How would you set an asscher cut blue Zircon

[T L]

For the heck of it, here are two pictures of the Swala stone. It looks like there's a window. I asked and he said there is not. It seems on the darker side, but it does look better cut.

Another bad looking stone, very extinct, and dull.

Here's my tourmaline, but it's included. The cut is fabulous though. I'm not an expert in purchasing rough, but I do recommend high crowns/small tables for low RI stones.

 

[FrekeChild]

I have a few videos posted to my youtube channel with multiple types of gems in the same lighting situations if you want to get an idea of what I mean?

I'd love to see those, FrekeChild.

I can't post a link, but I'm easy to find on youtube. I made sure and changed the privacy level to public on one comparison video - lavender spinel, blue-green tourmaline, green garnet and yellow unknown stone.

 

[FrekeChild]

For the heck of it, here are two pictures of the Swala stone. It looks like there's a window. I asked and he said there is not. It seems on the darker side, but it does look better cut.

The color in the parts that are reflecting light looks nice...too bad the parts reflecting light are so small.

And it looks like a bit of a window to me too, but it might just be the angle the picture was taken at, and off angles for the pavilion facets...

 

[pregcurious]

The Swala stone is too dark and it is windowed. Is there a corresponding picture of it on their website that you can post here? I always wonder about how to interpret their pics.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

TL: I know. I was pretty disappointed in the Swala stone, especially since I had been eyeing it for awhile (waiting for pictures).

I see what you mean about your tourmaline. Since I keep finding "bad" stones, do they have personal shoppers to help? Anybody up for the task? haha If only.

FrekeChild: I'll definitely look for you. Thanks!

Preg: I've attached the one and only picture from their website. I wasn't sure how to interpret their pictures either. Glad I asked.

 

[T L]

TL: I know. I was pretty disappointed in the Swala stone, especially since I had been eyeing it for awhile (waiting for pictures).

I see what you mean about your tourmaline. Since I keep finding "bad" stones, do they have personal shoppers to help? Anybody up for the task? haha If only.

FrekeChild: I'll definitely look for you. Thanks!

Preg: I've attached the one and only picture from their website. I wasn't sure how to interpret their pictures either. Glad I asked.

Picking out "good" stones means you have to look at a lot of what are considered "good" stones in terms of color. When I first started my gemstone buying career, I thought dark tone always equaled fine saturation. It does not. I bought many dark toned extinct gems with poor saturation. They are now sitting in a box for my daughter to play with. You seem to be looking at really dark gems, which is why I mentioned this.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

I definitely don't mean to look at dark stones. At least not intentionally. I understand that I need to look at "good" stones; however, I'm still learning what those are and what they actually look like.

 

[Starzin]

The glamour shot certainly looks pretty however the others would lead me to believe this is too dark overall

While I understand that you want a darker colour, it may be that you need to focus on stones that look a little lighter in photos than the colour you are aiming for. Very few gems match their glamour shots and most do tend to turn out a bit darker IRL.

 

[FrekeChild]

I definitely don't mean to look at dark stones. At least not intentionally. I understand that I need to look at "good" stones; however, I'm still learning what those are and what they actually look like.

Keep in mind that you need to buy what you like. Sometimes I think that people here get caught up in the "buy the finest you can afford" business, but for myself, I've found that I don't love the high end stuff, or even stuff that most people would find desirable. What that has entailed though, is buying lots of learning stones and figuring out what I like and what I don't like, where I can show some tolerance and where I can't show tolerance. For example, I don't mind inclusions all that much, but unless the color slaps me in the face, I prefer precision cuts.

It's a lot of learning, is what I'm getting at, and people don't typically get it right the first time without a lot of hand holding. Which is something we're very good at here. My first significant gemstone buying adventure was my ering stone - and I think the thread was 23 pages at it's conclusion. Patience is a virtue!

So I would take some time and think about what you want and where you are willing to give in a little bit.

My perception of what you want:
BIG, 10+mm
Green-teal-blue or some coloration of that family
A stone shape other than round
Budget is $2,500
Well cut
Sparkly

 

[T L]

I definitely don't mean to look at dark stones. At least not intentionally. I understand that I need to look at "good" stones; however, I'm still learning what those are and what they actually look like.

Keep in mind that you need to buy what you like. Sometimes I think that people here get caught up in the "buy the finest you can afford" business, but for myself, I've found that I don't love the high end stuff, or even stuff that most people would find desirable. What that has entailed though, is buying lots of learning stones and figuring out what I like and what I don't like, where I can show some tolerance and where I can't show tolerance. For example, I don't mind inclusions all that much, but unless the color slaps me in the face, I prefer precision cuts.

I never said "buy the finest you can afford," but I think that a lot of costly mistakes of buying subpar stones would not happen if people educated themselves better on what tone, saturation, and the other aspects of a colored gem are. I learned this the hard way and spent way too much money on gems I no longer care for. I just want people to make the best educated decisions for what they can afford.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Thank you, everyone, for your comments. I've decided to put my buying on hold and attend a few trade shows first. There's one coming to my city in a few weeks, so I'll attend with the hopes of seeing as much as I can.

 

[LoversKites]

Thank you, everyone, for your comments. I've decided to put my buying on hold and attend a few trade shows first. There's one coming to my city in a few weeks, so I'll attend with the hopes of seeing as much as I can.

Good idea. May I ask you to take a few pics for us, pretty please?

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Good idea. May I ask you to take a few pics for us, pretty please?

Sure, I can do that. I apologize now for my sub-par picture taking skills.

 

[chrono]

I agree that a person should buy what he/she likes, with the caveat that the person has seen the spectrum of colours and hence is able to make that distinction of what he/she likes/dislikes. Without that exposure, it is easy to like this shade today, then decide it's not the right one next month, only to go on another quest shortly thereafter. I prefer the exposure gem shows afford because it is less expensive than going the route of buying and selling/accumulating learning stones.

 

[chrono]

You can ask Dana if he has any more of these left.
http://mastercutgems.com/index.php?page=viewgem&id=7834

 

[Starzin]

Good idea. May I ask you to take a few pics for us, pretty please?

Sure, I can do that. I apologize now for my sub-par picture taking skills.

Start practicing!! Take photos of all your jools!

If you're going to be using a smartphone, Gene gave a good tip pre-Tucson about cutting a hole in a white business card and taping it to the back of his phone so it didn't reflect black from the phone... which I thought was pretty darn clever myself.

 

[Starzin]

You can ask Dana if he has any more of these left.
http://mastercutgems.com/index.php?page=viewgem&id=7834

Oh be still my heart! *swoons*

Now that's what I call "colour makes up for size". Unfortunately both Sparklies and I would need a double air or triple halo for it to even be seen on our fingers *sigh*

...but it has been done

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Starzin: That is a good idea from Gene. I'll have to start practicing. Thank you!

haha You read my mind. We'd definitely have to do at least a double halo in order for that little (amazing) guy to be seen on our hand. However, I am loving your out-of-the-box idea.

 

[Starzin]

However, I am loving your out-of-the-box idea.

I really like what I now call "mermaid" rings after this one - blue and green tourmaline, blue diamonds, zircon or similar. So I would ditch the black diamonds for another blue or green row. By the way this ring is long gone.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Wow. Gorgeous! Maybe I need to do that instead of looking for a blue and green stone. Just do a 3-stone!

No complaints from me about ditching the black diamonds.

 

[Starzin]

Or get the most gorgeous green tourm or tsav and halo it in blue sapphires - and they needn't be teensy!

I posted a montana with blue diamond halo and then white diamond halo on someone else's thread the other day... JuliaB on etsy

Pity they don't make montana melee - I did ask Andrew (Gemfix) last year. He said he'd never heard of any.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

I think that comment just nominated you to be my personal gem shopper!

hehe Just kidding. I do really like your ideas, though.

 

[Starzin]

I think my ideas are too way out for most people. Must come of having to find those laaaarge rings.

But seriously... would you consider a green centre and blue halo? Also read the edit above re JuliaB.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Well, I understand and get you.

Yes, I would. I'd want to see (more) examples of possibilities, though. I enjoyed dealing with her before, so I'd have no issues working with her on something. I'll check her store.

Oooooo, montana melee would be stunning.

 

[chrono]

Pity they don't make montana melee - I did ask Andrew (Gemfix) last year. He said he'd never heard of any.

Perhaps not from Montana but certainly blue/green sapphire melees.
http://www.columbiagemhouse.com/melee.html

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Pity they don't make montana melee - I did ask Andrew (Gemfix) last year. He said he'd never heard of any.

Perhaps not from Montana but certainly blue/green sapphire melees.
http://www.columbiagemhouse.com/melee.html

Wow. I really do need to put more thought into this project. I'm not too keen on the idea of a diamond halo, but something like this...yes! Oh, the possibilities.

 

[Starzin]

Ooooh Yeah Chrono! Triple halo of those three now we just have to find a centre stone. Yum!

Here's a IVY for inspiration.

 

[chrono]

I think having a row of diamond melee in there somewhere might help the centre stone stand out more.

And I'm just a sucker for diamond melees too.

 

[SparkliesLuver]

Oh my goodness! I'm glad I'm sitting down. Where's that fainting icon?

I can see your point, Chrono, about a row of diamond melee. I wouldn't mind a single row of it along with something else. I definitely want this ring to be about color.

 

[Starzin]

Or even this?

I'll have to go and look for blue and green.

And I forgot to say Adzia also does coloured halos https://www.etsy.com/listing/162453084/vintage-inspired-yehuda-diamond?ref=shop_home_active_10