anyone have smoky topaz/quartz ring?

[upgrading mama]

hey guys!

I have been jonesn for a smokey topaz ring and would love to see a picture of yours!!
btw, is there a difference betweek smokey topaz and quartz??

 

[Pandora II]

My understanding was that smokey quartz is the correct term for what is often sold as smokey topaz.

My sister has a beautiful one set as a pendant that my grandmother gave her for her 21st - I was rather jealous as I''d been coveting it for years! I''ll have to get some pics next time I see her.

It''s very high up on my wish list, I love the really rich chocolatey ones. Mmmmm, I think I might just need one of them soon...

 

[Catmom]

I have some smokey quartz earrings that a friend of mine made many years ago. I really like the color and have been coveting some of the smokey quartz rings I''ve seen lately. If you get one please post pics for us, OK?

 

[widget]

I''ve got one!

This was my mother''s: circa 1940.

Whoa! Look at that scratch!

I had it repolished when I inherited it, and have worn it only very rarely since. Hmmm...maybe emerald cut quartz isn''t such a good idea...

widget

 

[upgrading mama]

thanks widget for the picture!

I am thinking of a round or cushion shape and probably in yellow gold, I think ithe brown looks nicer in yellow. I saw a really cool ring at Whitehall jewelers, it looks like it is a copy of the Vera Wang setting from 2003 that has the yellow gold braided bands and the braiding goes around the stone as well.

IT was really cool, I wish I had bought it but I need to spend that money on an elliptical right now, not a ring.
Catmom, you should check it out it is a sweet ring! I can''t find a pic on their site though.

 

[Catmom]

Date: 3/2/2007 10:53:56 AM
Author: Sophie
thanks widget for the picture!

I am thinking of a round or cushion shape and probably in yellow gold, I think ithe brown looks nicer in yellow. I saw a really cool ring at Whitehall jewelers, it looks like it is a copy of the Vera Wang setting from 2003 that has the yellow gold braided bands and the braiding goes around the stone as well.

IT was really cool, I wish I had bought it but I need to spend that money on an elliptical right now, not a ring.
Catmom, you should check it out it is a sweet ring! I can''t find a pic on their site though.

Ooooo, that sounds so cool. I love that it''s in yellow gold. I''ll def have to check it out. Thanks.

 

[upgrading mama]

take a pic if they will let you!

I don't live near one, I was visitiing my parents when I got to see it.

 

[upgrading mama]

here''s an ebay ring, but picture it with a smokey topaz.. great!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260091353908&fromMakeTrack=true

 

[Catmom]

Is that what the Whitehall one looks like? If so, It should be pretty cool! I wish I had time to run to the mall but we are leaving on Wednesday for a week in hopefully sunny Florida and I just don''t have the time.

 

[upgrading mama]

Date: 3/4/2007 6:03:17 PM
Author: Catmom
Is that what the Whitehall one looks like? If so, It should be pretty cool! I wish I had time to run to the mall but we are leaving on Wednesday for a week in hopefully sunny Florida and I just don''t have the time.

The Whithalls one doesn''t have the diamond halo, but the bands are the same...

If my memory serves me correctly, It had the rope around the stone kinda like a halo, but the stone is prong set, higher, so the rope doesn''t hug it. Hope that makes sense!

Have a GREAT vacation!!!!! I wish I was heading to the sun, I will pray you guys have a perfect sunny week!

 

[Catmom]

Date: 3/4/2007 7:36:24 PM
Author: Sophie
The Whithalls one doesn''t have the diamond halo, but the bands are the same...

If my memory serves me correctly, It had the rope around the stone kinda like a halo, but the stone is prong set, higher, so the rope doesn''t hug it. Hope that makes sense!

Have a GREAT vacation!!!!! I wish I was heading to the sun, I will pray you guys have a perfect sunny week!

Thanks, Sophie!!

 

[Richard M.]

All,
The stone in the image is the color I think of when a customer asks for smoky quartz. It can occur in a range of tones, from very light to almost opaque. It, along with yellow to orange citrine quartz, were incorrectly sold for years by some jewelers as "smoky topaz" and "topaz quartz," or sometimes simply as "topaz." As I think everyone on this forum knows by now, topaz is a separate mineral species with a wide range of natural colors.

Richard M.

 

[suzanne2]

This was a ring in a former life. When my Mom handed it down I promptly made it a pendant...

Suzanne

 

[ger100]

Hi,

My parents bought these for me at least 35 years (or more) ago; the ring first and then the pendant. They were called Smokey Topaz, but they indeed test out to be Smokey Quartz.

They measure: 20 x 15 mm for the ring, and 21 x 16 mm for the pendant. The ring is 14 KT. All I can find on the pendant is an "S" diagonally placed in a square. (anyone know what this symbol means?).

Anywho, you can see right through them, although they are quite thick...probably because they are quartz!? Both are have a slightly different cut, not sure if you can tell (last photo). It always kind of annoyed me that they were not cut exactly the same.

When I got the ring, it seemed so over the top, size-wise. But now on old fat fingers, it''s not looking so bad.

Of course, the ring barely gets over the knuckle now!

Ger

 

[ger100]

photo of both pieces

 

[ger100]

trying to show the different cuts...and how easy it is to see through them!

 

[ger100]

PS: I wore these a lot, and there is no obvious damage to the stones!!

 

[ger100]

Here''s another photo showing the side views. As best as I could measure, both are about 9 mm deep. By rule of thumb, 65% of diameter, it would seem that both are too shallow?? Is that right?

It looks like the ring is a brilliant cut and the pendant is a mixed cut (lot more facets) with a slightly rounded pavilion...interesting. Since I''ve been following stones, I never really took a close look at these. Thanks for the question!

 

[upgrading mama]

Date: 3/5/2007 5:47:18 PM
Author: Richard M.
All,
The stone in the image is the color I think of when a customer asks for smoky quartz. It can occur in a range of tones, from very light to almost opaque. It, along with yellow to orange citrine quartz, were incorrectly sold for years by some jewelers as ''smoky topaz'' and ''topaz quartz,'' or sometimes simply as ''topaz.'' As I think everyone on this forum knows by now, topaz is a separate mineral species with a wide range of natural colors.

Richard M.

Richard,
thanks for the mini lesson, I appreciate it!
That stone you posted is a beautiful rich chocolate, I love it!

 

[upgrading mama]

ger,
thank you so much for the pictures, for me it always helps to see more examples.
I don''t think you have fat fr al ad it is fun to have a nice big piece to wear from time to time!

Suzanne I bet it looks beautiful on, any chance of a neck shot/?

 

[suzanne2]

how about just a hand shot? Can you imagine that sucker as a RING?

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 3/5/2007 5:47:18 PM
Author: Richard M.
All,
The stone in the image is the color I think of when a customer asks for smoky quartz. It can occur in a range of tones, from very light to almost opaque. It, along with yellow to orange citrine quartz, were incorrectly sold for years by some jewelers as ''smoky topaz'' and ''topaz quartz,'' or sometimes simply as ''topaz.'' As I think everyone on this forum knows by now, topaz is a separate mineral species with a wide range of natural colors.

Richard M.

That''s the colour of my sister''s piece and the colour I''m after. Very nice.

 

[C Smith]

Date: 3/5/2007 10:00:34 PM
Author: ger100
trying to show the different cuts...and how easy it is to see through them!

Per your question on cut, the large amount of windowing present does suggest it is not cut to maximum potential.