Emerald cabochon - does this inclusion pose structural problems?

[Pomelo]

I kind of like the feeling of depth that it has without foil. I like staring into my gems. Also with cabs when worn I find I’m often looking at it slightly from the side and I don’t imagine foil helps much with that.

And enclosed setting does seem like a good middle grounds.

Thanks! Yes I think you’re right, when viewed from an angle that isn’t dead-on, the window isn’t as obvious either

Personally, the stone with the foil makes it look like glass or a rhinestone. The varying levels of darkness and shifting it does without foil makes it look deep and rich and real.

You could also do a fully close backed bezel, it seems to save some of the “depth” in my experience.

Thank you! Sorry just to check, a fully closed back bezel is like this one on the right, but with cleaning holes (isn’t this the same as having a foil back)?

My original setting idea was similar to the one on the left (Ken and Dana) but I was worried that it wouldn’t let enough light to the stone…

 

[Dreamer_D]

I like the bypass style a lot I suppose it depends how far up the cab it needs to go to get the correct grip. Would need to be above the angle transition from base to top part of the stone.

 

[Crimson]

Ooh interesting that you have opposing views!

I just realised that the easiest thing to do to NOT foil back, live with the ring for a few days/weeks, and see whether it bugs me.

I also think that there could be a halfway-house solution, whereby the foil is not a solid piece but rather cross-hatched / mesh-like, so it doesn't create as strong a backing. I guess a bit like seeing baskets underneath with lots of metalwork.

Separately - I've got a new iPhone and it's stripped my emerald of all its blue!! Normally phone cameras love blue but I can't seem to get it back... probably my poor photo skills when the light was fading, grr

Yes I think it doesn’t have to be foil or no foil.
You can have a little basket or strips underneath.
That will allow you to have the feeling of depth without taking away from the tone and saturation.

 

[Lentibulariaceae]

Thanks! Yes I think you’re right, when viewed from an angle that isn’t dead-on, the window isn’t as obvious either



Thank you! Sorry just to check, a fully closed back bezel is like this one on the right, but with cleaning holes (isn’t this the same as having a foil back)?

My original setting idea was similar to the one on the left (Ken and Dana) but I was worried that it wouldn’t let enough light to the stone…

Yes that is a fully closed bezel! I’ll admit mine actually doesn’t have cleaning holes, but I think it’s still plenty bright.
Here she is, for reference: very moody, but still very bright and acts like a regular cab. (I just now realize these pictures make it look extremely dark… it’s not, I promise, she just photographs that way)

 

[Pomelo]

Yes that is a fully closed bezel! I’ll admit mine actually doesn’t have cleaning holes, but I think it’s still plenty bright.
Here she is, for reference: very moody, but still very bright and acts like a regular cab. (I just now realize these pictures make it look extremely dark… it’s not, I promise, she just photographs that way)

Wow cool ring! Did you design it yourself?

 

[Lentibulariaceae]

Wow cool ring! Did you design it yourself?

No I did not! This piece is by the very lovely Sandra Matasick. It was actually my introduction to owning fine jewelry!
She’s mostly active on instagram these days, her website isn’t super updated.

 

[Autumn in New England]

Knowing what a metal backing can do for a translucent to transparent cab, I am going to be the contrarian who 100% votes backing. Naturally though, you need to do what you feel is best. It's going to be gorgeous either way!

 

[Pomelo]

Just providing an update: I’ve decided which way to set the green pebble (“nib” pointing upwards) and he’ll be going to the jeweller’s today.

I’ll miss playing around with him in his naked form though!

 

[Autumn in New England]

Just providing an update: I’ve decided which way to set the green pebble (“nib” pointing upwards) and he’ll be going to the jeweller’s today.

I’ll miss playing around with him in his naked form though!

Woohoo!! Can't wait to see him all dressed in his dapper duds. I too always sort of miss being able to play with them loose. But then we forget all about it once the ring arrives! How many carats is he again? Looks very generous on your hand!!

 

[Pomelo]

Woohoo!! Can't wait to see him all dressed in his dapper duds. I too always sort of miss being able to play with them loose. But then we forget all about it once the ring arrives! How many carats is he again? Looks very generous on your hand!!

Hehehe he’s 7.14ct and across the widest point (which GRS did not measure, maybe because the widest point is 2/3 down the stone and not halfway?) he’s 12.6mm.

My ring finger is US size 4 - 4.5 so it’s good finger coverage! Actually, now that I got my tsav cab back, I’m rethinking the setting to make it more open.

The tsav is in a foil-backed gypsy setting and whilst I think it’s cool for a pinky ring, I want the setting to look and feel lighter for the emerald.

Having had a day to play around with the tsav, it glows well when there is light but is a bit murky when there is no light. It’s quite interesting because compared to my green jadeite, the jadeite doesn’t glow anywhere near as much with light but performs better in low light… sorry I don’t have any pics of the comparison, will snap some when I get the chance!

Lastly - I also got back this wee 0.79ct pear cab Zambian emerald foil-backed pendant (although it’s a cab with a point at the top, not a completely smooth cab - like a pear sugarloaf?). I’m so pleasantly surprised by it! It was destined for a return as I only bought it to compare Colombian vs Zambian material BUT the vendor, despite saying they accept returns, didn’t actually allow returns good job I bought a stone that I could use!


Outside during the day


In low light

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Hehehe he’s 7.14ct and across the widest point (which GRS did not measure, maybe because the widest point is 2/3 down the stone and not halfway?) he’s 12.6mm.

My ring finger is US size 4 - 4.5 so it’s good finger coverage! Actually, now that I got my tsav cab back, I’m rethinking the setting to make it more open.

The tsav is in a foil-backed gypsy setting and whilst I think it’s cool for a pinky ring, I want the setting to look and feel lighter for the emerald.

Having had a day to play around with the tsav, it glows well when there is light but is a bit murky when there is no light. It’s quite interesting because compared to my green jadeite, the jadeite doesn’t glow anywhere near as much with light but performs better in low light… sorry I don’t have any pics of the comparison, will snap some when I get the chance!

Lastly - I also got back this wee 0.79ct pear cab Zambian emerald foil-backed pendant (although it’s a cab with a point at the top, not a completely smooth cab - like a pear sugarloaf?). I’m so pleasantly surprised by it! It was destined for a return as I only bought it to compare Colombian vs Zambian material BUT the vendor, despite saying they accept returns, didn’t actually allow returns good job I bought a stone that I could use!


Outside during the day


In low light

OMG you’re done with that already!!!! I love it! It looks fantastic!

 

[Autumn in New England]

The chrysoprase stone in my pendant is like that (a sort of sugarloaf pear). The color of yours looks mighty indeed! And I love how the tsavorite turned out!! It's all fresh and verdant and happy. Congrats on that beauty, my friend!

 

[Seastheday]

Hehehe he’s 7.14ct and across the widest point (which GRS did not measure, maybe because the widest point is 2/3 down the stone and not halfway?) he’s 12.6mm.

My ring finger is US size 4 - 4.5 so it’s good finger coverage! Actually, now that I got my tsav cab back, I’m rethinking the setting to make it more open.

The tsav is in a foil-backed gypsy setting and whilst I think it’s cool for a pinky ring, I want the setting to look and feel lighter for the emerald.

Having had a day to play around with the tsav, it glows well when there is light but is a bit murky when there is no light. It’s quite interesting because compared to my green jadeite, the jadeite doesn’t glow anywhere near as much with light but performs better in low light… sorry I don’t have any pics of the comparison, will snap some when I get the chance!

Lastly - I also got back this wee 0.79ct pear cab Zambian emerald foil-backed pendant (although it’s a cab with a point at the top, not a completely smooth cab - like a pear sugarloaf?). I’m so pleasantly surprised by it! It was destined for a return as I only bought it to compare Colombian vs Zambian material BUT the vendor, despite saying they accept returns, didn’t actually allow returns good job I bought a stone that I could use!


Outside during the day


In low light

Both the Tsavorite and the emerald look wonderful with your skin tone. I feel like green is really your color; you wear it so well! I can’t wait to see the juicy emerald cab set!

 

[Dreamer_D]

It looks great. Juicy and glowy. I like it in the pinkie, very dramatic.

 

[Pomelo]

Thanks for your kind words @Autumn in New England @mellowyellowgirl @Seastheday @Dreamer_D @LilAlex (from the Cabs thread)

I do love my greens!! It’s my favourite colour

 

[Pomelo]

This is what I meant by the difference in glow between my tsav and jadeite cabs

When there is light



Low light, the tsav looks more dead / almost opaque

 

[Starstruck8]

This is what I meant by the difference in glow between my tsav and jadeite cabs

That's a brilliant demonstration! Thank you, @Pomelo!

Note especially the second picture, lit from the side.

The tsavorite is basically glassy, but with a few distinct visible inclusions. So it looks bright only where there is a direct reflection from the back. There is strong contrast between the bright reflections and the darker remainder.

The jadeite has microscopic inclusions spread evenly throughout the stone. Scattering from the inclusions softens the contrast - the bright reflections from the back are not as bright, but the darker areas are not as dark, because they are filled in with light scattered from the inclusions.

You can also see - this is my pet theory - that in the tsavorite, the reflections are sharp, so your visual system recognizes them as reflections. So although they are bright, there is no mystery about the brightness. Your visual system is seeing what it expects.

But in the jadeite, the reflections are soft-edged. (See the left side of the jadeite, near the edge). Your visual system does not automatically recognize them as reflections. So it interprets the brightness as a magic glow from inside the stone. This is the magic of good jadeite.

Tsavorite vs emerald is similar. I'm looking forward to seeing your emerald cab set. Then you can do a three-way demo, with tsavorite, emerald and jadeite!

I already have a tsavorite cab and an emerald cab. I'm now thinking I want jadeite cab too. But I'm not so keen on paying for it...

 

[Pomelo]

The tsavorite is basically glassy, but with a few distinct visible inclusions. So it looks bright only where there is a direct reflection from the back.

Thanks @Starstruck8 I always enjoy your educational posts!

Just to check: when you say it’s a direct reflection from the back, do you mean the back of the cab or the foil back? Because even without a foil back, there is some glow/reflection

I already have a tsavorite cab and an emerald cab. I'm now thinking I want jadeite cab too. But I'm not so keen on paying for it...

Hehe it sounds like you’re looking for any excuse to be enabled!

Have you considered an icy / lighter green colour which is not as expensive?
My one (light green, bottom left) is not foil backed. The other two are icy and foil backed. 8w and 7w are the price in RMB (80,000 and 70,000 respectively, because the Chinese calculate things in 10,000 units!)



My icy faintly blue green bangle with “new” zhongshui (“old” is better, it means more tightly packed crystals so has fewer inclusions and looks smoother, like the cab)

 

[Starstruck8]

Just to check: when you say it’s a direct reflection from the back, do you mean the back of the cab or the foil back? Because even without a foil back, there is some glow/reflection

Both. The back of a cab gives reflections, just not as strong as from a foil back. Also, although your tsavorite is 'basically glassy', It actually does have a spread of microscopic inclusions and irregularities which 'fill in' the patches that would otherwise be darker. You can see this in the aura of glow around the direct reflections. But the effect is not as strong as in the jadeite.

ETA: I've just seen your (new?) pictures. That's a great example of reflection from the back of the cab. Unassisted reflections somehow look more natural, even if they are not as bright as from a foil back.

Hehe it sounds like you’re looking for any excuse to be enabled!

Have you considered buying a lighter green colour which is not as expensive?

Where I live, and in the circles I move in, I just don't see good jadeite. The jewellers I work with have told me frankly that they are not qualified to judge it. Nothing I've seen in real life is remotely of the quality that you and @Crimson show here on PS. So not having seen good jadeite in real life, I don't feel comfortable buying it.

Also, I like to have fantasies... That ideal star ruby... That imperial green jadeite cab... PS is good for that!

ETA: I've just seen your (new?) pictures. The bangle and cab have wonderful glow in the lighting from the side.

 

[Autumn in New England]

This is what I meant by the difference in glow between my tsav and jadeite cabs

When there is light



Low light, the tsav looks more dead / almost opaque

That jadeite rock, especially worn on your forefinger, is positively eyegasmic.

 

[Pomelo]

Unassisted reflections somehow look more natural, even if they are not as bright as from a foil back.

Yes I agree! I think it was still the right decision to foil back this tsav because it would otherwise be too dark (esp in the rubover setting with no light from the sides), but I do miss the naked form too!

So not having seen good jadeite in real life, I don't feel comfortable buying it.

Also, I like to have fantasies... That ideal star ruby... That imperial green jadeite cab... PS is good for that!

This is wise. I find jadeite really hard to buy online and nothing beats seeing things in person. Do you have the opportunity to go to a trade show?

For jadeite, my eyes (currently) prefer a lighter apple / sun green to the darker shades of imperial. Quite a few vendors have told me it’s because brighter greens suit those not old enough to be grandmothers yet. But the imperial stuff is what can truly be passed down the generations as it holds its value so well.

Apple green - this set was guided at >10x less than the pair of imperial green cabs below


Imperial green


More pics in the jadeite thread as well!

 

[Pomelo]

That jadeite rock, especially worn on your forefinger, is positively eyegasmic.

Thank you @Autumn in New England ! It’s my go-to “power pointer” haha

 

[Autumn in New England]

Thank you @Autumn in New England ! It’s my go-to “power pointer” haha

I can't imagine a more effective one!!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Now I want jadeite!

 

[Autumn in New England]

Now I want jadeite!

 

[Dreamer_D]

I’m a little shocked you don’t have any!

 

[Autumn in New England]

I’m a little shocked you don’t have any!

I'm not sure if the northeast is just behind in that respect, but you never see it around here (not the good stuff, anyway)! Not being a lover of the lower quality nephrite material, I just didn't grow up appreciating jade. So I think I am late to the party of coming to admire fine jadeite as much as I do now, thanks to @Pomelo, @mellowyellowgirl, @Bookwyrm, @Crimson, and others!!

 

[Pomelo]

I'm not sure if the northeast is just behind in that respect, but you never see it around here (not the good stuff, anyway)! Not being a lover of the lower quality nephrite material, I just didn't grow up appreciating jade. So I think I am late to the party of coming to admire fine jadeite as much as I do now, thanks to @Pomelo, @mellowyellowgirl, @Bookwyrm, @Crimson, and others!!

To be fair, I didn’t get into jade until I moved to China.

I think that not only is there very little high quality material, but also I think jade takes time to appreciate as it doesn’t immediately sparkle/glow etc.

It really is thanks to PS (especially @Crimson ‘s “Evaluating jadeite” thread) that I started to appreciate jade. And, by virtue of having access to the largest jade market in the world by far (for both jadeite and nephrite), my eyes have seen enough examples to get a sense for what is “good”.

The auction houses occasionally have jadeite pieces of decent quality but all the really good stuff is entered into their Hong Kong auctions (a seller’s items may be split between NYC, London, HK etc to achieve max price depending on geographical demand).

Here is Severus (my big green oval on the pointer) looking a little grey compared to a lot at Christie’s


Sun green vs spicy green


Imperial (although not the finest example of imperial)

 

[Crimson]

@Dreamer_D , @Autumn in New England , It is not too late. Let’s get going!
Let me tempt you with a few of my pieces.

 

[Autumn in New England]

@Dreamer_D , @Autumn in New England , It is not too late. Let’s get going!
Let me tempt you with a few of my pieces.

You're killing me, babe!!