Gem Silica

[jstarfireb]

Inspired my mochiko42's amazing ring, I decided to pick up a piece of gem silica. Turns out that the stuff ain't cheap! Not seeing much else, online that combined good quality and reasonable prices, I picked this up from Chris A. The color and translucency are really awesome, but the elongated shape is the only thing I had reservations about. I wasn't sure at first, but now I think it could actually work as a ring. I have pretty long fingers, so I can carry the 16mm of length N/S. It could also work E/W, although I prefer N/S if I can widen the shape with some metal.

First 2 pics aren't mine, but the show the color better than my own pics do. The ones on my index finger show you an idea of how it would look N/S or E/W. For size reference, my index and middle finger are both about a size 8.5, and my ring finger is a 6.75.

Show us your gem silica!

 

[jstarfireb]

Ring ideas...I'm pretty sure I want it N/S if done the right way. If I can't find someone to do this kind of custom metal work, a simple E/W bezel would do too (pictured here as well). But I'd want the bezel to be open on the bottom.

What do you guys think?

 

[lovedogs]

So happy that the stone came! It's gorgeous in person--and looks great with your skin tone!

I'm partial to the YG combo with the stone color (like the bottom example), and think it would look amazing in either an EW setting or NS. I also personally prefer EW orientation for long stones, but I definitely think you could pull off either one depending on your preference. I like the simplicity of a plain bezel with an open bottom/gallery to show off the color.


Can't wait to follow this project!

 

[CravingDiamonds]

Really pretty stone color. Amazing!

 

[pinkgem2522]

amazing color!

 

[apacherose]

Wow, I always know I really like a gem if I want to eat it, lol.

I know not a thing about gem silica, but, this is beautiful in color and luster. All your ring ideas are great. I love it N/S and E/W, too.

 

[Acinom]

What a beautiful stone. I know gem silica via PS and 'the FB group', but have not seen it in real life. Based on the pics it's an amazing and beautiful blue. Congrats!!!

 

[Lady_Disdain]

That is a beautiful stone! I was drooling all over it on FB.

I would set it N/S (it elongates the fingers and looks more elegant, in my opinion), in a simple bezel with small balls of rose gold as if they were side stones. Simple and elegant, like the oval.

 

[Michael_E]

I really love the translucence of that stone...it looks like a glacier fed lake. I like the bezel shown in the first picture as well. A low bezel or even a crenellated, (looks like multiple small prongs or a "crown"), bezel will allow as much of that translucence to show through as possible.

 

[_lovesvintage_]

Beautiful color on your stone! I really like the example you showed in yellow gold, but set either N/S or E/W. The ideas suggested so far sound awesome. You have a lot to consider. Have fun figuring it all out. I can't wait to see your ring when it is done.

 

[apacherose]

That is a beautiful stone! I was drooling all over it on FB.

I would set it N/S (it elongates the fingers and looks more elegant, in my opinion), in a simple bezel with small balls of rose gold as if they were side stones. Simple and elegant, like the oval.

I love this setting idea- filing that away!

 

[Enerchi]

Beautiful translucence on your gem silica!! That's beautiful!

I just bought one as well, from AJS gems and I'm very happy with the it. It was Frekechild who suggested it to me and I am SO glad I listened!! I can't seem to find my own pics but here is a screen shot of the stone I bought... since you did ask to see others..

I'm looking forward to following your journey, Jstarfireb!! I'm excited to see how you set your stone!

 

[jstarfireb]

Thanks, all! A few musings...

Cravingdiamonds, pinkgems, acinom, loves vintage - thanks; the color is so cool and I had no idea quartz could look like this!

Lovedogs - I'm usually all about white metals, but I agree, this stone would look great in yellow gold. Or rose gold.

Apacherose - it looks like candy and I want to eat it too!

Lady_D - great ideas. Pretty sure I'm going N/S but it's so narrow compared to my fingers (and compared to the stone's length itself) that I still feel the need to widen it visually. One of my favorite Etsy vendors (Jill Anish) uses gold granules, usually as clusters to the sides of each stone, so something like that could definitely be an option.

Michael_E - Love that description. The translucence is what made me buy this particular stone. I couldn't guarantee that the other ones I was looking at on AJS would be as nicely translucent. I googled "crenellated bezel" and saw this (along with a bunch of links about flashlights, interestingly enough) - what a cool idea:
http://jamesmeyerjewelry.com/wordpress/1406-2/#.VgoRbHg4Ez0

Enerchi - my budget would not have allowed that stone, but it looks amazing! I'd love to see more pics. I looked at a few on AJS before I decided on this one. There was a trillion that I really liked and am tempted to buy anyway!

 

[Michael_E]

I googled "crenellated bezel" and saw this (along with a bunch of links about flashlights, interestingly enough)

Stuller sells some blank material for making the crenellated bezels shown. Unless a bezel is an integral part of a cast piece, one needs to fabricate and add it to an existing setting or make a setting to use it. This blank material makes it very easy to have a fancy bezel without having to do all of the handwork required to make it. It's also nice during setting because those individual little prongs are easy to bend down onto the stone without worrying about chipping, (though there's little worry when setting silica, or any agate, cabs).

 

[jstarfireb]

That's really cool - it reminds me of the gallery wire I have on my boulder opal earrings.

The stone is only about 5mm wide though (~16x5) and not too high domed. I can't tell if that would be fine enough to avoid dwarfing the stone. Any thoughts on that? Does Stuller publish the dimensions of the little crown prong thingies?

 

[Michael_E]

They do give the overall height of what they call "Fancy bezel strip" here:
http://www.stuller.com/products/197...ionType=recommendation&recommendationId=10119

It comes in three widths, with the narrowest being 3mm wide. It has a built in seat for the cab to rest on which is at least 1mm wide so those prongs are probably around 2mm tall. If your cab has a very round girdle then you might want a taller prong to make sure that it is pressed in place above the curvature of the girdle.

 

[jstarfireb]

Very helpful info - thanks!

 

[jstarfireb]

Thanks drusyquartz!

I dropped it off yesterday at the gem store in Tucson. I met with their silversmith and went over a custom design. One of the things that he likes to do is a "shadowbox," which is a channel of oxidized silver between a fine inner bezel and a wider outer bezel. I looked at the stone on a black background, and it just popped like crazy, so I'm going with that. It will be set N/S with a fine 14k inner bezel (open at the bottom for translucency), black oxidized silver shadowbox, and wider silver bezel with a couple of notches cut in at the 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock points. The shank will be split with a ball of 14k yellow gold set into the split on either side.

The store has a loyalty program, and with the money I spent on the custom job, I racked up $10 off my next purchase. So I picked up a gorgeous large square sugilite ring with a deep, even purple color and nice luster. Apparently sugilite of such quality is getting harder to find lately.

As for gem silica, they had one piece that wasn't quite what I was looking for, and the rest were unfinished, but they get new rough in all the time.

Overall they were very educated, friendly, and competitively priced, so if anyone is in Tucson, say hi to these guys:
http://www.arizonalapidary.com

 

[chrono]

Sweet! And I think Michael's ideal will be perfect for your new cabochon.

 

[lovedogs]

wow, sounds like a great ring in the works! Can't wait to see it!

 

[jstarfireb]

Thanks Chrono and lovedogs - I'm excited! I should have taken a pic of the stone on a black background. That was what sold me on the oxidized silver.

I'm filing Michael's idea away for the next cab I buy though!

 

[Michael_E]

That sounds like it'll be a great looking ring, make sure to post pics when it's done!

The shop that you're using looks like it's partially a rock shop. I used to go to a shop like that when I was a kid visiting my relatives on the Oregon coast. I'd sit for as long as they'd let me and just gaze at all of the cool rocks. I think that the opals were the most enchanting thing about that place. I still go to every rock show that occurs around here and have boxes of different kinds of agates that I'll cut someday, (yeah right, at least the grandkids like them). That reminds me, next weekend is another show. $40, two grandsons and we'll make a day of it.

 

[jstarfireb]

It was part rock shop and part jeweler! They had some really cool specimens and a whole room full of rough. Cool stuff!

 

[Enerchi]

I'm excited to see your ring, Jstarfireb!! I have also just shipped off my stone to be set and I'm expecting it to be completed in a few weeks!!

I love the idea of the shadowing w oxidized silver - that is going to look pretty cool.

I wish I'd taken a few more shots of my stone, but I only took a few on my hand, and it doesn't look as BRIGHT as the pic from AJS, but its still beautiful to me!

Can't wait to see both of our rings completed

 

[jstarfireb]

Who did you send yours to, Enerchi? And what kind of design are you going with? Would love to see pics when it's done!

 

[Enerchi]

I was the lucky winner of the GOG setting prize at the PS GTG in May! I was working w Stephanie on a CAD and also had great input from Frekechild/ ElleW on the final design. Sent it off on Friday and should get it in a few weeks!

 

[jstarfireb]

That's awesome! Can't wait to see how it turns out.

 

[lovedogs]

I was the lucky winner of the GOG setting prize at the PS GTG in May! I was working w Stephanie on a CAD and also had great input from Frekechild/ ElleW on the final design. Sent it off on Friday and should get it in a few weeks!

that's so exciting!!! Can't wait to see what you come up with and please come back and share photos with us!

 

[mochiko42]

Sorry for the late response!

I'm so happy to see more gem silica here on PS. I think it's an underappreciated gem here! It *is* hard to find top quality gem silica with consistent color and translucency and minimal inclusions/mottling.

jstarfireb and enerchi, I look forward to seeing your finished rings! Enerchi, I looked at that gem silica on AGS too, but it was out of my budget. I'm glad it found a home with a PSer. Jstarfireb, I think your ring will be a fabulous ring for the pointer finger if set N-S

 

[jstarfireb]

I had it made for either my left index finger or right middle finger, which are about the same size. Good thought!

It's almost finished, but I'm seeing if they can make one last tweak to the design before they send it out.