Tourm - please help me decide

[bluebirrrd]

I'd really like a seafoam type tourmaline, one that's a bright silvery bluish green color. I like this one. In certain light, it's stunning. In other light it doesn't seem very special. It's a little smaller than ideal. It sees to reflect a lot of gray. I'm not sure if I love it, but there are also things I really like about it. I need to decide tonight whether or not to request the return. Any feedback is appreciated.

 

[blithesome71]

OMG! Are you kidding me? With its stunning luster & sparkle and nice cut, I'd definitely keep it if I were you ('cos I simply like minty/seafomy blue color)

 

[LD]

I'd really like a seafoam type tourmaline, one that's a bright silvery bluish green color. I like this one. In certain light, it's stunning. In other light it doesn't seem very special. It's a little smaller than ideal. It sees to reflect a lot of gray. I'm not sure if I love it, but there are also things I really like about it. I need to decide tonight whether or not to request the return. Any feedback is appreciated.

Send it back. Don't settle for second best. If it doesn't make your heart sing when you open the package then it's not for you. Don't waste money - put the refund towards something that makes you smile in all lighting conditions. Trust me, it's easy to have a collection of "well, they're ok" but what you really want is "OMG look at these".

 

[T L]

I'd really like a seafoam type tourmaline, one that's a bright silvery bluish green color. I like this one. In certain light, it's stunning. In other light it doesn't seem very special. It's a little smaller than ideal. It sees to reflect a lot of gray. I'm not sure if I love it, but there are also things I really like about it. I need to decide tonight whether or not to request the return. Any feedback is appreciated.

Send it back. Don't settle for second best. If it doesn't make your heart sing when you open the package then it's not for you. Don't waste money - put the refund towards something that makes you smile in all lighting conditions. Trust me, it's easy to have a collection of "well, they're ok" but what you really want is "OMG look at these".

I agree. It's rather light in tone and lacks saturation. It has nice cutting for it, but if color is important to you, I would send it back. I've had my share of "corpse" colored mint and seafoam colored gems, and to tell you the truth, I'm sick of them.

 

[Arcadian]

If you don't like it, send it back. You're the only person who really knows what you do or don't like.

I do like the cut on the stone, but I agree that it does look quite light. Some love that look, and others do not.


-A

 

[FrekeChild]

I like it....

 

[bluebirrrd]

Freke and Blithesome, thank you. It's the luster and brightness that make me want to keep it and I do love the facet pattern. I took those pictures outside around sunset. It was doing its best to make a case for itself. That's its best light, but indoors it does look pretty dead .

LD, TL and Arcadian, I've never had a seafoam tourm before. Is it possible to find one that performs well in all lighting situations? When it's outside glowing like a little ember, I certainly don't mind the light color, it's beautiful. But indoors, it loses its silver sheen and goes gray and clear which is really unflattering. LD, you're right about the money spent. My gem budget is limited and I need to LOVE each one I keep.

Here's a picture of a new calf just born here last week. She's hiding in a stand of milkweed. It's leaves are soft and furry and a beautiful silvery green blue color. There are several other plants with similar coloring and I love it. I really want a gem that reminds me of that.

 

[Arcadian]

Freke and Blithesome, thank you. It's the luster and brightness that make me want to keep it and I do love the facet pattern. I took those pictures outside around sunset. It was doing its best to make a case for itself. That's its best light, but indoors it does look pretty dead .

LD, TL and Arcadian, I've never had a seafoam tourm before. Is it possible to find one that performs well in all lighting situations? When it's outside glowing like a little ember, I certainly don't mind the light color, it's beautiful. But indoors, it loses its silver sheen and goes gray and clear which is really unflattering. LD, you're right about the money spent. My gem budget is limited and I need to LOVE each one I keep.

Here's a picture of a new calf just born here last week. She's hiding in a stand of milkweed. It's leaves are soft and furry and a beautiful silvery green blue color. There are several other plants with similar coloring and I love it. I really want a gem that reminds me of that.

I think its best to evaluate in all the lights you plan to be in but yes its possible to find one that performs to your satisfaction in all types of lighting. The colours will and do change because its the nature of the beast. However, I think what you want, you would likely need to start your search with a more saturated stone. Just my experience, but my bluish and greenish tourms have deepened in color after they were set. One is in a halo, the other is not, but both did in fact deepen a tad. They were much more silvery prior to being set, but I also think that is because of their cut.

You also said the stone was smaller than you wanted. Sometimes (many of us do this) its ok to sacrifice the size for that bang on colour, but, if you're going for more saturation, you likely will need to also go up in price. Keep that aspect in mind as you search.

I think you'll find the stone you want but I think you should be a bit more calculated in your search and look at a stone with some saturation to it.


-A

 

[bluebirrrd]

Thank you, Arcadian, for the good advice. I'll try to be more calculated and pay more heed to saturation. If I need a good example of how a gem should look when every aspect comes together, I can look at my Barry garnet as a reminder. That has spoiled me, but maybe it will keep me from wasting money on lesser stones.

 

[bluebirrrd]

Doh!!! I put it next to my other rings for comparison and the 3 colors looked pretty together.

 

[minousbijoux]

Wow, a newborn calf?!! There's your gem right there!

You know, I have had the hardest time learning patience in gem buying, and now, looking at what I own, I have too many gems that have most of what I want, but not enough for me to love them any more, as I have gotten other stones that do have "all that." Those that haven't been set, won't be set, and those that have been set, I think about replacing with other stones. I know its hard when a stone calls to you, but I'd have to agree with the other experts and say you should love it when you first open the package and continue to love it when you walk it around in different lightings. There may be some situations where it doesn't perform well, but only you can decide if that's okay.

I have been on searches for certain color stones, and it is only after I have purchased several that are close in size, shape or color but aren't absolutely right that I have found the right one. Now I wish I hadn't settled on the others, and sent them back at the time. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I believe you will find exactly what you want if you keep on looking!

Good luck!

 

[ooo~Shiney!]

bluebirrrd: Your photos are lovely !!! I love pictures of gemstones taken out doors

And the little calf ~ how wonderful !!!
Does it have a name ?
He looks so cozy lying there in the grass!

And I do agree, the stones all look pretty together !!!

 

[T L]

Freke and Blithesome, thank you. It's the luster and brightness that make me want to keep it and I do love the facet pattern. I took those pictures outside around sunset. It was doing its best to make a case for itself. That's its best light, but indoors it does look pretty dead .

LD, TL and Arcadian, I've never had a seafoam tourm before. Is it possible to find one that performs well in all lighting situations? When it's outside glowing like a little ember, I certainly don't mind the light color, it's beautiful. But indoors, it loses its silver sheen and goes gray and clear which is really unflattering. LD, you're right about the money spent. My gem budget is limited and I need to LOVE each one I keep.

Here's a picture of a new calf just born here last week. She's hiding in a stand of milkweed. It's leaves are soft and furry and a beautiful silvery green blue color. There are several other plants with similar coloring and I love it. I really want a gem that reminds me of that.

I wouldn't call that very light toned stone, seafoam color. I think of seafoam as more saturated than that, as this recent stone I once had in my possession. I have another one twice the size, so I got rid of this one.

If you like that color, than keep it, but if it bugs you too much in certain lighting situations, I would return it. Perhaps I'm a little bit jaded, as I have kept way too many stones I should have returned. If you're not 100% completely happy with it, I would return it. We all work too hard for our money, and you can use the refund money to buy something better.

 

[bluebirrrd]

The calf is definitely a gem We raise them for beef so we often stick with numbers instead of names. She'll probably end up in our breeding herd eventually though, so I was thinking of naming her Star. She's a doll.

My gem collecting is in its infancy. I don't have a lot of perspective or patience yet. Even less than perfect gems are so much better than what comes in store bought jewelry. It's pretty amazing what people will settle for when they haven't seen any better and don't know what's really out there. Something about this little gem still captivates me. Just like I visited it over and over for a year, I'm having a hard time letting it go. Where is the emotie of someone hitting their hard head against the wall! Our friend, Mr. Bridgestock , is also looking at his rough for me. He's very familiar with milkweed and knows the lovely color I'm looking for, but he still may not have anything.

 

[T L]

The calf is definitely a gem We raise them for beef so we often stick with numbers instead of names. She'll probably end up in our breeding herd eventually though, so I was thinking of naming her Star. She's a doll.

My gem collecting is in its infancy. I don't have a lot of perspective or patience yet. Even less than perfect gems are so much better than what comes in store bought jewelry. It's pretty amazing what people will settle for when they haven't seen any better and don't know what's really out there. Something about this little gem still captivates me. Just like I visited it over and over for a year, I'm having a hard time letting it go. Where is the emotie of someone hitting their hard head against the wall! Our friend, Mr. Bridgestock , is also looking at his rough for me. He's very familiar with milkweed and knows the lovely color I'm looking for, but he still may not have anything.

Well, your new stone doesn't look at all like the color of the milkweed, but if you love it, then keep it. Sounds like you want to. I was captivated by certain gems, when I first started collecting, that I no longer would want. You may find your taste outgrows this gem, or it may not.

 

[minousbijoux]

...and isn't that part of the process, to have learned something along the way? The critical voice in my head says that I "wasted" money on the stones that I've outgrown, but the other part of me says that I wouldn't have learned about how extinction or lighting conditions or shape affects various stones if I hadn't bought them. Now I'm a rank beginner at custom making jewelry, and trying to learn what color stones go well with what color metals, and trying (and failing) to predict how stones will look when set. Sigh, I guess I need more practice

 

[ooo~Shiney!]

...and isn't that part of the process, to have learned something along the way? The critical voice in my head says that I "wasted" money on the stones that I've outgrown, but the other part of me says that I wouldn't have learned about how extinction or lighting conditions or shape affects various stones if I hadn't bought them. Now I'm a rank beginner at custom making jewelry, and trying to learn what color stones go well with what color metals, and trying (and failing) to predict how stones will look when set. Sigh, I guess I need more practice

And with this quote, I 2,000,000,000,000,000 percent agree....
I have a lot of fun photographing my stones, and that is teaching me even more.
With macro, you "see" so much more in your stones, endlessly fascinating.

But lots of learning, yep.

 

[chrono]

I can see that the tourmaline has different personalities in your pictures. Sometimes, it shows a light blue green and sometimes it becomes almost colourless. Cut looks very nice, of course, but as always, the value depends on the price. Is this something you plan to set and will wear often or will it end up sitting in its box? If you don't like all its personalities, will that deter you from appreciating it less? Just a few questions to help you come to a decision.

 

[T L]

...and isn't that part of the process, to have learned something along the way? The critical voice in my head says that I "wasted" money on the stones that I've outgrown, but the other part of me says that I wouldn't have learned about how extinction or lighting conditions or shape affects various stones if I hadn't bought them. Now I'm a rank beginner at custom making jewelry, and trying to learn what color stones go well with what color metals, and trying (and failing) to predict how stones will look when set. Sigh, I guess I need more practice

And with this quote, I 2,000,000,000,000,000 percent agree....
I have a lot of fun photographing my stones, and that is teaching me even more.
With macro, you "see" so much more in your stones, endlessly fascinating.

But lots of learning, yep.

Unfortunatley, the learning part often entails money, and much wasted money. I think that's why PS is so valuable. Not only is this a consumer forum, but looking at the myriad of photographic examples helps people make better choices. Can you imagine if all we had was the mall store gem examples to look at? We'd all be buying very poor quality gems. I know I did when I first started collecting, and if I had PS back then, I would have made wiser decisions.

 

[bluebirrrd]

I decided to keep it and feel that if I send it back I might regret it. I did post it hoping to be talked down because yes, everyone can benefit from saving some extra money, but every time I wrote that e-mail to the vendor requesting the return something stopped me from hitting send. It's the cut that I find especially captivating, as well as its flash and color in some lighting situations. About the cut, I'm not an expert on radiants but there's something different looking about the facet pattern that I've fallen in love with. I've decided I can live with the lesser performance at other times because it meets a lot of other criteria. It's obviously not a large showstopper gem, but that's not where I'm at or probably ever will be with my collecting. At 6 x 5mm it's actually quite tiny. I think it will make a delicate 3 stone ring, with white non-diamond sides. I found some danburite trillions that are only a couple of dollars each so I know I'll have some inexpensive options. With a brushed argentium setting, I think it would look pretty and delicate. Perhaps it isn't true seafoam. I like it anyway.

TL, almost everything I've ever seen of yours is TDF. OMG, your mint heart and custom setting And not just you, but so many of the other creative and educated forum members here. I wonder though, how many of them were under $150 as gems and under $350 as completely finished projects? Perhaps some, but looking at the amazing things people showcase here not many, and I see I'm stuck in the minor leagues. I will keep my eyes peeled for a better replacement in my price range. If I find one, it was inexpensive enough that I can sell it at a loss without being out much at all.

 

[LD]

I decided to keep it and feel that if I send it back I might regret it. I did post it hoping to be talked down because yes, everyone can benefit from saving some extra money, but every time I wrote that e-mail to the vendor requesting the return something stopped me from hitting send. It's the cut that I find especially captivating, as well as its flash and color in some lighting situations. About the cut, I'm not an expert on radiants but there's something different looking about the facet pattern that I've fallen in love with. I've decided I can live with the lesser performance at other times because it meets a lot of other criteria. It's obviously not a large showstopper gem, but that's not where I'm at or probably ever will be with my collecting. At 6 x 5mm it's actually quite tiny. I think it will make a delicate 3 stone ring, with white non-diamond sides. I found some danburite trillions that are only a couple of dollars each so I know I'll have some inexpensive options. With a brushed argentium setting, I think it would look pretty and delicate. Perhaps it isn't true seafoam. I like it anyway.

TL, almost everything I've ever seen of yours is TDF. OMG, your mint heart and custom setting And not just you, but so many of the other creative and educated forum members here. I wonder though, how many of them were under $150 as gems and under $350 as completely finished projects? Perhaps some, but looking at the amazing things people showcase here not many, and I see I'm stuck in the minor leagues. I will keep my eyes peeled for a better replacement in my price range. If I find one, it was inexpensive enough that I can sell it at a loss without being out much at all.

A lot more than you would imagine! There's a great deal of canny buying going on and you'd be surprised what can be had for very little money - without sacrificing quality (which is the key actually).

I'll give you a good (and recent example). Many of us like the hot pink Mahenge spinel when they were first introduced into the market. A number of us (quite a large number) managed to get some very very very good stones at incredibly reasonable prices. Over the past 12 months though, they've started to be sold on shopping channels and much more extensively. Couple that with the fact that the quality doesn't appear to be as good now as it was 12-18 months ago and that the prices have risen considerably. There are always trends and the key is spotting them and acting quickly (if you like the stone).

Another example is that I fell in love with Alexandrites 20 years ago. I bought a rather large amount - something that would be impossible unless I had endless pockets now. The same thing with Paraiba Tourmaline.

So don't think that your budget constrains you. Of course it will do sometimes but it's very possible to build a gorgeous collection on a limited budget.

 

[T L]

TL, almost everything I've ever seen of yours is TDF. OMG, your mint heart and custom setting And not just you, but so many of the other creative and educated forum members here. I wonder though, how many of them were under $150 as gems and under $350 as completely finished projects? Perhaps some, but looking at the amazing things people showcase here not many, and I see I'm stuck in the minor leagues. I will keep my eyes peeled for a better replacement in my price range. If I find one, it was inexpensive enough that I can sell it at a loss without being out much at all.

Thank you Bluebirrrd. I really appreciate your kind words, and I think after collecting for 20+ years, you learn a thing or two. I really wish I had PS back when I first started collecting because I bought so many duds, and so many vendors took advantage of me (in retrospect), that I like to impart my experiences here so people don't go through what I went through. I'm always learning however, and what's great is that we all love to share that knowledge on this board, which although that may be good for some honest vendors, it is a nightmare for others.

That being said, not everyone likes my taste or my stones, or my attitude for that matter , but at least when I try to buy a gemstone, I do try to get a good value for my hard earned money. I cannot afford the best, but I try to buy the best I can afford, as far as my eye for color and my tastes are concerned.

 

[T L]

I'll give you a good (and recent example). Many of us like the hot pink Mahenge spinel when they were first introduced into the market. A number of us (quite a large number) managed to get some very very very good stones at incredibly reasonable prices. Over the past 12 months though, they've started to be sold on shopping channels and much more extensively. Couple that with the fact that the quality doesn't appear to be as good now as it was 12-18 months ago and that the prices have risen considerably. There are always trends and the key is spotting them and acting quickly (if you like the stone).

Isn't that just sad? If they were at least the same quality as the ones that first came out, I wouldn't mind the higher prices so much.

What's coming out now is pitiful in many cases, and yet the stones are so highly priced, even from some of my favorite vendors.