Fabulous Gem, Under $500?

[Independent Gal]

Alright coloured stone experts! I'm looking for a very special gemstone. My budget is up to $500 for the stone. I'm thinking it will probably become a pendant, or possibly a ring, depending on the size. I'm inclined toward a pendant though, so slightly bigger stones would be good.

Other than that, I'm open to any and all ideas! This is for a gift for my mom from FI and I.

So I guess what I'm asking is, if you had $500 to make a pendant for mom, which stone would YOU buy?

 

[omieluv]

There are so many gems out there! Does your mom have a favorite color? Is she into the whole notion of having a birthstone? Are there any themes in the colors of clothes/accessories she wears?

 

[Upgradable]

Okay, not knowing what color or shape you want, I''m going to suggest Daniel Stair. His cuts are amazing and his prices are beyond reasonable. Here''s what he currently has available.

Daniel Stair at CustomGemstones.com

 

[icekid]

For MY mom, definitely sapphire. Any ideas what colors your mom would enjoy? I would start there.

 

[Independent Gal]

Well, random things I think she would like: tsavorite or mandarin garnets (her birthstone...but I bet she''s sick of the red ones); heliodors; rubelite...

I guess I''m more looking for anything special you might have seen lately on a website where you thought "now THAT is one special stone!"

 

[cinnamon013]

Date: 2/7/2008 5:02:28 PM
Author: Upgradable
Okay, not knowing what color or shape you want, I''m going to suggest Daniel Stair. His cuts are amazing and his prices are beyond reasonable. Here''s what he currently has available.

Daniel Stair at CustomGemstones.com

Upgradable,
Wow! He has some beauties at great prices. Do you have any photos of stones you own that he''s cut? Please post!

 

[Fly Girl]

I''d see if Richard Homer had anything in your price range. His work is so spectacular.

 

[Pieface]

I am dealing with Daniel at the moment and based on his service to date I wouldn''t hesitate to recommend contacting him. He has some new rough arriving in the next week or two so now would probably be an ideal time to contact him.

 

[omieluv]

Date: 2/7/2008 5:27:52 PM
Author: Independent Gal
Well, random things I think she would like: tsavorite or mandarin garnets (her birthstone...but I bet she''s sick of the red ones); heliodors; rubelite...

I guess I''m more looking for anything special you might have seen lately on a website where you thought ''now THAT is one special stone!''

I know you posted here to find out if anyone has seen anything special that would meet your budget, however, I think it is also worth reaching out to a couple of vendors to find out what they have. Vendors do not always list their complete inventory on the Internet, so you might want to just give a couple a call or e-mail. Wink has been a pleasure to work with, as he has been helping me find a nice aquamarine. Who knows maybe he will come up with something nice for you and help set it too.

 

[pamplemousse]

I just bought a beautiful sapphire from them and after gazing at it lovingly day in and day out for a couple weeks, I have to toss a good word in for wildfish gems... They have some stones that are pretty pricey, but a handful that should fall in your price range, too. We were extremely happy with ours (and the appraiser said the cut was very good. Wild fish has their own lapidary, so it seems maybe they know what they''re doing? Sort of.. ).

Anyway. Good luck! Have fun!

 

[Harriet]

Merelani mints:
http://www.forevergemstones.com/prodlist.php?ProdCatID=76

Spessartite:
http://www.whitesgems.com/gems/314071.htm

Spinel:
http://www.whitesgems.com/gems/SPL002.htm

 

[Pieface]

 

[Elmorton]

Have you looked at artcutgems.com? The prices are VERY fair and I''m extremely happy with the concave cut blue topaz I purchased last month. There are several concave cuts on the site (a gorgeous citrine, a beautiful peridot, etc.), and while less intricate than Richard Homer''s, also much lower price. What kind of setting are you thinking? That could determine how much you want to spend on the stone.

 

[Harriet]

Here''s a lovely rhodolite (also my very first coloured stone): http://www.artcutgems.com/item.php?item_id=247&category_id=48

 

[enbcfsobe]

harriet, you beat me to posting that mandarin garnet from jeff white. i love that one! if i hadn't just bought another orangey stone i would jump on that.
if you like the oranges but want to go more brown, i like the orangey tourmaline that daniel stairs has listed. its a cool shape. plus, he is super nice -- i bought my very first loose stone from him. i really like that even the less saturated stones he has (like the light blue-green tourmaline i bought) are well cut. my local jeweler who set the stone was impressed with the cutting, especially since i was a first-time buyer.

here is the link to my necklace https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/mint-tourmaline-necklace.65941/
neatfreak's little oval sapphire came from him too, i'm pretty sure, and she showed it off in this thread when i was looking for a setting https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/revisiting-pendant-setting-for-pale-mint-tourmaline.64436/

 

[Independent Gal]

Thanks for all the great ideas, ladies! I''m going to write to a few dealers and see what comes back.

 

[Pieface]

Date: 2/7/2008 10:51:40 PM
Author: Independent Gal
Thanks for all the great ideas, ladies! I''m going to write to a few dealers and see what comes back.

I guess that means my idea was no good...mutter mutter poor oppressed males mutter...

joking

Sorry for my blank post earlier I ran afoul of a board mechanic. Contacting some vendors is an excellent idea.

 

[Harriet]

IG,
Try contacting www.paraibainternational.com. They have a lot of inventory, not all of which is listed. Also try lembeckgems (he sells on ebay but his standards are high and his prices extremely fair).

 

[mercoledi]

Ok, this pushed the budget but Tsav fever is going around

1.2 ct blue-green tsavorite

 

[Independent Gal]

That''s a very pretty tsavorite!!

I''ve got in touch with some dealers. Can''t wait to see what they come back with. I''ll keep you guys posted.

 

[metro]

bump

 

[Independent Gal]

Good timing. I just sent the ''go ahead'' to Jeff White to cut this piece of spessartite rough. It''s a little over budget, but I kept showing a variety of pictures of different options to friends, my FI, and my step-dad, and there was universal and consistent convergence on this as being by far the most exciting option. So away we go!

It will be a rectangular shape of some kind... possibly cushion.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

Now I just need ideas about how to set it.

 

[neatfreak]

Awww it looks gorgeous!!!! I think your mom will love it. I totally heart Jeff too. Great guy.

 

[Independent Gal]

Thanks neatfreak! It was your stone that inspired me to contact him. Wowza!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

What about your fanta spess?

 

[Pieface]

This looks like a nice colour. Make sure you post up once Jeff has worked his magic

 

[Independent Gal]

Hey Tacori, that IS the fanta spess! Mmmm... juicy!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Wait I am so confused....I thought you already bought a cut stone in your other thread. Is this an old thread? What''s going on?!?

 

[movie zombie]

i always think orange spess is the most viable option! good choice. looking forward to pictures.

movie zombie

ps if she doesn''t like it i call first dibs!

 

[Independent Gal]

Hi Tacori! Yes, this is an old thread which I started when I first started looking around for something for my mom. Today, Metro bumped it to get an update (I assume), so I posted about how I was buying the spess referred to in the newer thread. It was good timing, because today we got the details hammered out and I told Jeff ''it''s a go!''

Sorry for the confusion!