TL, Chono, over here!! My collection...

[portia]

I had all my stones ready to post several months ago and then got busy and well... it never happened. Luckily, I saved the file so I can just copy and paste it. Kind of pain to look everything up (I know... bad... I don''t have it all committed to memory, but I''m learning!

) So here''s my collection...



Top row (L to R):
4.88 ct Pakistani peridot (Richard Wise)
?? ct Blue-green tourmaline (Dan Stair)
2.95 ct Tsavorite (Swala)
5.95 ct Blue-green tourmaline (Pala)
Middle row (L to R):
3.38 ct Rhodolite garnet (Gary Braun)
4.59 ct Umbalite garnet (Precision Gems)
4.33 ct Tanga garnet (Barry Bridgestock)
3.4 ct Mahenge spinel (Swala)
Bottom row (L to R):
2.88 ct Purple Ceylon sapphire-unheated (Gary Braun)
5.9 ct Spessartite (Pala)
4.6 ct Citrine (Peter Torraca)
11.94 ct Amethyst (Richard Wise)

 

[T L]

Thank you Portia,
You have some really lovely stones, and all so well cut.

 

[portia]

Thanks, TL!

Here''s the glamour shot my DH was so kind to take. My photos always look like crap! LOL

 

[chrono]

Thanks for the details; I was so sure the green stone on the left was a sphene because it looks so dispersive!

ETA
The glamour shot is even more beautiful. The colours are so rich, the details so clear and crisp!

 

[PumpkinPie]

what a gorgeous collection.. I particularly LOVE the peridot!
I just want to eat them all like candy- mmmm

 

[T L]

Date: 4/9/2010 9:25:12 PM
Author: portia
Thanks, TL!

Here''s the glamour shot my DH was so kind to take. My photos always look like crap! LOL

Wow, that is a glamorous shot. You''re not married to Mr. Zeolite are you? LOL!

Beautiful photo.

 

[portia]

Date: 4/9/2010 9:27:27 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 4/9/2010 9:25:12 PM
Author: portia
Thanks, TL!

Here''s the glamour shot my DH was so kind to take. My photos always look like crap! LOL

Wow, that is a glamorous shot. You''re not married to Mr. Zeolite are you? LOL!

Beautiful photo.

No, LOL... we were very inspired by Gary Braun''s photos and discovered some tips on how to do that. Still doesn''t look like Finewater''s, but DH is getting better.

 

[portia]

Date: 4/9/2010 9:25:16 PM
Author: Chrono
Thanks for the details; I was so sure the green stone on the left was a sphene because it looks so dispersive!

ETA
The glamour shot is even more beautiful. The colours are so rich, the details so clear and crisp!

Thanks Chrono! Yes, it''s very dispersive. I can see how you would think is sphene from the first photo. My jaw dropped when I opened package and saw it. I can''t wait to set it! But then again... I can''t wait to set the Mahenge... er... and the Tsav... and um... the Amethyst and... OMG, this is going to be expensive!!

 

[marcy]

They are gorgeous stones and love the glamor shot.

 

[portia]

Date: 4/9/2010 9:26:54 PM
Author: Maevie
what a gorgeous collection.. I particularly LOVE the peridot!
I just want to eat them all like candy- mmmm

Thanks Maevie, they do look like candy. I''m always pulling them out of their boxes and walking around the house with them checking them out in different lighting. My DH is sure one of the cats is going to find one and eat it like candy!

 

[CharmyPoo]

I absolutely love tha swala tsavorite. The color and cutting is amazing!

 

[baby nurse]

What a treat, thank you for sharing! I too love the peridot.

 

[Indylady]

Beautiful collection!

 

[portia]

Thanks marcyc, CharmyPoo, baby nurse, IndyLady

Wow, it sounds like everyone really likes the peridot. Maybe I should set that one first?

Oops! I just realized I had two garnets mixed up - these two are reversed.
3.38 ct Rhodolite garnet (Gary Braun)
4.59 ct Umbalite garnet (Precision Gems)

 

[Arkteia]

Gorgeous collection!

 

[packrat]

Beautiful collection Portia! I gotta jump on the peridot bandwagon too-I think that''s my favorite one!

 

[platinumrock]

Gorgeous collection!! My favorites are the mahenge and spess.

 

[Barrett]

wow..sort of jumps up and bites you those stones and pics..very nice...if you don''t mind me asking how did you get all 3 rows of stones in the glamour shot to be in focus..stacking software?

 

[Barrett]

also..you sure do have a premier list of cutters and vendors in those stones..wowzers

 

[Lovinggems]

Gorgeous collection, you have a good eye for colour.

 

[Pandora II]

Beautiful collection...seems a shame to set them they look so pretty like that!

 

[virgoruby]

Wow, what an amazing collection!

 

[Kismet]

That''s a gorgeous collection! And I''m all jealous of your husband''s photography skills too.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

YUM!

 

[oddoneout]

Holy moly that''s quite the collection. Your DH''s glamour shot is amazing.

 

[ma re]

I don''t have a particular favorite but...peridot

tsavorite

amethyst

citrine

...All in all, it''s a wonderful collection. Enjoy the beauties!

 

[luckynumber]

wow that''s REALLY great photography and the stones are sensational!!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

beautiful! I esp. love the tsav.

 

[portia]

Date: 4/10/2010 1:11:45 AM
Author: amethystguy
wow..sort of jumps up and bites you those stones and pics..very nice...if you don''t mind me asking how did you get all 3 rows of stones in the glamour shot to be in focus..stacking software?

Thanks amethystguy! I got the photoshoot info from my DH this morning. He shot the photo with a Nikon D700 and a Tamron 90mm macro lens. He used a tripod and self timer so he was not touching the camera when the photo was taken. He said that the stones are actually not all in focus if you look at the original (it''s a little off in the first row). He set the aperture to a ''ridiculously'' high level - F/32 with a shutter speed of 1/60 sec - to get it as close as possible to being in focus. All post processing (color correction, sharpening, etc) was performed in Adobe Lightroom 2.6. He shoots in raw mode so the photos must be post processed.

 

[Catmom]

Gorgeous collection but I really love the Tsav!!!