Question on colored stones for E ring

[MB21]

Im looking into getting a colored stone ring. I want something different than the plane old diamond. My only problem is i am having a hard time finding something that fits what i want.

Some things I am looking for

1. I would prefer blue or green colored stones
2. I want something that is actually Rare, Not just priced high do to artificial markets ie; Diamonds.
3. It needs to be something that can be worn every day, so im guessing somewhere at or above 7.5 on the Mohs scale, and is not brittle.


I had looked into benitoite, but it is to soft. Also heavily considered Tsavorite but did some reading around here and it seemed like it would not hold up to everyday wear.

Thanks for the help! Any suggestions would be great.

 

[Niel]

If you want blue I'd get a cobalt spinel
If you like mint green I'd get a vanadium chrysoberyl
Both rare and you can wear them daily

 

[Niel]

Colors of the stones I'm talking about. The spinel will be more costly. Both are costly.

 

[chroman]

If a nice cobalt spinel is *too* rare (for either availability or budget) an unheated sapphire might be another option.

What sort of price range are you thinking?

 

[Cognition]

How about red imperial topaz? taaffeite? pezzottaite? heliodore? alexandrite w/ excellent cc?

 

[Niel]

How about red imperial topaz? taaffeite? pezzottaite? heliodore? alexandrite w/ excellent cc?

I was thinking an alexandrite too but my work was how she's feel about a purple to green colorway

 

[chrono]

If you want blue I'd get a cobalt spinel
If you like mint green I'd get a vanadium chrysoberyl
Both rare and you can wear them daily

+1. Fits all your requirements.

 

[MissouriRiverSapphireCo]

A sapphire would be the most durable option. Fine unheated sapphires in particular are truly rare.

 

[MB21]

Guess I should have mentioned my budget for the loose stone itself is between $1000-$2000 dollars.

Alexandrite is intriguing and I have considered it before. I'm just worried about making sure it is natural and not synthetic. I am new to this and don't know which online dealers are trustworthy or not. Ive read good things about ajsgems, Africa gems, and multicolor but am not sure. Any others I should know about?

 

[Niel]

Do you want a lot of size?

 

[MB21]

Do you want a lot of size?

Id rather get a nice stone thats smaller than a low quality big stone. The tsavorite i was looking at was around 1 carat for $1200. It seems like if i want natural alexandrite with good clarity and decent color change i will have to go under .5 carats to stay in budget. Im fine with that. i just want to make sure im getting what i want. so i guess im saying size is not a big deal.

 

[Niel]

What shape were you liking?
What color blues and greens? What about a purple blue or a chartreuse yellow green?
Any other colors?
What metal color did you want to set it in?
What style setting?

 

[chrono]

6 mm at the minimum?

 

[MB21]

I'm thinking a 3 stone ring with a platinum band. Smaller diamonds on the sides to accent the stone in the middle.

 

[Niel]

I'm thinking a 3 stone ring with a platinum band. Smaller diamonds on the sides to accent the stone in the middle.

What shapes? And what is your budget for the setting

 

[lambskin]

Look across the home page at the pics of the October birthstones. Those tmls. are really pretty and fall within the blue-greens you like. I know some can be pricey and I do not know about hardness and durability.

 

[Niel]

if this helps, take a look at some 3 stone colored stone rings, maybe one of them will speak to you in regards to color/shape

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-diamond-and-gemstone-three-stone-rings.223997/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-diamond-and-gemstone-three-stone-rings.223997/[/URL]

 

[chroman]

Here's another idea.. How about a blue/green parti sapphire? They're rare, in that finding a nice one will be a hunt, but they don't have the massive price premium of cobalt spinel / unheated blue sapphire / alexandrite.

This would be an example:
http://www.genuineaussiegems.com.au/product/2-79ct-blue-green-sapphire-6-7-x-10-0mm/

 

[MB21]

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/alexandrite/yax715ae/&930512007

What do you guys think of this stone? From reading up on alexandrite it seems color change is the most important factor. This stone has strong color change, is eye clean, and comes GIA certified.

Thoughts?

 

[Niel]

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/alexandrite/yax715ae/&930512007

What do you guys think of this stone? From reading up on alexandrite it seems color change is the most important factor. This stone has strong color change, is eye clean, and comes GIA certified.

Thoughts?

Ignore the fact it has a strong color change, do you like the colors in those photos?

My problem with Alexandrite is that often the fact it has color change and is rare overshadows the fact that the colors alone aren't often that attractive.

Sure it's an engagement ring, which is meant to mean something, yes. But more than anything it's an item on your hand meant to be aesthetically pleasing.

 

[Niel]

When you talk about it being rare, do you want it to be uncommon for an engagement ring? Do you want it to be something that doesnt have peice inflation for being popular (think diamonds or blue sapphire's) or do you want something uncommon out of the ground? All of those? Some of those?

 

[MB21]

When you talk about it being rare, do you want it to be uncommon for an engagement ring? Do you want it to be something that doesnt have peice inflation for being popular (think diamonds or blue sapphire's) or do you want something uncommon out of the ground? All of those? Some of those?

Mainly uncommon from the ground. This is why I really like benitoite, it is actually rare and I liked the color. Unfortunately I started learning more about gems and found it is much to soft for a E Ring.

 

[Niel]

When you talk about it being rare, do you want it to be uncommon for an engagement ring? Do you want it to be something that doesnt have peice inflation for being popular (think diamonds or blue sapphire's) or do you want something uncommon out of the ground? All of those? Some of those?

Mainly uncommon from the ground. This is why I really like benitoite, it is actually rare and I liked the color. Unfortunately I started learning more about gems and found it is much to soft for a E Ring.

Would an unheated ruby be up your ally or is red not your jam?

 

[MB21]

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/alexandrite/yax715ae/&930512007

What do you guys think of this stone? From reading up on alexandrite it seems color change is the most important factor. This stone has strong color change, is eye clean, and comes GIA certified.

Thoughts?

Ignore the fact it has a strong color change, do you like the colors in those photos?

My problem with Alexandrite is that often the fact it has color change and is rare overshadows the fact that the colors alone aren't often that attractive.

Sure it's an engagement ring, which is meant to mean something, yes. But more than anything it's an item on your hand meant to be aesthetically pleasing.

I do like the bluish green colors that change to purple. The alexandrites that are more lime green and go to pink i dont care for.

 

[MB21]

When you talk about it being rare, do you want it to be uncommon for an engagement ring? Do you want it to be something that doesnt have peice inflation for being popular (think diamonds or blue sapphire's) or do you want something uncommon out of the ground? All of those? Some of those?

Mainly uncommon from the ground. This is why I really like benitoite, it is actually rare and I liked the color. Unfortunately I started learning more about gems and found it is much to soft for a E Ring.

Would an unheated ruby be up your ally or is red not your jam?

It is for my girlfriend. She prefers blue and green jewelry.

 

[Niel]

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/alexandrite/yax715ae/&930512007

What do you guys think of this stone? From reading up on alexandrite it seems color change is the most important factor. This stone has strong color change, is eye clean, and comes GIA certified.

Thoughts?

Ignore the fact it has a strong color change, do you like the colors in those photos?

My problem with Alexandrite is that often the fact it has color change and is rare overshadows the fact that the colors alone aren't often that attractive.

Sure it's an engagement ring, which is meant to mean something, yes. But more than anything it's an item on your hand meant to be aesthetically pleasing.

I do like the bluish green colors that change to purple. The alexandrites that are more lime green and go to pink i dont care for.

what im trying to get at is, if the stone looked like this all the time, would you like this color?

 

[Sungura]

What about color change / color shift stones. Here are mine. On the left an unheated color change sapphire and on the right a cobalt bearing spinel. The sapphire is unset now but when it was in a ring I loved to see the shifts between blue and violet. In this quick and dirty photoshoot the top picture is in the supermarket and the bottom pic is outside daylight. My skin looks different colors because that's what it looks like in the different lights. A color change sapphire would be easier to find and I find that they are very reasonably priced compared to pure blue ones

 

[MB21]

What about color change / color shift stones. Here are mine. On the left an unheated color change sapphire and on the right a cobalt bearing spinel. The sapphire is unset now but when it was in a ring I loved to see the shifts between blue and violet. In this quick and dirty photoshoot the top picture is in the supermarket and the bottom pic is outside daylight. My skin looks different colors because that's what it looks like in the different lights. A color change sapphire would be easier to find and I find that they are very reasonably priced compared to pure blue ones

probably not, but isnt that a mixed light situation? You might encounter that indoors during the day sometimes but outside it would appear blue/green and inside at night or with little natural light it would look purple/red

 

[MB21]

What about color change / color shift stones. Here are mine. On the left an unheated color change sapphire and on the right a cobalt bearing spinel. The sapphire is unset now but when it was in a ring I loved to see the shifts between blue and violet. In this quick and dirty photoshoot the top picture is in the supermarket and the bottom pic is outside daylight. My skin looks different colors because that's what it looks like in the different lights. A color change sapphire would be easier to find and I find that they are very reasonably priced compared to pure blue ones

thanks for the idea

 

[chrono]

probably not, but isnt that a mixed light situation? You might encounter that indoors during the day sometimes but outside it would appear blue/green and inside at night or with little natural light it would look purple/red

If that is the case, you are probably best to stick with a non-colour changer. We are in mixed lighting most of the time, even if we are unaware of it. Alexandrites are notorious for looking muddy most of the time due to the light conditions unless it is a very fine stone and those cost $$$$$.