Blue baby apatite!

[distracts]

It is SO BLUE.

I had never seen an apatite this color. I had asked if it was hauyne, lol.

It's so tiny. If I ever set it, it will be as an accent stone in a pendant. 0.36 carats, 5x3.8mm.

Purchased from Vance Gems. I'd said I wasn't buying anything today, just looking so I could figure out what kind of damage I'll be doing to the pocketbook tomorrow, but this was too adorable to pass up...

 

[Xrisus]

Very nice, almost looks like an apatite from the Ipira Bahia region of Brazil.

 

[chrono]

I would guess it to be Brazilian too because of the dark blue colour. Lovely apatite and 5 x 4 is not that tiny. Is the measurement correct? It looks quite elongated or rectangular than what I imagine 5 x 4 mm to be.

 

[distracts]

It is indeed from Brazil! And Chrono, the measurement is what the paper says, though I haven't busted out the calipers to doublecheck it. I cleaned my study and I'm honestly not sure where I put them.

 

[katharath]

What an interesting gem! I've never seen an apatite that color. Thank you for sharing the pics, it's so neat!

 

[distracts]

What an interesting gem! I've never seen an apatite that color. Thank you for sharing the pics, it's so neat!

I never had either! I'd only ever seen the turquoisey kind.

 

[Xrisus]

If it does happen to be an Ipira apatite, a cool little fact is that many of them are very slightly radioactive (from Strontium I believe, I read that they are not dangerous levels). A very lovely shade of blue!

 

[LD]

This colour apatite is quite common in bead quality for jewellery making. I've seen quite a lot of it here in the UK.

It's a pretty stone - enjoy it!

 

[JewelFreak]

An education again! I've never seen that color either. It's beautiful. I love apatite anyway, am always tempted to pick one up. That's just so pretty!

--- Laurie

 

[minousbijoux]

Distracts, you've been on quite a buying bender lately, haven't you? I can't say that I blame you, especially when you come up with such pretty stones as this. And no, I am not used to seeing apatite this color either.

 

[kgizo]

You must have visited their booth before I did because I don't remember seeing that beauty. What are you thinking for a pendant? It could be cool with an opal with blue flash or a colored pearl.

Did you look at their sphenes? There were some nice sparkly ones.

 

[distracts]

If it does happen to be an Ipira apatite, a cool little fact is that many of them are very slightly radioactive (from Strontium I believe, I read that they are not dangerous levels). A very lovely shade of blue!

That's a neat fact even if it doesn't apply to this gem! I probably should have asked for more detail.

LD, that's interesting! I don't really know anything about beads. I tried beading once and it made me really angry so now I stay away from it, lol. I should obviously look more closely at beads at the gem show.

Minousbijoux, I went to the gem show three days in a row. I really only bought a pair of earrings, an eternity band, this, and two pairs of stones, and the last three things totaled up to about $150, so the big expenses were the first two things (and they were within my gem show budget - I've been saving up for the past couple of months!). Those other diamond earrings were bought in July so that's months and MONTHS ago. Well, the eternity band at the gem show was a bit of an accident... I was on the phone with the credit card company because they weren't letting the sale go through, and while I was talking to the lady I spotted it in the back of the case and told her she should double the amount she was approving me for on this transaction because I was buying two things now instead of just the earrings.

Kgizo, I got this around 5pm on Friday, I guess? It was in the display with the collector gems and weird things. I did see the sphenes - I'm not really sold on sphene yet - I haven't ever seen one that really grabbed my attention. Their ginormo big mahenge spinel pear sure did though! Did you get anything or did you somehow escape with no damage done?

For the pendant, I was thinking maybe pairing it with the pink spinel pear that I am planning on pendantizing or my trillion spessartite. I honestly don't even recall buying the spessartite but when I was looking through my little packages I discovered it. I really need to invest in one of those gem tray things. I hadn't thought of an opal but really like that idea.

Here it is with the spessartite. They look to not be the greatest saturation match in this pic but irl I thought it looked okay. The lighting in my house is awful today though due to the rain, so I'll have to look at them again later.

 

[LD]

I thought you might like to see what it looks like in bead quality. Obviously the clarity isn't there but this is 120ct and $16 for the strand.

 

[chrono]

I actually like the blue and orange colour combination.

 

[periwinkle]

the apatite is a lovely shade of blue!
i think the spessartite & apatite colours look nice together

 

[minousbijoux]

I actually like the blue and orange colour combination.

I totally agree! That little blue holds its own against your big ol orange!

 

[kgizo]

I also like the color combo and think the shapes are interesting together. You could put them together on the pendant or split between pendant and bail, lots of fun and creative opportunities.

I saw that pear mahenge and the large mint heart. I'm not a heart fan, but the color and sparkle were lovely. Did you go back Sat, too?

I got a couple of settings. Trying to slow down the CS spending a bit so working on setting what I already have.

 

[kenny]

I keep reading this thread title as, "Blue baby appetite".

 

[distracts]

It still hasn't been sunny so I haven't been able to see my potential color combos in other lighting conditions. I think I'm leaning toward the blue and orange as pictured, especially since I don't know what I'd do with that spessartite otherwise.

Did you go back Sat, too?

I got a couple of settings. Trying to slow down the CS spending a bit so working on setting what I already have.

Friday, Saturday, AND Sunday. Got antique diamond buttercup earrings and a ruby eternity band as well. I had been putting a little money away every month for potential gem show purchases... which were SUPPOSED to be all settings. But I have really wanted a ruby eternity band and some diamond earrings for a couple years now, and I am really pleased with my purchases and have worn them every day since. Well I take off the earrings whenever I sit at my desk so I can put them in the box and leave it open right by my laptop so I can admire them. They are soooooooo sparkly.

I hope you post pictures when you get your pretties set!

 

[JewelFreak]

I take off the earrings whenever I sit at my desk so I can put them in the box and leave it open right by my laptop so I can admire them.

I can't blame you! You did super, Distracts. I LOVE both sets of earrings. Good variety for different situations & outfits too. The apatite with the spess is really pretty -- unusual combinations like that are so intriguing & bring out the best in both stones. Super idea.

--- Laurie

 

[chrono]

Well I take off the earrings whenever I sit at my desk so I can put them in the box and leave it open right by my laptop so I can admire them.

Signs of a true PSer. I like your style. Who's going to admire them in your office so you might as well take them off and put them where you can admire them properly. I do this with my rings too.