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What gemstone to use?

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cindygenit

cindygenit

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
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What''s the best gemstone to put in a half-bezel ring?

I understand that for a ring, the gemstone has to be quite hard?
 
5ct. demantoid cushion
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Yeah amguy... I''m SURE i can afford that
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A sapphire? They are almost as durable as diamonds.
 
Jadeite - virtually indestructible (but will scratch easily)
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Jokes aside, spinel is (in terms of toughness) even more durable than sapphire, which is of course harder i.e. more resistant to scratches. But that's all relative, as even sapphires can be quite fragile if they're very included, just like any other stone. Chrysoberyls (alexandrite included) and andalusite are also good for rings worn daily (and let's not forget colored diamonds
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), and for occasional wear there is topaz, tourmaline, beryl, quartz, garnet, iolite, peridot...
 
Almost any gemstone can be put into a half bezeled ring setting. I prefer to start with a colour preference, then decide on if it’ll be an occasional wear ring or daily wear ring with restrictions. From there, the family of gemstones can be narrowed down.
 
Date: 8/10/2009 7:51:51 AM
Author: Chrono
Almost any gemstone can be put into a half bezeled ring setting. I prefer to start with a colour preference, then decide on if it’ll be an occasional wear ring or daily wear ring with restrictions. From there, the family of gemstones can be narrowed down.
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Ditto.
 
I think i want a small pink stone to do a semi bezel or full bezel ring
 
Maybe a pink sapphire or tourmaline? Or a malaya?

"An alternate birthstone for October, Pink Tourmaline has the seemingly magical property of pyroelectricity. Scientifically speaking, this means that when heated, the gem takes on a static electric charge, making it capable of attracting lightweight objects. No wonder this gemstone was revered for its mystical properties centuries ago! Considered the "stone of the muse," it was believed to stimulate the creative process of its wearer." from About Birthstones.com link I just read that today, it was a fun fact to learn!
 
Also pink spinel.
 
Date: 8/10/2009 11:06:15 PM
Author: szh07
Maybe a pink sapphire or tourmaline? Or a malaya?

''An alternate birthstone for October, Pink Tourmaline has the seemingly magical property of pyroelectricity. Scientifically speaking, this means that when heated, the gem takes on a static electric charge, making it capable of attracting lightweight objects. No wonder this gemstone was revered for its mystical properties centuries ago! Considered the ''stone of the muse,'' it was believed to stimulate the creative process of its wearer.'' from About Birthstones.com link I just read that today, it was a fun fact to learn!
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What is this stone? never heard it before

Thanks for the fun fact! It''s very interesting
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A Malaya is a garnet. Specifically one that is in the orange-pink color range and has two specific varieties of garnet. I don''t really know that much about it, so I''ll shut up now...
 
From what I''ve seen spinel is probably the most affordable, and i can get a prettier colour with less money... Hmmm I really like Richard Homer''s Concave Cut but his stones seem to be HUGE
 
If you email him he might be able to cut something smaller for you.
 
thanks kribbie :D
 
No problem.
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Does anyone have an extra 5000 for this super stone?

http://www.diamondbistro.com/index/jewelry_classifieds/jewelry_auctions8714.htm
 
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You have a lot of options with pinks:
Garnet, tourmaline, sapphire or spinel.
You can get a cutter to cut something or you can purchase an already cut stone from a vendor.
Pink garnet: Malaya is under the garnet family and ranges from an orangish pink to a more pure pink. They usually colour shift depending on the light source.
Tourmaline: Some get muddy indoors but a strong vivid pink that holds its colour can be found.
Sapphire: Very hardy, holds the colour the best and is most often the most vivid among the 4 choices.
Spinel: Great dispersion (lots of fire), tough, sometimes colour shifts. It seems like prices for a pure vivid pink has gone up though.
 
Chrono, I love your posts. They are always informative. I''ve learnt so much by reading them.
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Threadjack over.
 
You could get a beautiful custom Malaya or other garnet, with comparable superb cutting, for WAY less than $5000 from Dana at www.mastercutgems.com or Gene at www.precisiongem.com
 
Would this be something worn daily (in which case you''re pretty much limited to sapphire and spinel), or just occasionally (in which case there''s a lot of possibilities)?
 
I want something I can wear everyday
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I don''t want a spinel that colour changes.

I suppose I have to buy a sapphire then? Does it get more expensive with increasing vividness of colour?
 
Date: 8/11/2009 9:05:27 PM
Author: cindygenit
I want something I can wear everyday
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I don't want a spinel that colour changes.

I suppose I have to buy a sapphire then? Does it get more expensive with increasing vividness of colour?
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With all other aspects being equal, gemstones are always more expensive the more vivid the color, and more importantly if that color is natural and untreated. Vividness of color is the #1 thing that many gem collectors look for, and is extremely important.
 
That Malaya garnet really is beautifully cut. But is a vivid color really the biggest component of cost? I would have thought that the cut would be, as I''d rather have a brilliant sparkly stone that''s a little paler then go with a more vivid color that lacks the flashes of light. But maybe I''m in the minority?
 
Date: 8/11/2009 10:22:06 PM
Author: astphard
That Malaya garnet really is beautifully cut. But is a vivid color really the biggest component of cost? I would have thought that the cut would be, as I'd rather have a brilliant sparkly stone that's a little paler then go with a more vivid color that lacks the flashes of light. But maybe I'm in the minority?
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Well think about it this way. Good cutting is an artificial enhancement to a gem's appearance. Vividness of color in an untreated gem is a miracle of nature. You can find lots of well cut gemstones, but it's rare to find vivid color in a gem. If you want a pale gem, then the best thing for it would be nice precision cutting.
 
Cindygenit, not all spinels change color, but some do. In fact, it''s questionable if the effect you''re seeing in some spinels is really color change, or color shift (more likely), and if it''s a color shift we''re talking about, that''s something that can be found with sapphires too. A color change is when a stone actually changes to a different color, not another shade of the same color or a shade in between colors (reddish-purple to purplish-red is not a color change).

Astphard, so I guess you wouldn''t be interested in a ruby like THIS as it doesen''t really sparkle?
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Jokes aside, it''s all a matter of personal preference, and some people are really not drawn to screamingly vivid colors. But as most are, that''s what makes up for the most of the price.
 
Ah, i see
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Thank you so much for educating me!

Hmmm i have to browse through stones tonight and maybe get an idea of which stone in which shape I like MOST.

Btw, my bad, i meant colour shift spinel, not colour change spinel. In my defence, I''m a newbie and thought they were the same thing LOL
 
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