Various gems I’m debating on setting

[T L]

I went through my loose gem collection recently, and I have some that I’m considering setting. Which ones do you feel worthy?

First up,

Sphene


Brilliant and perfectly cut spessartite


Two light pink diamonds


The same spessartite above showing its brilliance (7mm round)


Sphalerite (I cannot set, but wanted to show off, oh how I wish I could set this, it puts diamond to shame)
G

Burmese pink spinel


Benitoite


Precisiongem (Gene) Afghan tourmaline and Bob Kast aquamarine


Paraiba


Six carat purple tourmaline cuprian


Tourmaline


Afghan tourmaline


Tourmaline


Large orange spinel


Lavender pink spinel

 

[T L]

Some more and some of the gems above sitting loose in settings to give an idea.

Tourmaline above


Same tourmaline and a minty tourmaline


Some mahenge and pink orange spinels


Silver pink spinel that sparked like mad


Same spinel


Purple cuprian in setting


Orange spinel in setting

Pink spinel in setting

 

[T L]

Sorry some came in thumbnails, PS new format for uploading is driving me crazy.

Green zircon


Various demantoids


Same orange spinel that is in a thumbnail above


Three carat grey violet spinel

 

[voce]

Do you have a yellow gold setting? Do you wear yellow gold?

I'd vote for sphene or sphalerite, but those are too soft to set in anything other than yellow gold, and I'd trust only the most skilled setters to do so, which is why I've only bought sphene from CRD, because their setters actually have experience setting such a soft stone. I think that, in your place, my heart would break if your sphene or sphalerite got broken by the setter.

My next choices would be, in order, the 6 ct purple tourmaline cuprian, the Burmese pink spinel, the paraiba, and the spess. They're all vibrant colours.

Edit: haven seen additional pics, I don't change my preference for the above, but I will add that I think you should set the demantoids in a necklace.

 

[T L]

Thanks @voce, I actually hate yellow gold, unless it’s like 22k or above. My other yellow gold settings already have stones in them

The sphalerite is too soft to even wear I’m afraid. I would set andcwear the sphene though.

 

[Tartansparkles]

I'd vote for the yellow spessarite (beautiful intensity of colour), then the larger green zircon (same reason) with a halo of the demantoids? and then the sliver pink spinel because it's unusal. It's great to play with other people's stones!

I'm intrigued by the green zircon, does it sparkle, give of little flashes of fire?

 

[SparkleC]

Sorry, no suggestions on which to set, just a quick shout out for your gorgeous collection. I see why you're having a hard time deciding. Can't wait to see what you decide.

 

[CSpan]

I think that Afghan tourmaline would be gorgeous set but then I'm on a green kick.

2 questions, where did you get the benetoite and the peach spinel? I'm obsessed with benes, I have a ring coming from Yvonne, but have been looking for larger for a pendant, of course pickings are slim (if you ever wanna sell, just saying).

And the the color on that spinel plus its cut wow!

 

[dk168]

The Spess, the colour is gorgeous!

DK

 

[elle_71125]

My next choices would be, in order, the 6 ct purple tourmaline cuprian, the Burmese pink spinel, the paraiba, and the spess. They're all vibrant colours.

I'm with Voce on this one. In the exact order I would have chosen as well.

I'm very busy drooling over those pics. I might have to come back a time or two to relive this moment. You're collection is incredible!

 

[PreRaphaelite]

The setting you showed the yellow spessartite with is amazing! How about some details on that? The black background with the earth toned melee is stunning!

 

[2Neezers]

Gorgeous stones and an amazing collection!
As to what to set, I think they are all excellent choices, but the Burmese pink Spinel and purple Cuprian Tourmaline both made my heart skip a beat

 

[voce]

Can you only set one? Since you seem to have so many settings, you just have to pay the setter? Maybe you can start a poll where people can select X choices, where X is the number you can afford to set now.

 

[strawrose]

I vote the spessartite and a green zircon.

 

[GliderPoss]

Lordy what a gorgeous collection! My vote is the 6 carat purple tourmaline cuprian

 

[Stone Hunter]

I vote for the Spessertite and then the purple Cuprian.

 

[LisaRN]

Purple Cuprian and then the Sphene.

 

[T L]

I think that Afghan tourmaline would be gorgeous set but then I'm on a green kick.

2 questions, where did you get the benetoite and the peach spinel? I'm obsessed with benes, I have a ring coming from Yvonne, but have been looking for larger for a pendant, of course pickings are slim (if you ever wanna sell, just saying).

And the the color on that spinel plus its cut wow!

Thank you @CSpan.

I bought the benitoite about 25 years ago at an exotic gem store that I completely forgot the name of. It’s about 75 points.

The peach spinel was an eBay find from at least ten years ago. It’s about three carats. I forget the dealer name, but the spinel pickings on eBay these days is slim. There’s far more selection on Etsy.

 

[T L]

@Tartansparkles,
Thank you! The green zircon isn’t as full of fire as a fine blue or white zircon. It does give off little yellow flashes though. They’re very slightly radioactive gems, but nothing dangerous to wear.

 

[T L]

@PreRaphaelite,
Thank you!!
The setting is a super inexpensive rose gold plated sterling silver champagne cz ring. I popped out the fake center stone and I use it to see how gems look next to darker stones. If you want to know where you can buy it, let me know. Otherwise, you may not care for fake stone settings.

 

[T L]

@voce, since the upgrade, PS isn’t cooperating with me much, so I’m not feeling up to creating a poll, but I am getting a feel for what people are most drawn to.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[T L]

Thanks to everyone for the kind words!!

 

[icy_jade]

What do you feel will plug a gap in your collection the most? Eg if you don’t have a large purple stone then I’ll go for the purple tourmaline. Or if you have pretty much everything (which I feel like is the case), then whichever calls out to you most when you play with the loose stones?

For me it would be the pink spinel and purple tourmaline, and the sparkly silver pink spinel as well.

Alternatively if you are up for putting a few stones together to set, that can also stretch your setting funds a bit further? Something like this IG

 

[T L]

For the record, the Burmese pink isn’t the same gem as the other pink oval. The other pink oval is paler, but more bubblegum pink. The Burmese pink is a hotter watermelon pink.

 

[LilAlex]

All lovely! Paraiba gets my vote.

I would definitely do that in a high-end gold-plated sterling

 

[Sunstorm]

Awww... gasp!!! I find that many of us keep getting stones when we have so many unset. Must be the hunt and psychology behind the creative mind having to continuosly work on projects.

I think this is so subjective because it depends on our personal preferences, what stones we love. I am pretty much an emerald and color diamond fan. In that order? I am even confused myself. I could keep getting different shades emeralds for different projects and continue upgrading them. I also love color diamonds.

Because of this I would dissent from the others and vote oval pink diamond as I think that has a lot of potential in the right setting. I love lighter, challenging FCDs.

Besides that I definitely vote paraiba. That is my third fave gem and I just adore them. I have yet to own one but people are really enabling me here. Green and blue green are my favorite colors (in clothes too the color glows on me) a neon paraiba just has to glow on your finger!!!

Besides that spess? Again I am influenced by loving that color. And demantoids, boy you could play with those creating something unique. They are amazing stones.

But really all the others are just as lovely, again this comes down to personal preferences. Will be cool to see the projects! Hope you keep us posted!

 

[elle_71125]

How big is the Burmese pink spinel? And do you feel like taking a hand shot...because I’d love to drool over it some more.

 

[T L]

@Sunstorm,
Yes, that’s true. I also go off the rails, and I end up buying many of the same gem when I am in the mood for that gem. I have more moonstones and opals I need to set as well.

Speaking of the pink diamond you mentioned, I have an FCD multi stone ring, and those two diamonds were left out because my jeweler had no more room to fit them. The larger of the two is 4mm and exceptional clarity, sparkles like mad, and a blush pink. The smaller one is included, but still pink.

 

[T L]

@elle_71125,
Thank you. The Burmese pink is around 1.8 carats and is an 8x6 or so. It is bottom heavy. Here it is temporarily mounted in a setting with mounting wax so I could see it in the sun. The picture at the top of this forum is in incandescent light. My finger was suffering from humidity that day, hence why it looks so fat.

 

[elle_71125]

@elle_71125,
Thank you. The Burmese pink is around 1.8 carats and is an 8x6 or so. It is bottom heavy. Here it is temporarily mounted in a setting with mounting wax so I could see it in the sun. The picture at the top of this forum is in incandescent light. My finger was suffering from humidity that day, hence why it looks so fat.

Oh good god!