Please talk me out of starting a colored gem collection!

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 7/28/2008 3:53:09 PM
Author: geckodani
OMG those citrine are fun!!!

I''m thinking of buying two of those and making some earrings later on with them

They are the happiest, sunshiney yellow I''ve seen!


I think I''ll look harder and find something else for the banged up tourmaline and the red spinel. More fun at work!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Or not on the citrine earrings. Just went back and checked carat weight. Those would be heavy!

Possibly about to pull the trigger on a couple...

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Date: 7/28/2008 7:57:50 PM
Author: 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?

There are a lot of studios that have bench jewelry classes. You learn to shape metal, solder and texture metal, all the basic stone setting (several different types of bezel and prongs as well as tension and channel setting).

It is very fulfilling to see your design take shape!

 

[marcy]

I think you should start one even if you can only buy some inexpensive stones. This is my gem dish. The first things I put in there was a 100 ct. assorted gems with flaws and chips. I liked it some much I ordered another 100 ct. assorted gems without flaws. I call this my prozac in a dish.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

You anticipated my next question, Dani! I was going to ask where you ladies put your lovely loose stones (was there too much alliteration there? I think I''ve had too much caffeine!). That''s a great idea - so pretty!

 

[geckodani]

LOL. Yay for alliteration. Wish I was that caffeinated.

Hmmm. I now have to look into taking classes in how to make jewelry, LOL. Thanks for the info Lady_Disdain!

Date: 7/29/2008 12:06:21 AM
Author: marcyc
I think you should start one even if you can only buy some inexpensive stones. This is my gem dish. The first things I put in there was a 100 ct. assorted gems with flaws and chips. I liked it some much I ordered another 100 ct. assorted gems without flaws. I call this my prozac in a dish.

LMAO!!!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Shoot, I just realized, sorry Marcy, you actually anticipated that last question. It''s been a day of various faux pas....

 

[marcy]

No worries brown eyed girl. I frequently play with the gems in my dish and yes I have occasionally dropped something and lost it. Now i know enough to always be setting at the table and having everything over a paper towel.

 

[Kismet]

Date: 7/29/2008 12:06:21 AM
Author: marcyc
I think you should start one even if you can only buy some inexpensive stones. This is my gem dish. The first things I put in there was a 100 ct. assorted gems with flaws and chips. I liked it some much I ordered another 100 ct. assorted gems without flaws. I call this my prozac in a dish.

I would just clarify that, if you want to keep your stones as scratch and nick free as possible, I would NOT keep them all together in a dish. They can and will scratch and chip each other.

If you want to keep them as clean as possible, keep them in the box or container they arrived in.

 

[geckodani]

Date: 7/28/2008 10:31:30 PM
Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl
Or not on the citrine earrings. Just went back and checked carat weight. Those would be heavy!

Possibly about to pull the trigger on a couple...

But can you imagine a pendent or a ring! Or a necklace with all 3?!

 

[cushioncutnut]

Date: 7/29/2008 8:19:39 AM
Author: geckodani

LOL. Yay for alliteration. Wish I was that caffeinated.

Hmmm. I now have to look into taking classes in how to make jewelry, LOL. Thanks for the info Lady_Disdain!

Date: 7/29/2008 12:06:21 AM
Author: marcyc
I think you should start one even if you can only buy some inexpensive stones. This is my gem dish. The first things I put in there was a 100 ct. assorted gems with flaws and chips. I liked it some much I ordered another 100 ct. assorted gems without flaws. I call this my prozac in a dish.

LMAO!!!

LMAO! Now that is the best form of Prozac I have seen!!

 

[marcy]

Thanks cushioncutnet. I really like my gem dish to relax me.

Kismet, any gemstone that gets put in my dish is for nothing other than a piece of my collection. I know they will be scratching each other in there. If I order stones for jewelry and decide they aren't nice enough then I decide if they'll get returned or go in my dish. I also have changed out stones in rings and pendants so the yukky stones I replaced go in there as well.
ETA: I am a clean freak so after someone looks through the stones and touches them I put them in a little strainer and soak them in jewelry cleaner. Even my gemstones in my dish must be clean.

 

[Kismet]

Date: 7/29/2008 2:13:42 PM
Author: marcyc
Thanks cushioncutnet. I really like my gem dish to relax me.


Kismet, any gemstone that gets put in my dish is for nothing other than a piece of my collection. I know they will be scratching each other in there. If I order stones for jewelry and decide they aren''t nice enough then I decide if they''ll get returned or go in my dish. I also have changed out stones in rings and pendants so the yukky stones I replaced go in there as well.

ETA: I am a clean freak so after someone looks through the stones and touches them I put them in a little strainer and soak them in jewelry cleaner. Even my gemstones in my dish must be clean.

Heh, I was sure you knew what you were doing with your gems, I just wanted people who were new to gemstones to know that keeping them all mixed together in a dish isn''t the way to go if they wanted to keep them scratch free.

I was using ''clean'' in the clarity sense rather than "ooh, I just ate buttered popcorn, I will now root through Marcy''s gem dish" sense.

 

[marcy]

Date: 7/29/2008 2:24:36 PM
Author: Kismet


Heh, I was sure you knew what you were doing with your gems, I just wanted people who were new to gemstones to know that keeping them all mixed together in a dish isn''t the way to go if they wanted to keep them scratch free.

I was using ''clean'' in the clarity sense rather than ''ooh, I just ate buttered popcorn, I will now root through Marcy''s gem dish'' sense.

Definitely good idea to let newbees know my gem dish is not the proper way to store gems they want as collector gems or to use in jewelry. I would so smack someone''s hand if they tried to touch my gems with greasy fingers.

 

[Joan]

Marcy..just imagining going through your dish and you straining them afterwards in secret! lolololo

 

[marcy]

Date: 7/29/2008 11:52:13 PM
Author: Joan
Marcy..just imagining going through your dish and you straining them afterwards in secret! lolololo

LOL. My husband just smiles. It''s more entertaining to watch me try to pick them up with tweezers. That is not a skill I possess.

 

[geckodani]

Date: 7/30/2008 1:06:05 AM
Author: marcyc

Date: 7/29/2008 11:52:13 PM
Author: Joan
Marcy..just imagining going through your dish and you straining them afterwards in secret! lolololo

LOL. My husband just smiles. It''s more entertaining to watch me try to pick them up with tweezers. That is not a skill I possess.

LOL. You sound like me.... grace and dexterity are not my fortes ...

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Date: 7/30/2008 1:06:05 AM
Author: marcyc

Date: 7/29/2008 11:52:13 PM
Author: Joan
Marcy..just imagining going through your dish and you straining them afterwards in secret! lolololo

LOL. My husband just smiles. It's more entertaining to watch me try to pick them up with tweezers. That is not a skill I possess.

Oh, no! Not tweezers! Please... Have mercy...

I am a disaster at handling stones with tweezers. Just not possible, unless it is a very small stone. I can just see the stone flying throw the air in a graceful arc...

I have adopted white cotton gloves to handle gems. Safer and more convenient.

 

[geckodani]

Date: 7/30/2008 8:38:31 AM
Author: Lady_Disdain

Oh, no! Not tweezers! Please... Have mercy...

I am a disaster at handling stones with tweezers. Just not possible, unless it is a very small stone. I can just see the stone flying throw the air in a graceful arc...

I have adopted white cotton gloves to handle gems. Just safer and more convenient.

LMAO! I just got the best mental image....

I looked into Tripps, and came to the conclusion that I''d probably spend more $$$ figuring out how to set the danged stones then I would just having someone do it for me.

 

[marcy]

Dani and Lady Disdain trust me I have shot more than one gem flying through the air and lost some of them. A few months ago I had a channel set diamond come out of a ring in my US. I found it but since it was so tiny I couldn''t get that little wet sucker to stick to my finger. I finally picked it up with my tweezers and got it out of the cleaner and then it went flying. I heard it hit but never found it. White gloves are a great idea. I will have to pick some up.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Date: 7/28/2008 12:29:41 PM
Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl
http://www.forevergemstones.com/proddetail.php?ProdID=782

And finally, Citrine

Is anyone serious about buying this? The more I look at it, the more I see a very nice pendent taking shape.

I'm not sure if there are more available and I won't buy them from under anyone. So please speak up and let me know!

Edited to add the link to the citrines: http://www.forevergemstones.com/proddetail.php?ProdID=1459

 

[geckodani]

I'd love one, but I can't justify it right now... anyone else?

Edit to add the fact that I don't even like yellow. You have all corrupted me.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

I say go for it. I was looking at it, BUT there are all sorts of buying issues with me being overseas and my credit card not...so I won''t be buying for a while yet. I''m glad someone who appreciates the color/stone will get it!

 

[Pandora II]

Coloured Gemstone Collection equals:

- expensive
- addictive
- so much better than shoes or handbags...

I''m only allowed to collected garnets for the forseeable future, and they are likely to take me a LONG time. I prefer to save up and buy one really nice piece at a time rather than cheaper ones more often.

I''ve just bought an amazing mali garnet which is the finest one I''ve seen yet. It goes from a yellow/green with orange flashes in the sun to a brownish orange under electric light. It is soooo sparkly. I showed it to DH the other day and he said he couldn''t understand why someone would buy a diamond when they could have one of them!

All my stones live in little gem boxes with glass tops in cases of 50.

 

[marcy]

Brown eyed girl - I hope you find something to start your collection with soon.

Pandora, I am actually picking up some garnets right now myself. They are gorgeous stones. I just had a ring made and like it well enough I ordered some stones or a pendant and earrings. I was going to post some pictures of the ring in a few minutes.

 

[loriken214]

Marcy, I LOVE your gemstones in the crystal heart dish! I''m going to do the same, except I''m putting some old rhinestones in my dish since I don''t have many gemstones in my collection yet. Unfortunately, I''m on the real prozac, but anticipate this form will please me greatly, too!

I have a little Swarovski crystal treasure chest with multi colored crystals in it, but I don''t dare touch them....that set cost a fortune and is too small to fondle...LOL!

Where do you suggest I look for quality gemstones without having to pay a fortune? I''m going to ask Jeff White to cut a few more asscher spinels for me, but other than that, I''d love to have some other colors and shapes. One piece at a time as to save the budget.

Lori

 

[marcy]

Lori, rhinestones in your dish will look great. I bought a lot of mine from 2 places. Most were small and or cheap but I wanted one of each.

Mind you 99.9% are not gem quality but some aren''t bad. They at least sparkle and entertain me.

http://www.gemcountryusa.com/gemstones/


This one has bargain gems and wholesale lots.
http://www.mystictopaz.com/

 

[dragonfly411]

I didn''t read through the whole thing but was going to say - but you can get some great topaz and others for less than 50 dollars! Loose and ready for mounting! I made a fabulous topaz ring for less than 100 dollars, and earrings for less than 40 all matching... come on you know you wanna MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[dragonfly411]

I''m my own enabler. I am currently buying a topaz as we speak. GAH

 

[Tuckins1]

No way will I even attempt to talk you out of it! In fact, the more I hang out on this forum, the more I think about starting one of my own!!!