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My Amelia stone? Unheated Padparadscha from Richard Wise

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TravelingGal

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So...I had been looking for a pad for awhile but never saw anything I liked. This is for the ring I want to create to give to my daughter someday The Jeff White pad, while gorgeous, just didn''t strike the cord I wanted in color (but godd*mn, that cut was awesome. That stone went back. I figured I''d just give up for awhile...pads are like finding a needle in a haystack. Plus Amelia''s birthstone is diamond so I figured I could always just use plan B and do a diamond band or something.

Then this weekend Richard Wise emailed me to say he had received in a pad that was breathtaking. Unheated, classic pad color, brilliant (over 90% of the stone face), 1.03 carat. He said he had only seen two other pads this fine (a 6 carat and a 9 carat - I believe the 9 carat is posted on Pricescope).

He sent me a pic, but not professionally shot (his intention was to get that done in Tucscon). What can I say...I am in love. It was exactly to me like the lotus flower/sunset photos I had seen everywhere while researching pads. It had the pink in it and the warmth of the sun as well. This was a serious stretch in the Amelia ring budget, but a mom''s gotta do what a mom''s gotta do.

The only thing I was/am concerned about is cut. I love precision, symmetry, excellent/excellent, blah blah blah, so that is why I have always LOVED Jeff White''s stones (and hope to own one someday). But somehow, this stone is speaking to me. Richard said this photo absolutely does not show the beauty of the stone. It seems to have character and the imperfections make it more fascinating to me. Just like I imagine/hope my daughter will grow up to be. I also love that it is unheated...natural and as it was found. Btw, Richard said the stone was cut by a master cutter in Sri Lanka and is well cut with no zoning.

The stone is being shipped tomorrow. I''ll get it, make my final decision, then have to ship it right back to either AGTA or Richard as it will be certed (included in the price).

So I promised Richard I would do a show and tell when I get it, but I''m kind of too excited and jumping the gun. Plus I figure some early press for the stone isn''t a bad thing. This stone just speaks to me. It''s just funny timing that it came in when it did.

Below is the pic he sent me, along with a photo of a lotus flower (that I got somewhere on pricescope) and a photo of rough ceylon padparadscha that you may have seen if you''ve done research on pads. I don''t remember the source, but I want to say it was from a Richard Hughes article I read. Please correct me if I am wrong. The Richard Wise pad looks to me like both the lotus on the rough pad stone that I just loved when I saw it. Tropical and gorgeous. He said he would classify this in the top 5% in gemstones in terms of quality.

Richard himself is wonderful. Spent some time on the phone with me discussing pads and certification and I found the conversation very interesting.

Without further ado...enjoy! More pics when the stone arrives in a couple of days.

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chrono

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Woah! The rough is a perfect match for the lotus flower. I can''t wait to see more pictures when you get it.
 

TravelingGal

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Date: 1/19/2009 2:22:15 PM
Author: Chrono
Woah! The rough is a perfect match for the lotus flower. I can''t wait to see more pictures when you get it.
I should specify that the rough is NOT the rough for the stone. The rough is an example of what a pad should be from an article. But I see colors in the RW stone that I see in the example of the rough.
 

Catmom

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Oh, I know nothing about pads but I have to say that looks gorgeous!! Talk about yummy color, that has it in spades. I can''t wait until you have it in hand to see if it really looks like that or better.
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neatfreak

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I do not doubt that if Richard says it is stunning, that it is. I have been to his shop many times and I have never seen anything there that was less than stunning!

And I looooooove it based on that picture!!! It looks like it will be just a stunning stone.
 

laurel25

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I don''t know much about pads, but that looks gorgeous! The color looks exactly like the photo of the lotus flower! Your daughter is going to be one lucky girl! That will be a stunning ring!
 

Harriet

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I love the colour!
 

platinumrock

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Ohhhhhhh....what a beautiful stone!!! I love the peachy-pink color. What a sweet way to honor your daughter. Please post more pics when it arrives, and I really do hope you will keep it. It''s exquisite.
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LtlFirecracker

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Wow, it looks beautiful. I can''t wait to see more pics.
 

iluvcarats

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What a beautiful, special stone. Perfect!
 

packrat

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Beautiful color-can''t wait to see pictures when you get it! Are you going to set it now or wait until your daughter is older?
 

diamondseeker2006

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Mmmm, very beautful color! Can''t wait to see more pictures!
 

Linda W

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OK T-Gal, I almost fell off my chair when I saw the picture. That stone is to die for. I am in love with it too. It is absolutely breathtaking.

I know you will love it when you see it. How would you set this beauty???


Linda
 

movie zombie

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i trust richard completely. while cut is an important "c", color is more important in my book.

movie zombie
 

AmberGretchen

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That color is absolute perfection - I agree with MZ, when it comes to colored stones, color is king, and that one has it in spades - absolute perfection
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Pandora II

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Perfection.

Don''t worry about the cut - with colour like that it''s not that big a deal. Plus that looks like a very beautiful example of a traditional cut anyway.
 

TravelingGal

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Hi all! Sorry for the delay in response! Holiday today and got to leave the kid to have lunch with the girls!

Yes, I think color is key here. I do wonder if it will be too small but that''s just me being silly and greedy because let''s face it, NO WAY could I afford a stone like this in a bigger size (I can barely afford it as we speak).

As for setting...well, this thing has blown my budget clear, and I mean CLEAR out of the water. With the JW stone, I didn''t really have the budget to set it right away either, but I may have been able to eek something out. This stone will not be set until our company''s new fiscal year, which concidentially starts on Amelia''s 1st birthday.

Thanks for all your input. I appreciate it from you color gurus! I normally wouldn''t not post a pic until I had the stone and decided to keep it (because unlike diamonds, these stones are easily identifiable and I am not sure it''s fair to the vendor to solicit opinions just in case they are negative) but I have a pretty gut feeling this should be it. If not, then I guess Richard will just have to live life thinking TravelingGal is mental.
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Dreamer_D

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Gorgeous!
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I just adore pads and one day would love to own one myself. Question: Does mommy get to wear the ring until Amelia is old enough?
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TravelingGal

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Date: 1/19/2009 10:04:28 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie
Gorgeous!
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I just adore pads and one day would love to own one myself. Question: Does mommy get to wear the ring until Amelia is old enough?
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Girl, she don''t get to wear it until she''s 30 or gets married - whichever comes LATER.
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Linda W

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T-Gal,

After seeing that stone, I don''t think I could EVER give it up. HA
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TravelingGal

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Date: 1/19/2009 10:21:42 PM
Author: Linda W
T-Gal,

After seeing that stone, I don''t think I could EVER give it up. HA
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LOL, we''ll see what it looks like in person. But if it were bigger, I''d take it to the grave with me and they''d have to dig it up, polish it and have it re-certed.
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Linda W

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HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. That is the way I feel about mine. I wonder what will happen to it when I am gone.
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TravelingGal

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Date: 1/19/2009 10:27:57 PM
Author: Linda W
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. That is the way I feel about mine. I wonder what will happen to it when I am gone.
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I think two things need to happen -

A) your daughter has to OPEN her eyes and realize she is nuts for not loving pads and
B) your daughter has to get her butt over to your house and take some pictures of your pads!

* note, point B is not related to your ponderings, but instead just me being a brat about no pics of Linda''s pads on Pricescope (minus those stock ones!)
 

decodelighted

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Excited for you & not even a die-hard Pad lover!! Though after those pix I''ll have to reconsider. It looks beautiful ... can''t wait for the in person report & more pix.

Soooooo ... what about a Tessa band (rose gold/bezels/mill) with a four pronged buttercuppy basket?? Or a Tessa band with a Gypsy/Ocean halo?? Or a Leon Megeish Kaleigh double white pear flanking setting? So many ideas, so little clout.
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RNgemlover

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I am so happy for you! That stone is one SEXY stone lol!
 

TravelingGal

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Date: 1/19/2009 11:20:59 PM
Author: decodelighted
Excited for you & not even a die-hard Pad lover!! Though after those pix I''ll have to reconsider. It looks beautiful ... can''t wait for the in person report & more pix.

Soooooo ... what about a Tessa band (rose gold/bezels/mill) with a four pronged buttercuppy basket?? Or a Tessa band with a Gypsy/Ocean halo?? Or a Leon Megeish Kaleigh double white pear flanking setting? So many ideas, so little clout.
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Oh I dunno...was thinking about contacting Ari at Singlestone.
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Richard says he doesn''t see bezeling in affecting the stone much but it would have to be tested to be sure. I was thinking about something like that only to protect the stone over the years. If the stone was big and round, I''d do the coati setting in rose gold and make some adjustments because I always saw the side views as a possible "A" (for Amelia") instead of a V. Thought I could do something with a diamond in the "V" to make the shift.

But Coati is safe from an imitation because this stone is too small to look impressive in such a setting...so maybe a diamond halo might be something to think about to help with finger coverage and protection. Rose gold, miligrain, a la Tessa/Tacori, is a definite possibility. Leon is a current front runner for the setting but I haven''t even begun to look around for interesting ideas. Plus I have to grow a few more layers of skin to work with Leon...hehe. Actually, I like the idea of sending him the stone and telling him to go to town. I trust his eye that much from what I have seen here on PS.

Seriously, if people have ideas, I''m an open book right now. I wasn''t expecting this stone to pop up this weekend and for Richard to contact me about it.
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Linda W

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T-Gal, that is a GREAT idea about a bezel. I have often thought of re-doing mine for the simple reason of protecting it. I have a small scratch on the side of mine from knocking it and I don''t want anymore.

I often wondered if a bezel would darken the pad. Is that what Richard meant by testing it first??? I always thought Pads had to have all the light on it.


Linda
 

TravelingGal

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Date: 1/19/2009 11:46:06 PM
Author: Linda W
T-Gal, that is a GREAT idea about a bezel. I have often thought of re-doing mine for the simple reason of protecting it. I have a small scratch on the side of mine from knocking it and I don''t want anymore.

I often wondered if a bezel would darken the pad. Is that what Richard meant by testing it first??? I always thought Pads had to have all the light on it.


Linda
I am wondering about the darkening as well. I think that is what Richard meant, but I will let him speak for himself because I am way too much of a newbie at this. He said bezeling may make one color come out more than the other, but he can''t be sure. He also said there are ways to bezel and let light in.

You should definitely be protecting that avatar Pad Linda!!
 

flopkins

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yummmmmyy!!!

I can''t wait to see more pics!!!!
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Linda W

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Date: 1/19/2009 11:55:39 PM
Author: TravelingGal
Date: 1/19/2009 11:46:06 PM

Author: Linda W

T-Gal, that is a GREAT idea about a bezel. I have often thought of re-doing mine for the simple reason of protecting it. I have a small scratch on the side of mine from knocking it and I don''t want anymore.


I often wondered if a bezel would darken the pad. Is that what Richard meant by testing it first??? I always thought Pads had to have all the light on it.



Linda

I am wondering about the darkening as well. I think that is what Richard meant, but I will let him speak for himself because I am way too much of a newbie at this. He said bezeling may make one color come out more than the other, but he can''t be sure. He also said there are ways to bezel and let light in.


You should definitely be protecting that avatar Pad Linda!!

I hope he chimes in here so we both will know. I can see what he means though. The light really brings the colors out and makes the stone pop.

Yours will be down right gorgeous!!!!
 
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