Just bought a Rubellite - setting suggestions please :)

[bleeblue]

Hi everyone,

After missing out on Barry's drop yesterday I purchased a rubellite from Bob Kast.

I've seen the pictures other PSers have posted of Bob's rubellites and I hope the one I get is just as nice. I can't wait to receive it.

In the mean time - how do you think I should set it? Ring or pendant? Side stones?

It's a 1.49ct, 7.1mm precision cut round brilliant.

 

[Arcadian]

oooo so you got that one!

Honestly wait to see how you feel about it before deciding on setting. But I will say that from the pictures, it looks to be a color that can stand on its own. You can put side stones with it or not.

-A

 

[Arkteia]

A wonderful stone, large enough to be set on its own, and a beautiful color!

 

[T L]

Beautiful stone, nice size too!! Very saturated pink. Reminds me of a Mahenge. That's the kind of stone you could put in anything and it would look great!!

I have a 1.5, 7mm stone from Bob exactly like that. We have twins!!

 

[bleeblue]

Thanks Arcadian, crasru and tourmaline_lover I'll post pics when it arrives (although it won't be for a few weeks as Bob is going to cut me a pair fo aqua as well and I'm going to wait for them so everything can ship together).

While I've got this thread up and running I thought I might as well seek some advice on behalf of my sister (that way I'm not thread spamming).

She has recently just purchased her first gemstone (my bad influence ). It's a 6.52ct spessartite pear. The color is a bit too red/brown for my liking but she tells me that it's the exact color that she was looking for (who can argue with that?). She would like to have it set into a pendant and would love some ideas and suggestions. I think she has a budget of about $300 - $400.

I've had a play with the spess and it does have some realy lovely bright red flashes but it's quite dark so bezeling it would really be a no no.

 

[Lovinggems]

I would set your beautiful rubellite in yellow gold, something not too ornate, it's stunning.

How about a two tone floral design for your sister's spessartite?

 

[ooo~Shiney!]

I know that others here will have great ideas, but let me put in a rec for Etsy vendor Daniel M
They have done wonderful pendants for some of the PS'ers here and I think their
prices would be on line with your sister's budget

 

[chrono]

Your new rubellite is going to be fabulous in whatever and however you set it. BK cuts really eye popping rubellites at a very reasonable cost. I’d do a solitaire ring with diamond accents or halo as it can stand on its own. As for your sister’s spessartite pear, I agree that a bezel is not suitable for it. Something in yellow gold will be good.

 

[bleeblue]

It's arrived!!! It's arrived!!!! Here are some pictures to share:

 

[bleeblue]

and here are the aquas that Bob also cut for me

 

[bleeblue]

Oh and while I'm, at it - I thought I may as well post some of the gems in my collection that I haven't posted here yet (they don't really warrant a new topic for them)

 

[bleeblue]

some more...

 

[JewelFreak]

Wow, your rubellite photos are even better than Bob's. It's so yummy I could practically eat it! Wonderful color & saturation. Are you planning earrings for the aquas? Should be lovely!

--- Laurie

 

[vc10um]

That rubellite is LOVELY!

For your sister's Spess, I would check with DanielM on a setting similar to this one. It's called a cinch bezel, which pretty much just goes around the girdle of the stone but still leaves much of the pavillion open for light. And I love the dainty claw accent prongs. He is setting a 10ct ammy pear of mine in silver in that setting for my wedding pendant. Keep us posted on all your projects!

...oh and are the aquas for earrings? What are their specs?

 

[bleeblue]

Before I forget, thanks for your lovely comments above Lovinggems, ooo~Shiney! and chrono

JewelFreak – thanks about the complement about my photography – (alas if you only knew how many shots I had to take in order to sift through and get some that were ok to post ) I am planning to have the aquas set as earrings – the slight difference in hue between the two gems does bother me a little though. One is a bit more green than the other and I also think that the green hue makes it look a bit smaller than the other too.

vc10um – thanks for the link to that pendant which is so dainty and feminine, please post pics of your wedding pendant for us to see when it's done. I think we have decided to go with Daniel M for my sister's project. She's never had a custom project done before so she's now drawing up a storm. The aquas are meant for earrings and they are 6mm and about 1.8ctw.

 

[Arcadian]

Lovely I take a minimum of 50 shots to get one good one (thats not a joke either) if you go the halo route just make sure its not going to be too much. This stone dosen't look like it needs help at all to shine.



-A

 

[T L]

I have three Bob Kast rubellites, and one is in a halo, and the other is currently being set into a legacy squarish halo, even though it's a round. I love halos around stones. Yes, I know it isn't original, but I do get lots of compliments on my halo Bob Kast rubelite ring. Nice stone, I think it will look fine in a solitaire setting too, but if you like blingy bling, like me, then I think a halo is the way to go. I love how they accentuate round stones.

I also think Bob's style of cutting is somewhat antique like, and lends itself well to antique style rings. I have a Bob Kast aqua which is cut like yours and I keep thinking it needs an antique art deco style setting every time I look at it.

What do you like? What is your taste? Blingy, simple, antique, etc. . . ?

 

[bleeblue]

Thanks Arcadian

tourmaline_lover - I like bit of bling and I'm thinking a small halo for this stone - but then there is part of me that thinks it would look great in a yellow gold bezel. I think my taste in jewellery could be described as vintage inspired with a modern twist. For example I love art deco style pieces - but I would prefer them without milgrain.

I don't want to spend too much on the setting - has any one sent their gems to LOGR or lan.bo or jewelryhoo or one of the other chinese ebay vendors to set? What are your experiences?

I'm in the unfortunate situation where I am in Australia and I can't find a good quality bench jeweler who is willing to set a gem for me when I take in a semi-mount with me. I feel that they think that they aren't making enough money off me when I do that so it's not worth their time. If anyone can recommend me a good setter in Melbourne that doesn't want to charge me $150+ just to set my gems I'm all ears!

 

[T L]

Thanks Arcadian

tourmaline_lover - I like bit of bling and I'm thinking a small halo for this stone - but then there is part of me that thinks it would look great in a yellow gold bezel. I think my taste in jewellery could be described as vintage inspired with a modern twist. For example I love art deco style pieces - but I would prefer them without milgrain.

I don't want to spend too much on the setting - has any one sent their gems to LOGR or lan.bo or jewelryhoo or one of the other chinese ebay vendors to set? What are your experiences?

I'm in the unfortunate situation where I am in Australia and I can't find a good quality bench jeweler who is willing to set a gem for me when I take in a semi-mount with me. I feel that they think that they aren't making enough money off me when I do that so it's not worth their time. If anyone can recommend me a good setter in Melbourne that doesn't want to charge me $150+ just to set my gems I'm all ears!

Please don't bezel it, the stone could chip in the wrong hands, and I think you have to be really careful who does bezels. It is a specialized piece of work. I also like the polished girdle of the stone, and a bezel would hide that.

 

[bleeblue]

Please don't bezel it, the stone could chip in the wrong hands, and I think you have to be really careful who does bezels. It is a specialized piece of work. I also like the polished girdle of the stone, and a bezel would hide that.

Oh, that's got me worried . I was hoping the bezel would hide in inclusions closest to the gridle - but if that may chip the stone then I'm not going to risk it. I think I will have it set in prongs in that case.

I've recently won this settion - maybe it could go into this setting? What do you think?

 

[T L]

Please don't bezel it, the stone could chip in the wrong hands, and I think you have to be really careful who does bezels. It is a specialized piece of work. I also like the polished girdle of the stone, and a bezel would hide that.

Oh, that's got me worried . I was hoping the bezel would hide in inclusions closest to the gridle - but if that may chip the stone then I'm not going to risk it. I think I will have it set in prongs in that case.

I've recently won this settion - maybe it could go into this setting? What do you think?

That's pretty, but I think I would prefer it with four prongs. Six prongs covers up too much of the stone. Can the seller modify it for a four prong setting?

As far as covering up inclusions, I wouldn't worry about inclusions so much in a colored stone, especially a nice rubellite. Inclusions are much more noticeable in colorless and light toned gems in my opinion. With your stone, most people will notice color and not some inclusions.

ETA: The stone would be sitting up a bit higher than if it were in a halo. I think a halo would protect it a bit more. That's my other caveat with this setting.

 

[Arcadian]

The setting is lovely but the prongs look a bit thick, maybe too much for the stone. I would see if the seller can thin the prongs if you choose to go with that setting as is, or like TL suggested, see if it can be made into a 4 prong setting.


-A

 

[Dandi]

Hi Bleeblue, gorgeous stone! Just to let you know, I bought a Barry tourmaline and a LOGR semi-mount a couple of years back, and took them to Beville's Jewellers (in Geelong) to be set. I don't recall exactly how much it cost, but it was under $20. The jeweller even tapered the prongs into claw prongs for me, as per my request. The job was done beautifully. Just a side note!

 

[bleeblue]

Hi Bleeblue, gorgeous stone! Just to let you know, I bought a Barry tourmaline and a LOGR semi-mount a couple of years back, and took them to Beville's Jewellers (in Geelong) to be set. I don't recall exactly how much it cost, but it was under $20. The jeweller even tapered the prongs into claw prongs for me, as per my request. The job was done beautifully. Just a side note!

Thanks for letting me know DandiAndi - Geelong is a bit far for me to go to (about 1.5 hours drive each way). But I might try some other maul stores closer in to me to see what they say. The hard thing is really finding a good bench jeweller and sticking with him/her. I've just yet to find one. I'd give them SOOOOOOOO much work when I find him/her!

 

[T L]

Hi Bleeblue, gorgeous stone! Just to let you know, I bought a Barry tourmaline and a LOGR semi-mount a couple of years back, and took them to Beville's Jewellers (in Geelong) to be set. I don't recall exactly how much it cost, but it was under $20. The jeweller even tapered the prongs into claw prongs for me, as per my request. The job was done beautifully. Just a side note!

Thanks for letting me know DandiAndi - Geelong is a bit far for me to go to (about 1.5 hours drive each way). But I might try some other maul stores closer in to me to see what they say. The hard thing is really finding a good bench jeweller and sticking with him/her. I've just yet to find one. I'd give them SOOOOOOOO much work when I find him/her!

Be really careful who sets it. Many jewelers don't know how to deal with stones other than diamonds or sapphires, and they could chip your gem Sometimes jewelers charge more to set softer stones because they know it's more labor.

 

[Largosmom]

Many mall stores don't have a bench jeweler on site and send out their work.