I like imperfections.

[PinkTower]

I like that mint garnet! The first pic shows a cool glow. You're right, the inclusions in my mint garnet aren't that evident in person.

I love both of your mints! Also, I like the cut on both of them.

 

[sphenequeen]

This is a great thread! What I love most is that the stones here have so much character, even if they do not fall within the parameters of what the trade calls "ideal."

I wanna see more!

 

[Aerix]

I like imperfections too! I recently bought this tourmaline from Litnon. It was cheap and I liked how the inclusions in the photo almost looked like an inner glow emulating from the inside or an explosion. IRL, it's purplish pink instead of red (which is what the description said despite the photo looking red.) I like the color a lot too.

I'm attaching the vendor photo since I haven't been able to snap pics of it yet. It's 3.13cts, measures 10x8x6.3mm and is from Nigeria. It's described as an oval with a checkerboard top.

 

[VapidLapid]

this is my favorite stone (sometimes) and it's so included you cant even see the inclusions. Also it's not finished being cut yet, though Ive been working on it for years (the privilege and curse of the amateur). Then I get so seduced by the color and the shy star and the hexagonal sapphire crystal shape that I see nothing but love! I know it has stuff in it and fractures some of which break the surface, but look at that color (which admittedly only apears in sunlight, or under the interrogation maglights). Oh, and it is 10 mm.

 

[VapidLapid]

 

[lavatea]

I don't own either of the following two stones, but both have entrenched themselves into my brain tonight. I may end up pulling the trigger on the tourmaline. Don't ask me why.


sapphire link




tourmaline link

 

[m76steve]

I like imperfections.

I like stones that speak to me. They don't all speak the same language by any means.

I like gray stones. I like stones that have less than perfect cuts. I like stones with inclusions. I like stones that are cheap. I like stones that other people wouldn't look at twice. I like stones with descriptors like: wonky, weird, funky, strange or "corpse colored". I like black stones. I like white stones.

I like stones that are NOT what the trade thinks is ideal.

I am proud to wear my freak flag. Or freke, as it were.

ur thinking & outlook are what iv been pushing for quite a while-the fact u covet material that has inclusions & stuff within the stone adds spice to the mix-just look at the responces!-most of my stones are sweet to see & most tell a good story-ROCK ON!-steve...

 

[blithesome71]

Cool thread. I can relate to this 'coz most of my gems (cut-wise) are less than ideal & I like those "old" gems from old inventory. Windowed & native. But the size & the color definitely make up for it.

...Just like my recently bought 9.4 ct. seagreen/minty beryl (though my local jeweler calls it an "Aquamarine" ) I love how it displays a silvery shimmer despite its tiny scratches on the crown & worn facets.

*Kindly forgive the quality of my picture. It's taken outdoor at noon so the bright light really made it look lighter than it actually is in RL.

 

[somethingshiny]

Here's my watermelon tourmaline. I love it!

 

[Treenbean]

Thanks Freke for starting this thread. I like character and imperfections too. Seems like most of us enjoy a little bit of strange.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

I absolutely like some imperfections and "off" colours.

My 2 included JW stones; minty peridot and seafoam tourmaline.


Irradiated blue topaz - extremely dark, but exactly the colour of dark wash denim.



BE heated "padparadscha" sapphire



My grossular with some brown in it.

 

[colorluvr]

LTP, I'd take those "imperfect" JW rings any day!!!

Here's my "ginger orange" sapphire ring that is most likely BE heated. The seller only sold it as "heated" and I didn't even know what BE heating was when I bought it (about three year ago, one of my first CS purchases). But I really like the color because it's different from any other "orangish" stone I own. I get compliments on the ring all the time. The stone is a double pillow cushion cut (top looks the same as the bottom) so that makes it even less "top industry standard". It's got some "stuff" going on inside it and I imagine if I take a look under the microscope (actually never have), I'll see some tell tale BE heated inclusions.... or maybe not LOL!

 

[colorluvr]

this is my favorite stone (sometimes) and it's so included you cant even see the inclusions. Also it's not finished being cut yet, though Ive been working on it for years (the privilege and curse of the amateur). Then I get so seduced by the color and the shy star and the hexagonal sapphire crystal shape that I see nothing but love! I know it has stuff in it and fractures some of which break the surface, but look at that color (which admittedly only apears in sunlight, or under the interrogation maglights). Oh, and it is 10 mm.

VL, that color is incredible!

 

[colorluvr]

And some quicksilver spinels for Freke and Arcadian (and anyone else who likes "lavendarish" stones)

And yes, the oval on the left has a window, but it's not quite so noticeable IRL.

 

[FrekeChild]

And some quicksilver spinels for Freke and Arcadian (and anyone else who likes "lavendarish" stones)

And yes, the oval on the left has a window, but it's not quite so noticeable IRL.

Ooooooooooooo!!!!!! Love them all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[VapidLapid]

here is my neither fancy nor vivid 4.78 carat diamond resplendent with its optimistic inclusions of carbon that failed to assume the crystal structure. this is the stone in my avatar. the base is a blank of cz that I was grinding into a lens but it broke. I made another and that is what my avatar was photographed with.

 

[PinkTower]

VL,
I love the last photo. I call that a "tea dreg." I lost my favorite stone, a pear shaped gorgeous emerald, that had that inclusion. Now I know what they are really called, thanks to you.

 

[Largosmom]

Couple more pics for FrekeChild...

Lavendar Spinel, from Dana, it was one of the first stones I got soon after I found Price Scope...in fact, I think it may have been a gift stone with a pink spinel I purchased to make a ring for my sister. I think this is the one I have set in a silver filigree ring that I wear on occasion. it has a bit of a color shift to pink, if I remember right. It's much more brilliant in person. This is the one with the little needle showing in the previous photo and is more saturated than the octagon below.



The second one is an octagon I won from a Dan Stair auction a year ago, this one is still in my box, sharing a gem container with the Darth Vader Jr. grey spinel. The octagon is the one with the bubble veil.

 

[Largosmom]

Here is a pink spinel I got in a Tan auction very cheap. It has a zircon embedded on the back of the stone and it sticks out of one of the facets. It has a lot of bubble inclusions as well. I don't remember how much it weighs, but it faces up quite large and the inclusions are not visible until you get it up close and it has good color. I may eventually set it in a pendant, but it's fun to look at just for the inclusions, which is why I purchased it. This is one of my learning stones. Sometimes cheap is fun!






The last is a photo of that wonky pinkish red spinel I set into a pendant, it is quite small and uneven almost every direction. I still don't know how my goldsmith got that thing set. It sure has a pretty color though! It looks quite pink in this photo, but is more red to the eye. This is a top-down shot...it should be round but as you can see, it isn't.

 

[FrekeChild]

Thanks for sharing Largosmom! Those are gorgeous. I have a thing for lavender stones. And blue stones. And gray stones. etc. etc etc.

 

[mariedtiger]

I love this thread!!! Sometimes I wonder if I have any gems that don't have imperfections in some way. Here are two of my favorites, they get a lot of wear. In the necklace, an included checkerboard cut cushion aquamarine with a surface reaching inclusion and amazing glow. In the ring, an aquamarine that is included, poorly cut and was called crappy by a goldsmith where I live. I don't care, I love the colors of these gems and the personalities of them.

 

[ooo~Shiney!]

I love this thread!!! Sometimes I wonder if I have any gems that don't have imperfections in some way. Here are two of my favorites, they get a lot of wear. In the necklace, an included checkerboard cut cushion aquamarine with a surface reaching inclusion and amazing glow. In the ring, an aquamarine that is included, poorly cut and was called crappy by a goldsmith where I live. I don't care, I love the colors of these gems and the personalities of them.

The NERVE!!!!

 

[Deathspi]

Some beautiful examples of included stones here. I always thought for some reason that if you had lots of inclusions, that setting the stone could be a problem, but obviously I see that isn't the case!

 

[loriken214]

I really enjoy unique, included, gemstones. Here's one I bought from Barry. A great big quartz with apatite.

Lori