Suggestions?

[Gypsy]

So, I want to get my Lucida type (X prong) setting set with a colored stone of some sort after my diamond is reset... and I thought.. since you guys are so incredible I would ask you all for ideas.

I don''t want it to be costly-- so ruby, emerald and sapphire are all out...

What to you all think?

 

[Gypsy]

It also occurs to me to ask... where should I look for some nice selections of colored gem stones... are there any online jewelry stores that you all like/ have worked with that you recommend?

 

[indecisive]

Here are a couple sites I like to look at. I don''t have any actual experience but I have heard good things about cherrypicked.

http://www.cherrypicked.com/

http://www.wildfishgems.com/

 

[Gypsy]

Okay... I trolled a couple of posts and found a recommendation for precision set... do you think this garnet would work in my setting? Or does it need something with different prongs? It''s stunning.

Here''s what it says about it...
Spessartite Garnet - 1.05 ct This is cut in an antique cushion design. A pretty traditional look. Color 4, Clarity 5


Plus the price is great.

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 4/25/2006 7:21:51 PM
Author: indecisive
Here are a couple sites I like to look at. I don''t have any actual experience but I have heard good things about cherrypicked.

http://www.cherrypicked.com/

http://www.wildfishgems.com/

Dazzling. Wow... so much variety-- in the cut options, in the colors, in the sparkle. Just so warm and rich. Nice sites, good recommendations.

 

[ilovesparkles]

forgot to add that with gems you have to look for the right size measurement in milimeters instead of carat because the weight varies from diamonds!

 

[ilovesparkles]

Ok so I ofcourse have a bagillion suggestions already going back to Gene's sight. ETA: all the stone I post should have the color/type/stone# as the picture title in case you want to go look at them on the site. Sapphire 357

 

[ilovesparkles]

Amethyst 285

 

[ilovesparkles]

This is a personal favorite only because I almost bought it. Even had a poll going! Blue zircon 187

 

[ilovesparkles]

Chrysoberyle 377 I know absolutely nothing about this stone but thought it was pretty.

ETA: I meant this type of stone. But according to Gene it has a hardness of 8.5 which is ideal for a ring, sapphires are a 9.

 

[ilovesparkles]

Malaya Garnet 327

 

[ilovesparkles]

Spinel 371

 

[ilovesparkles]

Songea Sapphire 393

 

[indecisive]

Cool I haven''t see that site before. It doesn''t say if the stones are treated or not though. The two websites I posted are for untreated, natural gems.

Gypsy- I really hope you keep us updated on your search!!

 

[ilovesparkles]

Date: 4/25/2006 9:44:01 PM
Author: indecisive
Cool I haven''t see that site before. It doesn''t say if the stones are treated or not though. The two websites I posted are for untreated, natural gems.

Gypsy- I really hope you keep us updated on your search!!

You can easily email him and ask about this. He usually replies by the end of the day if you don''t email him to late. And some stones do say if they are untreated.

 

[Gypsy]

Well, my did email Gene... forgot to ask about treated untreated... but he did tell me he has some uncut stones... so I just emailed him with my favorite stone. It''s 2 carats, so it''s too big for my setting... but the bright square cut is just stunning and I like the color. So we''ll see. I want a cut with lots of sparkle and flash.

 

[riogems]

I don''t think you have to worry about hardness for any of these. Hardness isn''t exactly a good measure of how a stone will hold up for you in jewelry. Hardness usually refers to the Mohs scale which is related to how hard it is to "scratch" something. This doesn''t relate to more common problems like chipping or breaking a stone. You can even chip a diamond.

 

[indecisive]

Well, you do have to think about the hardness in relation to how much you plan to wear it and how hard you are on it. I was under the impression that tanzanite and emeralds were softer and not great for wearing 24/7 and you have to be more careful with them. It shouldn''t be a problem with sapphires or some of the other stones you are looking at. I would talk to the vendor you decide to go with about the pluses and minuses of the different gem stones and your intentions for it.

 

[valeria101]

The size is not listed for all of these, right? And your setting held a 6mm square... Maybe a bit more would still work, but... it would be nice to know what fits and what doesn''t.


About hardness and wearability - always wondered why isn''t there some popular scale of ''fitness to wear''. Mohs scale was not supposed to do that.


Do you like purple (reddish?). The looks and description of the cut sound very intriguing! And you will not have to worry about wear and tear with spinel.

 

[indecisive]

Ana I think that is the prettiest one!!

 

[riogems]

Indecisive -- I was saying that the mohs hardness scale as it is set up does not have any account of wearability. There are other measures -- but more important is resistance to impact. An emerald is hard on the mohs scale (7.5- -- yet as you know it can be brittle -- also depending on inclusions. Some can be suitable for everyday light wear too. Therefore, my conclusion is mohs scale is meaningless to a consumer. For any of those stones mentioned above, they are all suitable for wear.

 

[indecisive]

Ok, I gotcha. I think that how easily things are to be scratched would affect everyday wear though. If a stone scratches easily it could look cloudy and dull pretty quickly which isn''t something I would be willing to deal with. I am sure there is some way to re-polish stones but it would probably be a pain to do to often. That said, most of these stones are used in jewelry a lot so it probably isn''t an issue. Thanks for the info.. it''s really interesting. Any updates Gypsy?

 

[Gypsy]

Nope. LOL.

FI likes the cut of the spinel... but thinks the color still looks fushia ish. (Not sure what his definition of fushia is... thinking it''s deep pinkish-redish-purple though. I love the man but he still thinks ecru is white).

Just so he doesn''t sound like a dictator... he loves the x-prong setting and isn''t all that happy with my diamond halo (doesn''t want the stone bezel set, fears the loss of light return), but I''m adamant about that after three years of looking for settings and loving the exact halo I''m getting (saw one like it in Pampillion''s window in DC 4 years ago). ... so I promised I''d have the x-prong re-set with a stone we both liked.

 

[Gypsy]

Does anyone know if X-prongs can be set with rectangular stones set east-west??? We both LOVE the look of this one from Wild Fish... but it''s ''shallow'' and windowed. (not sure what windowing means)

- Identification: Brownish Green Tourmaline

- Carat: 1.61

- Shape: Emerald

- Measures: 7.96x6.12x3.51

- Color Grade: Good

- Tone: Medium Dark 80

- Color Zoning: None

- Clarity: Free of Inclusions

- Cutting Grade: Good (flawless but sl. windowed)

o Brilliancy: 40%

o Depth: 57%

- Origin: Adam''s Peak, Sri Lanka

- Treatment: None



Certificate No: 007137



Overall Grade: Good



Comment: Strongest green darker than photo shows. Slightly windowed but cut and color covers it well enough. Moderately priced due to depth. Will maintain color in closed setting.



Our prices include transport, insurance, grading report and full third party certification.

Read here about gemstone grading.

Our supply-chain ensures that we carry only untreated stones. All our stones have been mined ecologically here in Sri Lanka.

 

[Gypsy]

This round yellow zircon is nice... I''ve never seen a yellow zircon... but the price is nice and might look like a canary diamond when set???

Zircon
Price: $240.00
1.20 Carat
Vivid Maize Yellow
Tone: Light 35
Free of Inclusions
($240 all inclusive)

Details:


GRADING REPORT ZG3



- Identification: Yellow Zircon

- Carat: 1.20

- Shape: Round

- Measures: 5.60x5.50x4.20

- Color Grade: Very Good

- Tone: Light 35

- Color Zoning: None

- Clarity: Free of Inclusions

- Cutting Grade: Excellent

o Brilliancy: 90%

o Depth: 76%

- Origin: Adam''s Peak, Sri Lanka

- Treatment: None



Certificate No: 005443



Overall Grade: Excellent



Comment: Rarely given ''excellent'' in a perfectly sized, most brilliant stone with the unbeatable zircon luster. A fine but affordable center stone for an elegant piece of jewelry.

 

[Gypsy]

Okay.... I''m totally in love with the zircon above. I asked him some questions... but I''m pretty sure this is going to be my choice.

What do you guys think? And please feel free to be blunt and honest-- I appreciate it... even if you hate my choice and think it''s bland... it''s okay. I''m in love with the fire of the cut. So brilliant.

 

[indecisive]

I don''t know much but I think it is gorgeous. I wouldn''t say that it will look like a canary diamond when mounted though. Different gem stones have different refractive indexes so they will look different and have a different sparkle because of that. I will let someone who knows more about it tell you how a zircon compares to a diamond

. Also, I think windowing means that if you were to hold the stone over a newspaper you could read the words through it. It is generally not a great thing but it all depends on what look you are going for. I really like how lively the zircon looks though!

 

[Gypsy]

I just read up on Zircon''s and apparently they have the highest refractive index of any gem-- with the exception of diamonds. So that''s good!

The only bad thing about them is that they are very dense... so a carat of zircon is much smaller than a carat of anything else. Which explains why at 1.2 carats the stone is a little over 5.5 mm in diameter... but I think it will fit nicely.

 

[riogems]

Yes - windowing means you can see through the stone. You want the light to go in, bounce off the facets, and then come back up through the face and blind you. But in a stone that is cut too shallow (as the green tourmaline emerald cut above) - you can indeed see through the stone (and the light goes in and out the back). Sometimes, depending on the stone, a window isn''t such a big deal. It could be that if that stone was cut to better proportion, the color would become too dark (or that it just wasn''t possible to cut it any thicker).

 

[ilovesparkles]

Wow go to class and work for one day and miss a bazillion posts! Sorry. That chrys is from the Misc. stones. But it seems as though yoiu may have found your stone. I normally don''t like yellows but that spinel is just GORGEOUS! Can''t wait to hear what you finally decide!