My first coloured gem!

[Kashmira]

I am so excited- I just won an Ebay auction! It is a 1.7 ct sapphire from www.customgemstones.com and it was described as an "AMERICAN CUT 1.70 Ct Strange Buff Top Umba Sapphire NR!". I love the picture of it but since the colour seems to be "strange" I hope it turns out to be nice also when I see it in real life. I have no idea of if this was a good deal or not but this is the first gem I am buying so it is for sure special to me!

Anyway I guess that I should receive the gem before starting to think of a design but I was so excited that I had to make a quick "sketch" of what I have in mind (I was using MS PowerPoint so I am sorry for the crappy picture). So without having seen the sapphire I thought that it might be good to bring out the different colours of it using a design (I don''t know if I''d like a ring or a pendant) with some other coloured gems. Do you think this would be a good idea and what gems would be suitable? I am thinking of blue and violet shades and maybe also some pink depending of what the sapphire looks like in real life.

Hrm, I realized that I have not learnt how to attach pictures or at least not two pictures but I''ll try to figure it out...

 

[Kashmira]

Here is my crappy sketch but at least it will give you an idea of what I am thinking of.

 

[packrat]

Congratulations on your first colored stone purchase! Looking forward to seeing your RL pictures and the design sketch you''re working on!

 

[Nomsdeplume]

That''s a very interesting stone! I''d love to see more.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

That is a great stone and I love your sketch. What stones are you planning on setting around it? WIll they be faceted or cabbed?

 

[Kashmira]

Date: 9/1/2009 6:54:49 AM
Author: Lady_Disdain
That is a great stone and I love your sketch. What stones are you planning on setting around it? WIll they be faceted or cabbed?

I hvae no idea of what stones would look good around this sapphire and I also need to see the sapphire in real life before deciding upon the design but this is what I have in mind right now. I was thinking of brilliant cut (i.e. faceted) gems for some contrast.

If anyone has an idea of some other design that might work for this stone, please let me know!

 

[chrono]

That is an interesting stone. What are the measurements? Is it round or slightly oval-ish? The design you thought up is also very unique but labour intensive which might mean $$$ for a custom setting.

 

[Kashmira]

Date: 9/1/2009 7:44:29 AM
Author: Chrono
That is an interesting stone. What are the measurements? Is it round or slightly oval-ish? The design you thought up is also very unique but labour intensive which might mean $$$ for a custom setting.

According to the description it is a "Buff Top Round Brilliant" (6.8 mm). I fear that the custom setting I have in mind will be too expensive and given Dan''s description of the stone, I will for sure have to see it in person before deciding upon the setting. Now just let''s hope that the colour is not too weird!

 

[chrono]

His description is rather amusing; he’s at a loss of words on how to describe it. Yes, I think you are right that it is best to wait to see it in person.

 

[D&T]

looks beautiful! and very unique. Congrats... hmmmm for some reason, a Sally Lotus comes to mind

 

[packrat]

I like D&T''s suggestion! I think the lotus has a way of taking a stone that is a little unusual and bringing out the beauty. Wasn''t it Kas Baby who had the stone that was a different shape? It looked so awesome in the lotus!

 

[Kashmira]

My sapphire arrived yesterday and the colour is for sure "strange"- I cannot tell what colour it is so I guess that it might be colour changing. I have changed my mind regarding the setting but will discuss further with my jeweller.

Here is the first pictures of it- can you see that it has a blue shade?

 

[Kashmira]

Another picture...

 

[Kashmira]

Even when I took a picture of the sapphire with a huge red painting being close to it it still appeared to be "blue".

 

[Kashmira]

Later in the evening the sapphire appears to be more pinkish.

 

[Kashmira]

Another picture...

 

[Kashmira]

It said in the description that it was "silky". This is what I thought was "silk"...

 

[Kashmira]

Being a total "newbie" in coloured gems, I had no idea of that "silk" was also a description of these kind of "lines"... I guess I have just myself to blame as I hadn''t made my "homework". I think that they are pretty obvious but only when looking at the stone from certain angles. Dan kindly told me that I could return the sapphire if I wanted to but since it is the first gem I am buying it is very special to me and I love the colour and the cut. To be honest I would have placed a lower bid for it if I had known that the sapphire came with these "lines" but it was described as "silky".

 

[chrono]

It's a rather interesting stone indeed. Would you consider leaving it unset as a play stone? It looks like a very fun play stone with character.

 

[Novel]

I think its lovely and unique. It could make a really interesting pendant... I really like the color it shows in the shots against what I think is a floor.

 

[Kashmira]

I don''t think that I will leave it unset but it depends on the jeweller I guess. If he thinks that it is not worth the effort/money due to these "lines" I guess I will just keep it as it is.

I do like the colour of it even though I understand why Dan descibed it as "strange". I wonder if it is colour changing or colour shifting? It''s very pretty when it is "blue" (as it is on the first two pics when it laying on a table) but I also love the pinkish hue but sometimes the colour is just "strange". I like it a lot but find the "lines" distracting. Luckily they are not shown when looking at the stone from all angles.

 

[FrekeChild]

I think that''s such a cool stone. I looked at too. I think you should set it.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I think it''s very cool Congrats!

 

[Kashmira]

I met the jeweller one week ago and the sapphire will be set! The jeweller will make a "charm" of it that I will hang on a little "loop" (the loop can be opened and closed and I plan to get more "charms" for it). I bought the "loop" today. It is in 18 K white gold with brilliants (total carat weight of 0.1 ct).

The sapphire is a bit small for the "loop" so the jeweller will put some stones around it. We were discussing the following options:

* 6 black diamonds 0.08 ct each + 6 tiny pink sapphires , i.e one black diamond, one pink sapphire, one black diamond etceteras
* 6 "brown" diamonds 0.1 ct each + 6 tiny white diamonds
* diamond melees 0.02 ct each

What do you think would be the best option?

 

[Kashmira]

The little "loop" is from www.handsweden.se and here is the picture from their catalogue

 

[Stone Hunter]

Cool and unusual stone! Congrats on your first purchase.

So it will be a charm that you can hang off of a bracelet or necklace. Since it has so many color moods and it seems to pick up the colors around it...I would go with the white accent stones. That way it can still do it''s color changing thing without being altered by brown or black stones around it.

HTH

 

[oddoneout]

Very unique stone. I really like it. Unfortunately I have no setting suggestions.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Date: 9/9/2009 3:45:53 PM
Author: Kashmira
Being a total ''newbie'' in coloured gems, I had no idea of that ''silk'' was also a description of these kind of ''lines''... I guess I have just myself to blame as I hadn''t made my ''homework''. I think that they are pretty obvious but only when looking at the stone from certain angles. Dan kindly told me that I could return the sapphire if I wanted to but since it is the first gem I am buying it is very special to me and I love the colour and the cut. To be honest I would have placed a lower bid for it if I had known that the sapphire came with these ''lines'' but it was described as ''silky''.

If you had placed a lower bid on it, I would have got it

I love unusual gems!

I like your setting idea. Have you any other charms in mind for it? As for the stones around it, I liked your original idea of using pinks, blues and lavanders. I don''t think black will accentuate the main stone properly. I would go for pink sapphires, light amethysts and light blue sapphires.

 

[Kashmira]

Stone Hunter: I think you are right, white accent stones might be the best for this sapphire!

oddoneout: I am happy that you like the sapphire!

Lady_Disdain: Where you bidding for it too?! Now when I have the little "loop" it is easier to visualize what it will look like once set and I love love love this sapphire!

Unfortunately I have no money tree but I''d like to get the following charms for the little loop:

* The sapphire surrounded by diamonds
* grey moonstone briolette (I have the moonstone already)
* big peachypink tourmaline (not sure of the cut or size)
* Tahitian pearl