Collections - What IS a collection?

[kenny]

For you who collect, can you tell me how you define your collection?
What are your guiding priorities and goals?
How would you describe your ultimate collection, a collection that you would stop changing or adding to?

I've now collected 10 FCDs - but this topic of course applies to all gems.
I try to only buy what I'm sure I'll like but when they arrive (and sometimes after living with them for a while) I find the stones are just not for me, and I send them back.
As I ponder why I make the decisions I do, and am curious about your decision-making processes.
Is it more with your mind or your heart?

I think about what is behind my decisions.
Here are some of my criteria . . .

1. Cut - I prefer not just good color but good light return and scintillation - rare in FCDs.

2. Shape - at first I wanted all to be emerald or Asscher cut, but limited supply has me appreciating shapes I never thought I would like, such as pear.

3. Size - I want them to be as similar in size as possible. I had a yellow heart that was over twice the carat weight of any other stone and it stood out like a sore thumb and made the other look silly and small.

4. All colors, I'd love to have one of every hue and hue combination that comes out of the earth.
Naturally budget restrictions make me think I should focus on one sector, like pinks or cooler colors, or shoot for a given number that are equally spaced around the color wheel.
This is my current focus.

5. Color strength - at first I wanted the most saturated color possible, but now I'm considering softer color intensities for the future.
I do not want FCDs with color or tone to strong that light return suffers too much compared to the rest of the collection.

6. Matching, having two stones of different hues but of the same size and color intensity is appealing in a symmetry kind of way. Symmetrical and complimentary pairs are also useful for possible future jewelry designs.

7. The best specimen of a particular color or shape.
I loved my 16-pt FI Green Blue pear till my 8-point FI Greenish Blue arrived.
It's half the weight, but I love it 10 times more.
The one I just returned is 5:00 in my avatar; the one I kept is at 6:00.

What are the criteria for your collection?
Is is a given that everyone wants the largest specimens possible?
Does intentionally collect for inclusion type?
I think a collection of only reds, but of all gem types would be very cool.

 

[Arkteia]

For you who collect, can you tell me how you define your collection?
What are your guiding priorities and goals?
How would you describe your ultimate collection, a collection that you would stop changing or adding to?

I've now collected 10 FCDs - but this topic of course applies to all gems.
I try to only buy what I'm sure I'll like but when they arrive (and sometimes after living with them for a while) I find the stones are just not for me, and I send them back.
As I ponder why I make the decisions I do, and am curious about your decision-making processes.
Is it more with your mind or your heart?
.

I just wanted to purchase nice gems, but post-Prisescope...

Cut - I prefer someting like Making the Grade's Barry Bridgestocks

Shape - Something like Chrono's pear Mahenge, please

Size - it'd better be no smaller than Loving Diamond's paraibas... or rubies...or her latest alex (at least)

Colors - wrap me that spinel by TL, please... and don't ever think of brown or grey... unless they are grey diamonds on ebay...

Saturation - "strong" (still)

Matching - whatever... they never match but it won't show in earrings

The best specimen of particular color or shape - still looking for my Shah diamond...

 

[ooo~Shiney!]

I'm trying to figure it out

Unfortunately, I seem to be hooked on getting things in the mail regularly (ugh)

I just received in the mail today a package of tiny treasures !
5 small pieces of pretty, gemmy rough in varieties to match
5 different faceted gemstones that I have.
I like !!!!!!!
I may continue with that !!!!!
(and learn to take pictures of them all )

 

[chrono]

Criteria for my collection:
1. As fine a colour as I can possibly procure and afford
2. Must be untreated
3. Cut is not an issue as long as the overall appearance remains pleasing to the eye, meaning a good native cut is acceptable. A small window that closes up in the hand and symmetry that looks even to the naked eye are fine. The stone should remain lively and vibrant.
4. Eye clean

When it comes to trying to fit everything into my criteria, beggars cannot be choosers thus I have lessened a few of my initial criteria such as shape and sometimes size. Naturally, I aim to get the biggest stone possible but may deviate from that if the stone is nice enough and the price is right to relegate that into a fun impulse like purchase, but that doesn’t mean I like that stone any less. I am also partial to square cushions but have opened up to the occasional pear, trillion and oval. In terms of a specific hue, I have not given that much consideration because it is difficult enough to get something lovely that I have no wish to limit myself to a specific gemstone type, cut, colour, shape and etc.

If I have more time and funds, I would love to collect minerals and stones specifically for their inclusions and branch into more exotic types such as star phenomena, colour changers, cat’s eye, and the like.

 

[Arcadian]

For me, no criteria. Just buy what I like I've become a bit pickier but I think its normal to do so over time.

-A

 

[T L]

For you who collect, can you tell me how you define your collection?
What are your guiding priorities and goals?
How would you describe your ultimate collection, a collection that you would stop changing or adding to?

I've now collected 10 FCDs - but this topic of course applies to all gems.
I try to only buy what I'm sure I'll like but when they arrive (and sometimes after living with them for a while) I find the stones are just not for me, and I send them back.
As I ponder why I make the decisions I do, and am curious about your decision-making processes.
Is it more with your mind or your heart?

I think about what is behind my decisions.
Here are some of my criteria . . .

1. Cut - I prefer not just good color but good light return and scintillation - rare in FCDs.

2. Shape - at first I wanted all to be emerald or Asscher cut, but limited supply has me appreciating shapes I never thought I would like, such as pear.

3. Size - I want them to be as similar in size as possible. I had a yellow heart that was over twice the carat weight of any other stone and it stood out like a sore thumb and made the other look silly and small.

4. All colors, I'd love to have one of every hue and hue combination that comes out of the earth.
Naturally budget restrictions make me think I should focus on one sector, like pinks or cooler colors, or shoot for a given number that are equally spaced around the color wheel.
This is my current focus.

5. Color strength - at first I wanted the most saturated color possible, but now I'm considering softer color intensities for the future.
I do not want FCDs with color or tone to strong that light return suffers too much compared to the rest of the collection.

6. Matching, having two stones of different hues but of the same size and color intensity is appealing in a symmetry kind of way. Symmetrical and complimentary pairs are also useful for possible future jewelry designs.

7. The best specimen of a particular color or shape.
I loved my 16-pt FI Green Blue pear till my 8-point FI Greenish Blue arrived.
It's half the weight, but I love it 10 times more.
The one I just returned is 5:00 in my avatar; the one I kept is at 6:00.

What are the criteria for your collection?
Is is a given that everyone wants the largest specimens possible?
Does intentionally collect for inclusion type?
I think a collection of only reds, but of all gem types would be very cool.

I tend to get stuck on a certain gem species and go nuts from there. For a long time it was tourmaline in neon pink and blue. Now it's spinels, spinels, spinels, as far as the eye can see.

1) Cut - while cut is important, I do not get hung up on it if the gem is a very very rare color

2) Color - Color is very important to me, but if a gem has nice, but not top color, and the price is right, I will go for it.

3) Luster - This is a very underrated aspect of a gem, but I think a fine luster makes for a more beautiful gem in certain lighting, and it's one of the main draws I have to spinels and of course FCD's.

4) Price - very important. I think one should pay a fair price for a gem, and not overpay. When you have been collecting a very long time and you do a lot of research on what similar gems are going for, it's easier to determine a fair price. I refuse to overpay on anything, and I'm a stickler about that.

5) Shape - could care less about shape. My least important criteria, although I know it's very important to others. There are some shapes I prefer over others, but when it comes down to it, if it's a gem I really want, shape is the last thing I think about.

6) Matching - could care less about that as well, unless I'm looking for pairs.

7) All Colors - Not really that important to me, I just try to find the best color I can. I used to avoid yellow gems like the plague, until I found a neon chrysoberyl. I now realize that no matter the hue, saturation key. A well saturated stone will be beautiful no matter the hue.

Size - Well, I love large stones, but if the color is intense, again, the size doesn't thwart me, unless it's smaller than half a carat. That excludes FCD's of course. I don't mind a sub half-carat beautiful FCD.

9) Tone - Very important to me and again, another underrated aspect of collecting. I detest dark to very dark (GIA scale) toned stones. I go only only as far as medium dark, and that's about it. If a stone is too light, or too dark in tone, the saturation will be negatively affected as well, and that to me, is not a good thing. I do tend to go for medium, to medium light toned stones, as I feel that range allows for gems to have strong saturation. Of course, not all gems of that tone scale fit the criteria - it depends on the gem itself as there can be medium light to medium toned stones with poor saturation. In some rare instances, some medium dark stones can have fine saturation, but it's more rare to find.

10) Color shift - very important and another underrated aspect of collecting. Make sure your beautiful neon saturated gem doesn't go sickly in another lighting.

11) Durability - This is important to me if I want a ring stone. I do have some soft stones in my collection, and they are very beautiful, but I won't set them. Very hard stones take on a nice luster too, so that's another plus for them.

12) Rarity - Important, but any stone with fine natural untreated color is going to be rare, even in amethyst, one of the least rare stones.

13) Treatment - VERY VERY VERY important to me. The only treatment I can tolerate is simple heating as in the case of paraiba tourmaline, or some corundum.

The above all being said, FCD collectors are in a class by themselves. Many will look for certain colors no matter the size, shape or saturation. It's difficult to compare the collecting of FCD's with regular colored gems, as some aspects are very different.

 

[dragonfly411]

I'm just starting to really look into building my collection so this thread will be pretty informative for me. As of right now I only have a few non certified topaz swiss blue topaz, a really pretty emerald cut amethyst, a not so well cut oval tanzanite, and some tanzanite melees. I think for me the collection will go a bit as follows.

1) Cut - I want them to be symmetrical and well cut gemstones. I do like some of the more unique cuts, like concave cuts. I want to know that they are cut well though.

2) Color - I like the stones to be pretty well saturated, unless I find some lavender stones I like. I can't say that I would specify any one color, but I tend to like purples, lavenders, pinks, blues and greens. I'll probably grab up a lot of reds too but I plan to collect some citrines as well.

3) Shape - I tend to gravitate towards non round cuts. I like cushions, emeralds and asschers the most. I do have three round topaz though so I think it'll depend on the stone for me and the other factors.

4) Size - This really doesn't matter much to me. I think small stones are fun for projects anyways.

I think in the end, it is mostly going to be about finding stones that really catch me, and that I can't take my mind off of. Those will be the ones that I'll really want. I had a square step cut smoky quartz that I posted here at one point that I just really liked! It wasn't valuable at all, it wasn't certified, and it wasn't the most sparkly stone around, but the color was very vivid and the cut was quite appealing to me. I lost it in moving, and I think about it all the time. Those are the stones I'll want.

 

[LD]

Interestingly I read TL's post and could have written it myself (apart from a few minor changes). With that in mind, here it is (with the changes)!

I started off buying 3 gemstones and then wanted one of every cut but then I widened my horizons, kept widening until now I buy what I like with certain caveats.

1) Cut - while cut is important, I do not get hung up on it if the gem is a very very rare color Totally agree with TL

2) Color - Color is very important to me, but if a gem has nice, but not top color, and the price is right, I will go for it. Agree again. THIS IS MY NO.1 PRIORITY

3) Luster - This is a very underrated aspect of a gem, but I think a fine luster makes for a more beautiful gem in certain lighting, and it's one of the main draws I have to spinels and of course FCD's. Not important for me

4) Price - very important. I think one should pay a fair price for a gem, and not overpay. When you have been collecting a very long time and you do a lot of research on what similar gems are going for, it's easier to determine a fair price. I refuse to overpay on anything, and I'm a stickler about that. Yep - me too

5) Shape - could care less about shape. My least important criteria, although I know it's very important to others. There are some shapes I prefer over others, but when it comes down to it, if it's a gem I really want, shape is the last thing I think about. I find I'm attracted to some shapes more than others. I have to absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE a gem if it's in a shape I'm not fond of e.g. Trilliant. I'm currently considering one because it has screaming colour!

6) Matching - could care less about that as well, unless I'm looking for pairs. Not a consideration for me because I don't often buy pairs.

7) All Colors - Not really that important to me, I just try to find the best color I can. I used to avoid yellow gems like the plague, until I found a neon chrysoberyl. I now realize that no matter the hue, saturation key. A well saturated stone will be beautiful no matter the hue. My collection consists of a very wide variety of colours. The main thing is I have to love the colour. I very rarely buy yellow and oranges. They don't suit me BUT I do have some in my collection - although they typically remain unworn!

Size - Well, I love large stones, but if the color is intense, again, the size doesn't thwart me, unless it's smaller than half a carat. That excludes FCD's of course. I don't mind a sub half-carat beautiful FCD. Gems typically have to be over the 1ct mark but, like TL, if the colour is intense I will consider it. FCDs I've been known to buy tiny ones!

9) Tone - Very important to me and again, another underrated aspect of collecting. I detest dark to very dark (GIA scale) toned stones. I go only only as far as medium dark, and that's about it. If a stone is too light, or too dark in tone, the saturation will be negatively affected as well, and that to me, is not a good thing. I do tend to go for medium, to medium light toned stones, as I feel that range allows for gems to have strong saturation. Of course, not all gems of that tone scale fit the criteria - it depends on the gem itself as there can be medium light to medium toned stones with poor saturation. In some rare instances, some medium dark stones can have fine saturation, but it's more rare to find. I don't like overly dark or overly light stones (typically)

10) Color shift - very important and another underrated aspect of collecting. Make sure your beautiful neon saturated gem doesn't go sickly in another lighting. This is my weakness. I adore colour shift/change gemstones. I'm a sucker for them. I have kept some stones that are yuck in one colourway (i.e. my Malaya that is a horrible peach/brown in daylight).

11) Durability - This is important to me if I want a ring stone. I do have some soft stones in my collection, and they are very beautiful, but I won't set them. Very hard stones take on a nice luster too, so that's another plus for them. Not important at all. I have (and wear) gemstones that are considered very delicate in rings! I guess I'm a naughty PS'er!

12) Rarity - Important, but any stone with fine natural untreated color is going to be rare, even in amethyst, one of the least rare stones. Important BUT I won't buy something because it's rare UNLESS I love it for other reasons also.

13) Treatment - VERY VERY VERY important to me. The only treatment I can tolerate is simple heating as in the case of paraiba tourmaline, or some corundum. Less important for me. I accept heat and in some gems irradiation but not much else.

Overall my collection is fairly wide in that it contains all types of gemstones, colours, shapes, durability, rarity, treatment and I have about a 50/50 mix of gems set into jewellery and loose gemstones.

 

[zeolite]

I’ll start with TL and LDs lists and re-order the topics

1) Cut – about 95% of my gems are precision cut. The remaining 5% are top color or extremely expensive gems, where I can’t purchase it as rough. Getting top cut is no problem for me.

2) Color - Color is very important to me, but if the gem is not returning light, it might as well be a broken green bottle, or red plastic car taillight.

3) Luster – Very important, and easy for me to obtain. I won’t accept a poor, or even a good polish. It must be better than that.

4) Price – Up to a certain high limit, not a consideration. My main criteria is quality.

5) Shape – any shape as long as it returns a lot of light. I love fancy cuts. If I see a picture of a cut I like, I make it like the picture.

6) Matching – only rarely do I match gems.

7) All Colors – I’m open to any and all colors. My collection consists of a very wide variety of colors. Since I don’t wear any of them, matching to my skin is not an issue.

Size – Must be above one carat. Most of my gems are smaller than 6 cts. But I do have gems ranging from 20 to 86 cts. Size alone is about my lowest priority. It must have superb clarity, cut, and luster before I’ll consider it. My flawless 86 ct kunzite came from a 190 ct crystal, and my flawless 52 carat golden feldspar came from a 160 ct crystal. My flawless 57 ct ametrine came from a 250 ct crystal.

9) Tone – I collect from very light to medium dark tones, but all must reflect considerable light. The pale to medium light gems must have superb cut, or they don’t work as a gemstone. If it is inky black, I reject it or keep wacking it down, until the tone is correct. I have some superb blue tourmalines and one large blue sapphire, that had to be cut 4 times, to get the correct tone.

10) Color change - very important and another underrated aspect of collecting. My collection of cc gems, (sapphire, spinel, tourmaline, and diaspore in addition to garnet) must be one of the better CC collections in the world.

11) Durability – A total non-issue to me, since I don’t wear ‘em! I enjoy sphenes, apatites, rhodochrosites, apophyllites, and zincite.

12) Rarity – extremely important, but then any gem of top quality is extremely rare.

13) Treatment – not much of an issue for me. I don’t want diffused or irradiated gems. Heating, such as with tanzanite or sapphire is fine. Most of my gems are older, before treatment became widespread.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I don't have a set criteria, but I look for something unusual. It may be an unusual colour, inclusion, gem variety, cut, etc. And it must be appealing (sorry, a lot of the very unusual gem varieties aren't pretty).

I sometimes sacrifice colour for an interesting facet pattern or cut (as long as it isn't too wonky) for colour. And, unlike most here, I prefer smaller gems, between 1 and 2.5 cts.

 

[Michael_E]

My collection is a bit different from others as follows:

1) Cut – about 95% of my gems are rough. The remaining 5% are moderately nice colors with a few really weird colors. I think that my favorite is a tourmaline which is a dark smoky blue/gray on the A-B axis and a deep orangy/red on the "C". I haven't cut many of them because I am waiting for the tooth fairy to bring me some extra time to do it in.

2) Color - Color is very important to me, but I really dislike paying for it, so my personal collection is made up of odd ball stones which are too dark, light, gray, brown or whatever other people don't want. I find particularly disturbing those bright pink/red spinels which glow in the dark as they scare me and keep me awake. I just can't figure out why anyone would want the equivalent of a "Barbie Doll" in a gem. Ah well to each their own.

3) Luster – What's that? Rough stones don't have much luster.

4) Price – Low, the lower the better. If I have to cob a 2 carat piece out of a 20 carat junker, that's just fine. My main criteria is price as this forces me to be creative in order to get ANYTHING out of most of these stones. My fish live in a multicolored wonderland, so at least they are happy.

5) Shape – I love long thin stones, mostly because they're hard to cut and CHEAP. In a few years I will have cornered the market in these nearly useless stones and come out with my own line called, "Gem Chimes". Yes, these will be wearable wind chimes...a totally novel concept that will sweep the world of jewelry and make me fabulously wealthy, famous, good looking and I'll sound good wherever I go.

6) Matching – All of my stones are beginning to match pretty well in size. You think that it has something to do with being in a box and being shaken for so long?

7) All Colors – Who cares when you're color blind? As long as they're clear, or close to it I'm good.

Size – I have a wide variety or sizes, it just depends on where I look in that "rock box". At the bottom is mostly multicolored sand with the larger stones floating on top. I've got one BIG brown quartz that's over 3 pounds and about half as long as my arm...beat that Mr. Zeolite!

9) Tone – Most of my stones have superb tone. They need to in order for my "wearable wind chime" idea to work.

10) Color change - No way, I buy stones for a specific color and they'd better stay that way or out they go!

11) Durability – Survival of the fittest is the name of the game for my gems. being in the "Rock Box" and gettin' shaken around once a week for the last 40 years has winnowed out the weaklings.

12) Rarity – Most of my collection is composed of things that you'll never see elsewhere, (I'm not sure why no one wanted them, but I like them and that's all that counts).

13) Treatment – From Mr. zeolite, "Most of my gems are older, before treatment became widespread" Cool mine are too. I do have a few that are treated...with glue, how else are you going to hold them together? I do want you to know that I only use the highest quality glue and the finest dyes available, so that should make it O.K., right?

You know the sad part is that this is only partially a joke. When you've been cutting stones for a long time you really do end up with a "Rock Box" that's just chuck full of weird stuff, (that cost a bundle because it was part of a parcel of better stuff). Oh well, it makes for great rock collection material for little kids.

 

[Pandora II]

I have several collections:

1) Fine quality stones
2) Study stones
3) Rough
4) Mineral specimens
5) Give aways

Fine Stones:
- at least 1ct but preferably less than 3ct (I like them to fit in the same gem boxes)
- as good an example of their type as I can afford - if it's not up to scratch on colour and clarity then I'll wait for another to come along.
- nice cut. I like good meet points and no windows but I'm flexible on other things if it means top colour. Don't like to pay for weight that does nothing though. If the cut is fantastic then that is great but it's my main area of give.
- preferably a garnet!

Study stones:
- at least 1ct but not too big.
- typical
- nice inclusions

Rough:
- typical
- not too huge!

Mineral specimens:
This was where I started...
My initial collection was composed of Cornish minerals which I put together over 20 years. Each piece was collected by me and some are extremely fine whereas others are very boring looking but are rare of their type for the location or rare in general.

Now I have started to collect other specimens but have been forced by husband to stop until I have somewhere good to keep them! I'm planning on moving to specimens about the size of the space if you put your thumb and forefinger together (UK matchbox but don't know if matchboxes are the same size in the USA!). This will mean decimating the current collection which I go back and forth on. I'm thinking I may donate them and then I won't feel as sad...

Give aways:
Anything extra... I only need x number of crappy aquamarines in my study collection and don't need 15 pieces of rough green tourmaline. So I keep the best bits for my self and give the others to visiting kids or my fellow students. I currently appear to be my class's 'stone library' anyway!

I am trying to put together a box of decent sized cut stones for one of my daughter's future birthday parties so I can seed some ground for a treasure hunt.

I have always been a collector and my poor parents have boxes of Pandora Collections all over their house. Mind you, it is NOTHING compared with my father's collecting ability. Perhaps it is genetic?