Help me find the best blue zircon

[glitterata]

I want a not-very-expensive 6 mm round blue zircon. Who''s got the best ones? They seem pretty common, and I''m getting overwhelmed with all the choices. Has anyone had good experiences with a particular vendor? (Storm? Ana?)

TIA,
Glitterata

 

[strmrdr]

Iv heard good things about http://www.ajsgems.com/ and he has a bunch of nice ones.

 

[strmrdr]

I also check with diamondexpert and see what he can come up with.
www.diamondexpert.com Gary is great to work with.
His base price might be higher than ajs but when you factor in shipping on a one item order it often makes up for it.

 

[strmrdr]

http://www.ajsgems.com/ZBL/ZBL-00263.htm

 

[strmrdr]

lighter blue:
http://www.ajsgems.com/ZBL/ZBL-00658.htm

 

[strmrdr]

this is one of my favorite zircons:
http://www.ajsgems.com/ZBL/ZBL-00407.htm

 

[glitterata]

All right, which of these:

inexpensive, light

another inexpensive, light one

darker, twice as much money

lighter again, also expensive

I admit it, I''m cheap. The less I spend the better, but I want it to look really nice. Is that dark one too dark? Will the inexpensive, light ones look washed out in real life?

 

[strmrdr]

nice pair:
http://www.ajsgems.com/ZBL/ZBL-00488.htm

 

[strmrdr]

Dark one isnt too dark.

The lighter ones will tend to wash out but zircon is so bright it might not matter.
It's RI is almost as high as diamonds.

 

[glitterata]

Thanks, Storm. We were posting at the same time.

What do you think of the light-vs-dark issue? What about the difference between the cheap light ones and the expensive light ones? Any idea why the price difference?

 

[glitterata]

Crossed messages again!

So you''d go for the dark one?

Or would the light one look like a lightish teal diamond?

Hmmmm!

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 7/29/2005 3:17:18 PM
Author: glitterata
Crossed messages again!


So you'd go for the dark one?


Or would the light one look like a lightish teal diamond?


Hmmmm!

You can get blue/green zircons if you like teal they are out there.

edit to add:
It depends on what im putting it in and with wether Id go light or dark or med. I like all 3 but for different designs.

 

[glitterata]

Okay, I just ordered that first one you posted, the dark one. I also ordered a gray spinel while I was at it. Can''t wait to see what they look like... thanks for your help, Storm!

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 7/29/2005 3:50:48 PM
Author: glitterata
Okay, I just ordered that first one you posted, the dark one. I also ordered a gray spinel while I was at it. Can''t wait to see what they look like... thanks for your help, Storm!

Kewl
Let us know when you get it and what you think of it and pictures would be nice too! :}

 

[glitterata]

Well, they arrived. It took a while because I ordered them sent by the slow boat to save on postage. Told you I'm cheap.

They're both lovely. I thought I'd like the zircon better, but to my surprise I absolutely love the steel-gray spinel. It has an indescribable dignity.

The zircon might be a little dark for my tastes, but it's a rainy evening here, so I'll wait until daylight to decide. (I'll also wait till daylight to take pictures.) I might order a lighter one to see which I like better. The one I got is a pretty, deep teal blue and very sparkly.

I can't believe how inexpensive these beautiful gems are! They're so much lovelier than many stones that cost orders of magnitude more.

Thanks so much for your help & encouragement, Storm.

So Storm, Ana, anyone else: what else should I look for? What other gemstones are cheap but gorgeous? Or what other unusual colors of more expensive, mainstream stones? (Has there already been a thread on this? If so, direct me to it.)

 

[valeria101]

Date: 8/19/2005 7:19:41 PM
Author: glitterata

So Storm, Ana, anyone else: what else should I look for? What other gemstones are cheap but gorgeous? Or what other unusual colors of more expensive, mainstream stones?

No such thread... and good question!

I'd try the less usual garbnets (grossularite, malaia or what not). They look great and the price allows to 'waste' some of the material on a great cut.

Countless flavors of tourmaline are wonderfull and totally left on the side, especially the large pastel stones fit thebill, IMO. But others too: the rust and dark orange colros would make true 'autumn' jewelry. No one seems to waste much creativity on such fantastic material

Some light green tourmaline gets the look of peridot - wonderful, and alot cheaper and cleaner than large peridot - perhaps the only 'defect' of these gems is that they look like something else!

And speaking of peridot - earlier this year I cam accross some light green pieces looking like... tourmaline or green beryl: no hint of yellow in them - just spring green color. Of course, since that is not the mainstream description of peridot, the stuff was definitely not expensive.

Now there seems to be some amount of violet spinel out there: some deep,some very light in color. The light ones are superb! Trully 'pink ice'. And do ot expect them to have high prices because, of course, spinel must be red or blue to be expensive

Probably tourmaline, spinel and beryl contain the most overlooked treasures - speaking of whole species.

Then crysoberyl and non red or green garnets, and iolite and the natural color zircons make unexplicable 'underdogs'. Crysoberyl used to have his day in the limelight a long time ago - no idea what happened.

Among sapphire, the light aqua colored greenish-blue and light greens should probably sue for lybel already. But they are not 'dirtcheap' just allot less expensive than most other kinds. Light color star sapphire makes interesting jewelry, but there aren't many of those - look for near-white or light yellow stars (it may take a while).

Cats eye sillimanite makes some great surprises in the form of the light gray and rust color examples - especially the larger ones cut with enough dome. No idea why this one didn't get more attention. Some nice pieces have been posted here at some point.

I am pretty sure I could come up with others as well.

The main fault of these not-so-mainstream choices is that they are not associated with the classic jewelry designes reserved for the big four. The large sizes and interesting colors do make them suitable for spectacular design, faceting and carving - but then, that kind of jewelry is not that common, so neither are the rare, beautiful and inexpensive materials mentioned here.

Look, I am by no means saying that these are 'undervalued' and 'good buys'. Not really - I have no reason to believe that. It is worth knowing what is out there when thinking of a new piece of jewelry though, just because a very narrow range of styles seem to get all the attention at any given time.

 

[glitterata]

Thanks, Ana! You''re a gem. I''m going to go check out the stones you mentioned.

 

[cute330xigrl]

These are GORGEOUSSSSSS!

I luv the lighter one more...

 

[strmrdr]

garnet all 3005 varieties :}

ajs has a bunch just pick your favorite color :}

or look here:
http://www.diamondexpert.com/diamonds/dbs.cgi?sf=detg.setup.cgi&active=active&stock=GS00269&submit_search=1



Arizona Four Peaks Amethyst is some of the best looking gemstones Iv ever seen of any color:
http://www.diamondexpert.com/diamonds/dbs.cgi?sf=detg.setup.cgi&active=active&stock=AM00132&submit_search=1

moonstones: others available there:

http://www.diamondexpert.com/diamonds/dbs.cgi?sf=detg.setup.cgi&active=active&stock=MS03585&submit_search=1

mexican opal

http://www.diamondexpert.com/diamonds/dbs.cgi?sf=detg.setup.cgi&active=active&stock=OM00055&submit_search=1

yummy topaz

http://www.diamondexpert.com/diamonds/dbs.cgi?sf=detg.setup.cgi&active=active&stock=TP00185&submit_search=1

 

[glitterata]

Thanks again, Storm & Ana.

Here''s some pix of the zircon & spinel.

I ordered a bunch more inexpensive lovelies (I hope) based on your advice. Will post more photos when they arrive.