Calling all long serving members and owners of CS Jewellery

[theredspinel]

So I always hear it. You can't not hear it. We have the MOH's scale and it definetly serves a purpose (duh). We always hear how one gemstone over another is better or not better to wear (especially in a ring) due to fragility in some way; Stratching, Abbraiding, Chipping, Brittleness or even splitting right in half!

Now cearly the above is true, it's just a fact of life for minerals. But I want to see pictures. I want to see those stones that we all know won't stay in *absolutely pristine* condition, NOT when they are brand new like we usually see on PS but after some years..

It's always said after a few years softer stones (Tanzanites, Tourmalines, Garnets, Appatities ((crazy!!!)), Sphenes etc etc etc) will show wear and facet abrasions; I've even read very old PS posts where people describe their beautiful faceted soft stone as now cabs after a year of wear.

But I've never seen any pictures!!!

Can we have this thread like a visual educational/satisfy my inquisitiveness thread that essentially shows softer gemstones after many years. Please include details like how long you've had it, how you've worn it (frequency and whether with 'care' or not) and if you have it a pic of it when it was brand new.

I've read a lot of TL's posts saying a few of her tourmaline rings have chips and dings so please, please can I see them?!

Additionally this is not just limited to rings. Let's see softer gemstones set in earrings and pendants too, if only to compare like for like (eg both owned and worn the same amount for 10 years) how exactly those pieces of jewellery compare with rings.

Thank you!

 

[laurenk]

Re: Calling all long serving members and owners of CS Jewell

I've had my Colombian emerald for about 18months but it's an antique/vintage so it's been loved prior to becoming mine. I definitely see some light surface scratches but am pretty careful with her. Actually I must admit I've never cleaned her because I've been nervous.....

Ohhh I cannot enlarge pic... I'll try to get a better example!

 

[Niel]

Re: Calling all long serving members and owners of CS Jewell

Abrasion pics?
Here's my antique zircon


But honestly on the hand typically I don't even notice

 

[GregS]

Re: Calling all long serving members and owners of CS Jewell

No pictures, but my wife abraded her Spinel in about 2 months. The facets adjacent to the table and a couple on the crown are showing wear at the meet points. One of the down sides of being blessed with excellent vision is I see every little imperfection on things. I am going to have to send it out for a polish, it doesn't bother her but it bothers me.

She also put a whoopin' on some Paraiba Tourmaline cabochon stackers I had made for her. Those are definitely going to need to be polished as well.

She is very rough on her jewelry. From now on I will only do Diamond rings, maybe a Sapphire. Everything else will be pendants or the like. Like the most recent Garnet I got from Jeff White, it safely resides around her neck.

And Niel, that ring is killer.

 

[indigoblue]

Re: Calling all long serving members and owners of CS Jewell

This is a small chip in the lower left table facet of my sapphire, but it prompted me to remove the stone and replace it with a much cheaper tourmaline. I had worn it almost every day (except at home) for nearly two years before noticing it. The cutter, Gene Flanigan, said not to do anything about it because polishing it would screw up the other meets. My plan is to reset it lower and with a halo to protect it better. And not to wear it every day.

 

[lilmosun]

Re: Calling all long serving members and owners of CS Jewell

I've always wondered about the classifications of "suitable for a RHR" and "not suitable for every day wear" that I read about here and wanted to ask.

I would think that a ring worn on the right hand would get more exposure for a right handed person. Does the RHR classification assume that because it isn't the traditional engagement/wedding ring hand, if it's on the right hand, it doesn't get worn as much? And whether it is suitable for every day wear depend on what you are doing with it on every day? I wear my rings every day to the office but now take them off as soon as I walk in the house (I have a ring holder on the kitchen table).

Realistically none of my rings gets worn every day (I stopped wearing my engagement/wedding ring every day decades ago) and I take better care of my jewelry now than I did. But some of my favorite gemstone rings from my 20-30 years ago definitely show abrasions and wear (both the stones and the settings). But those were worn every day while raising kids and I wasn't as careful about taking them off at home etc. I didn't really notice the wear until I joined PS and started looking at them closely - so its not like anyone would notice while I am wearing them. Likewise, I also have some diamonds that have been handed down to me where I can see a nick or two under a loupe.

So now I just try to enjoy my rings and wear them with reasonable care (and definitely more caution when wearing softer stones). As I buy my pieces for enjoyment and not investment, for me it's better than have them sitting in a box

 

[Arcadian]

Re: Calling all long serving members and owners of CS Jewell

I'm not hard on my jewelry at all, but even I notice some abrasion on my most worn zircon. I just don't loop it often and let the chips (lol) fall where they may. If you have a stone and want to enjoy it, do so. You can't take it with you right?

The sphene I set which also dosen't get a lot of wear, does have some damage to it as well. I used wear that to dinner at best, then its taken OFF. Def. NOT a ring stone by any stretch!!! but hey, if you can find a body to set it, and you enjoy it, then do. IMO just what I know from years and years of wear, many stones will get damaged one way or another. There ARE certain stones not totally suitable for daily wear though, especially if you're the type to never take them off for any reason.

I don't loupe my set stones regularly because I'd probably get depressed. I loupe them only when I'm cleaning. Otherwise, I enjoy them while I wear them and let that be that. I had one other stone (tourmaline )sustain the oddest crack and I don't even know where it came from.

 

[GliderPoss]

Re: Calling all long serving members and owners of CS Jewell

I don't have any photos but I do own a topaz ring and a zircon ring and both clearly have some facet abrasions despite "office wear" only. I guess it doesn't really stop me creating & wearing softer stone rings but I definitely acknowledge & accept the risk that comes with it!

 

[theredspinel]

Re: Calling all long serving members and owners of CS Jewell

Thank you for the pics, especially Neil that is exactly what I meant!

I actually didn't know facet abrasions looked like that I mean I kind of imagined it like that but to see it... nice (not for you sorry Neil)! But it's a gorgeous ring none the less and I'm so glad you added the other pic to show you really can't see the abrasions from a short distance.

 

[Skhii]

Re: Calling all long serving members and owners of CS Jewell

Great thread, theredspinel! I, too, wonder what various colored stones look like over time after wear.

Do you guys think that bracelets and bangles would be even rougher on colored stones than rings because they easily rotate and get banged around (e.g., scraped along the desk while writing/typing).

 

[picante27]

Re: Calling all long serving members and owners of CS Jewell

Here's a pic of my chipped sapphire. It was only slightly visible, but I could feel it. I found myself constantly running my fingernail over the chip, it drove me crazy. I chipped it while closing a filing cabinet drawer, just barely tapped it against the cabinet while on my right hand.

 

[theredspinel]

Completely forgot about this thread. Now I have my faceted moonstone on it's way to me, I'm going to ask for any pics that show wear and tear on *faceted* moonstone (or labradorite) over time. Anyone?