CC garnet guidance, please

[natsplat]

Hi - I'm a new user from the UK, and (as I'm sure many have said before me!), I know very little about gems other than I love far too many of them! I would really appreciate your advice and expertise. I'm looking to source a cc garnet for my engagement ring: looking for 1.5-2cts if possible, and a round stone, but very flexible if I can get a cleaner gem/gorgeous cut/amazing colour change. Budget - I guess up to £250?

I would love to get a green-orange stone, like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320295172262&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I would even consider buying this simply because I love the colours so much, but there's no video, and I'm assuming it'll be quite included. I'm looking to set the garnet in yellow 18k gold - probably a simple setting from LOGR - and it would be brilliant to be able to come in under £600 all told (trying to include the setting in the UK in that).

Am I aiming too high for that budget? And are there any other UK-friendly places to source cc garnets so I can widen my net?

Thanks for reading!

Nat x

 

[colorluvr]

You picked a reputable seller (gemburionline) so if you don't like the stone you can return it, but please realize that most of the time the stone will look "olivedrab" (sellers explanation) and you will seldom see that orangish color shown in the auction. I have a 1.70ct oval cc demantoid that I bought more for the novelty than to have it set. It almost always looks olive green. It was described as "Green 2 Red Flashes" and I have seem some reddish flashes, but under most lighting it is just olive green (not the color of bright green demantoid). If you are alright with that, then by all means give it a try, but I just wanted to warn you that the seller wasn't exaggerating when he calls it "olivedrab".

 

[natsplat]

Thanks for your reply I did wonder how often the orange might show up, so that's very useful. It does make me less keen on it. I've written to gemburionline to ask to have the video fixed so I can see a bit more clearly how "drab" the "olive" is, but I reckon I'll be looking elsewhere at the same time. Do other types of garnets go from green-orange, or is this just a demantoid cc? I might have to change my colour preferences, and also think much more about the "main" colour being my favourite. I want to avoid true blues if possible (why I haven't looked at cc sapphires), but I love teals.

And maybe after all this looking at cc stones, I might just give up and go for an orange spessartite/sapphire, to guarantee pretty colour 100% of the time. So much to look at and think about...!

 

[natsplat]

...and now I go nosing around teal stones and came across this beautiful example:

http://www.acstones.com/ProductCart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=3712

I can just imagine this as a simply-set e-ring. I did originally want a round. And this would "colourchange" in that it has different coloured axes within it...? Am I more on the right track for what I want here, do you think?

OMG, I can smell an addiction!

 

[LD]

The stone from Barry is not a colour changer. Are you looking for something that will look one colour in daylight and another in incandescent lighting? That's a proper colour shifter or colour changer - depending on the difference in the two colours. If you're not, and would be happy with just flashes of another colour, then the Barry stone is a good idea because you'll see green and blues but it is most definitely not a colour changer.

Hope that helps.

 

[T L]

Hi - I'm a new user from the UK, and (as I'm sure many have said before me!), I know very little about gems other than I love far too many of them! I would really appreciate your advice and expertise. I'm looking to source a cc garnet for my engagement ring: looking for 1.5-2cts if possible, and a round stone, but very flexible if I can get a cleaner gem/gorgeous cut/amazing colour change. Budget - I guess up to £250?

I would love to get a green-orange stone, like this one:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320295172262&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I would even consider buying this simply because I love the colours so much, but there's no video, and I'm assuming it'll be quite included. I'm looking to set the garnet in yellow 18k gold - probably a simple setting from LOGR - and it would be brilliant to be able to come in under £600 all told (trying to include the setting in the UK in that).

Am I aiming too high for that budget? And are there any other UK-friendly places to source cc garnets so I can widen my net?

Thanks for reading!

Nat x

The best cc garnets go from blue to a reddish color. I'm not really loving the color shift on that one.

If the video is not there, he might have sold it outside of ebay, so ask him if it's available before you pay. If not, ask him to fix the video.

 

[natsplat]

@ LovingDiamonds: I realised, looking at stones with my fiance, that having different colour flashes with a flawless stone and sparkly cut was much more desirable than a true cc stone - plus it being a round too. So... we bit the bullet and ordered the Barry stone His good policy on returns helped us decide the only true way to know if it's perfect is to actually see it in person. I can't tell you how excited I am! Thank you for your help.

@ TL: Thanks for the reply. I agree re the eBay cc stone; when I looked around more (on here and on other vendors) I thought the brilliance of the colours didn't look so great in comparison. I loved the idea of green - orange in principle, but I guess the reality is different. I'm hoping the tourmaline is everything we want it to be...!

 

[Pandora II]

I think that is probably a good choice.

I have a couple of colour-change garnets the newest and best of which is almost 'alexandrite-like' in going from a teal green to a red. It's under a carat and was expensive. For me it's a great stone because it fills a gap in my collection and as CC Garnets go it's a really good example but it is far from being the most beautiful of stones to look at.

Photographs can often be a bit misleading in that they are taken under distinct lighting conditions that show the best of each change. Most light is very mixed and so the stones tend to look a bit muddy a lot of the time - you don't walk around with an incandescent light source 5 centimetres about your hand in general!

 

[natsplat]

Thank you Pandora (I've been working away so couldn't reply until now). I still have a big love for the cc change stones, but I agree that the Barry stone will be much more appropriate for my needs (and my fiance's wallet!) at this time. It hasn't arrived yet - could be today! - so it's a little previous to be fixing my ideas of settings until we have it in hand, but I have two styles in mind:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370503249214&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

LOGR have quoted a price for this in 18k yellow gold, with two extra "hidden" diamonds at the bottom of the prongs, and upgrading the diamonds, and it's still in budget.

and this more simple setting

http://www.etsy.com/listing/43100460/tulip-custom-14k-white-rose-gold

which has more significant gold mass but less "glitziness". I have written to them to ask if they might be able to customise this design slightly to include two "hidden" diamonds at the bottom of the tulip in some way, but they haven't got back to me yet. An extra excitement for me with this setting is that I could have green gold (which I have always had a soft spot for), as I will have a 18k yellow gold wedding band to be given to me by my mum which would contrast nicely.

I haven't entirely written off the idea of having rose gold with the teal, depending on how "tealy" the tourmaline looks in daylight.

I think the reason I like both of the settings so much is because they both have vintage echoes to my eyes. It's hard to choose between them! - but I feel I'm leaning towards mastergoldcraft... It's so exciting!

Any thoughts or advice on these settings?

 

[Arkteia]

Much as I like the seller (Tan), I decided not to buy color change stones, especially basing on online pictures. I had much luck with Gary Braun's color change garnet, and yet it is such a gamble... You may love the color in one light, and hate it in different conditions. Things change depending on the country you are in! If you live in the UK, I presume, your lighting conditions are similar to what we have in Seattle (I read that the climate is very similar). Which means frequently overcast sky. If this is the case, you may end up hating all color changers... I wanted to recut my alexandrite because it would not "perform" in daylight till I ended up in Greece and realized that the Seattle sky would not "perform" right! Same for my color-change sapphire from Jeff White.

Plus, one has to be very peculiar with the setting. You can not bezel it, can not have too many prongs, the prongs have to be thin, it has to be set high... The good thing is, Tan has a very good return policy and you can always return the stone back if you do not like it.

Just my two cents... I wish you luck with the stone, I, too, love color-changers but purchasing them can be risky.

 

[natsplat]

Thanks Crasru: I think you're right re. our similar lighting conditions. As much as I think ccs are just brilliant, they would look very underwhelming in London daylight, I agree. I've opted for the Barry tourmaline, which I think will "work hard" under even the gloomiest lighting conditions, I hope...!

 

[chrono]

Any updates on the tourmaline? It appears to have already been removed from the link. I agree that most colour change garnets are over-rated. The colour change is usually not complete, they have a tendency to be dark and the in-between colour is more likely to be some unattractive muddy colour.

 

[natsplat]

It's flying to me, Chrono! - it may even arrive today *looks out window for van* I stuck it in my profile pic as the link doesn't work any more...

I'll post pics up here once I have it. I wish I owned some green gold so I could try it out against it, but I do have rose 14k and yellow 14k and 18k.

 

[natsplat]

Tourmaline is here! The UK has dreadful low light atm so my pics are not showing even half the fire and gorgeousness that I am seeing with my eye - but even so, you get a glimpse at its flashes. It looks even minty in plain light, which is just beautiful, and the tealiness is clear to me too but I can't take a picture of it. We love it! It's perfect

Now, to pick the setting. I think I'm moving away from the LOGR diamond mount, as I reckon the diamonds might take away from the central stone. I kind of like the idea of small diamonds on the profile of the setting, but not on the band. The mastercutgems solitaire setting I posted the link for above may be off the table too, as I still haven't got a quote from them from my query over a week ago.

Any ideas or suggestions would be gratefully received.

 

[LD]

Just a FYI - colour changers in UK light look gorgeous! I have cc sapphires, garnets and alexandrite. The problem is that if you see a bad one you may think it's lighting but I can tell you some of my colour changers are amazing. I've seen tons, discounted many on the basis that they have little change but when you get one with strong colour change it knocks your socks off. If you think London lighting is bad, try living in Manchester I'm originally a Londoner so know how different the two are!

 

[natsplat]

That's good to know, LovingDiamonds: maybe when I know more about coloured stones and can choose CC stones better, I'll go for one...!

I've been trying (and mostly failing) to catch the tealiness in this stone. I have however been able to get the glowy mintiness in it by going outside. I am so in love with it

 

[faegrace]

Natsplat~

Yummy tourmaline! Congrats

Maybe diamonds on the profile and band but not a halo? Just a thought....

(I am seriously beginning to wonder if Dana is okay. Has anyone heard from him?!? He hasn't posted (though gems were due out teh first week of May) and has not returned my last two e-mails, which is VERY unlike him....

~ faegrace

 

[natsplat]

I must admit faegrace, I'm getting a little concerned about Dana too. What is weird is I got an etsy convo reply about whether they use 14k rose gold straight away, but no reply at all after over a week about quotes for work. Maybe someone else is answering his store queries at the moment...?

Thank you for your congrats I'm a bit overwhelmed by how gorgeous it is, it being my first loose gem purchase I'll have more thoughts about the amount of diamonds tomorrow. I think I'm erring towards a very simple solitaire setting, but who knows...?!

 

[natsplat]

A few more pics. Am thinking almost 100% definitely a rose gold simple solitaire setting now.

(is there a way to edit the title of this thread? It's very misleading now, and I don't want to clutter the board up by starting a new thread)

 

[ZestfullyBling]

I must admit faegrace, I'm getting a little concerned about Dana too. What is weird is I got an etsy convo reply about whether they use 14k rose gold straight away, but no reply at all after over a week about quotes for work. Maybe someone else is answering his store queries at the moment...?

Thank you for your congrats I'm a bit overwhelmed by how gorgeous it is, it being my first loose gem purchase I'll have more thoughts about the amount of diamonds tomorrow. I think I'm erring towards a very simple solitaire setting, but who knows...?!

This is a beautiful gem! As you know, a solitare setting could display this gem most eliquently. However side stones would as well. Choosing the setting is just as enjoyable as choosing the gem. Enjoy!

I hope Dana is ok as well. My last correspondence with him was may 10th.

 

[faegrace]

Threadjack:

I heard from Dana this morning. Dana is fine. He has been tending to his daughter, who hasn't been feeling well. He is going to try to play catch-up this week.

 

[natsplat]

This is true Zestfully: and there's no huge hurry for me to "settle". I'll enjoy my journey working out the best setting for my stylish stone

I'm glad Dana is fine: thanks for telling us faegrace. It did seem unlike him, from what I've read about his customer service on the PS boards.

 

[Edward Bristol]

I am working on several hunts for cc garnets of the alexandrite type and, oh boy, those who get there hands on some want to sell them for alex-prices too. There was good rough from Tanzania for $1k/gram.

 

[talamasca]

Love your stone and can't wait to see how you to decide to set it. I personally prefer the more simple tulip design

 

[natsplat]

Thanks talamasca your spinel is gorgeous too! - good for us both with our e-ring settings

I've decided to not go with the tulip setting or the LOGR setting, and am convoing with Daniel M about a very simple double-pronged rose gold setting, possibly with some champagne diamond accent stones. I'm loving every step of this exciting procedure!

 

[talamasca]

Hiya, just wondered how long your BB tourmaline took to arrive and did you use the free international shipping or other? Ta

 

[natsplat]

Hey Tala,

Barry sent my tourmaline registered mail: it came in I think seven days or so, and was unopened when it came. It's a much better option than Fedex for US-UK mail, and very secure. I'd recommend it. What are you looking to buy?

 

[NKOTB]

I thought Mastergoldcraft (the Etsy jewelry seller with the tulip setting) was run by a guy named Stephen. I didn't think it was linked to Mastercutgems, i.e. Dana?

Lovely tourmaline, btw! I have one coming from Barry in the mail as of yesterday.

 

[talamasca]

That's good and was quicker and cheaper then than mine by USPS/Parcelforce.

Did you miss out on customs?

I'd love one of Barry's supernovas.

 

[natsplat]

My next stone will be one of his gorgeous cushions. Not fussed what colour or stone; just a dirty great big cushion for a pendant... ahhh....


Customs? *whispers* yes!