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Paraiba advice

lilysweet

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 9, 2015
Messages
408
Hi all,

I have an October birthday so tourmaline is one of my stones. I recently purchased a pink stone that is really lovely and will eventually become a pendant I think. I have loved everyone's paraiba and purchased some of Yvonne's melee when it was available with the idea that I would eventually find a project for them. I happened upon a stone on the Paraiba International site by chance. It is an 8 mm cab. I love the stones that have more of a blue color but have not seen any that have been close in my price range or they have gotten snapped up already by the time I see them. I received the cab today. The clarity of the stone is I and this is likely why I was able to afford it. I have taken pictures of the stone and the stone with my melee. Please let me know your thoughts and give any advice you might have. I have almost no exposure to paraiba in real life, only the gorgeous pieces I see here :love: and my melee! Thanks!!!

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What a beautiful cab. It truly glows.
 
I remember that one from paraiba internationals website. The pictures and video on there made it look so flat, in my opinion. I'm glad to see that it shows much more beautifully in person.

I'm no expert on paraiba's either so I'd wait for someone to chime in about quality / glow factor. I do think it would be a pretty project. :D
 
Thanks Downtownie! Thanks Elle. I did find a pink tourmaline with the hue I was looking for. I really appreciated your input with your stone. Here is one more picture of the melee with the cab. Anymore thoughts on this stone would me MUCH appreciated!

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Nice find!!

It look like a larger version of the paraiba I have set in Yvonne's camellia ring with hauynes. When I first saw mine in the gem box, I wasn't impressed and almost returned it (looks like your pictures with the white background)...but on hand and once set, it looks more like your second picture and outdoors it really GLOWS. Even indoors, people comment on the glow all the time (although it is not as glowy as the stones in my avatar ring).

How do you plan to set it?
 
Thanks so much for chiming in limosun! Your avatar is luminous :love: . I am the least creative person on the planet and would need help. I don't wear rings much. I am planning a sapphire similar to yanaazul's made by DK and I wear my wedding rings and have a mother's ring stack set but that is almost all of them. I was leaning toward a pendant but this is really something that if I keep it I might want to be in a position to stare at it and not in the mirror. So, I guess the real answer is "not sure". Anything I would need to think about specifically given the shape or clarity?
 
I am not an expert either, but wanted to say that your stone looks very pretty and goes well with the melees you have. I hope this works out for you. Paraibas are just so magical.
 
Wow, your stone matches the melee so closely, in color. Sweet! :love:
 
What a great find! I love the soft outline of the cab as well as the colour, especially as seen in your second photo.
Paraiba's show different faces in different lighting. It will be good to take your stone for a tour around the house and (be carefull!!!) outside. And please make some additional pics while you are at it :naughty:

The stone and mêlee are such a great match!
I can totally envision it in a ring so you can enjoy the beauty of it.
 
My best advice is this: spend time with it on your hand (out of the box, for sure) in different lighting conditions. See how you feel. If you're kind of consistently underwhelmed, then send it back. But if you find yourself staring at it in awe every single time, then I'd keep it. It does look like a great match with the melee. :D

Keep us posted, please! And if you keep it, I'm sure many of us would love to help you design something for it.
 
It has a pleasing shape and round goes with just about anything. The inclusions doesn't detract from the beauty at all and I like the colour. The only thing to consider is the level of glow. I don't see any glow in your pictures but I also don't know how accurate your photography is. As everyone said, spend some time with your new cab under various light conditions to see whether you are 100% happy with it.
 
I'm going to concur with everyone; spend time with the stone. those stones are the weirdest things, they don't tend to portray their true intensity in the pictures here.

Anyway its a great shape and size, see how it works in your environment and decide at that point.
 
Thanks everyone for the advice! There is actually sun in Michigan today. I can't wait to see it in that light when I get home from work. Hopefully it will still be available then!
 
Saw this in the other thread, and I believe it is a lovely stone in terms of its shape and colour.

Clarify could be better, however, no doubt that would bump the price up considerably.

It is a keeper to me.

DK :))
 
lilysweet|1457101350|3999666 said:
Thanks everyone for the advice! There is actually sun in Michigan today. I can't wait to see it in that light when I get home from work. Hopefully it will still be available then!

Have you been able to view and photograph your stone in different lighting conditions lilysweet?
 
lilysweet|1457059844|3999432 said:
Thanks Downtownie! Thanks Elle. I did find a pink tourmaline with the hue I was looking for. I really appreciated your input with your stone. Here is one more picture of the melee with the cab. Anymore thoughts on this stone would me MUCH appreciated!
Hello, lily sweet! You have chosen a beautiful stone! If you are looking for some beautiful colour inspiration for your special stone, I would look at the pictures of Margot McKinney- I believe that she is an Australian designer- and look at the stunning designs and striking colour combinations she uses. You can go anywhere from the classic diamond and Paraiba matching, to spectacular contrasting colored gems. Best of luck!
 
Hi all, I have been able to take more photos but was having trouble adding the for some reason. Here they are, please give me your thoughts!

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A few more:

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It is definitely best with natural light. I was unable to get any in the sun. I do really love love love the color since it definitely leans toward the blue with little green to me but what do you think about the glow factor? Any stone may pale to me after chrono's lovely ring. Not sure that I can find a stone this shape(love the cab), size, color for the money. Should I look at other types of stones that are this color because if that is what I am loving am I just paying a premium for the "paraiba" in the name? Any advice is much appreciated!
 
I think Chrono's, Acinom's, Sparklieslover and a few other rings have shadowed many of our paraibas.

Not sure what you paid for it, but if you are questioning the glow factor and paid a paraiba premium, I would return it. The glow would be hard to miss...like a little light bulb coming from within...not sparkly like a faceted stone but a more ethereal look. On mine, I can't capture the glow with indoors cell pics, but others often comment on the glow when I wear it. Outdoors, it's more in your face. The fact that you are still questioning your purchase suggests its not the right stone for you...I'd wait and save for the right one (advice that is easier to given than to follow myself at times :angel:).

fwiw - Gem silica has similar coloring without the glow.
 
Thanks limo! I have almost no experience in person with paraiba. I agree that all those stones, including yours, are glowy. Do they look like that all the time? If not is it most of the time? I think I am undecided because really love the color of this stone. I am still very inexperienced in the gem world, especially with colored stones. Because I love the color I want to be sure it is a good idea to make this purchase. I will check out gem silica. If this helps others to gauge cost/value the stone was ~$1k and is 8mm. Thanks!
 
A good quality Paraiba/cuprian stone will always have the glow - that is the nature of the stone. You cannot miss it if its there. Yours is a nice color, but I'm not seeing the lit from within nuclear quality that makes a high quality stone. In fact, the last ones I've seen on here which have that ethereal quality are acinom's and either sparklieluver or Mochiko's - can't remember which.
 
If it helps...here are pictures of my cab. It's not a fine quality paraiba but that wasn't so much a concern as I was NOT looking for a paraiba but a stone that fit the Yvonne's standard camellia setting and could hold its own with her hauynes. But it does have at least a subtle glow most of the time although the degree can vary. It's not nuclear like the finer examples but apparently others do notice the glow because they often mention it. I still love it for what it is. But as minous stated, if you are looking for a fine example of a paraiba (which I wasn't), you may want to pass.

If the goal is to own a "paraiba", I would definitely focus on glow/saturation more than size...the little ones that truly GLOW will more than make up for the lack of size.

Outdoors sunlight
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In a gem box
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sunlit room (I think)
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In an otherwise dark room with only a lamp (with an awful CFL bulb) off to the side and computer screen in front.
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My stone glows all the time, but depending on the light source, sparkles as well. It may be that the excellent precision faceting and crystal-like clarity allows this to happen. It tends to glow more under diffused lighting but sparkles more under direct lighting.

Ask yourself these questions to decide whether to keep or let it go.
1. How much do you love this colour?
2. How much do you love this shape?
3. How much are you willing to pay for the colour and shape?
4. Will you pine or regret that it has to go back to Yvonne?
5. Is the stone eye clean / mind clean enough for you?
6. Are you in love with cabs or deep down you want a faceted stone?
 
Hi all,

An update about where I stand. First, I don't think I have stared at anything this long since my first child was born! I love the color. The blue/turquoise is just what I want in a stone. I love that it is a cab. The shape and size is great with my melee. That said, it doesn't glow enough of the time to feed my paraiba requirement and it isn't the color I love without the glow all the time (although it may be or closer if it were out of the box and set but I just don't know). For that reason, I will be returning it. I LOVE the color but feel that some of the cost is the paraiba name without all the benefits and that will bother me. If you happen to run across a stone that is similiar to this one, of any sort(it doesn't need to be paraiba), please post and let me know. The color is the primary thing I will pine over! Thanks so much for all your words of wisdom and opinions/thoughts. They help a novice like me so much! :wavey:
 
I'm sorry it didn't work out, but I'm glad you made a decision based on your thoughts/wants. I returned the first cab I looked at too, due to the lack of glow, so don't feel bad at all. What you're looking for is out there. :D I'll keep my eyes open!
 
It is indeed a difficult decision because one doesn't know when and if there will be any more good quality (and affordable!) Paraibas in the future.
 
I know how hard it is but you will be glad you didn't jump on this one as soon as you find one that ticks all the boxes (and if you are patient enough, they usually do come around if you are reasonable in your expectations which you seem to be).

JCK is coming up....which is where Yvonne got my cab last year (not sure if she got the larger one in her personal ring there...but we had them made around the same time). If you don't find one before that, you might let her know what you are looking for as the show draws closer.
 
Thanks limosun! That is a great idea!
 
Good decision! I am convinced the right stone will come along and you will be so glad with your decision.
 
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