Please talk me out of starting a colored gem collection!

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

I can''t help it - I see all of your beautiful colored stones/jewelry, and I keep thinking, "I want a colored stone collection!" Of course, I don''t have the time to turn any loose stones into finished pieces, and with grad school and loans, don''t really have the money...but they''re so pretty! I want some sparklies

So please talk me out of buying various colored stones!

 

[icekid]

Haha, we would never do that. They don''t call us enablers for nothing

I''m pretty sure I could only talk you INTO yummy colored stones; I can''t even talk myself out of them!

 

[geckodani]

Hee hee. I''m having the exact same problem over here, LOL!

 

[Catmom]

Oh I''m sorry Brown.Eyed.Girl, but we''re all enablers over here.........................must.......buy.........colored.........pretties!

 

[FrekeChild]

Yup yup yup. I have a hard enough time resisting myself. The good news is though, that there are a lot of colored stones that really aren't that expensive. I bought 6 smaller stones(tsavorite, demantoid, matched garnets, and a rhodolite) for just over $100 on day a while back, and I have no idea what I'll do with most of them, but they are so much fun to play with!

We are all enablers over here...

 

[princesss]

No.

No, I won''t talk you out of starting a collection. I just started myself (with two stones in the mail as we speak) and it''s wonderful. Start collecting! Everybody needs to collect *something*, right? Why not pretties?

 

[LostSapphire]

Date: 7/27/2008 11:07:51 AM
Author: FrekeChild
Yup yup yup. I have a hard enough time resisting myself. The good news is though, that there are a lot of colored stones that really aren''t that expensive. I bought 6 smaller stones(tsavorite, demantoid, matched garnets, and a rhodolite) for just over $100 on day a while back, and I have no idea what I''ll do with most of them, but they are so much fun to play with!

We are all enablers over here...

What she said!

Welcome to the world of COLOUR!!!

LS

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

you guys are awesome! Especially since I don''t *really* want to be talked out of it...I''m overseas now, and my address is unreliable (as in, who knows if I''ll ever get what''s sent to me!) so I have a few more weeks reprieve...and then I get back home and can start collecting in earnest. So to change the topic of this thread slightly, do you guys have any particular colored stones you like to collect, or are drawn to? (I might make this a separate thread later)

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I will say two thing.

Freak is right, there are several lower priced color stones. If you really want to start a collection, you could budget for it.

I did not start buying colored stones until after I graduated med school, moved, got myself on my feet and knew I could do it without going into debt.

 

[leggs]

My quick fix is ebay....be careful but have fun!!

 

[innerkitten]

Maybe start by purchasing a stone in your favorite color? How about customgemstones.com. They have great prices and I think it''s a good place to start.

 

[FrekeChild]

I like Topaz. Mostly because I love the London and Swiss blue colors, but also the properties of the stone are pretty cool. And it doesn''t hurt that it''s normally pretty dang cheap. I also like garnets a lot, and I think everyone needs at least one amethyst. Oooooo!!! And Tourmaline! I love tourmaline too!

I''d check out Artistic Colored Stones, Forever Gemstones and Custom Gemstones for excellent specimens, or GemSelect, Multicolor, and AJSGems for cheaper but not as quality stuff...

 

[princesss]

Don''t forget ArtCutGems!

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I started off by buying cheaper but pretty stones. Now, I budget for better, more expensive ones. And I play withh all my stones, from those first, not very well cut stones to the custom cut ones. And I design settings for them (which will eventually be made, as soon as I can get more bench time!).

Of course, I live in the land of the tourmalines, which made starting off easy!

 

[babysteps]

I only have a couple so no where near a collection . . . but what fun! I will be content with playing "what if" for settings for quite a while so it is all mental $$$ for now

so DH considers that a bonus!

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I forgot to say: set your "starter gems" in silver. It is much, much cheaper than gold and good quality silver is beautiful.

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 7/28/2008 9:51:06 AM
Author: Lady_Disdain
I forgot to say: set your ''starter gems'' in silver. It is much, much cheaper than gold and good quality silver is beautiful.

I agree. I currently have a golden beryl and a morganite set in sterling to give to my sisters-in-law for their upcoming birthdays. Silver is definitely a way to get variety at a reasonable cost, and it is pretty besides. Just be sure to buy a silver polishing cloth so you can give them a quick rub and take off the slight layer of tarnish each time you wear them.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone! Some of those sites are incredible - I love playing the "put everything you like in your shopping cart, regardless of price" game (as long as I don''t click "purchase" lol)

I am SO looking forward to being back in the States so I can start buying! I''ve realized I love aquas and London Blue topazes, plus pink tourmalines and blue spinels....sigh

 

[Harriet]

Since you asked ...

Buying gems never ends. There''s always another one that you want. A collector friend told me that he exceeds his budget every year. It''s only July and I''ve maxed mine out. Nasty habit.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

These are what I''m considering buying (and just having them shipped to BF''s place instead of here):

http://www.forevergemstones.com/proddetail.php?ProdID=1657

Pink Tourmaline

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

http://www.forevergemstones.com/proddetail.php?ProdID=2042

London Blue Topaz

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

http://www.forevergemstones.com/proddetail.php?ProdID=782

Red Spinel

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

http://www.forevergemstones.com/proddetail.php?ProdID=782

And finally, Citrine

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

I apparently really like primary colors.

What do you think?

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I like the colour and cut of the tourmaline, however it has been banged about somewhat (you can see several small nicks on the reflection).

I think that spinel has a window (you can see right through the center of the stone). In fact, I thought a lot of the more affordable spinels in Forever Gemstones were badly cut.

Welcome to the addiction!

 

[geckodani]

OMG those citrine are fun!!!

 

[geckodani]

Date: 7/28/2008 10:52:13 AM
Author: Fly Girl

Date: 7/28/2008 9:51:06 AM
Author: Lady_Disdain
I forgot to say: set your ''starter gems'' in silver. It is much, much cheaper than gold and good quality silver is beautiful.

I agree. I currently have a golden beryl and a morganite set in sterling to give to my sisters-in-law for their upcoming birthdays. Silver is definitely a way to get variety at a reasonable cost, and it is pretty besides. Just be sure to buy a silver polishing cloth so you can give them a quick rub and take off the slight layer of tarnish each time you wear them.

Where does one locate sterling silver settings?

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 7/28/2008 3:54:59 PM
Author: geckodani

Date: 7/28/2008 10:52:13 AM
Author: Fly Girl

Date: 7/28/2008 9:51:06 AM
Author: Lady_Disdain
I forgot to say: set your ''starter gems'' in silver. It is much, much cheaper than gold and good quality silver is beautiful.

I agree. I currently have a golden beryl and a morganite set in sterling to give to my sisters-in-law for their upcoming birthdays. Silver is definitely a way to get variety at a reasonable cost, and it is pretty besides. Just be sure to buy a silver polishing cloth so you can give them a quick rub and take off the slight layer of tarnish each time you wear them.

Where does one locate sterling silver settings?

I had my local jeweler do the setting. If you want to order them yourself, Barbara at acstones recommends tripps. Link

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Date: 7/28/2008 4:47:19 PM
Author: Fly Girl

Date: 7/28/2008 3:54:59 PM
Author: geckodani

Date: 7/28/2008 10:52:13 AM
Author: Fly Girl

Date: 7/28/2008 9:51:06 AM
Author: Lady_Disdain
I forgot to say: set your ''starter gems'' in silver. It is much, much cheaper than gold and good quality silver is beautiful.

I agree. I currently have a golden beryl and a morganite set in sterling to give to my sisters-in-law for their upcoming birthdays. Silver is definitely a way to get variety at a reasonable cost, and it is pretty besides. Just be sure to buy a silver polishing cloth so you can give them a quick rub and take off the slight layer of tarnish each time you wear them.

Where does one locate sterling silver settings?

I had my local jeweler do the setting. If you want to order them yourself, Barbara at acstones recommends tripps. Link

A local artisan used to make mine, to my specifications. Now, I make my own, except for expensive or delicate stones.

 

[geckodani]

Thanks Flygirl!

Date: 7/28/2008 5:24:11 PM
Author: Lady_Disdain

A local artisan used to make mine, to my specifications. Now, I make my own, except for expensive or delicate stones.

Wow! Where/how did you learn to make your own?