Oregon sunstone

[RSargent]

What is going on with the price of these stones. It seems like they have exploded. Anyone know why?

 

[ruffysdad]

Don't expect them to go down either. I was getting first or second pick from the mine up to a year ago and this year found myself way down the ladder. The people that beat me were 6 figure buyers that I can't compete with. Still I'm happy to have gotten what I did From what I gathered in talking to the mine owners that I know, I think the Oregon Sunstones have been "discovered" by the rest of the world. They told me they'd been visited by both European and Asian buyers.

On the flip side there is still sunstone out there that's available for low prices but it's mostly pale or no color to it.

Pete

 

[fiona00004]

Speaking of Oregon Sunstones... what should people look for in a quality sunstone besides cut and clarity? Shiller seems to be a good thing to have to play up the special beauty but what about color in general?

 

[RSargent]

I found 5 at a local consignment shop recently for 10 bucks apeice. They are spectacular. Peachy orangey sparkling. One is hot red with an area running through the middle that is clear. A few have Schiller, the cool spangly spots of orangey red that reflect light. They are mostly 3 to 4 carat scissor cuts but I got one oval that is only about a .65 stone but its got some teal green thrown into the already cool mix. I guess it's like all gems...clarity, color, rarity and size. Too soft to mount as rings but I look at them a lot.

 

[endless_summer]

I didn't research sunstones beyond realizing that they may not be the best choice for rings and looking at a bunch of pictures to find that they come in an array of sunny colors (I've seen yellow, peachy, orange, red, green…), you can have schiller stones where it looks like a bunch of glitter due to that special type of inclusion, or you can have ones with more clarity - i fell in love with mine based on its colors (bi-color salmon pink core with golden & green flashing sides), unique cutting bringing out the best of that dynamic, and an extraordinary size was a bonus - i couldn't imagine finding another one like it. Since they are not inordinately expensive as compared to say sapphires of the same weight, I'd go for what you like, rather than what may or may not be a trade preference, if it even exists

 

[ruffysdad]

Speaking of Oregon Sunstones... what should people look for in a quality sunstone besides cut and clarity? Shiller seems to be a good thing to have to play up the special beauty but what about color in general?

Schiller's a funny thing in that some people want it and some don't. I've seen striking orange/pink cabochons that were nothing but schiller and at the same time have faceted reds and greens that had so much flash in sunlight they were almost painful to look at Myself, I prefer the extremes. Either clear or a ton of schiller. There are also ways of hiding a small amount of schiller by how your stone is aligned.

IMHO, Sunstone is a colored gemstone and the first word sums it up nicely, color

Pete

 

[chrono]

As with all coloured stones, colour comes first so in Oregon sunstone, colour also comes first. Red is the most expensive but it is also the rarest hue. Most have some orange and some have a bit if green. Some people want it totally clean but I've also seen stones where the schiller effect makes it look extra special.

 

[marionberry]

mine

 

[lilmosun]

I saw some gorgeous large sunstones set in pendants at a trade show last year that hah me drooling. I passed because of the price . I assumed it was the vendor not the market.

I thought the blues (or was it greens?) were the rarest. I have an inexpensive one I bought because it was an oddball when I was collecting samples in gem jars.

I do have a red one that I loved bought from Earth's Treasury a few years ago..again it wasn't an expensive stone at the time. I love everything about it except I don't wear it much after learning it's not a ring stone.

 

[Crystal_Dreams]

I love the bright red/orange of your stone! It makes me think of bush fires... hot and glowing! (I do live in Australia lol).

I will have a treasure to show on this thread later this month... it arrived at Alistair Kelsey’s place today can’t wait to see it done!