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Setting Advice for an Orange Garnet! PLEASE HELP!

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psproot12

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Apr 21, 2014
Messages
188
After gather advice on price scope I bought an orange brown garnet that I plan on setting in a ring. I have NEVER had a gem set in a ring before in my life! So, I definitely need some help. It's about 2.5 cts and my budget for the setting is 2k, I was thinking 18k WG (what my gf usually wears). Any idea on how to set it? I'm really lost. I felt guilty about buying her a $300 stone, so I'm willing to go for a nicer setting (she did buy me a Tag for my name day). Also, I've included a video of the garnet ((uploaded on my uncle's youtube account)(In the video you can see the garnet has this hologram like inclusion, any idea what it's called??) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BM5oCQKxEI

20140429_182234.jpg
 
Pretty & unique color to the stone! I didn't see the inclusion you noted (and I don't have eagle eyes for those kinds of things as well as others do), but it does appear to have a window if that is what you mean (how you can see through the stone to the light colored surface below it in the video).
 
No, I wasn't talking about the window, which I am aware of. I was talking about in the video at 0:25 0:26 you can see this hologram like inclusion. Do you have any setting advice? :lickout:
 
Ahh I see what you mean ... I don't know what it is, but I think it looks kinda cool. As for setting idea, I am not quite sure. I never thought about a brownish/orange stone. I would probably go scouting inspiration pictures for starters to get an idea of what I like/don't like and work from there. Does she have tastes in any particular direction? Modern, vintage/antique, classic, etc?
 
I think those are crystal inclusions. What I would watch out for are coloured flash if it has inclusions that break the surface because they might point to the garnet being fracture filled. I don't think it is but just in case. ;))

I'm not sure if I would pair a tsavorite with the garnet; the strong bright green colouration will overpower the orangish brown.
 
Chrono|1398862094|3663486 said:
I think those are crystal inclusions. What I would watch out for are coloured flash if it has inclusions that break the surface because they might point to the garnet being fracture filled. I don't think it is but just in case. ;))

I'm not sure if I would pair a tsavorite with the garnet; the strong bright green colouration will overpower the orangish brown.
Click to expand...

+1
 
Thanks for the advice about a bright tsavorite, maybe a darker green tourmaline? Wouldn't be as overpowering to its suttle color, do you agree? I want green because she always wears greenish tops, emeralds are too hard to even find let alone afford :(sad
 
Thanks for the advice. Any thoughts on a dark green tourmaline instead?
 
You posted the day before yesterday that you were looking for an orange/brown garnet for your girlfriend. Then you went to the jeweler and bought this one. I know that you set out to buy a brown garnet, but I feel like you overpaid. Brown is one of the least desirable colors of gemstones, so it should be very very inexpensive. Comparable brown garnets were not easy to find, not because it's not common, because it is, but because it's not what people are looking for when they look for garnets. I think at even $120/ct, that's a steep price for a brown, included, windowed stone that's not cut very well. I went and looked at pictures I took of garnets when I was at a store in New Mexico last winter, and there are larger (8x10 oval, so probably around 4cts) brown/orange hessonites of likely similar quality for $160/stone.

I wanted to show you some others that are available online that are sort of similar in color to what you have in hand, to give you more options, in case you wanted to explore a little bit more.

Here are two garnets that are extremely well cut, one is more than double what you spent on this oval but looks to be more brown, the other is a little over half of what you paid, and more orange:
http://precisiongem.com/Gemstones/Gemstones/rapidcart/orangegarnet.html

Quite a bit smaller, but precision cut, and currently only $96.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMERICAN-CU...493?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20e25ae26d

This is beautifully cut, larger and $500.
http://www.torraca.net/projects/gar576/

I feel like this is similar in quality to what you have:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/182661...&ga_search_type=supplies&ga_view_type=gallery

https://www.etsy.com/listing/173374...&ga_search_type=supplies&ga_view_type=gallery

https://www.etsy.com/listing/183927...&ga_search_type=supplies&ga_view_type=gallery

I would probably set it by itself.
 
In general, one gets more selection online over Brick & Mortar stones, such as the example below.

2.2 ct beautifully cut (no window), totally eye clean brownish reddish orange spessartite for $155.
http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?977915945

b_yse248al.jpg
 
My god! I had no idea, I did really overpay :(sad Seeing what I could have got ;( . I was just so excited and rushed it, big mistake on my part. But I guess you do learn from your mistakes. What makes me even sadder is that my girlfriend and I aren't even talking right now. I was getting so excited and now... but whatever, at least I learned a lesson about not shaking hands on the first shiny stone I see :errrr:
 
Can you return it? The store should be willing to take it back. Good luck! Hope happier times return.
 
Your excitement is understandable and it's not too late to do better from now on. We are always continuing to learn and improve, right? I'm sorry about your GF; matters of the heart are always complicated and I hope it will be resolved soon. As for the garnet, are you still within the return window? Perhaps you can get a refund?
 
I think diamonds would be lovely, but so would citrine stones or imperial topaz.
 
Oh dear. Fingers crossed that you resolve the issues with your GF soon, so you can continue making a beautiful, thoughtful project for her soon. 8)
 
Unfortunately, I don't think things are going to work out with my girl friend. Also, I have returned the garnet and received a 90%, which I feel is understandable.
 
From now on I'm going to check online first. I've also seen some nice stuff on Craigslist, but it sounds too good to be true. I'm just worried about getting ripped off online...even though I know the price and selection are unbeatable.
 
From now on I'm going to check online first. I've also seen some nice stuff on Craigslist, but it sounds too good to be true. I'm just worried about getting ripped off online...even though I know the price and selection are unbeatable. Also. thanks for the kind words guys, really cheered me up :appl:
 
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