My first colored stone project in years

[gemgirl]

I didn''t want to keep thread jacking AJ''s sapphire thread, so I''m starting one of my own.

My husband bought me a micro-pave'' diamond bow at Fortunoff five years ago and I only wore the bow twice because to me, it was missing something. I always thought it would look great with a halo-ed colored stone dangling beneath it. I contacted Lesley at BGD and started talking with her about it. She asked me to take a picture of my diamond bow with the first stone I ordered- a pear shaped Tanzanite, to see if the proportion was right, envisioning a halo around the pear.

This is how it looked. The pear is too small (it''s an 8 x 5) and the color is too pale for me.

 

[gemgirl]

Because the tanzanite was too small, I went into my private stash and pulled out an old old ring I never wear anymore (because the side stones are not diamonds and I don''t "do" fake-ys anymore

). I wanted to see how a 10 x 7 would look. I would have used this lovely Rhodalite for this project, but my jeweler put two little tiny chips in the stone under the girdle when he set it. I''m going to have this Rhodi reset into a LOGR bezel setting and no one will ever know those two little chips are even there. She''s a lovely shade of raspberry in real life and I have a soft spot for this stone because it was the first colored stone I ever bought (about 15 yrs ago).

Here''s how the bow looks with a 10 x 7 . Let me know what you think about the size.

 

[gemgirl]

I think this stone will work nicely . It''s a 9.8 x 6.4 mm Tunduru violet-blue Spinel. I''ll have it in four or five days. I love the color in the photo, but I''ll reserve my judgement until I see it for myself.

 

[chrono]

Yes, your second pear looks much better in terms of proportion. In the first picture, it looks like the bow is wearing the stone. In the second, the stone is wearing the bow. Colour wise though, I prefer the first because it is a cool colour that goes better with a white metal.

 

[LD]

I prefer the size of the Tanzanite in your first picture - especially if you're going to add a halo. In the second picture the stone takes over the necklace and the bow disappears. With the first picture you have a balance of bow/gem.

Actually I'd be tempted to go without the halo. I love the clean lines of the look in the first picture.

 

[mousey]

I really the first pear combination- in both color terms and size terms. I also really like the look as is (no halo)- there is just something so simple and pretty about it!

 

[ma re]

No help from me on this, just wanted to say that I really like your ring with the fakeies, but that might be because I love anything that containes rhodolites, yellow gold and white sides

 

[gemgirl]

Date: 10/23/2009 12:28:11 PM
Author: ma re
No help from me on this, just wanted to say that I really like your ring with the fakeies, but that might be because I love anything that containes rhodolites, yellow gold and white sides

Oh me too! That''s another reason I didn''t look for another Rhodalite, because I think they look beautiful set in yellow gold with sparkling white diamonds. For the white gold and diamond bow, the blues seemed right.

 

[Spirit]

Love it with a blue haloed stone! Agree that the larger size pear drop suits the proportions of the diamond bow much better. Hope your vision comes to reality very soon! Good luck!

 

[Stone Hunter]

I like the size of the stone you''re waiting for. Larger than the 1st stone and smaller than the Rhod. Hope you love it when you get it!

 

[gemgirl]

Date: 10/23/2009 2:41:26 PM
Author: Stone Hunter
I like the size of the stone you''re waiting for. Larger than the 1st stone and smaller than the Rhod. Hope you love it when you get it!

I think the size should be just right, and with the halo, it should be even more gorgeous. If the color is true to their photo? I''ll be in seventh heaven, what a blue! but you know how pics can translate on our computers. Fingers crossed!

 

[gemgirl]

Date: 10/23/2009 2:34:16 PM
Author: Spirit
Love it with a blue haloed stone! Agree that the larger size pear drop suits the proportions of the diamond bow much better. Hope your vision comes to reality very soon! Good luck!

The diamond bow isn''t so small. It''s 1 3/16" wide and I forget the height, but it can handle a nice sized stone.
I think we girls in New York like things a little bit bigger.

Thanks Spirit, and I love, love, LOVE your new sapph. It''s very similar in color to AJ''s new beauty. I guess I just love these well saturated dreamy blues!

 

[StonieGrl]

Gemgirl, love that necklace. Very pretty. I also love that Rhodi, also because a large Rhodi was my first colored gem buy and I have never regretted that stone.

I think you have a host of excellent options, would love to see that spinel arranged with the necklace though. Looks like it would be a terrific combination.

Keep us updated please!

 

[jstarfireb]

I agree with LD on the size/proportions, but I also think something in between like the spinel should work well. Looks like it''s going to be lovely!

 

[gemgirl]

I'm sorry I don't have a picture to post yet, but my Spinel arrived today and it looks pretty much exactly like the photo that the folks at multicolour.com took. I love rich deep saturated tones in gemstones and it's a real blueberry blue. It's polished well and none of the facet lines are chipped or marred that these old eyeballs (plus a loupe) can see. I'll post a pic of it tomorrow under my diamond bow.

 

[gemgirl]

My 1.98 ct. Tunduru violet blue Spinel

 

[gemgirl]

I think you can see the true color better on the hand-

 

[gemgirl]

Table side down under the bow

 

[gemgirl]

And I managed a right side up shot. I think it will look nice once it''s halo-ed.

 

[gemgirl]

And while I was waiting for the Spinel to arrive, I decided to change the stones in two pendants I rarely ever wear because I''m not crazy about either stone.

I''m thinking about a pink tourmaline in this one. A Nigerian pink/lavendar. My jeweler custom made this 18K mounting years ago. Suggestions are welcomed!

 

[gemgirl]

I bought this pendant for the mounting. It has .50 pts. of H/I SI diamonds in it. The carat and a half sapphire is junk, but that didn''t matter to me because I only paid $399.- for this pendant years and years ago, Spiga chain included.

I have no idea what I''m going to put into this one yet......

 

[chrono]

The size of the spinel looks just right but I would not bezel it. It is dark toned to begin with and bezeling will make it even darker.

 

[Porridge]

I love the spinel in it. The rhodolite is lovely, but with the bow I think it''s a little "girly" looking. The spinel gives it all a striking, more expensive and elegant look. I love it! Are you planning a halo in the same style as the bow? The size is perfect I think, a delicate halo would bring it all together beautifully. I agree with Chrono about the bezel.

 

[Laila619]

Just wanted to say I LOVE the bow necklace. I think a delicately haloed pear will look great with it! Fab idea.

 

[gemgirl]

Date: 11/2/2009 9:04:02 AM
Author: Porridge
I love the spinel in it. The rhodolite is lovely, but with the bow I think it''s a little ''girly'' looking. The spinel gives it all a striking, more expensive and elegant look. I love it! Are you planning a halo in the same style as the bow? The size is perfect I think, a delicate halo would bring it all together beautifully. I agree with Chrono about the bezel.

Yes Porridge, I was thinking the halo should be the same style as the bow which is actually mushroom pave'' (each stone has four tiny prongs). I''ve never seen Brian do mushroom pave'' for anyone yet and I''m kind of anxious to see his work and to see him do that style of setting because that''s what I''d love to have done when I reset my wedding set. This will be a great test run.

Though I''m not crazy about tiny diamonds, the stones in the halo will be one pointers to coordinate with the bow.
I''m also thinking of a 1/2 mm. airline, though I haven''t run this by Lesley yet. Airline or no airline? Maybe they can show me a CAD with and without.

 

[gemgirl]

Date: 11/2/2009 9:51:03 AM
Author: Laila619
Just wanted to say I LOVE the bow necklace. I think a delicately haloed pear will look great with it! Fab idea.

Thanks Laila. I like it too but I haven''t worn it but once or twice because I felt like it got lost on my neckline. I always thought it needed something else.

 

[trishy]

i really like the bow... and the new stone you got for it, it looks to be the perfect size. im with lovingdiamonds, and mousey, i think it''d look awesome without a halo.very excited to see how it turns out.. its a beautiful piece!! very girly.

 

[GemJunkie]

This is going to be a knockout. The blue on the spinel is stunning and the halo will look gorgeous. Can''t wait to see what the finished product will look like. And I think you were so right, the bow is beautiful, but with the halo pear it will be amazing.

Oh, and I really like the sound of the airline, I really think it would set the spinel off!

 

[Porridge]

Date: 11/2/2009 11:36:44 AM
Author: gemgirl

Date: 11/2/2009 9:04:02 AM

Author: Porridge

I love the spinel in it. The rhodolite is lovely, but with the bow I think it''s a little ''girly'' looking. The spinel gives it all a striking, more expensive and elegant look. I love it! Are you planning a halo in the same style as the bow? The size is perfect I think, a delicate halo would bring it all together beautifully. I agree with Chrono about the bezel.

Yes Porridge, I was thinking the halo should be the same style as the bow which is actually mushroom pave'' (each stone has four tiny prongs). I''ve never seen Brian do mushroom pave'' for anyone yet and I''m kind of anxious to see his work and to see him do that style of setting because that''s what I''d love to have done when I reset my wedding set. This will be a great test run.


Though I''m not crazy about tiny diamonds, the stones in the halo will be one pointers to coordinate with the bow.

I''m also thinking of a 1/2 mm. airline, though I haven''t run this by Lesley yet. Airline or no airline? Maybe they can show me a CAD with and without.

In this instance I think an airline could look nice. It would tie in with the "bow" look IYKWIM. Good idea to ask for CAD''s though. Love the sound of the halo!

 

[Stone Hunter]

I''m glad that the stone you were waiting for was the one!! Can''t wait to see how this turns out.

The other settings are nice too. Colored stones are very addictive, now you''re buying more while waiting for your project!! Cheers!!