have no idea apart from that. I bought the stone & then paid for a cheap silver setting with CZ's in the shoulders whilst I was there. I love this stone & wear it probably twice a week if not more, but I am struggling & frustrated with the cleaning aspect. The silver seems to tarnish very often & because the setting is so boxy & high & not in contact with my skin, the only way is for a weekly polishing session.

I would love to have this stone set into a simple 18 carat white gold or platinum ring, similar to what it is currently in but without the fancy shoulders & bulky box setting. It is very sentimental as I had lost my father a few months previously, and when I saw this it filled me with love. It reminds me of blue skies, hot sunshine, sea & the peace & quiet of a stress free month in my life.

My question is, do you think it is a nice stone & worthy of the expense of a re-set? I am a complete novice on coloured stones. Are amethysts durable? It stone measures 9x7mm but I have no clue as to carat weight, it has amazing flashes of red & blue, is crystal clear & mesmerising. Opinions?

 

[chrono]

Alex,
If you love this amethyst, then it is worthy of the expense of a reset. Amethyst isn't very durable but with care, makes a beautiful right hand or occasional wear ring.

 

[movie zombie]

I have silver rings and they do not tarnish.
perhaps it is how you are storing it......a silver ring worn twice a week really shouldn't be showing tarnish so quickly.
perhaps a quick swipe with a jewelers cloth prior to storage would help?

any stone is worth resetting if it makes your heart sing.
just make sure if you do a reset that the jeweler you choose is experienced with amethyst an d won't damage your stone.

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

This may not be what you are asking, but the truth is I really like the ring as is. You have double prongs, it's set east west, and the czs give it a bit of sparkle to make it a nice modern ring. The stone looks lovely. You have good taste.

They have jewelry boxes that are anti-tarnish, they have small bags for silver that are anti-tarnish, and they have cloths to just polish the silver in a couple of swipes, when you watch TV. I recall having to polish my mothers silver candlesticks every week with a polishing cloth. That was my job-the silver.

I opt for finding an anti-tarnish cloth of some sort.

Annette

 

[Ally T]

Thanks everyone for your replies. It really IS a beautiful stone & often gets commented on when I am in sunlight doing something with my hands. It is seriously alive with activity & colors

The ring is kept in my jewellery box along with other rings side by side. It doesn't tarnish black, but starts to yellow, which is weird. Its fully hallmarked for silver & cleans up instantly, but I do find it frustrating as the beads around the cz's yellow & are a pain in the backside to clean.

It was just a thought to re-set as I think I will have some funds left over from my pear re-set in autumn, so I will have a mooch around. But the reset would also be E-W as I have lived with it like this for over 10 years

 

[JewelFreak]

If you'll be happier with a new setting, then do it. White gold, if you like it, would cost less than platinum; you could buy a setting new or even a pre-loved one. MZ's warning to be sure you use a jeweler who can work with amethysts is on the money -- they need somebody with experience in stones lower on the Mohs scale than diamonds and corundum. Enjoy!

--- Laurie