color stone questions

[movie zombie]

any and all comments regarding the following would be greatly appreciated:

1-in looking online [eBay, particularly], it seems that many of the spessartites being offered look very very deep but the depth is all below the girdle, in the pavillon....in fact, the crown looks almost flat or level with the girdle. am i right in assuming that some crown is necessary? if so, how much would be desireable?

2-it is my understanding that cut is particularly important with color stones but no one has come up with the definitive for any one stone type. is there a general rule of thumb to aim for as there is for colorless/white diamonds?

3-i''m interested in tinted or fancy color diamonds also. possibly M-Z or even a fancy yellow but even more interested in the champagne/congacs. what is the best cut to show these to their advantage? are they ever cut as an eternity, 8*, or such? do you have a favorite vendor [online or b&m] for such a product?

4-i''m considering combining spessartite with a large champagne...or possibly the reverse. how important is cut for smaller color stones used to highlight a center stone?

i''m not interested in buying from eBay but if find it educational to visit them as well as other online vendors. i''m really concerned that a stone with a low or nonexistant crown [basically a table atop a girdle] is not going to show well.

peace, movie zombie

ps 5-what questions should i be asking that i haven''t addressed above?

 

[Michael_E]

Movie Zombie,
It all depends on how the pavilion is cut. In a round stone with the pavilion mains cut at
40 to 42 degrees you can get away with a fairly flat crown. In general though I would like to see a crown height of somewhere from 10 to 15 % of the stones width. The lower the refractive index the more you need the crown to be of sufficient height and the facets at the bottom of the pavilion to be at least a couple of degrees above the critical angle for that stone type. I''d say that 41% pavilion and 12% crown plus or minus a couple percent will get you a nice stone. The problem with making any sort of comment like this is that there are a wide range of ways to cut the pavilion and even at a 41% depth the facets next to the girdle can be steep while those next to the culet can be too flat, causing a window. Spessartite is not too awfully expensive, so you may be able to find a good buy at a local jeweler, which would give you the opportunity to inspect the piece before hand. If you''re looking at pictures on the ''net I wouldn''t be hold them to a very high standard, since these stones are extremely hard to get an accurate photograph of, in terms of their color. The higher cost/higher quality suppliers like Pala Gems and Cherry Picked will always have the cream of the crop in this regard.
As for the diamonds, the more you spend the better the cut. With the lower value colors you may have to send them to a cutter and have them recut to your specs to get the cut quality that you want. Your last question about cut versus size is interesting. My opinion is that cut is always important, but there is always a limit in terms of cost to get to that "perfect state". If you''re willing to pay twice as much for a 10% brighter stone then you can certainly find it.

 

[movie zombie]

thanks for the response!

i''ve looked online at pala gems, richard homer, richard wise, and contacted a few people via e-mail. i''ve seen a spess [about 5 carat] locally for about $2500. no where even compared with what pala or either of the richards are offering in the same price range....but then, i''ve only seen their stones online. i need to go have a touch feelly session with some more stones. i''m also interested in what richarad m will be cutting and exploring spess with him.

i want a good quality stone, cut well, decent clarity, etc. and like everyone else, i want it all.

so the search will continue. still tied to my house with my elderly 22-23 year old cat who is rebounding from his last health issue.

but as much as i like the spess, i''m not sure that i don''t want one of those champagne/cognacs or tinted diamonds. so that''s why i''m thinking of trying to do a combination.

thanks again.

peace, movie zombie

peace, movie zombie

 

[Lurchie]

MZ,

I''m afraid I can''t answer any of your questions, but I just wanted to say that you are living my dream! Ever since I tried on a smoky quartz set in pink gold I''ve been fantasizing about putting brown and orange/red things together. Please keep us posted throughout the process, especially if you are looking for design (rather than technical) advice. I drool over this rock on lapilia.com on a regular basis. I think it is sold, but it might provide some inspiration! I vote for spessartite flanked by cognac diamonds. Oh yummy.


What kind of metal were you thinking of?

 

[valeria101]

I don't have any picture to show, but one client showed up recently with an orange sapphire flanked by brown diamond sides - a match of warm colors made in Heaven!

Spessartite would look lots better than the sapphire in question - better color, just as bright... you know.

If you have any opportunity to try the combination - by all means.

 

[velouriaL]

I''m not sure if any of the spessartites suite your fancy, but I have been very impressed with my dealings with acstones.com. I have not actually purchased anything from them yet, but Barbara Smigel, the woman who runs the site, was always really quick to answer my questions honestly and intelligently, with lots of additional pictures and specs. Plus, she knows a lot about the different cutters she works with and also a lot about the stones themselves. I really like the work of one of these afiliated cutters, Barry Bridgestock, and he lists rare garnets as one of his favorites to cut. You might want shoot her an e-mail and see if he''d do a nice spessartite for you.

I, personally, would love to see a gorgeous spessartite with some lovely dark brown diamonds side stones! I would also be interested in seeing some online vendors them as I have no idea what pricing is like and would be curious learn more, too.

 

[movie zombie]

thank you all for your thoughts and suggestions! and to stir the pot a bit more, i checked out the suggested website and found:

http://www.acstones.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=0&idproduct=1075 cut by the recommended BB.

i originally started out doing only a wedding band --george sawyer ''h'' melded metals: green, yellow, and pink/red golds-- set with one fairly large stone in a pink/red gold bezel. but i don''t want to hide the melded metal look with too many stones. so, i''m thinking of having the wedding band randomly studded with some small champagnes and then doing a separate e-ring with a spess and champagnes. or the reverse with a larger champagne flanked by smaller spessartites.

i saw a george sawyer e-ring: plain green band with pink/red gold cone bezel set high with an exquisite colorless/white diamond. however, i like color! and i don''t want a high set stone. i want to be able to wear this lots and i think i''m too rough with my hands to handle a high set stone, bezeled or not.

so perhaps an e-ring with a green metal band and the spess and champagnes surrounded by pink/red gold. if the band is just one metal color, it won''t seem like a waste to fill it in with gems!

i want something unusual, rich and elegant, but organic and casual at the same time, something i won''t see on someone else''s finger on any given day.

ok, so that''s been what i''ve been thinking recently. then i started reading more threads here at pricescope and seeing those halo rings!!! and wouldn''t these stones be gorgeous in such a setting?! one problem though, they''re really not who i am or how i dress. but they have given me ideas......and maybe i can find a setting that i would be more comfortable with. then the question is: how do incorporate it with the george sawyer wedding band?

i''ve been in contact with george sawyer''s gallery and they have offered to assist in getting stones once i decide what i want and to work with me re setting. they also think the spess would be great, especially with the ''h'' metal we''ve decided upon.

despite my ramblings above, i''m open to any suggestions regarding the rings and how to set the stones. i do think, though, that a marquis and/or pear shapes are out and that rounds or ovals are going to be easier to set. please let me know your thoughts.

thanks for your support in all this.

peace, movie zombie

 

[velouriaL]

I think you''re on the right track to come up with an awesome, unique set!
I saw a really gorgeous ring in (I think) February''s Lucky Magazine that was essentially 3 interlocking rings like this, but a little lower (and made to interlock):

Each ring was made from a different color gold and set with a differnt gem (yellow gold with a diamond, pink gold with a pale pink sapphire, and white gold with a pale blue sapphire, I think). Each stone was on the small side, maybe less than .50 ct. Anyway, the look was stunning. Definitely something, as you put it, "unusual, rich and elegant, but organic and casual at the same time, something I won''t see on someone else''s finger on any given day."

I could really see this look with a champange, spessartite, and maybe even another shade of oragey-yellow-brown... maybe a dark brown diamond, a low-color yellow diamond, or a tourmaline, hessonite garnet, yellow sapphire, heliodore (golden beryl) or something else along those lines.

 

[movie zombie]

i''m having a hard time picturing interlocks with the ring posted. is this a description of three separate stones on three separate interlocking bands....did they each have their own bezel and were they positioned so they set next to each other similar to a three stone ring?

i''m not opposed to smaller stones if i get the look i want. or one large stone with channel set bands on both sides.

still giving aged cat tender loving care and unable to get out and have a look see to get more ideas and start to narrow the field down.

peace, movie zombie

 

[velouriaL]

It was three separate stones on three separate bands which each had their own bezel and they were positioned so they sat next to each other, but with a little more of a diagnoal look than a traditional three stone ring. I guess you just have to see it... Look for Feb. Lucky mags in your hair salon and doctors offices! I''ll definitely snag the name if I run across one.

Hope your cat feels better soon!

 

[movie zombie]

oh, i do like the sound of that! it was the only thing i could envision based on your earlier post. will admit to not being familiar with a mag called Lucky but will keep an eye out. please do keep an eye out, i''d really like to see it... the brain is already moving its gears into this new possibility!

peace, movie zombie