Catch all thread - talk or better yet show us

[Lilith112]

Have you given any thought to going with spinel? Imo the padparadscha sapphires that are unheated are typically just not saturated enough for me, regardless of the cut.

Currently haven't really considered it, but might think about it more since I'm worried my preference for a round pad is setting me up for an impossible journey lo.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Currently haven't really considered it, but might think about it more since I'm worried my preference for a round pad is setting me up for an impossible journey lo.

Sorry I just could not resist showing my pad and my pad spinel.

Sapphire is round but heated and tiny! 5mm




Hehe since this is the random thread and all

 

[Lilith112]

Sorry I just could not resist showing my pad and my pad spinel.

Sapphire is round but heated and tiny! 5mm




Hehe since this is the random thread and all

Sooooo vendor just sent me these pics (also created separate thread since I done want to clog up this thread):





Both are unheated; top is rmb10,800. idk, how would you judge them? Is the top one too pink? Is the bottom one too peach?

 

[voce]

Sooooo vendor just sent me these pics (also created separate thread since I done want to clog up this thread):





Both are unheated; top is rmb10,800. idk, how would you judge them? Is the top one too pink? Is the bottom one too peach?

They're both beautiful, but I would want to check the color under all conditions of lighting. The top one looks like it could be small. I don't think the top one is too pink, or the bottom one too peach, it just depends on whether you personally prefer "sunset" or "sunrise" type pad. Depending on their carat weight, I think that price level is more than what I would be willing to spend, hence I gravitate toward pad spinel (less expensive, generally more luster, and there are no treatments in this color spinel, doesn't need to be verified untreated by independent lab).

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Wish me luck! I am about to embark on an adventure to send stones to china for setting!

Any words of wisdom?

@arkieb1 do you use the $15 envelopes and do you box your stones? I recall you mentioning you have used it before. My apologies if I tag the wrong person!

I returned a stone once using the $15 envelope but now I am paranoid it will get crushed. Should I keep it in a gem box?

 

[icy_jade]

Wish me luck! I am about to embark on an adventure to send stones to china for setting!

Any words of wisdom?

@arkieb1 do you use the $15 envelopes and do you box your stones? I recall you mentioning you have used it before. My apologies if I tag the wrong person!

I returned a stone once using the $15 envelope but now I am paranoid it will get crushed. Should I keep it in a gem box?

Either in a standard sized box with lots of bubble wrap padding surrounding the gem box , or if using bubble wrap padded envelope then with even more bubble wrap around the gem box.

I don’t completely trust the postal system to handle the packages with tender loving care and don’t like to take risks around gems that could get them crushed/chipped/cracked

 

[strawrose]

These are my 2 sets of spinel earrings. The lavenders were cut by mvm gems and the pink sourced by desertrose. The pink ones are set precariously in snaptite. I need to reset them!

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Has anyone mailed stuff to China?

Do you write the translated address?

The address the vendor gave me is in Chinese!

 

[Lilith112]

Has anyone mailed stuff to China?

Do you write the translated address?

The address the vendor gave me is in Chinese!

Could you copy & paste the Chinese address here? I think the safest way is to translate it into pinyin and convert the address order e.g. 88 W. Nanjing Rd. instead of Nanjing W. Rd. 88.

 

[icy_jade]

Has anyone mailed stuff to China?

Do you write the translated address?

The address the vendor gave me is in Chinese!

Can you print the address out and paste on the parcel/envelope? That’s probably the safest.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Oooh good idea @Lilith112

I've sent the whole thing to bestie for checking and translating.

@icy_jade I'll do that! Worried that when it reaches China they won't appreciate the translated version.

Thanks ladies! This is going to be interesting!

 

[Lilith112]

Oooh good idea @Lilith112

I've sent the whole thing to bestie for checking and translating.

@icy_jade I'll do that! Worried that when it reaches China they won't appreciate the translated version.

Thanks ladies! This is going to be interesting!

I think it'll be fine! Once it reaches China, EMS/SF Express will usually call just to confirm your address because it's coming from overseas.

 

[qubitasaurus]

Has anyone mailed stuff to China?

Do you write the translated address?

The address the vendor gave me is in Chinese!

Yes a few times. And I have always hand written the address -- my hand writing in English is atrocious, in chinese it was always bad enough to make my teacher wince and correct half the strokes. I have been told everything I sent reached the destination, so they must be good at error correcting these things.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

@Lilith112 and anyone else

My friend who sells creams to Chinese customers says customs in China are super dodgy and will probably take the stone as she's had all sorts of trouble even sending paw paw ointment into China.

Any thoughts on this? Now I'm scared and maybe I'll just get him to send me an empty setting.

@lovedogs did you send your precious Jedi spinel into China?

 

[Lilith112]

@Lilith112 and anyone else

My friend who sells creams to Chinese customers says customs in China are super dodgy and will probably take the stone as she's had all sorts of trouble even sending paw paw ointment into China.

Any thoughts on this? Now I'm scared and maybe I'll just get him to send me an empty setting.

@lovedogs did you send your precious Jedi spinel into China?

Hmm, customs has never took anything from me, albeit I've never shipped gems over. Which shipping company are you using? In my experience, DHL is much better at dealing w/Chinese customs than FedEx.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Hmm, customs has never took anything from me, albeit I've never shipped gems over. Which shipping company are you using? In my experience, DHL is much better at dealing w/Chinese customs than FedEx.

Ahh so you've received gems but not sent them into China?

My friend says outbound items from China are fine. It's getting them into the country to the person that's a problem.

I was going to use Australia Post but it seems way more complicated than I anticipated.

 

[Lilith112]

Ahh so you've received gems but not sent them into China?

My friend says outbound items from China are fine. It's getting them into the country to the person that's a problem.

I was going to use Australia Post but it seems way more complicated than I anticipated.

If you're concerned, the safest way is to first send it to someone in Hong Kong who can take it into Shenzhen by train and then deliver it to your local China destination. That's how I got my current sapphire.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

I shall rethink this! I thought inbound and outbound were the same!

How's your pad dilemma?

 

[Lilith112]

I shall rethink this! I thought inbound and outbound were the same!

How's your pad dilemma?

Currently waiting for the Shanghai-based seller to receive it from Sri Lanka so she can take better pictures for me! I don't think I"ll be able to see it now until the second week of October

Based on the current color though...if irl it's the same or better, well I'll just have to snatch it up!

 

[qubitasaurus]

Err I've seen them confiscate and hold a bunch of things at the border -- always equipment though. I agree that it may be better to send it via hong kong and have someone hand carry it across the border, if this is a concern.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Currently waiting for the Shanghai-based seller to receive it from Sri Lanka so she can take better pictures for me! I don't think I"ll be able to see it now until the second week of October

Based on the current color though...if irl it's the same or better, well I'll just have to snatch it up!

haha I am just as excited for you! I adore pads so it is a treat to be able to perve at a nice one!

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Thanks for all your help guys! My friend who sells stuff in China actually never discusses gems with me so it was eye opening to discover all this drama about the postal system when I asked about the address! She freaked out at the mention of me casually sending a gem to China! Says she can't get paw paw ointment through!

 

[icy_jade]

Set it in Australia? Frankly I hesitate to send gems through the normal postal system depending on where. FedEx and DHL maybe ok. But given the cost probably cheaper to set in your country than to send via those. And much less risk?

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Yeah I think I will set it Australia @icy_jade

My jeweller was thinking it would be a nicer and perfect fit if he had the gem cuz the factory could match the setting to it exactly but I think there is too much drama getting the stone into China.

 

[Lilith112]

haha I am just as excited for you! I adore pads so it is a treat to be able to perve at a nice one!

Awww thank you! I'm currently leaning towards it...has nice silk, good color balance, and the cut quality doesn't look bad... fingers crossed for when I see it!

RE: setting in Australia, I agree. I think in general, it's better to set locally since they'll have a sense of how your hand/fingers are shaped. When I set my sapphire, I didn't even go w/a factory and worked directly with a jeweler due to my ring size.

 

[Rfisher]

Should be receiving this by end of this week.
EarthsTreasury via Ryan Quantz

 

[Acinom]

Should be receiving this by end of this week.
EarthsTreasury via Ryan Quantz

Woohaa! I love this
How will you set it?

 

[Rfisher]

Woohaa! I love this
How will you set it?

Revisiting a cluster ring!

 

[ZestfullyBling]

Should be receiving this by end of this week.
EarthsTreasury via Ryan Quantz

Nice!!! U mind sharing the mm on that blue baby!

 

[Rfisher]

Nice!!! U mind sharing the mm on that blue baby!

1.21ct 5.9mm
Abit smaller than what I really wanted- but hoping the color makes up for it!