Bling Wish List 2023

[Dee*Jay]

I just found my x-mas gift yesterday! I've wanted a bezel set diamond tennis bracelet to add to my stack, but I wanted there to be enough differentiation between the stones so you could tell they are actually round. One popped up on the Ivy and Rose site, but in yellow, so I texted Ilya and he's getting it for me in white. I'll go pick it up next week when I'm back from the Thanksgiving trip. Really excited! I was never a bracelet girl until recently and now I'm a STACKER!

 

[Mjay]

Oh man I really went overboard and strayed from my wishlist this year. I’m hoping to keep myself under control a bit more this coming year. That being said; I’m currently in the gemstone buying mood and have my eye on numerous loose stones.

1- Something green. I want a big bold gemstone that matches my husband’s business logo. Emerald (trying to warm up to the idea of lab), tourmaline, tsavorite? I’m not sure yet. Hubby suggested it so this will probably be my number 1 project.

2- A luxury watch. Thinking Cartier tank or Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. Hubby thinks Rolex but I kinda want something low profile.

3- A chrysoberyl that makes my heart sing

4- Asscher cut gemstone from Gene, Gary, or Jeff.

5- Set my Umba sapphire that should be arriving sometime this week. I have high hopes for it and I’m thinking a chunky halo of rose cut diamonds.

I strayed quite a bit from my list and only competed 2/5. I ended up purchasing a huge orange sapphire in February and had DK set it in a massive halo of diamonds. My completed sapphire ring and my vintage Rolex arrived the same day. It was so over the top exciting that I felt very overstimulated and decided to take a bit of a break from jewelry purchases.

1- I never found my something green.
2- I got my watch! a lovely vintage lady presidential rolex.
3- I didn’t find my chrysoberyl. I did purchase two but ended up returning them because they were so poorly cut. I’m still actively looking.
4- I purchased a beautiful asscher cut lab sapphire from Gary.
5- I never set my Umba. I got distracted by my big orange sapphire and the Umba got sidelined. It’s a stunning stone and will definitely be set eventually.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

i must have been less than optomistic to not even open this thread until now
but well done DK and others who have aquirred the pretties on their lists

i guess im doing ok, although today im not feeling great, my work is closed and water damaged after a fire in the takeaway next door

the last two months ive been making good progress on my list of repairs and remakes as otherwise im on ban island

im not optimistic this is the year ill ask Gary to buy me my rose gold rose quartz pendent i want from one of the mall jewlers, inflation has been awful here and the morgage and insurence is going up in December and the next property tax payment is due

ill feel better once im back at work but it wont be tomorrow, but the couple next door wont be opening again this side of Christmas and probably neither will the hairdresser upstairs
ive never wanted to work on a saturday so much!!! - but the fire investagator has everything closed off so we cant start the clean up or get the electrican in yet

anyway 2023 i finally got one of my Whitby jet necklaces reconfigured ( with some rose quartz ) and its now happy and wearable phew! and double phew !
and might just wear it for pink on wednesday tomorrow

i found a pearl restringer from an awsome jewler who doesnt turn his nose up at my funny little projects, ive turned my garnet necklace that was too tight for fat neck into an xmas necklace, (so someone please start a thread in December)
also he makes the most awsome silver clasps so i can actually manage to do things up now without fumbling in front of a mirror for 10 minutes

ive been having fun playing with lots of Wen pearls that were all fails for my daisy necklace (that wont be finished this year) that also included lots of fun with moss agait resulting in a bracelet with a pave diamond charm as the jewler has a little fix for making the charms go nice onto the thread ( a silver disk like a washer)

i put some tiny corral beads i couldnt bear not to make pretty with some left over jet and some pearls way back on the day of the Queen's funeral last year and they are finally being strung

my larima obsession has run hot and cold or rather good and bad
i had some green larimar beads strung up with some silver spacers i just love but ive also brought fake larima quartz
but the larima bracelet i like is finally back in stock in the UK, i have one and i love it but i want to buy 3 to make a necklace, that was going to be my corrination wear but oh well ....was going to buy them today but might just wait till the weekend after we are back at work fingers crossed
Fortunatly i have 3 weeks holiday pay up my sleeve and we are the bussiness' best performing shop and our bakers need our customers to bake for

Just recently i was heart broken to discover my cherry amber was bakealite but i was able to get a reasonably priced broken necklace to add extra length ..... i think that all requires extra thought while i deside what i want to do so will put off till next year

i hope to get mum's pearls restrung in time for Christmas also
then i will be happy with 2023

nothing spectacular but plenty to wear

no photos - must get phone sorted 2023 !!!

 

[Grymera]

My bling wishlist for 2023:
- Diamond tennis bracelet
- Sapphire ring:
- Ruby or spinel ring:
- Diamond hoop earrings:
- Finishing my "Angelina Jolie" Emerald Earrings:

Things I've bought not on my wishlist:

- Victor Canera U-Cut Pave Eternity Band:

Updating with what I've purchased this year so far.

Instead of getting my diamond hoop earrings, I've gotten the larger Cartier yellow gold Love hoops instead. I don't anticipate these will be a permanent in my collection, but I've absolutely loved them for adding a touch of yellow gold and something more contemporary to my largely white metal collection. I'm already eying the Cartier Clash hoops as well, so more may be on the way.



Sapphire Ring:

Oh the saga this has been! I've bought and returned 3 blue sapphire rings this year hunting for "the one." I bought this setting on eBay to test out my Diana ring dreams and it is STUNNING in person. Truly, the diamonds are bright, white, lively, and rival some of my triple excellent stones. But, the center is glass according to my jeweler, and the previous owner did something odd to fill in the center of the setting, so I will be harvesting the diamonds (1.28ctw) from this ring either for my sapphire project, or something else. It's fun to enjoy in the meantime, though.



Back to the sapphire journey-- I also reached out to Diamonds by Lauren to do one custom, but ultimately I came across this cushion sapphire ring from Komehyo:


And, even though it's only 2.4 carats and about 7.4x6.7mm instead of the size I was looking for, I unfortunately got it and never wanted to take it off. I sent off this "mystery" sapphire to GIA and it came back as Madagascar and heated, so I'm happy with the purchase. It's gorgeous. Bright, lively royal blue with no blackouts. Sparkle and depth. So stunning.

David said he can take the diamonds from my halo and create a custom cluster, so I'm 95% sure I'll do that to complete this project. But I'm also considering two fat cushion side stones.



So that about wraps up 2023! I'm looking forward to next year and I've got some new items to add to my list. We'll see what shakes out.

 

[dk168]

I have started my list ready in Notepad so that it will be uploaded in December, as I thought it may be a tad too early to start a Bling Wishlist 2024 thread!

However, if anyone else would like to start it sooner like now, then please do so.

DK

 

[lucida818]

I am lucky & very grateful for being able to obtain both items on my 2023 wish list.

1) ER upgrade - upgraded from 2.14ct F/VVS2 mrb to 3.05ct D/FL brilliant heart.
2) VCA Frivole earrings, small model in WG pave @LLJsmom, I finally pulled the trigger in Sep.

Must admit the financial damage was huge hence I wouldn’t draft out any wish list for 2024.

 

[dk168]

I have not planned to spend more money on coloured stones for the time being, now that I have paid off the large blue green Tourmaline from Jeff W, the most expensive CS I bought to date (still to be cut).

Paraiba Tourmaline cabs available at Tucson 2023 were far and between, with eye-watering prices. Although I am keeping a Paraiba cab on my wishlist, I appreciate the chances of getting one is remote unless I win big money playing the lottery.

DK

 

[LLJsmom]

I am lucky & very grateful for being able to obtain both items on my 2023 wish list.

1) ER upgrade - upgraded from 2.14ct F/VVS2 mrb to 3.05ct D/FL brilliant heart.
2) VCA Frivole earrings, small model in WG pave @LLJsmom, I finally pulled the trigger in Sep.

Must admit the financial damage was huge hence I wouldn’t draft out any wish list for 2024.

Congratulations @lucida818! You need to post pics I. The VCA thread if you haven’t. I only have the shiny WG small frivoles. @m-2-b has the WG pave frivoles. I wish I had them. How are you enjoying them?

 

[FL_runner]

Excited to see everyone’s 2023 bling!

My wishlist is a Panthere watch for my big purchase, and I’d like a cool pearl and gold chain bracelet.

My wishlist will be the same for next year! I ended up buying a beautiful vintage ruby three stone ring and a few lower priced pearl items and that was my jewelry budget for the year no regrets! Sometimes one of a kind items just come up!

 

[seaurchin]

Okay, here's mine. As much as I know so far, anyway. If I can find a good local bench jeweler, that will take care of half my list. As far as anything new, aside from the two items below, I think I’ll start with wearing what I have more and seeing what, if anything, seems lacking. I might snatch up a couple of things that catch my eye too, though.


1 Go through jewelry for pieces to be de-cluttered, repaired or upgraded and prioritize, and wear every piece of (good and costume) jewelry at least once.

2 Find a local bench jeweler

3 Get shield ring modified, if possible, with better diamonds.

4 Get thicker chain for pink lab sapphire pendant

5 Finish ring in process (lab sapphire in pre-made 14k diamond setting). Get set and sized.

6 Finish jewelry record with photo etc. of each piece

7 Get out of jewelry jail!

8 Plain 14k yellow gold wedding band

Whoops. I seem to have forgotten most of my boring list and just shopped instead.

Here goes:

1) Partially. I did declutter my jewelry box and pass on what I don't wear. I started on the "wear each piece" thing but lost the plot somewhere along the way.

2) No. Did not find a local bench jeweler.

3) No. Did not get shield ring worked on.

4) No. Did not get thicker chain for pendant.

5) No. decided to nix that whole project.

6) No. Did not progress on record of jewelry this year. It wouldn't be any huge job or anything. I just forgot about it.

7) Partially. I did get out of jewelry jail. But then I got back in. The recidivism rate is high!

8 ) Yes. I did get a 14k yellow gold wedding band.

But here is what I bought in 2023! Sorry, not sorry! Or at least I think it was all in 2023 and I think that's everything. (Yellow gold wedding band not shown).



Clockwise from the top:

- 52 inch AAA freshwater pearl strand from Pearl Paradise, 7mm(?)

- Blue zircon ring.

-Lab diamond wedding band, secondhand from a PSer

- Seafoam tourmaline ring, secondhand from a PSer

- Peridot and moissanite ring. Had it made by David Klass.

- Small opal and diamond stud earrings

- Freshwater Edison pearl studs from Pearl Paradise

- South sea dangle earrings, secondhand from a PSer.

 

[dk168]

I did spend some money on a branded bracelet, a Chopard Happy Diamond (I have always lusted after this collection as I have a soft spot for all things hearts), and have finished paying off for the big blue green Tourmaline that Jeff W sourced in Tucson 2022 - the most expensive single gemstone to date, even more than my 1.19ct E VS1 emerald cut diamond!!!

DK

 

[oncrutchesrightnow]

1. Might buy a starter oval. Goal is to end up somewhere around 9mm. Will take a while. I have one diamond from Blue Nile that I never wear that I can use for seed.

2. Other than that, I need a white gold curved band but it does not need to be expensive so I will probably achieve that one.

Got the white gold band - a few posts up. I am conflicted about whether to get my giant (for me) oval diamond in earth grown or lab grown. So I held off on that one.

I did get some cool pieces this year but am waiting for the end-of-year thread to post my favorites.

 

[asterismdispersion]

Oof, 2023 will be an interesting bling year, since I'm still waiting on things from last year!

- I hope for my OMC/peruzzi diamond ring to be done sometime in the first half of 2023.

- Get an approximately 1 carat, near colorless, VS clarity OEC.

- Set a star sapphire in platinum with a pair of new, custom French cut diamonds. I have bought the stones already so I just have to get the ball rolling sometime this year.

- Garnet. I could add more rhodolite or demantoid to my collection.

Update nearing year's end: I'm almost there. I did find a good enough OEC. The star sapphire ring is in progress. I kind of doubt at this point the setting will be done before the holiday rush. I purchased a little demantoid garnet from Yvonne Raley, too.

 

[dk168]

Posting a teaser pic in here for the two JW CSs that I have managed to set in rings this year, received earlier this evening.

I shall start a new thread for them when I have more time to take pics etc...



DK