Collecting coloured stone

[Harriet]

My collection is currently a uniset -- just the Royal Rhodolite. I have a great guy advising on my next steps, but would like to hear from the other experts. Especially NICREZ! Sadly, my budget is rather restrained at the moment.

ETA: I forgot that I also have a teensy blue spinel on the crown of my watch.

 

[Harriet]

Btw, I''m ordering the Schumann book.

 

[dtnyc]

Ok- since it''s a lovely sunny day here and I have nothing but time, I''ll bite.
Here''s a lemon quartz ring that I bought in a department store in a fit of retail therapy!
Set in WG- I know nothing about it but I love the checkerboard pattern- I really only wear it for "fun" on the occasional Saturday night-

 

[dtnyc]

Ok- I am working on my resizing skills-
here is the lemon quartz, and an amethyst ring my mom gave me w/ my dog in the background.

 

[dtnyc]

Got my topaz ring in here as well- also I think you can really see the checkerboard on the quartz in this shot (as well as the body color in my e-ring stone- ick!)

 

[Nicrez]

They are both excellent reads, and from there you can get a handle on what you would like to invest in. My personal opinion is that no one can tell you what you''ll love. Go out and SEE them...Sure you can shop online, but color and cut are NEVER the same... see if you can walk around the diamond district, just for the comparison. Start asking questions (although many of those people don''t know their elbows from their bellybuttons!) Few if any of the sales people there are trained gemologists or anything. Rarer is the person who knows gemstones, and not just diamonds...

But my guess is that Kunzite will be your light pink stone. They are lovely, but delicate...

Also, consider for budgetary purposes Tourmalines and Topazes. Depending on how rare of a stone you want, you can get really into it. I am a fan of Pink Topz, but those are not easy to find. Actually they are quite hot right now. Stay away from the Tanzanites, they are over budget and can be lovely, but achieved generally with other stones.

I know loads of others, but the ones that are hardest on the Moh''s scale and easier to find are the corundum (all types of colored sapphires) Topazes (in all colors and large sizes easily available) some nice Beryls (besides emeralds there are Aquamarines as I mentioned earlier) and Quartz family gems.

if you don''t need faceted, consider opals (like fire opals or black opals), but I am partial to moonstone. I saw a cabochon moonstone and diamond necklace (a la diamond by the yard)....Almost cried I wanted it so badly...

I say get funky and try different looks, see which fits you best. For faceted however, see the above stones, as they are harder and will withstand rings and other heavy used jewlery. I am in LOVE with a Chrysoberyl (Alexandrite, which change color in different light settings) in a cabochon cut at the Sotheby''s Geneva auction...*dies*

 

[Nicrez]

The Alexandrite ring I PINE for...

 

[Harriet]

dtnyc,
I dig checkerboard cuts as well, and your lemon quartz is yummy. What kind of doggy do you have?

Nicrez,
I love Alexandrites and cabochons. That ring is gorgeous, but I'm sure it's beyond me. Thanks for your input. Wanna take me around 47th stret some time?

Still drooling over your citrine. What's in your collection? Please tell me!

 

[dtnyc]

We have 2 mixes- both 1/2 Jack Russell 1/2 shih tzu- Daisy and Dixon. Daisy is 7 and Dixon just turned 1.
We have a funny name that we call their mix- think about a "labra-doodle" and what you would call a Jack-s....

 

[Harriet]

Haha! One of mine puts the shih in the shih tzu.

Do you have any photos? My parents had a Silky Terrier - Shih Tzu cross. He was unique.

 

[JenniferB]

Harriet, I am embarking on expanding my collection of colored stuff too --- I really want to have a ring/earring/pendant or whatever that will match every basic color in my closet. Btw, your royal rhodalite is gorgeous - what a jump start!!!

Dtnyc, I love your collection! Esp your ering and wedding ring - they sparkle so nicely. I love big colored stones worn on the hand, it is such a statement.

Nicrez, OMG. *Wakes from gem coma* I ADORE that Alexandrite you posted. Alexandrite is my new OBSESSION. Ever since I saw one at Saks5thAve in Beverly Hills (I know - not the right place to learn about good gems at good pricing - but it caught my eye from across the department in the case

) - it was HUGE for a pretty Alexandrite, surrounded by diamonds (kinda like Princess Diana''s sapphire I think) and $80K! I think a little part of me died in awe and stayed in the case with it. I had never seen a stone at that price and size that was not a diamond in person. Not even their emeralds could not come close to it. I think - in the FAR future - a reasonable (read likely to be TINY!) sized Alexandrite will be my next big purchase. I am having a hard time understanding what causes the big delta in Alexandrite pricing - I know the color change plays a big part - but the actual colors seem to make a big difference too. My favorite is the one that is kind of darker-purply-green - I think, fortunately for me, that is on the less desirable side of the spectrum...

 

[Harriet]

Thanks! You are a girl after my own heart.

 

[Nicrez]

Date: 5/2/2007 3:29:55 AM
Author: JenniferB
Harriet, I am embarking on expanding my collection of colored stuff too --- I really want to have a ring/earring/pendant or whatever that will match every basic color in my closet. Btw, your royal rhodalite is gorgeous - what a jump start!!!

Dtnyc, I love your collection! Esp your ering and wedding ring - they sparkle so nicely. I love big colored stones worn on the hand, it is such a statement.

Nicrez, OMG. *Wakes from gem coma* I ADORE that Alexandrite you posted. Alexandrite is my new OBSESSION. Ever since I saw one at Saks5thAve in Beverly Hills (I know - not the right place to learn about good gems at good pricing - but it caught my eye from across the department in the case

) - it was HUGE for a pretty Alexandrite, surrounded by diamonds (kinda like Princess Diana's sapphire I think) and $80K! I think a little part of me died in awe and stayed in the case with it. I had never seen a stone at that price and size that was not a diamond in person. Not even their emeralds could not come close to it. I think - in the FAR future - a reasonable (read likely to be TINY!) sized Alexandrite will be my next big purchase. I am having a hard time understanding what causes the big delta in Alexandrite pricing - I know the color change plays a big part - but the actual colors seem to make a big difference too. My favorite is the one that is kind of darker-purply-green - I think, fortunately for me, that is on the less desirable side of the spectrum...

Alexandrites are fascinating and yes the color change and the spectrum of change is what makes the price differences. It's all about raarity. The stone is a Chrysoberly, and Alexandrites are KNOWN for their color change. Sapphires also change colors, but not as prominently or into such a difference in HUE! Also the clairty of the stone plays a large role, as well as the size. I have seen some massive ideal specimens, and honestly, when they are fine qulaity they are deliriously perfect. I adore them. I love the change, and in the ring I posted, I saw it at the Sotheby's viewing for the Geneva sale, and OMG! It changed colors when you MOVED IT! Some specimens require different lighting to get the effect. This sugar loaf was like a piece of candy!

I think a great place to start with a love of gems is the museums. Here in NY (Harriet this is for YOU!!!) we have the Museum of Natural History. They have a Hall of Gems there that shows some impressive specimens as well as very rare minerals in the family. I suggest that all gemlovers go at least once in their lives!

Harriet, rolling up and down 47th would be fun. I am of course always there...

I am always up for it!

 

[Harriet]

Will let you know when I can squeeze out some time in the day!

 

[Skippy123]

Harriet where are you? I haven''t seen you for a while! Your missed.