For those who like small stones...

[cm366]

I'm far from having the collection that some posters manage, but I like small stones anyway! Never posted up anything before, but maybe we could all use a distraction

These are the only ones I've got set so far, both corundum 5mm rounds, the pink from Sri Lanka by way of John Tolliver and the red from Tanzania by way of Brad at the Gem Trader. The necklace is Daniel M's work (can't recommend them enough, by the way), while the ring is actually my fiancee's grandmother's engagement ring, reset from a .41ct diamond that sat a lot higher....

Definitely working off a budget, but we're getting some use out of these old pieces! I can't seem to get a good top-down shot of the ring, though.... any tips?

cm366

 

[marcy]

Very pretty CM. I like small stones myself.

 

[distracts]

Oooh, pretty!

For top-down ring shots, I recommend either hand shots (which you know we'll need anyway) or setting it on the edge of the table (where you can get the camera up close to it and the lens level with it).

 

[marcy]

CM, I find taking pictures of rings easiest on my left hand. It works good in morning sunlight - I open the drapes and have the sun coming in behind the ring or to the side of the ring and the photos / lighting turns out pretty good.

 

[innerkitten]

Looks great in the gold setting!

 

[GemFever]

Beautiful! I love small stones myself. And they also just fit into my budget Looking forward to pics of the ring!

 

[cm366]

Lots of good tips - will have to catch the lovely owner this evening and see about some hand shots! Thanks!

Meanwhile, here's a side shot to give an idea...

 

[movie zombie]

i am not into small stones but i must say that your necklace is very very very lovely. the stone sets well within the bezel and gold was an excellent choice for metal. a very elegant piece!

 

[Starzin]

It may be smaller than you might wish CM but at least you are starting where you can! There is much to be commended in that and is borne out by your pendant (can't really see much of the ring yet) - it has a lovely vibrant presence. Well done and enjoy your new "pretty"

 

[JewelFreak]

Hey, color beats size any day in my book & those are very nice! Want to see a hand shot of your ring!

--- Laurie

 

[stargurl78]

Very pretty pieces and I love the delicate milgraining on the pendant!

 

[LD]

What's that old saying? "Good things come in small packages"!

Your necklace is very pretty and the workmanship is very good also. Like MZ, I'm afraid that I prefer bigger gemstones. I used to love smaller ones but over the years I've suffered from coloured stone mind shrinkage and gems look smaller and smaller so I've gone bigger and bigger! Having said that I always admire (particularly in necklaces) a delicate single stone and yours is very beautiful. I bet it really attracts lots of lovely comments.

 

[NKOTB]

I also like that metal with that stone in the pendant, and am a big fan of reusing settings! Nice choices, looking forward to more pictures.

 

[chrono]

The pendant is incredibly classy and the stone is lovely; the colour packs enough punch that nobody will care about the size. I'd rather a small well coloured stone over a large blah one.

Gotta see a table/crown view of the ring. A hand shot will be great! For righties, wear it on the left hand, and use the right hand to take the picture. Taking it outdoors in the shade provides an almost ideal lighting condition without much fuss.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Smaller gems lends themselves to layering--as in your pendant--and stacking as in your ring.

cheers--Sharon

 

[movie zombie]

most excellent observation, sharon: layering is so much fun whether rings or pendants.

i do think i'd wear that necklace which is a very rare thing for me to say re a small pendant.......little things usually make me appear larger......

it also goes to show that color doesn't need a halo!!!!!! sorry, couldn't help myself.......

 

[cm366]

Cheers for all the good advice - think this would make an excellent stacker ring, and I'm definitely not a halo fan! They're a good way to protect delicate stones, I guess, but for me they kinda take away from the centerpiece as much as they enhance it. The hand shots came out much better this time around.

Many thanks for all the compliments - LD, I definitely know what you mean, as I recently picked up a pair of amethysts that make all the smaller guys look lonely, but neither of us are really 'blingy' enough to carry off a really big rock... which is convenient given the budget at work!

Sorry for the delay in getting these up, it's rained buckets here over the last couple of days and posting shots of the two of us sulking in the dark didn't seem to be the point of the exercise

SO without further ado... hand shots (of me, because the owner's off at work!)

 

[chrono]

Lovely ruby; it definitely loves the outdoors. I took one look at it without refreshing my mind on the first post as to what it is, and guessed that it is a ruby. The colour is very distinctive and fits the look of a ruby.

 

[cm366]

It absolutely does, but I was very impressed at how much of this colour is retained inside and under fluorescents - I'd thought the iron content in African rubies would really dull it down to almost a garnety reddish brown, but this is pretty representative!

 

[chel180]

beautiful pieces. The ruby ring is particularly lovely, such a pretty deep red.

 

[Starzin]

It's a very pretty ring and the ruby holds it's own. It's also great that it doesn't change much between daylight and incandescent. I know the owner will take great delight in it every time she looks down