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Help me with my first gem

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Bling_banned

Rough_Rock
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Oct 30, 2020
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Hi everyone. I found this forum by accident and I think I'm sinking into colored gem. I really like blue/greenish color and found this one on Etsy even though I have no idea what I am doing here. So please help. Do you think this is a good stone? or skip? I would like to set it in a ring someday. Thank you.

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Also, I did read the "new to colored gem" thread. Very informative but by no means am I an expert now. :(
 
Welcome to colored stones!

So for this stone, I’d be cautious. Paraiba is a term that should be used mostly for Paraiba tourmaline (a specific locale/variety of tourmaline). Sellers using it for other stones are trying to attach to the name recognition.

Looking at the photos, I’d call those highly optimistic. They’re likely flooding them with lights, and I suspect in life the stone wouldn’t be as neon looking.

I’m not as familiar with topaz pricing, so I can’t comment there. Particularly for blue green.

I would also be a little careful about topaz for a ring stone. While it has a high Mohs durability from scratches, it also has perfect cleavage so an accidental bang could crack it.
 
I guess you should probably know that its been irradiated, to produce that colour. I think the colour is stable just not natural, but someone else here may remember better. As stated above the paraiba bit really has nothing to do with this stone (rather its referring to the colour produced by the radiation treatment), and is being used with artistic licence.

I also think its worthwhile considering that topaz is chippy and may not be that durable in a ring. Also youre setting costs to set in gold will exceed $600-800 in all probability no matter what you do even for a plain 14 k setting. So probably think youre way through whether you rrally want such a ring, and at what cost.
 
What you have here is a color coated colorless Topaz. Like Mystic Topaz.

Natural and irradiated Topaz is never this color. Beware as the coating may come off in time and you are stuck with well...

Better off just buying a London Blue or Swiss Blue Topaz. The color is permanent, though irradiated to get that color and you can find a much larger stone than 3 carats for $80.00.
 
I believe the stone has been irradiated, however, I do not believe it had been coated as such.

The colour is quite pleasing to my eyes, so is the cut and clarity.

The price is ok for a Topaz of this quality to me personally.

I would not spend a lot of money on its setting though - another candidate for Rhodium-plated Silver with Moissy for me.

Personal preferences and all that.

DK :))
 
Thank you everyone for your input.

I’m looking for that blueish green color in a colored gem that is more tough and can handle being worn on the finger without breaking the bank.

I recently saw this Zircon from mastercutgem. What do you think?

 
ItsMainelyYou said:
Oooh, you're in trooooouble. Once you start with the CS, you can't stop!:bigsmile:

I like the 3.89 in the video and it's a good price. The color is a little more saturated and it isn't much more expensive.
*The 2.99 in that video has the best color, but it is 3x what you were looking at originally in price.
Click to expand...

Lol. I am in trouble ... hence my name ... to remind me that I'm technically banned. :???:
 
Of the 3 loose stones in the video, I prefer the one on the right for its colour, cut and shape myself.

DK :))
 
fredflintstone said:
What you have here is a color coated colorless Topaz. Like Mystic Topaz.

Natural and irradiated Topaz is never this color. Beware as the coating may come off in time and you are stuck with well...

Better off just buying a London Blue or Swiss Blue Topaz. The color is permanent, though irradiated to get that color and you can find a much larger stone than 3 carats for $80.00.
Click to expand...

As im also here to learn may we go off on a slight tangent for a mo ?
What do mean by coating ?
 
Coating = something added to the surface of a gem to change its appearance. Like for mystic topaz.
 
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