Chrysoprase - Green Stones for Spring

[Fly Girl]

I recently had a six of my 10x12mm chrysoprase cabochons that I purchased a few years ago from Art Cut Gems set into a bracelet. Rick's chrysoprase is from Australia and is simply gorgeous. These stones have that glow in the sunlight. I love the green color for spring, so I sat down with designer/jeweler T Lee a few weeks ago to design this bracelet. The gems are set with 18kt yellow gold bezels and sterling silver bases. The bracelet is a fuschia lambskin three-wrap by Story.

http://www.artcutgems.com/

www.tleegold.com/

http://www.storybracelet.com/

 

[Fly Girl]

I had already purchased these chrysoprase earring drops set in 14 kt gold from T Lee. They hang from 14kt gold hoop earrings are perfect with my new bracelet.

 

[Fly Girl]

I put the story of this chrysoprase carving by Sherris Cottier Shank over in Pearls.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pearl-and-chrysoprase-necklace.186953/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/pearl-and-chrysoprase-necklace.186953/[/URL]

I now feel that I am ready for my favorite March holiday as well as for Spring.

You may have noticed that I still have a few chrysoprase cabs left to set. I'm trying to come up with ideas to set the stones before I buy more of this stuff. I think chrysoprase looks pretty amazing and I have a hard time resisting getting more.

 

[pregcurious]

The chrysoprase looks lovely, and I like your design sense.

 

[movie zombie]

very nicely done! love the look.

 

[Fly Girl]

Thank you pregcurious and MZ.

I think the earrings and necklace are spot on. I'm not so sure about the bracelet. I'm still playing with the charms, arranging them, trying different numbers of them. This bracelet is a little larger than what I normally wear. I may try another color of Story bracelet, or one with only one wrap. I think I'll get there.

 

[Lula]

I love chrysoprase! Your pieces are so beautiful, Flygirl. I always enjoy seeing the designs your very creative jeweler (tlee) comes up with. I really like the fuscia and green colors together. Yum.

 

[pregcurious]

If you like the pendant with pearls, have you considered putting the bracelet charms on a pearl bracelet?

If you're going for a casual look, I think they would look nice on a cable type bracelet.

 

[WinkHPD]

Oh my heavens! Those are just delicious!

Wink

 

[Quantz Studios]

Gorgeous!

See, that's why chrysoprase is one of my favorite stones to cut- They just glow green, something glorious.

 

[Enerchi]

WOW!! Happy St Patricks Day, Fly Girl - you will be well decked out today!

"My! What gorgeous cabochons you have my dear! The better to celebrate spring with...!!" (ya, that's supposed to be the wolf from Little Red Ridinghood!!)

I love TLee's designs - I think you linked there before and I spent quite a while oohing and aahing over those pages!! Really interesting works of art!

Enjoy your gorgeous treasures!!

 

[Fly Girl]

Thank you, Lula, pregcurious, Wink, Stonebender, and Enerchi.

I will be working on at least one or two more T Lee projects this year. A Welo opal pendant for sure, and possibly I'll get my Roger Dery zircon set. I wish T would take the time to update her website. She has been busy moving and her customers are keeping her busy, so the website gets neglected. But, she is making new pieces, and they are amazing as always. I am lucky to be able to stop by in person to take a peek on occasion.

Thank you Stonebender and Wink for dropping by. It is always fun to hear from the pros.

As you can see from the snowy white background on my bracelet photos, we are still covered with snow here in the North Country. But, I am certainly dreaming of Spring. It surely will come.

 

[chrono]

A simply gorgeous set. The colour is so soft and glowy, just perfect for spring. The bracelet looks as though you are wearing multiple rings on your wrist. Very unique.

 

[Richard M.]

I recently had a six of my 10x12mm chrysoprase cabochons that I purchased a few years ago from Art Cut Gems set into a bracelet. Rick's chrysoprase is from Australia and is simply gorgeous. These stones have that glow in the sunlight. I love the green color for spring, so I sat down with designer/jeweler T Lee a few weeks ago to design this bracelet. The gems are set with 18kt yellow gold bezels and sterling silver bases. The bracelet is a fuschia lambskin three-wrap by Story.

What a great use for those cabs, Fly Girl! I'm happy you found a permanent "home" for them. Chrysoprase is one of my all-time favorite gems.

Interesting fact: in the early part of the last century California was the source of most of the world's chrysoprase. The New York Times in 1902 (somewhat breathlessly!) announced the discovery this way: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00F10F9355D1A728DDDA00994D8415B828CF1D3

The Tulare County mines were eventually worked-out and the lovely green chalcedony virtually disappeared from the market until new sources were found in Western Australia in the 1950s.

Richard M. (Rick Martin)

 

[movie zombie]

interesting, Rick!
had no idea re the history of this stone.

 

[LD]

I love chrysoprase as well - it always reminds me of a throat lozenge sweet we have here in the UK. They taste good! Clearly I wouldn't suggest eating a chrysoprase though! I like your designs. They're very unique and it's lovely to see something so different and not the norm. Enjoy wearing your sweeties!

 

[Fly Girl]

Thank you for the article, Rick. It is so great to learn more about the history of this stone. It makes me appreciate even more being able to purchase them at such a good price from you. Wonderful that they are available to us at this time in history.

Thank you, LD. It is fun to post something a bit different from the norm, and I hope people will get ideas for their own jewelry. These pieces are not terribly expensive, and are so pretty and fun to wear.

Thank you, Chrono. Such fun and springy colors. I'm sure I will enjoy wearing them this Easter season.

 

[movie zombie]

you've inspired me, FlyGirl!

 

[Fly Girl]

you've inspired me, FlyGirl!

Awesome! What are your plans, movie zombie?

 

[movie zombie]

not sure yet. i have a pearl necklace that is a wee bit to short to wear with the chain/pendant i wear 24/7. however, i have a bracelet [pearls not as nice but they would be behind my neck and under my hair so no big deal] that can be joined to it and in the winter that's ok because a scarf will hide the connections on both sides. i've got unset stones so i could design something. i've got large cabs that are "landscapes" that could work well. and i have a silver double heron pin that could be cannabilized and some different color pearls or stone beads added to each end to make an extender. time will tell! but at least i spent time today going through things and thinking about it. and i'll need to find someone who is willing to work with me on this. and i've got a couple of pieces that if reworked would turn the pearls into a ren faire work of art piece that would be worth wearing any time of the year.....wish me luck: you definitely inspired me to think outside the box! thank you!

 

[Fly Girl]

Good luck, MZ! I love these sorts of projects. That is rather how my chrysoprase strand came together. I pulled out some things that I had squirrelled away, and when you lay the right parts next to each other, everything seems to pop. Not everything I wanted to use got used, but sometimes the key is wise editing.

Looking forward to your project, when it moves forward.

 

[Catmom]

I love your set Fly Girl, it's gorgeous!