Purists... how far do you go?

[Dee*Jay]

Tyty's thread (which I do not want to thread-jack) about earth mined vs. lab grown got me thinking (again) about how far one is willing to go. I am a purist... and it is a real mind clean PITA. For instance, I only want earth mined non-enhanced in any way diamonds. And colored stones... so unheated sapphires and rubies, untreated/unoiled emeralds. And everything else (spinels for instance). But not just big stones, little ones also! So bands... melee. And other small stones too. Even period pieces where sims are the norm... I just can't do it. It's a real bummer -- mentally and on the wallet! But my brain is all about the realness. The rarity. The real-ity, if you will.

Am I alone? Pleas tell me I'm not alone...

 

[88_star]

Reading through the thread got me thinking about this too. I also prefer untreated CS. For period pieces where sims were the norm (especially calibre cut settings etc) I might feel a little more lenience toward them but for center stones I still prefer unheated non synthetics.

Another branch that got me thinking too (that I'm sure has been discussed in the antiques forum but it's probably been a while so let's rehash) is legitimate antique stone vs newly mined stones cut in antique fashion. While I enjoy how the newly cut antique style stones make it more accessible for more people to get the look, again I personally would prefer a true antique.

 

[lulu_ma]

I’m ok with heated colored stones-for now . Synthetics are not for me…And I have a strong preference for authentic antique stones.

 

[yssie]

Stones: From the ground and untreated besides faceting. Anything else just doesn’t make me *feel*.

Pearls… Are a different beast. All sorts of shades of grey there. Cultured, great. Dye, no, irradiation, no, but pinking, sure. Maeshori, sure, but only for akoya. Etc…

We’re Ps in our own As.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I’m not a fan of synthetics of any kind (except for travel jewelry, or a few costume pieces that scratch a very particular itch for me). But if someone gifts me something that’s costume, I will wear it with zero problems (I have a few fake Pearl strands that I wear without feeling weird about it).

When it comes to diamonds, I can’t do LGD, it isn’t mind-clean for me. But similarly for CS - id rather go for a cheaper stone (rubellite instead of ruby, for example), and I’m okay with heated / treated (if permanent and disclosed). But I wouldn’t do lab growns or synthetics I think.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Minor oil for emeralds and preferably unheated everything else. Except zircon which needs to be heated or else it looks nasty.

I do have a blue heated sapphire that I love as it was a tester ring to see how I feel about blue. If I buy another one, it'll be unheated.

Synthetics are not for me. And apparently they are not for my 10yo either who started out having arguments with me that his fake $5 jade was better than my real Jade (the fake was perfectly green obviously) but he's now collecting samples of real stones only. He bought himself a giant Amethyst crystal and for Christmas received a Ruby Fuschite sphere which is as close as he's going to get to ruby for now.

@PinkAndBlueBling he still treasures the garnet you gifted him!

 

[LilAlex]

All untreated and no synthetics/simulants/manmade/lab-created. But I will accept up to minor oil in emerald (who knows why) and I bought a pretty-color heated sapphire at a going-out-of-business-sale after having admired it for many years in the shop. Again, I don't know why. I had "visited" it occasionally and wanted to make sure that it ended up in good hands which, evidently, were mine.

 

[Ally T]

I cannot wear synthetic. They just don’t cut it for me. I’m not overly fussed about branding (Tiffany aside, obviously!) but the stones need to be real & pure & as clean as possible. It’s not snobbery, it’s just that i am amazed at what beautiful things can come out of the ground. I find it fascinating.

 

[missy]

I haven't read that thread yet but my thoughts are as follows.
There is no right or wrong here.
It's what works for you.
I want to be able to get a beautiful lab created emerald cut diamond.
But so far I have a mind clean issue.
Will it last forever? IDK
But so far I am not getting one because I know I would have trouble wearing it because, for now, it is not mind clean. For me.
Hoping that will change sometime down the road because there is no other way I can get a big beautiful emerald cut diamond. I need at least 8 carats to make it work for my man hands

 

[icy_jade]

Tyty's thread (which I do not want to thread-jack) about earth mined vs. lab grown got me thinking (again) about how far one is willing to go. I am a purist... and it is a real mind clean PITA. For instance, I only want earth mined non-enhanced in any way diamonds. And colored stones... so unheated sapphires and rubies, untreated/unoiled emeralds. And everything else (spinels for instance). But not just big stones, little ones also! So bands... melee. And other small stones too. Even period pieces where sims are the norm... I just can't do it. It's a real bummer -- mentally and on the wallet! But my brain is all about the realness. The rarity. The real-ity, if you will.

Am I alone? Pleas tell me I'm not alone...

Me me. But I draw the line at treatments that the lab can’t tell or stones that are usually treated anyway. So for emeralds for example, am ok with insignificant/minor oil but not moderate. Am ok with aquamarines, topaz, tourmaline. No to synthetics/labs generally except travel bling or side stones for setting. Mostly no to heated sapphires and rubies even if it’s common and stable.

I actually mostly prefer cultured pearls as naturals can be so *cough* ugly looking.

So basically I’m consistently inconsistent which I’ve realised for a while and given up trying to figure out why some things matters and others don’t.

 

[MMtwo]

I’m not a fan of synthetics of any kind (except for travel jewelry, or a few costume pieces that scratch a very particular itch for me). But if someone gifts me something that’s costume, I will wear it with zero problems (I have a few fake Pearl strands that I wear without feeling weird about it).

When it comes to diamonds, I can’t do LGD, it isn’t mind-clean for me. But similarly for CS - id rather go for a cheaper stone (rubellite instead of ruby, for example), and I’m okay with heated / treated (if permanent and disclosed). But I wouldn’t do lab growns or synthetics I think.

Funny, I am fine with LGD, iffy with lab gemstones, but a complete melt down diva about metals. I won't wear costume jewelry with base metal. Must be silver or better.

 

[Arcadian]

I'm a purist that will accept certain types of treatments. I won't accept all treatments however. And all treatments must be disclosed.

I'm anti mystery metals as well (too many things cause me to get hives)

 

[lulu_ma]

I haven't read that thread yet but my thoughts are as follows.
There is no right or wrong here.
It's what works for you.
I want to be able to get a beautiful lab created emerald cut diamond.
But so far I have a mind clean issue.
Will it last forever? IDK
But so far I am not getting one because I know I would have trouble wearing it because, for now, it is not mind clean. For me.
Hoping that will change sometime down the road because there is no other way I can get a big beautiful emerald cut diamond. I need at least 8 carats to make it work for my man hands

Errm-if you have man hands then I really don't know what to call my hands!

 

[stracci2000]

I prefer genuine gemstones, always have.
Since I get my jewelry from dubious sources like estate sales and pawn shops, there's no way to know about stone treatment, but I always assume that most CS stones are treated. So I don't obsess about that too much.

I'm OK with paste in vintage/antique, but only if they are brooches.

I have a few rings with CZs, and I rarely reach for them. Even though they're beautiful, I just don't feel the *love* for them.

I would not seek out lab diamonds or moissanite.
However, if one were to fall into my lap I might change my mind!

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Funny, I am fine with LGD, iffy with lab gemstones, but a complete melt down diva about metals. I won't wear costume jewelry with base metal. Must be silver or better.

I’m a diva with metals too, haha! My costume pieces (whatever I have) are all set in silver / gold plated silver / 14kt gold.

 

[CBianco]

I'm quite a purist too! Although I'm not in the market for them now, in the future when I purchase it'll be unheated sapphires and rubies only, fine with minor oil for emeralds though, don't know why. The only gem I'm fine with heating are blue zircons and paraiba tourmalines

Only earth mined diamonds for me, honestly don't think I'll ever be into lab grown diamonds and I've made peace with that. But I guess I'm weird, as I've never wanted a huge diamond ring anyway lol maybe 1ct max! 0.8-1ct natural JP decagon is my dream diamond. I'm also in my mid 20s, so I guess quite different from others around my age who are into LGD.

Not into synthetic colored gems either, had a lab pink sapphire that I felt absolutely nothing for unfortunately.

 

[MissGotRocks]

@Dee*Jay, me too! Didn’t really think of it as being a purist but it is the appropriate term I guess. Only EGD for me and while I don’t really venture into CS, I am sure I would feel the same way about them too. The real thing or nothing for me - good, bad or indifferent. I don’t regret my diamond purchases at all - they make me smile every day!

 

[Karl_K]

Just the opposite, if something is pretty to me I don't care if the "stones" are glass or paste.

 

[Dee*Jay]

What a bunch of interesting responses! This what makes the world -- and PS! -- go round!

In the interest of full disclosure, I do have what I'm sure is a heated sapphire. I bought it long before PS and I had no idea about heating or any other treatment way back then. But I do love that ring as I got it to celebrate a big promotion.

Pearls... wow... I hadn't even thought about them in this context. I wear pearls more days than not when I go into the office, and none of them are real. With one exception they aren't even cultured (let alone REAL real). I guess I am not a purist there -- or at least I haven't been to this point. Hmmm... Dee scurries off to look at some REAL real pearls!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Oh wait! I also remembered that I have a pink tourmaline (it's really kind of a deep burgundy-ish purple-y red, but I don't know what else to call it except a "pink" tourmaline... ?) that is likely heated. I bought it at the Pawn Stars store in Las Vegas last Thanksgiving, and it was more to commemorate the trip than anything else. So I have two stones that are almost certainly not "pure." I feel like I should confess these things so as not to appear hypocritical after starting this thread!

 

[yssie]

Oh wait! I also remembered that I have a pink tourmaline (it's really kind of a deep burgundy-ish purple-y red, but I don't know what else to call it except a "pink" tourmaline... ?) that is likely heated. I bought it at the Pawn Stars store in Las Vegas last Thanksgiving, and it was more to commemorate the trip than anything else. So I have two stones that are almost certainly not "pure." I feel like I should confess these things so as not to appear hypocritical after starting this thread!

I think the fact that you forgot kinda emphasizes the point actually

 

[Dee*Jay]

I think the fact that you forgot kinda emphasizes the point actually

Ha! Right?! it's a very pretty ring... but I've never worn it one single time after we got back from the trip. Although I did take a bunch of pictures of it at the Hoover Dam and in front of a cow painted on a wall.

 

[Eli22]

Ahh! Another fun question! Thanks @Dee*Jay !

I think consistently inconsistent describes me to a T. Is there such a thing as a partial purist?

Diamonds:
Earth mined - the best cut, clarity & color I can obtain (my ER diamond is AGS000, I prefer stones with similar quality). Carat/size (of entire piece, not just stone), I need it to fit my lifestyle/social circle. No treatments.
Lab grown - I only have 2 pieces, but so far, the same rules above apply.
Antique/Vintage - natural diamonds only, color/cut/clarity can be wonky as it’s part of the charm.
*No mixing and matching of EMD & LGD in pieces (I am weird)*

Colored Gemstones:
- natural colored gemstones only. Typical treatments for type of stone (e.g. heat, minor oiling) OK…at least for now. Preferably no/low treatment.

Metals:
- silver, WG/YG, platinum
- In costume jewelry, anything goes but can only wear for short periods due to nickel allergy
- Only silver or better on my ears…my piercings tend to ooze (gross) with base metals

So fascinating to see so many viewpoints!

 

[Demon]

I can accept heated sapphires/rubies (though I would prefer unheated), but not anything 'filled', and nothing oiled. Synthetic sapphires and rubies would be ok in a vintage piece but I don't see myself buying synthetic stones. Lab diamonds - I know they're diamonds, but they still seem a little fake to me, and I'm not sure I could ever feel they are as special as mined diamonds. Colored lab diamonds? I might one day buy a nice green lab diamond if they can ever get the color right. I would enjoy it for the color but I don't think I'd ever enjoy it as much as if it were mined - the color just wouldn't be 'natural'. And I would tell anyone who commented on it that it was a lab diamond, so clearly they aren't mind clean for me, at least not yet.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Last fall I bought a couple small (.61, .62) pear labs from B2C, they set them into earrings for me. They're white and lovely and I can actually see them on my ears but it doesn't feel the same. I'm glad I have them but don't see myself buying more lab diamonds. Unless it were an Octavia - Katy bar the door!

 

[hardwear]

You're not alone-- I thought I was alone in my thinking as well-
Thank you for bringing this up, my thoughts below.

I read the other thread a few days back and thought it was interesting and was happy to hear a good mix of "emotions" regarding EMD vs LGD. The previous discussion helped me realized I will always like the "real" thing. See just a few weeks before I asked to see some diamond studs, I was asked by jewelers if they can show me some LG studs first, I agreed to check them out while waiting for them to bring out EM studs. I tried on both pairs, all along feeling something not right or not happy/excited. --sorry I know that just sounds weird. Jewelers quoted me purchase price on LG studs , Never got to see the EM studs, I was told the price on EM studs for said carat size would be 3 or 4x price of LG. Yes, I am aware of the price difference between LG and EM diamonds They got very busy and I just left saying I would be in touch. I was kinda surprised by the whole transaction..as I have purchased EM jewelry pieces from them before and been very very happy with those pieces and the service.

Came home, a friend asked if I was going to get them and I said a firm no. Another jewelry lover like me, she immediately got what I was trying to say about my feelings on those LG studs.
SO- going forward, I will not buy LGD or lab colored stones. I would rather have a smaller diamond/gem and know nature had some hand in it and proudly wear it.

I like costume jewelry for fun, travel and that's ok too. No judgement on anyone, everyone likes what they like.

IS it me or have others noticed, lot of jewelry sites are now showing the LGD stuff first and you have to go through pages before the EMD show up?

 

[Diamond Girl 21]

I prefer earth grown to lab diamonds, but I own both. I want the best cut, color, and clarity I can afford without any treatments.

I prefer natural colored stones with little or no treatments. I don't like CS synthetics.

I have akoya, tahitian, and fresh water pearls. I don't mind if the fresh water pearls are dyed, but I prefer natural color.

I like 18kt gold and platinum the best, but I don't mind 14kt or silver depending on the piece.

I do own some costume jewelry, but I typically don't wear it.

 

[acaw2015]

Interesting topic!
As you may already know from the other thread I am not a purist re lab diamonds or cs. But I am a purist re clarity in stones. And a purist re metal, I prefer platinum or gold. Honestly, I don't care for white gold at all, as hard as it is to admit, because it doesn't "feel right".
So I admit to being a mixed "purist" too!
It is really interesting to read threads like these, makes me think about the preconceptions I have... And if I should change my way of thinking!

 

[Sunrises Sunsets]

I feel for those limited with the "purist" perception of life. It eclipses so much joy and fun. When they hit the streets, unless they're wearing a tattoo, bracelet or tee shirt that claims they are a "purist", no one notices and even if they notice, don't care. When it comes down to it, a beautiful piece of jewelry is admired and not tested for it's origin. I have seen many fun or beautiful or interesting pieces of clothing, purses, watches art and so forth that weren't designer or linen or leather or cotton. The admiring glances from people didn't indicate they couldn't love or have fun with those pieces because they weren't declared pure.

I have admired and purchased some designer items but to limit myself to those only would make me a unhappy. Life is short, believe me, go for the gusto. Try to break out of the ties that bind.

 

[CBianco]

I feel for those limited with the "purist" perception of life. It eclipses so much joy and fun. When they hit the streets, unless they're wearing a tattoo, bracelet or tee shirt that claims they are a "purist", no one notices and even if they notice, don't care. When it comes down to it, a beautiful piece of jewelry is admired and not tested for it's origin. I have seen many fun or beautiful or interesting pieces of clothing, purses, watches art and so forth that weren't designer or linen or leather or cotton. The admiring glances from people didn't indicate they couldn't love or have fun with those pieces because they weren't declared pure.







I have admired and purchased some designer items but to limit myself to those only would make me a unhappy. Life is short, believe me, go for the gusto. Try to break out of the ties that bind.

I don't think the point of this thread has much to do with having a "purist perception of life". I think it's about how much tolerance we have for gemstone treatments or whatnot that are mind clean enough for us. We each and all have our own little quirks and that is totally fine and normal.

I'm not unhappy or torturing myself because I can't like LGDs enough to own one. That being said I do like that it gives people more choices that are budget friendly, and I absolutely admire other pser's beautiful LGD jewelry.

I buy jewelry and gemstones simply for my own enjoyment and don't care much for what others think. Nor do I care at all if other people's jewelry and gems are "pure" or not. As long as it makes the other person happy.

To each their own