Debuting the "Silvery" Topaz

[FrekeChild]

Date: 3/22/2008 3:28:16 PM
Author: Elmorton
Ohhh I loooove Giada''s layered necklaces (to be honest, I think I love everything about her, sigh). Okay, I''ve decided I want to reiterate my vote for necklace, haha! It is sooo true about how often you''ll be catching peeks of your stone in mirrors - my topaz (awww, thanks, btw!!) is the biggest stone I''ve ever worn (9mm) and there is something I just loooove about having that big, simple pendant - at your 12mm, you''ll get so many glimpses when you walk by mirrors and windows and I promise it will make your heart kinda leap You made an excellent decision by going with the silvery color - I love my blue, but I''m a little sick of opening my closet and trying to figure out what will look good with it. The silver is something you can really wear every day

Isn''t Giada awesome? I love her too. And those necklaces are pretty amazing too. I went to sleep last night thinking about them. Goofy, I know. Have you posted a neck shot of your Topaz? I was thinking about holding it up to my neck and trying to get a pic (being that I already took a pic of it on my hand) so I could get an idea of the size and scale on my neck.

I love your blue too-is it a London blue? I read your thread about the concave and that whole mess (which is totally awful by the way) and I was wondering if you had decided to keep the one you have or go ahead with the new concave? I don''t know that wearing a blue pendant would be a problem for me, because I wear blue clothes everyday (my favorite color!) and I''m not too matchy matchy. But that''s actually one of the reasons I got the silver, because it''s so neutral and would go with anything. Everyday I wear the rings in the pic with the stone, and then a oval garnet and either a round London blue topaz or a oval peridot-just depending on the mood I''m in or the colors I''m wearing.

I''m torn between a ring and a pendant, but I''m leaning towards the pendant now. Another problem is that I don''t know what jeweler I would go to...

 

[movie zombie]

too big for a ring?! you''ve got to be kidding! my spess e-ring is 8.18 carats of pure unadulterated sunny joy and i don''t for a minute regret its size.

ok, back to your stone: like you and being brutally honest, i don''t care for halos or pave....... i''m so pleased your stone will be the star no matter how you set it. actually, i really like the pendant idea. simpble and everyday wearable is the way i''d go.

i love 18k red/pink gold. i wouldn''t do your stone with 14k gold......

movie zombie

 

[Elmorton]

I haven''t posted a neckshot... right now I have the "filler" stone (which is a little bit darker than the concave which is a swiss blue, so yeah, I think it is more of a london blue - I do love the color), so because it''s not the one I''m going to keep, I didn''t really post many pics. If you''d like me to post one to get an idea of size or something, just let me know.

You aren''t afraid to take it to a jeweler b/c of what happened to me, are you??? Honestly, I think it was a pretty freak accident. From what I''ve learned, topaz does need care when it''s set, but as the vendor told me, "in the same way as a diamond." A decent jeweler should be able to order a stock/stuller basket setting that is made for ovals. Part of my problem (I think) is that we originally chose a tulip peg head that was made for a diamond, and it was a touch too small for the stone. The basket I have it in now is awesome - it sits really really flat and doesn''t flip or move around. I also wish I wouldn''t have listened to the sales associate and gone with my original idea to set it like LaurenthePartier''s new stone (was that a spess?? I know it''s concave and gorgeous..can''t remember what it was though!). Because the stone is bigger and relatively heavy, it''s really not going to flip around, I don''t think.

 

[FrekeChild]

Movie Zombie! He''s a goofy boy and doesn''t know any better. I think he''s just saying that because he''s afraid that it''ll look too much like an ering OR it''ll dwarf whatever he gets me. I totally want the stone to be the star-just as it should be. What is the color difference between 18/22kt gold vs. 14kt rose gold? I haven''t seen much of it-or pics that show the difference.

I really love those pink sapphire/rose gold hoops that simplysplendid got recently. Those are gorgeous. I want a rose gold, pink sapphire eternity/half eternity band because of those earrings

. And I''m so not a pink person at all! Dang it.

Elmorton! Would you mind posting a neck shot for size purposes? I really do like the filler stone you have-I''m just a sucker for blue stones in general though, so take that will a grain of salt.

No I''m not afraid because of your situation, I''m just worried in general. This will be my first real piece that I''ve done by myself and I don''t know who to go to or who to trust. Most NM PSers seem to do the online thing, and a while back I asked for local recommendations and got Shelton Jewelers and a place on the other side of the city. I don''t know, I guess I''m just apprehensive in general. I think I''ll have to go look up LaurenthePartier''s stone to get an idea of other ones.

I couldn''t believe how heavy the topaz was when I actually picked it up out of its box! I was kind of shocked really...

Going to search for pendant ideas now...and probably rings too!

 

[movie zombie]

i too am so not a pink person....yet i wear my 18k red gold chain 24/7. 18k red/pink is subtle, just a hint of warmth.

ok, now i''m going to sound really rude because i don''t care for 14k gold at all [although i bought some earrings about 6 months ago....and i regret it] but 14k pink gold looks, well, even more like costume jewelry. if you ever see the two together, you''ll always be able to tell the two apart. i have seen one ring in san francisco at union street jewelers some years back that was a pink stone with 14k hammered pink gold and i liked it....but i''m really not a pink person.

i hope you go with at least 18k gold and please do consider 18k red. i posted a picture of my chain a LONG time ago. don''t know if it can be found....

movie zombie

 

[FrekeChild]

Hey MZ, would this be the one? link

I went a searchin''...

 

[movie zombie]

you''re GOOD! yes, that''s the one: a very very close up shot.

the color difference between it and 18k gold is subtle.....but there when you have them side by side.

i''ve got to laugh at myself: my e-ring is 22k hammered gold with an 18k polished gold bridge and i wear the 18k red gold chain with a silver sand dollar......i have no loyalty!

movie zombie

ps except i really don''t like 14k gold of any type. the earrings i bought in december have a chain with one link white, one link red, and one link plain gold gold. while i got them at an upscale jeweler for 1/2 price, i wish i''d saved the $ and bought something iin higher carat.

 

[FrekeChild]

So why don't you like the lower kts? And you should take pics of your earrings. Unless you have already and I just haven't seen them...

 

[simplysplendid]

Date: 3/22/2008 5:19:43 PM
Author: FrekeChild
Movie Zombie! He''s a goofy boy and doesn''t know any better. I think he''s just saying that because he''s afraid that it''ll look too much like an ering OR it''ll dwarf whatever he gets me. I totally want the stone to be the star-just as it should be. What is the color difference between 18/22kt gold vs. 14kt rose gold? I haven''t seen much of it-or pics that show the difference.

I really love those pink sapphire/rose gold hoops that simplysplendid got recently. Those are gorgeous. I want a rose gold, pink sapphire eternity/half eternity band because of those earrings

. And I''m so not a pink person at all! Dang it.

Elmorton! Would you mind posting a neck shot for size purposes? I really do like the filler stone you have-I''m just a sucker for blue stones in general though, so take that will a grain of salt.

No I''m not afraid because of your situation, I''m just worried in general. This will be my first real piece that I''ve done by myself and I don''t know who to go to or who to trust. Most NM PSers seem to do the online thing, and a while back I asked for local recommendations and got Shelton Jewelers and a place on the other side of the city. I don''t know, I guess I''m just apprehensive in general. I think I''ll have to go look up LaurenthePartier''s stone to get an idea of other ones.

I couldn''t believe how heavy the topaz was when I actually picked it up out of its box! I was kind of shocked really...

Going to search for pendant ideas now...and probably rings too!

Hi, Thank you again! Here''s something to consider

http://www.signedpieces.com/item.cfm?item_id=2512

and

http://www.ylang23.com/shop_prodDetail.cfm?ShopBy=Search&SearchWords=pink+sapphire&ItemID=11053

 

[FrekeChild]

Simplysplendid- you are EVIL!! Those are GORGEOUS and that is NOT FAIR to post them!! Blah...I need a job. Exclusively so I can buy sparkly stuff. Specifically rose gold w/pink sapphires...

JK about the evil part. Mischevious-yes, evil-not so much...

 

[Elmorton]

Here ya go! Neckshot - 9mm blue topaz in wg basket setting with fixed bail.

 

[katebar]

Whaat lovely liquid stone

Well done!

 

[simplysplendid]

Date: 3/23/2008 2:41:47 PM
Author: FrekeChild
Simplysplendid- you are EVIL!! Those are GORGEOUS and that is NOT FAIR to post them!! Blah...I need a job. Exclusively so I can buy sparkly stuff. Specifically rose gold w/pink sapphires...

JK about the evil part. Mischevious-yes, evil-not so much...

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

I hope you are now a pink convert

 

[FrekeChild]

It's really beautiful Elmorton. How long is the chain?

Thanks katebar I am so excited about it! And still trying to figure out how to set it...

So simplysplendid, you were TRYING to convert me to pink?! Don't worry, I see what you're up to now...Oh I see alrighty....

I wouldn't say pink convert per se, but I'm definitely liking it more. The problem with PS is that I'm liking everything more! Purple, red, green, pink, orange (I have to with all the spess floating around!), and even yellow! Oh dear....

 

[Elmorton]

It''s an 18 in - I don''t remember the mm.

I''m a pretty sturdy lady, so an 18 probably looks a little shorter on me.

 

[FrekeChild]

Elmorton-- it looks absolutely stunning on! That color is amazing... I think I'll want to go a little higher up...So maybe about 16 inches?

I

blue topaz.

That will be my next project. Not sure what that means it'll be, but it'll have blue topaz in it somewhere...

 

[Elmorton]

Thanks!! Definitely go for the 16. Most of my 16 inch necklaces hit right around my clavicle (sp?) bone.

I am soooo jealous every time I open this thread! You really did pick out a stunning stone and I can''t wait to see the "after" pics!!

 

[Pieface]

Wow that turned out to be a really nice stone Freke!! Glad you took the punt on it now...?

 

[FrekeChild]

Elmorton- Thanks! Any idea when you''ll get getting the replacement concave stone? I think setting it is going to have to wait until those tax rebate checks come in or maybe even when my financial aid comes in for the fall.

Perhaps I''ll go look at some places and see if I can get estimates before then and figure out when it will actually be financially feasible.

Pieface- I''m so happy with it. It''s just so beautiful and sparkly and perfect. I can''t imagine the other one I was considering being this nice or even in the same league. In fact I feel sorry for the person who buys that stone eventually...it looks kind of sad and dumpy to me now.

 

[Elmorton]

No idea.

I just know the order has been put in for the stone to be cut. Believe me, PSers will know the second it''s done, though!!!

Worth the wait Definitely do some price comparison - and look on the ''net, too - I found a couple sites (didn''t bookmark

) where you can purchase stock baskets, so if you do decide to go super simple, it might be worth looking and purchasing your own stock pieces (maybe then you''d only pay the setting fee?).

 

[FrekeChild]

Elmorton-would you mind giving me a price range on yours? I have a feeling I''m going to want to go super simple and from the image in my head- yours is just about what I''m thinking of. You don''t have to answer if you don''t feel comfortable though.

Everyone who knows me in person has been voting for a pendant. They think it''s too big of a ring for me and my hands. I have chubby size 6(L)/6.5(R) ring fingers that are really short-well you can kind of get an idea from some of the pics...Plus I''m not a huge "big" ring wearer. I don''t think my e-ring should be bigger than about 9x7 oval or so because it''ll just overwhelm my hand. You know what I''m saying?

Bleh.

 

[Elmorton]

Oh, no, that''s no problem. Mine was around $150 after setting and tax, and I already had the chain. We chose a basket setting made for a ring and the bail separately since I wasn''t a fan of the stuller settings with the "bunny ears." The jeweler took off the peg from the basket and then added the bail. I think the basket was $70 and the bail was $20? It was actually slightly less than if I purchased a stuller pendant setting - they jump a bit in price when you get into the larger mms. I think his prices are pretty middle of the road, so I''m betting you could probably find the same thing for less.

 

[FrekeChild]

Ok that''s about the range I was guessing. That''s not bad at all! I also hate the bunny ears thing and want to do something pretty much like yours. Thank you for all the info and sharing so much! I really really appreciate it.

I''m wondering how much a chain will cost...

 

[Elmorton]

That chain was $90 - it was the one that my mom picked out for the pink quartz necklaces, so we purchased from our jeweler and it wasn''t on sale. There are certainly better prices out there.

You can find great deals on chains in the maul/online all the time. I have a really pretty wg box link one that I found at Von Maur for $40. Ebay could be a perfect place to look for a killer deal, too. Ugh...when I think about cheap chains, it really makes me wish K''s Merchandise was still in business! That place was AWESOME for things like that.

 

[FrekeChild]

Cool. I''ll have to check it out. Think I should wait until after I get the pendant made to get a chain for it?

 

[Elmorton]

Oh, I dunno! If you''re going to have the pendant set with a bail, it probably doesn''t matter when you purchase the chain, but if you''re really picky, you might want to see how thge pendant looks and how thick of a chain you want (and what type) looks best when it''s all finished. Or, if you want it fixed on the chain like Lauren''s new necklace, I''d probably wait and get the jeweler''s recs for which type she or he would rather work with.

I can''t wait for anything though, so if it were me, I''d probably have the chain ready to go before the pendant is - I''d want to wear that beauty the second it''s done I know, that''s not very helpful!

 

[FrekeChild]

I think this is going to take lots of thought, time, energy, and of course $$$. Because I''m picky!!!

Thanks again Elmorton!