audball
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2008
- Messages
- 4,946
Hello! This is my first venture into colored stones! I have a full-set of emerald jewelry given to me by my FF over the last several years. All natural in different shades of green. My earrings and pendant have taken the least abuse whereas my bracelet (don't wear anymore except on special occasions...) and my ring (I never take it off...) take a lot. My ring is 9.5 mm high from the top of my finger to the table of the stone! High, I know. He picked everything out himself and I get many compliments on everything. Recently we've noticed two chips in the stone of my ring (in a 4 prong setting, oval shape, roughly 7mm x 9mm). A chip on each of the N side and S side of the stone. My ring's stone is fairly dark and I can't really tell how bad the chips are. I plan on taking it in to have it looked at as soon as the semester ends.
So first question, any recommendations in the Tampa Bay, FL area for having my ring looked at? I've heard great things about some appraiser in Sarasota, but I don't know if he has the ability to unset the stone, polish it up, etc. to determine the integrity of the stone with the chips? The ring was given to me on our 1 year anniversary in 2006, we just celebrated 4 years last weekend. S isn't really a sentimental person, so I don't think we're going to have any trouble with a reset if the stone still has integrity enough to wear as a ring. But, even still, I'm contemplating resetting it into an alternate pendant since they take much less abuse than my hands do. I know I'll get scolded for this, but I LIVE in my jewelry and it never comes off. Not at the gym, not for dishes, chores, etc. The only time it ever comes off is at the beach.
What I'd like to do, I think, is have the stone unset over the winter break and cleaned up as much as possible with polishing to re-define the facets and buff away scratches. Keep in safe until I can reset it into a pendant since the stone is sentimental *to me*. The setting is yellow gold. I'm thinking about purchasing a new stone and having it set into a bezel setting since I'm so rough on my ring. I'd like to reuse the yellow gold from my first ring for part or all of the new setting, so that it's still with me in a way.
Down to business, this is the stone I'm looking at. It was described as a very durable stone that would work in a ring needing to take abuse. I know this stone is not green, I would love to stay with green as it's my favorite color and would match the rest of my jewelry, however, all the green stones I've read about are less hard than emeralds and I don't know that any of them (short of finding the perfect shade of green sapphire which would likely be out of budget) would work for me. If anyone has suggestions though, please let me know! I'm hoping to spend less than $2k total on the project and the setting I have in mind will cost ~1200 (JM 1345 in unplated white gold with YG wraps and bezel from my original ring...I hope).
Preferred specs of future stone, round in shape, minimum of 7mm to a maximum of 7.5mm, under $1k, pref under $750. I like green, but I think I've decided to go with a lemony shade of yellow for durability (either sapphire or chyrsoberyl). Any recommedations?
Without further ado, here is the stone. If you know where it's from, please don't disclose, I have not reserved the stone as I'm still in the looking phase and would prefer lurkers not know it's whereabouts.
Specs:
2.16 yellow chrysoberyl
7.4mm
VVS
Origin is Brazil
Price is $530
Thanks for any help in advance!!
ETA: WOW! Sorry that was so long...thanks to anyone who is still with me!
Pic 1