Colored stone help- what would you do with this ring?

[elizat]

I have a modern opal ring that is a crystal opal. It doesn't suit me and I should not have bought it. It's in an 18kt hammered yellow gold setting with really pretty melee in the halo (E/F and VS1). It's a nice setting and heavy. Here's the issue. The opal is big! It measures 12 x 9.5 mm. I have looked without success for faceted stones that might fit. I am open to blues, lighter purples, violet/violet blues, greens, and maybe peach-pink colors. I don't want anything red, deep purple, dark green (forest colored), hot pink/pale pink, and I don't like star sapphires. I also don't think I want to but another opal in it.

I think a black opal would look better on my skin tone, but I think I bang my hands too much to wear opals. I also really don't think moonstone would look good on my skin tone. I generally don't love cabs either. I prefer faceted stones.

Is there anything I can do to rehab it? I have tried to sell it and marked it down to $850 or best offer, but really have not had any bites. I think the setting would be worth at least $450, even second hand. Maybe I'm wrong though?

Thoughts welcome on what to do with it. I'd give it to my mother, as she loves opals, but she likes small pieces. Here are photos.

 

[Eady]

Such a pretty ring! I love the setting. Perhaps a topaz might work in place of the opal? They’re more hardy and are relatively cheap (in comparison to other stones) to have custom cut to fit.

 

[T L]

Wow that’s a beautiful opal and ring. I saw a Levian opal just like that at the mall with 14k, and chocolate diamonds for $1780 on sale!!

It wasn’t as heavy gauge or had diamonds that large or white. Any 12x10 cab would fit in there. There’s cabochon tanzanite that would fit it for f you like that color. Fine moonstone is gorgeous and very ethereal, and good ones show a strong violet/blue sheen.

 

[elizat]

Wow that’s a beautiful opal and ring. I saw a Levian opal just like that at the mall with 14k, and chocolate diamonds for $1780 on sale!!

It wasn’t as heavy gauge or had diamonds that large or white. Any 12x10 cab would fit in there. There’s cabochon tanzanite that would fit it for f you like that color. Fine moonstone is gorgeous and very ethereal, and good ones show a strong violet/blue sheen.

I actually like tanzanite. I have only seen pale, milky moonstones.

I am a diamond lady mostly, so any help on recommendations would be appreciated too. I have looked at a lot of websites.... I have not seen anything. I am okay with looking at sapphires, but my knowledge base is not picking good colored stones.

 

[voce]

I agree with everything @T L wrote above. I'll just add that moonstone is also on the softer side and will scratch if you bang it. For something more durable, I'd go with a cab sapphire (because let's face it, cab ruby would be great but unaffordable by mortals in that huge size).

 

[Bluegemz]

Ditto to what others have said. I can also imagine a beautiful aqua cab, a lovely sea foam blue/green one, or any color for that matter.

 

[T L]

I agree with everything @T L wrote above. I'll just add that moonstone is also on the softer side and will scratch if you bang it. For something more durable, I'd go with a cab sapphire (because let's face it, cab ruby would be great but unaffordable by mortals in that huge size).

My moonstone cab has withstood almost everyday wear. But yeah, I wouldn’t go digging ditches with it. I think they’re the most underrated gems. A cab sapphire that size, unless heavily treated, would cost $$$.

I’m sorry you don’t like cabochons, I adore them.

 

[elizat]

Such a pretty ring! I love the setting. Perhaps a topaz might work in place of the opal? They’re more hardy and are relatively cheap (in comparison to other stones) to have custom cut to fit.

Thanks. I think I have a biased view of topaz. My birthday is December and my mom used to buy me blue topaz rings. I loved them at the time, but know I now that they were cut very poorly. I still have one it is a giant window of a stone. I never wear it. I don't think I have ever seen a nicely cut topaz in person.

 

[T L]

I don’t think that ring would accommodate a faceted stone. It’s made specifically for a cab, isn’t it? Is there a pic of the underside?

 

[elizat]

My moonstone cab has withstood almost everyday wear. But yeah, I wouldn’t go digging ditches with it. I think they’re the most underrated gems. A cab sapphire that size, unless heavily treated, would cost $$$.

I’m sorry you don’t like cabochons, I adore them.

I'll be honest, I have never seen nice ones. I have only seen ones that are probably awful set into sterling settings in chain stores. Probably a bad source for sure.

I would be open to a cabachon that had nice color though and wasn't lifeless/flat, if that makes sense. I know for sure I don't care for star sapphire though.

 

[elizat]

@T L here's a side view of it to show the setting. I don't know if it could accommodate a faceted either. That's beyond my knowledge base for sure.

 

[T L]

I'll be honest, I have never seen nice ones. I have only seen ones that are probably awful set into sterling settings in chain stores. Probably a bad source for sure.

I would be open to a cabachon that had nice color though and wasn't lifeless/flat, if that makes sense. I know for sure I don't care for star sapphire though.

It sounds like you’ve only seen washed out ones with very little or no blue adularescence. Star sapphires are gorgeous, but you also may have not seen fine quality. Rose quartz is another very inexpensive option if you can find a non dyed one. Madagascar material is beautiful. It has a secondary lavender hue.

 

[T L]

Can you get a picture of the back of the opal? I’m looking for a large rim. If it has one, it may not accommodate a faceted stone.

 

[Rfisher]

Lovely ring.
Fantastic buy, for what you are asking for it. The buyer for it is out there somewhere! It's just you two 'meeting' that's the hard part.
As for re-working:
I'd suggest contacting someone like Mastercut gems with your parameters. I bet he might have something, and wouldn't be suprised if he'd tweak something he had to make it fit well.

 

[suzanne2]

Just saw this at JoeHenleyRough.com and thought of you. I know you want a faceted stone, but looking at your setting, I'm not sure it will hold a colored stone due to how deep a 12 x 9.5 will be. This chrysoprase is a gorgeous green and Joe has plenty more that could be cut to your specs. I can also highly recommend him. He doesn't cut - just sells the rough - but recently added a bevy of cutters to his website.

 

[seaurchin]

From what you've said, I think trying to modify that ring may just get you in deeper without results you like much more than what you have. So it might be best to just sell it, even if you have to mark the price down a little more or wait a while for a buyer. Then start over and get something you really want. Either way, good luck with it.

 

[voce]

From what you've said, I think trying to modify that ring may just get you in deeper without results you like much more than what you have. So it might be best to just sell it, even if you have to mark the price down a little more or wait a while for a buyer. Then start over and get something you really want. Either way, good luck with it.

True. If you don't feel like sinking more money into this, maybe better to be done with it. If you are fairly rough on your hands, then this ring style is probably not for you, and switching out the stone might make the problem worse.

 

[LD]

Awwww I love that ring. Such a shame you don't love it but if you don't love it, you won't wear it.

 

[elizat]

True. If you don't feel like sinking more money into this, maybe better to be done with it. If you are fairly rough on your hands, then this ring style is probably not for you, and switching out the stone might make the problem worse.

I'm not really rough, but I wack them randomly. I can be clumsy.

I am now thinking about using it for a hairpin or part of a fancy barette. Yssie had one made and I think this could be converted to it. I am going to talk to Caysie at CVB about it.

I really appreciate all the feedback. Knowing myself, I would wear a blue sapphire and I like tanzanite, but that size is so expensive.

 

[elizat]

Can you get a picture of the back of the opal? I’m looking for a large rim. If it has one, it may not accommodate a faceted stone.

Here's the back.

 

[T L]

It’s hard to tell, but it might take a faceted stone. I would ask a jeweler to be sure.

 

[elizat]

So this looks like it may fit possibly?

https://www.africagems.com/aqua-oval-4-24-20188679.html

Is this a bad aqua?

This is a bit smaller, but maybe it could work?

https://www.africagems.com/aqua-oval-3-17-20188703.html

 

[Dreamer_D]

elizat you should also ask Caysie about sourcing you a stone. she seems to have good connections. if you want to keep it as a ring that is.