Icy’s CS adventures

[Burmesedaze]

My sugarloaf sapphire cab. I don't see too many sugarloaf cabs here.

 

[icy_jade]

Here are my moonstones, some blue sheen others white. One or two white “cats eye” I think. Most clean, some have tiny bits of dark inclusions. Some even would make pairs. Biggest (1st one) 6 carats, most other 2 to 3 carat.

Thank you. I’ll PM you.

I would call that “corn flower” blue.

Thanks!

@icy_jade I agree with Bron; I also think it's "cornflower blue".

Thanks!

I was looking at charts and they all have different names!

So I’m still confused. Is there somewhere where the correct terminology with sample pics is posted?




So basically I think I like peacock, cornflower, velvet and royal... if they don’t look black in certain lighting.

 

[icy_jade]

Let's see it on your hand and against a natural light source when you get it

I will in the fab fashion thread.

We could be finger size twins!

Oh what size are you? And what size is that lovely sugarloaf?

And since they don’t have to be resized... first dibs if you ever sell your rings k??

 

[Burmesedaze]

Lol I make everything a us9 to fit slightly loose on my middle finger on the right. My old us8 goes on the ring finger nice and snug.

 

[icy_jade]

Lol I make everything a us9 to fit slightly loose on my middle finger on the right. My old us8 goes on the ring finger nice and snug.

Omg we ARE finger sisters!

Isn’t it so irritating that we can never find rings our size? I think if i ever go to a store and find a ring that fits I’ll just buy it because I think it’s fated. But it never happens so I think I can’t do a @mellowyellowgirl and go off ring on finger immediately. It’s always delayed gratification...

What size jade bangles do you wear btw? My smallest is 58, or a touch under that. Super painful (mentally and literally) to go bangle shopping too.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

OMG @icy_jade my bangle size will freak you out!

Smallest I can go is 52 and 56 is the perfect comfortable size to slip on and off.

But my fingers look super fat despite being a size 6!!!! They are size 6 but chubby looking

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Question: What are your favourite colours @icy_jade ?

Curious to see what coloured CSs you'll venture into!

 

[icy_jade]

OMG @icy_jade my bangle size will freak you out!

Smallest I can go is 52 and 56 is the perfect comfortable size to slip on and off.

But my fingers look super fat despite being a size 6!!!! They are size 6 but chubby looking

Sigh is ok I know someone who is even smaller... 56 is huge for her...

My only consolation is that stores are surprised I can fit 58 after they see my man hands. Apparently I have ‘soft bones’ - whatever that means.

 

[Burmesedaze]

Just think of all the extra we've had to pay for more gold for larger bands! Funny enough my thumb takes a us9 too!

The HK folks standard ring size for their settings is a hk 15, us6.75.

Have you tried the plastic bag method for jade bangles? It works.

I have inflexible palm bones so I need a 66-68mm to fit past my palm. But then it slides too low past my wrist. 58 isn't big at all! Standard is around 54-56.

 

[Burmesedaze]

Haha. Fat fingers and stiff bones aside I actually have smallish hands. My dive gloves are xxs to xs!

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Sigh is ok I know someone who is even smaller... 56 is huge for her...

My only consolation is that stores are surprised I can fit 58 after they see my man hands. Apparently I have ‘soft bones’ - whatever that means.

Haha my bestie has tiny hands but cannot bend her bones! She is tiny in general and should easily fit into a tiny size. But has zero flexibility.

I wanted her to try my 56 lavender jade bangle on and the night ended with her cowering in the corner and me saying "You idiot give me your hand we are squeezing those bones of yours to make them bend."

 

[icy_jade]

Question: What are your favourite colours @icy_jade ?

Curious to see what coloured CSs you'll venture into!

Based on what I wear most often it will be black?? Haha.

Ok I thought about it too which is why I targeted sapphires, tanzanites and blue moonstones. Cooler colors, so blue to purple and white/clear is always good.

But after that lovely intense green ruyi I may like tsavorites too? I like paraibas just can’t afford them.

I think pinks, orange, red, yellow and other warmer colors are harder for me.

But I guess I don’t really know since I’m just starting out.

 

[Burmesedaze]

OMG @icy_jade my bangle size will freak you out!

Smallest I can go is 52 and 56 is the perfect comfortable size to slip on and off.

But my fingers look super fat despite being a size 6!!!! They are size 6 but chubby looking

Chubby looking or not you still fit standard sizes and that saves a lotta money.

 

[Burmesedaze]

Based on what I wear most often it will be black?? Haha.

Ok I thought about it too which is why I targeted sapphires, tanzanites and blue moonstones. Cooler colors, so blue to purple and white/clear is always good.

But after that lovely intense green ruyi I may like tsavorites too? I like paraibas just can’t afford them.

I think pinks, orange, red, yellow and other warmer colors are harder for me.

But I guess I don’t really know since I’m just starting out.

Once you realise how awesome almost every CS looks against black, you won't stop at just cool tones

 

[Burmesedaze]

Actually colour charts and lab memos aside, there really isn't a uniform agreement on cornflower blue and such. There could be varying degrees of blueness to Cornflower blue too. Much like pigeon blood.

I personally see them more of an absence of secondary colours, or how open a colour is

Don't be too fussed by trade standards and ideals. It's really personal after all. CS will shift under certain types of lighting and i enjoy them all.

 

[icy_jade]

Just think of all the extra we've had to pay for more gold for larger bands! Funny enough my thumb takes a us9 too!

The HK folks standard ring size for their settings is a hk 15, us6.75.

Have you tried the plastic bag method for jade bangles? It works.

I have inflexible palm bones so I need a 66-68mm to fit past my palm. But then it slides too low past my wrist. 58 isn't big at all! Standard is around 54-56.

I know the plastic bag method but I like the soap or hand cream method better... but plastic bag is convenient for shopping.

I was told that bangles in smaller sizes are cheaper, use less material etc... But since I can hardly find 58-60 around so it does help me to save money overall I guess. Else I could have a HUGE bangle collection by now I bet.

Haha. Fat fingers and stiff bones aside I actually have smallish hands. My dive gloves are xxs to xs!

Wow that’s small!! I’m probably L. Really man hands sigh.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Actually colour charts and lab memos aside, there really isn't a uniform agreement on cornflower blue and such. There could be varying degrees of blueness to Cornflower blue too. Much like pigeon blood.

I personally see them more of an absence of secondary colours, or how open a colour is

Don't be too fussed by trade standards and ideals. It's really personal after all. CS will shift under certain types of lighting and i enjoy them all.

Truer words have never been spoken!

My blue/green tourmaline which I got for a great price hits perfect colour outside in the shade. It is sublime when it hits that shade. Other times it's just nice. But the trade off on price and size and cut (my biggest love in regards to that stone) was worth it for me.

 

[icy_jade]

Haha my bestie has tiny hands but cannot bend her bones! She is tiny in general and should easily fit into a tiny size. But has zero flexibility.

I wanted her to try my 56 lavender jade bangle on and the night ended with her cowering in the corner and me saying "You idiot give me your hand we are squeezing those bones of yours to make them bend."

To be honest I think it takes practice... I used to be terrible at it but now I wear/take my bangles off fairly easily.

One vendor told me that it’s really usual to have bruises from wearing bangles as it must be as tight as possible and I still remember looking horrified to hear that.

 

[Burmesedaze]

The older stock tend to have larger bangles coz that was when good jadeite was plentiful and came in larger sizes, fewer fractures.

But yes the small sizes may be leftover jadeite to cut from.

Sorry the sugarloaf sapphire cab is under 2 cts iirc.

 

[Burmesedaze]

To be honest I think it takes practice... I used to be terrible at it but now I wear/take my bangles off fairly easily.

One vendor told me that it’s really usual to have bruises from wearing bangles as it must be as tight as possible and I still remember looking horrified to hear that.

Hah no way!!

 

[Burmesedaze]

Unless you are adamant about Brazilian paraibas, Mozambique cuprians are still ok priced. Bangkok

 

[icy_jade]

Once you realise how awesome almost every CS looks against black, you won't stop at just cool tones

Ok I’m worried too. Just saw the comic and I was like OMG THAT COULD BE ME...

I already have a seriously huge pearl collection and an equally large Cs collection sounds scary haha. Maybe I need to cull some pearls.

Actually colour charts and lab memos aside, there really isn't a uniform agreement on cornflower blue and such. There could be varying degrees of blueness to Cornflower blue too. Much like pigeon blood.

I personally see them more of an absence of secondary colours, or how open a colour is

Don't be too fussed by trade standards and ideals. It's really personal after all. CS will shift under certain types of lighting and i enjoy them all.

Oh there isn’t? Do the grading labs have charts that we can refer to? After all they provide color grading right?

Yeah I’ve seen some odd blue-purples or even blue-greens that aren’t considered top color but really appears to me so agree is personal.

The older stock tend to have larger bangles coz that was when good jadeite was plentiful and came in larger sizes, fewer fractures.

But yes the small sizes may be leftover jadeite to cut from.

Sorry the sugarloaf sapphire cab is under 2 cts iirc.

Oh didn’t know about larger bangles for old stock. But I guess lots of the good jade go to China anyways

 

[icy_jade]

Hah no way!!

Ikr. But since then a few vendors told me that. Apparently it’s nicer if the bangle is more fitting to the wrist so people do really squeeze their hands to the smallest bangle possible.

Though maybe it could be a sales tactic so that the customers will buy the bangle as they can’t take it off

 

[icy_jade]

Unless you are adamant about Brazilian paraibas, Mozambique cuprians are still ok priced. Bangkok

I just want a nice cabochon or sugarloaf... not particular about origin I think. Dunno enough really. So many things to learn gosh.

 

[Burmesedaze]

The labs have master stones to compare against. I think where colours are concerned there is still subjectivity involved. The pigeon blood rubies I've seen here auth Gubelin and GRS memos aren't always that bright red you see online. More often than not they are darker.

It's less in the way if the bangle fits snug on the wrist without moving much. But in this modern day and age i can't imagine anyone not wanting to remove theirs from time to time. Like gym. Household chores, copious typing?

 

[Burmesedaze]

K. If i see nice cabs will let you know. I prefer faceted ones though.

I bought these 2 online from a Bangkok seller. Will collect them from his shop this weekend. 0.87 ct and 1 ct. Below us$100/ct. Yes they are windowed and slightly included. But not that shabby to me.

 

[icy_jade]

@Burmesedaze The 2nd one is lovely!

And yes pls let me know if you see any nice ones thank you.

 

[lovedogs]

@Burmesedaze the 2nd one is awesome!!! If they look good IRL please share the vendor!

 

[icy_jade]

Am otw to the Singapore fair. Whee!

@Burmesedaze I’ll visit the vendor you recommended and look at rubies (admire, not buy hahahah)

 

[peacechick]

Am otw to the Singapore fair. Whee!

@Burmesedaze I’ll visit the vendor you recommended and look at rubies (admire, not buy hahahah)

Icy jade, do update us on your finds! I can only go on Saturday, would be great to hear your report.