My new and recent colored stone projects

[jstarfireb]

I made a collage of my jewelry projects to ease the wait a bit, and I thought you might enjoy it! Because my photoshop skills are really bad, I used Bridal Canvas. They''re in pairs, with each stone next to its intended setting, except for the bottom right, which are already set. Here''s what is on it:

Top left: 2.55ct Precision Gems marquise blue zircon with sketch of Julia Kay Taylor custom setting

Middle left: 0.54ct Dan Stair barion periwinkle spinel with Heart of Water Jewels Elixir setting

Bottom left: 0.55ct Barry Bridgestock round orange-red garnet (likely pyrope/spess mix) with Heart of Water Jewels lotus setting (the one pictured is my alexandrite baby lotus)

Top right: 0.15ct Dutton''s Diamonds demantoid garnet with Kyle Anne Metals "bloom" setting (will be all silver with smooth band)

Middle right: 4.45mm Michael E. square step cut indicolite tourmaline with Kyle Anne Metals tube bezel with twisted rope band (the ring pictured is D&T''s mali garnet; you''ll have to use your imagination to envision it with a little square tourmaline).

Bottom right: 10x12mm emerald cut ametrine bought from a Brazilian woman I know whose father is a gem cutter, set in a delicate halo from jewe2004 on ebay. And looking at this, I realize I can''t say I don''t have any halos as I did in the lotus/halo thread...duh! Also, large (can''t remember dimensions) checkerboard cut citrine from the same woman, set in a pretty Stuller filigree pendant.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Very cool! I''m really looking forward to the JKT piece!

 

[Stone Hunter]

Very very very nice stones and settings!

You have some very wonderful things coming your way.

TFS!!

 

[packrat]

What great projects Jstar! How much longer will it be for your JKT piece? I sent her an email today to ask about a project later on.

 

[jstarfireb]

Thanks guys! Now whenever I start getting impatient, I can just look at my collage.

Packrat, I''m not sure on the wait, since I haven''t convo''d her since I put down the deposit. So I just sent her a convo to see how things are going. I''m actually not sure if she''s even started yet.

 

[princessplease]

Awesome projects!!!!!!! I love all of them, especially the lotus!

 

[AustenNut]

Ooh, someone''s been busy. Looks like you''ll have a lot of fun stuff coming in the mail. And that''s a great filigree pendant for the citrine. Thanks for sharing!

 

[trishy]

great projects!!! all of them just beautiful

 

[marcy]

Great projects. You have many gemstones there.

 

[jstarfireb]

Thanks all - glad you like them! Waiting for everything to be finished and sent is so frustrating!

 

[ma re]

Very nice, especially demantoid and ametrine!

 

[chrono]

A nice start of a collection and settings to go with them. My favourites are the demantoid (because I’ve been itching for one forever) and the indicolite.

 

[jstarfireb]

Thank you! The demantoid arrived today and it''s just the prettiest little green fireball! Teeny tiny, but full of life and sparkle. I will definitely be keeping this one, and it belongs in the Kyle Anne bezel!

The wrench in my plans now is that Kyle Anne has not replied to my last few convos during the past week. I sent her the indicolite but haven''t heard from her as to whether she received it and can bezel it. Luckily, I sent it with delivery confirmation, so I know it arrived last Thursday. I''m planning to send her the demantoid as well, but wouldn''t want to do it without hearing from her first...

For those who have worked with her, does Kyle Anne usually take a long time to reply to convos? I''m starting to get concerned!

Also went shopping today and found, of all things, an APATITE ring at TJ Maxx!!! I thought apatite was more of a specialty/collector''s stone, definitely not mainstream enough for TJ''s! I was blown away and had to buy it. The price was good, stones are beautiful, and ring has some nice engraving (designer is Barbara Bixby). It''s a 3-stone with a halo of engraved silver around each stone (which are about 5mm each) and 18k YG flower accents between stones. I''ll try to post pictures soon, just been really busy with work these days.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Date: 9/28/2009 11:39:06 PM
Author: jstarfireb

Also went shopping today and found, of all things, an APATITE ring at TJ Maxx!!! I thought apatite was more of a specialty/collector''s stone, definitely not mainstream enough for TJ''s! I was blown away and had to buy it. The price was good, stones are beautiful, and ring has some nice engraving (designer is Barbara Bixby). It''s a 3-stone with a halo of engraved silver around each stone (which are about 5mm each) and 18k YG flower accents between stones. I''ll try to post pictures soon, just been really busy with work these days.

WOW you must have PSer TJMaxx lucky dust. They never have anything good at my local TJMaxx anymore. Congrats!!

 

[jstarfireb]

Seriously!!! I couldn''t believe my eyes.

I also bought a fabulous pair of knee-length boots (the fashion kind, not the snow kind), a purple and black dress, and a picture frame for my signing mat from my wedding at Marshall''s. (I usually hit both TJ''s and Marshall''s in one session.) But that''s another story for another forum!

 

[Indylady]

Date: 9/28/2009 11:39:06 PM
Author: jstarfireb
Thank you! The demantoid arrived today and it''s just the prettiest little green fireball! Teeny tiny, but full of life and sparkle. I will definitely be keeping this one, and it belongs in the Kyle Anne bezel!


The wrench in my plans now is that Kyle Anne has not replied to my last few convos during the past week. I sent her the indicolite but haven''t heard from her as to whether she received it and can bezel it. Luckily, I sent it with delivery confirmation, so I know it arrived last Thursday. I''m planning to send her the demantoid as well, but wouldn''t want to do it without hearing from her first...


For those who have worked with her, does Kyle Anne usually take a long time to reply to convos? I''m starting to get concerned!


Also went shopping today and found, of all things, an APATITE ring at TJ Maxx!!! I thought apatite was more of a specialty/collector''s stone, definitely not mainstream enough for TJ''s! I was blown away and had to buy it. The price was good, stones are beautiful, and ring has some nice engraving (designer is Barbara Bixby). It''s a 3-stone with a halo of engraved silver around each stone (which are about 5mm each) and 18k YG flower accents between stones. I''ll try to post pictures soon, just been really busy with work these days.

Pictures please!!

I''ve convo-ed Kyle Anne and they''ve always gotten back to me within the day, but maybe they have something going on in their personal lives? Do they have a phone number listed?

 

[FrekeChild]

Question--what metals are all of these going to be set in?

(And I''m loving the left side of your collage, the other side is awesome too, but not quite as awesome.

)

Regardless, I can''t wait to see all of them finished!

 

[jstarfireb]

Thanks szh07 - unfortunately that serves to reassure me even less (not your fault of course, but she really should have gotten back to me based on what you said). I'll look into the phone idea.

ETA: She has been posting up new listings and editing her profile info based on recent changes I've seen on it, so I *really* don't know what's up. I'm actually quite anxious over this. I had to convo her twice to get a reply the first time, and since her only reply, I've sent 4 convos (1 about the tourmaline, 1 to say I sent out the tourmaline, 1 about ideas for the demantoid, and 1 just checking in after she hadn't replied to the last 3). I really love her work and want her to set my demantoid as well as the tourmaline, but now I just don't know what to do.

LOL Freke, I knew you'd like those!

Everything will be in silver - mostly for budgetary reasons but also because I prefer a white metal - and the Sally pieces will be rhodium plated to match the WG on my lotus.

 

[Indylady]

Oh dear! I didn''t mean to worry you. I can certainly understand why you would be worried (I was worried I hadn''t heard back from Sally, and I hadn''t even sent her my gems yet). I just checked back on my old convo''s; the first time they wrote me back the next day, and after that they wrote me back the same day. Was she on top of her messages previously? I remember D&T recently had a piece made by them, and their reviews have all been very positive, so hopefully they will live up to their rep. and get back to you soon. Keep us posted!

 

[jstarfireb]

Update: I emailed and she answered...woohoo! She apologized and just said she''s been extremely busy. I felt bad for bugging her so much, but I really thought it had been just a tad too long. Anyway, she has the tourmaline and tried to experiment with a silver bezel but wasn''t able to make it work. She is able to set it in WG though, and for not much more, so I''m doing that (with a rope band). Yay! Still discussing how to set the demantoid; I have a vision of what I want but of course have to make sure it''s doable. A few of her rings have 3mm stones, but they''re cabs...I don''t think it should make a difference though.

 

[packrat]

Glad you heard back from her, Jstar! Feels good to get the projects rolling I''m sure!

 

[jstarfireb]

Date: 9/29/2009 6:35:27 PM
Author: packrat
Glad you heard back from her, Jstar! Feels good to get the projects rolling I''m sure!

Definitely!

Here''s the apatite ring.

 

[jstarfireb]

The stock photos are actually a lot better than mine...

 

[jstarfireb]

Design sketch...

 

[jstarfireb]

More apatite...

 

[jstarfireb]

And again...

 

[jstarfireb]

Just for fun, a garnet pendant that my mom gave me a few days ago (got it as a souvenir from the beach)...

ETA: You can't really tell from this pic, but the outer metal area beyond the bezel of the EC stone is rope.

 

[jstarfireb]

Apologies for the cruddy digital camera. And here''s the best I could do for the demantoid...

 

[jstarfireb]

Demantoid without the flash - this is more true to the color.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Date: 9/29/2009 7:02:22 PM
Author: jstarfireb
Apologies for the cruddy digital camera. And here''s the best I could do for the demantoid...

Ooo, love the color!

The new pics are lovely! My Canon camera and I are coming over to your place one of these days for a proper photoshoot in macro mode!!