Imposter gemstones

[T L]

Date: 10/17/2009 9:54:38 PM
Author: serenitydiamonds

Date: 10/14/2009 1:44:22 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 10/14/2009 1:19:32 PM

Author: ma re

TL, I hear you on the tsavorite vs. emerald, but I can honestly say that no tsavorite can mimic the best of emeralds. They just can''t have the same silky quality, gentle shine and depth of color. Some fine ones can come close, but that''s about it. Of course, each of them will pretty much cost you a kidney or two, but hey, they''re among the nicest gems out there.


P. S. I don''t think clarity is exclusively a disadvantage of emeralds, cause often I find inclusions in them helping the color seem more saturated and giving that glowy appearance (of course, poor clarity can be a serious issue, I''m not questioning that).

Richard Hughes said the same thing, and I agree, but they would fool most people (just not you

). I''m not talking about trying to get a gem that looks identical to another, but looks close in color and perhaps some other attributes. For most laypeople, it would be a challenge to figure out what it was. I think 99% of regular people would think a fine quality tsavorite was a nice emerald. Heck, most people don''t even know what a tsavorite is, but most people know what an emerald is.

Hmmm... I''m not so sure Tsavorite would pull it off, it depends on how Lay the Lay person is I guess. Emeralds have such a different feel to them that even before I really knew anything about gems I could tell. Most precious gems have a glow, personality, or spirit which is hard to describe that in my opinion semi-precious stones lack (I''m not saying here that semi''s don''t have their own glow or spirit, there''s just an indescribable feeling I get when looking and holding an Emerald vs a high quality green stone). Maybe by itself you could convince a layperson tsavorite was Emerald, but sitting next to each other I believe it would be pretty obvious which one was the Emerald. I mean this same characteristic appears to be with lab emeralds vs natural emeralds, something just feels off.... but it could just be me;-0

--Joshua

Well considering that probably 99% of the general public (just a wild guess on the stat by the way) doesn''t even know what a tsavorite is, or has even heard of a green garnet, I can see much of the public thinking a tsavorite is an emerald. However, no, it would not fool many people that are colored gem afficianados. Demantoid is another green garnet, while in it''s finest chrome green, would still look less like an emerald because of the high RI. Beryls are very low RI stones.

 

[sparkles]

Harriet,

I know that you are pretty much our aficionado on colored stones here on PS. What with all the research and personal encounters with the many industry professionals you have had. Could you tell us about Emeralds from different locations, maybe post a few pictures and explain their characteristics please. Thats if you have the time.

One of my jewellers keeps Emeralds, mostly already set, nothing under a 5 figure price tag. They have told me their source is Columbia, so they say, so I am not so familiar with stones from other origins.

 

[T L]

Date: 10/17/2009 10:40:29 PM
Author: sparkles
Harriet,

I know that you are pretty much our aficionado on colored stones here on PS. What with all the research and personal encounters with the many industry professionals you have had. Could you tell us about Emeralds from different locations, maybe post a few pictures and explain their characteristics please. Thats if you have the time.

One of my jewellers keeps Emeralds, mostly already set, nothing under a 5 figure price tag. They have told me their source is Columbia, so they say, so I am not so familiar with stones from other origins.

I disagree, I think there are many gemstone aficonados on the colored stones forum of good standing that many of us look up to. I would please ask you to kindly start a new thread specifically about emeralds, since this one is about look alike gemstones of different species.

 

[sparkles]

Okay TL, this ole dog will put her tail between her legs and go and start another thread on Emeralds. I will have to remember PS etiquette of trying not to veer off the original topic on another poster''s pesonal thread.

Apologies

 

[T L]

Thank you Sparkles, and I would love to see Harriet''s synopsis of emeralds from around the world as well.

 

[Harriet]

sparkles,
Thank you for your kind words. I will defer to Tourmaline Lover since she has had 15+ years of experience compared to my 2 (or is it less?). In the meantime, visit ICGA''s page. It is a useful and reliable resource on the different gems, including emerald.

 

[risingsun]

I am looking at my tsavorite and my emerald. Both are what I would call an "emerald" green, without any yellow undertones. Perhaps a touch of blue. Given that the color of each stone, IMHO, is excellent, the next characteristic, which differentiates the two*, is that the emerald glows and the tsavorite sparkles. I am a novice in colored stones, although I have owned sapphires and emeralds for many years. This is my second emerald of this size and it far surpasses the beauty of my first one. This is my first tsavorite and I am couldn't be happier with it.

*to my eyes

 

[Stone Hunter]

Tsav sparkles because it is a Garnet and they have more sparkle than emeralds.

Since you have several sapphires...Do you find that the Sapphires sparkle as much as your lovely new Garnet?

 

[risingsun]

Date: 10/18/2009 12:18:06 PM
Author: Stone Hunter
Tsav sparkles because it is a Garnet and they have more sparkle than emeralds.

Since you have several sapphires...Do you find that the Sapphires sparkle as much as your lovely new Garnet?

I have to say that the way the emerald glows is very seductive

My sapphires do not sparkle as much as the tsavorite. I'm trying to think of a term to describe it, especially my ring. It does have sparkle, but also has a velvety appearance. I don't have the CS lingo in my lexicon, but the sapphire is a mix of highlights and lowlights--does that make any sense?

 

[Stone Hunter]

Date: 10/18/2009 12:23:04 PM
Author: risingsun

Date: 10/18/2009 12:18:06 PM
Author: Stone Hunter
Tsav sparkles because it is a Garnet and they have more sparkle than emeralds.

Since you have several sapphires...Do you find that the Sapphires sparkle as much as your lovely new Garnet?

I have to say that the way the emerald glows is very seductive

My sapphires do not sparkle as much as the tsavorite. I''m trying to think of a term to describe it, especially my ring. It does have sparkle, but also has a velvety appearance. I don''t have the CS lingo in my lexicon, but the sapphire is a mix of highlights and lowlights--does that make any sense?

Thanks. I think that description is helpful. I''ll look for/expect the velvet when I check out Sapphires. I''m just trying to picture the difference w/o having the stones side by side. I love the sparkle of my Spess, part of the sparkle is natural and part is due to Barry''s cutting. I am thinking Sapphire for my next stone and don''t want to be dissapointed.

The majority of the Emeralds I''ve seen I haven''t liked. Partly because I just don''t like the B&M emeralds. I have liked the Emeralds at Columbian Emeralds ltd. There the green is lighter and the stones glow.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Date: 10/17/2009 8:35:45 AM
Author: LtlFirecracker

Date: 10/17/2009 8:22:15 AM
Author: Chrono
Firecracker,

You''ll have to link me to your new tsavorite. There''s been so many PSers buying tsavorites lately that it''s getting harder to keep track of who has which stone. Of course, old age brain farts come into play here for me too.

No problem,

It was initially going to be a Christmas gift, but now it is going to be a congrats on taking the boards gift . That means I get it soon

. Lets hope I passed! Hopefully it will be at the post office today. Now that I see the pic after seeing yours, it looks different, but I can''t describe how. Hoping I will have a backyard soon as I want to take comparison pics between this stone and my other stone.

ETA: I went back and looked at yours, it seems to have more of a blue undertone, and my stone a yellow undertone. I am really bad at undertones, so I am trying to learn.

WOW this looks just lovely to me!! Hope the PO opens early on Monday!

 

[risingsun]

Date: 10/18/2009 12:33:17 PM
Author: Stone Hunter

Date: 10/18/2009 12:23:04 PM
Author: risingsun

Date: 10/18/2009 12:18:06 PM
Author: Stone Hunter
Tsav sparkles because it is a Garnet and they have more sparkle than emeralds.

Since you have several sapphires...Do you find that the Sapphires sparkle as much as your lovely new Garnet?

I have to say that the way the emerald glows is very seductive

My sapphires do not sparkle as much as the tsavorite. I'm trying to think of a term to describe it, especially my ring. It does have sparkle, but also has a velvety appearance. I don't have the CS lingo in my lexicon, but the sapphire is a mix of highlights and lowlights--does that make any sense?

Thanks. I think that description is helpful. I'll look for/expect the velvet when I check out Sapphires. I'm just trying to picture the difference w/o having the stones side by side. I love the sparkle of my Spess, part of the sparkle is natural and part is due to Barry's cutting. I am thinking Sapphire for my next stone and don't want to be dissapointed.

The majority of the Emeralds I've seen I haven't liked. Partly because I just don't like the B&M emeralds. I have liked the Emeralds at Columbian Emeralds ltd. There the green is lighter and the stones glow.

You've seen my pics of my sapphire ring, yes? That should be of some help. A well cut sapphire will not disappoint. I don't like the majority of emeralds that I see, either. My B&M had two emeralds that were really nice and I got one of them. Too many emeralds--within my insurance company's generous budget--seemed lifeless, to me.

 

[PinkTower]

a question to lilfirecracker:

Do you have a thread on yournew stone? I looked and cannot find one. It is gorgeous.

Pink

 

[Stone Hunter]

Date: 10/18/2009 12:40:25 PM
Author: risingsun

Date: 10/18/2009 12:33:17 PM
Author: Stone Hunter

Date: 10/18/2009 12:23:04 PM
Author: risingsun

Date: 10/18/2009 12:18:06 PM
Author: Stone Hunter
Tsav sparkles because it is a Garnet and they have more sparkle than emeralds.

Since you have several sapphires...Do you find that the Sapphires sparkle as much as your lovely new Garnet?

I have to say that the way the emerald glows is very seductive

My sapphires do not sparkle as much as the tsavorite. I''m trying to think of a term to describe it, especially my ring. It does have sparkle, but also has a velvety appearance. I don''t have the CS lingo in my lexicon, but the sapphire is a mix of highlights and lowlights--does that make any sense?

Thanks. I think that description is helpful. I''ll look for/expect the velvet when I check out Sapphires. I''m just trying to picture the difference w/o having the stones side by side. I love the sparkle of my Spess, part of the sparkle is natural and part is due to Barry''s cutting. I am thinking Sapphire for my next stone and don''t want to be dissapointed.

The majority of the Emeralds I''ve seen I haven''t liked. Partly because I just don''t like the B&M emeralds. I have liked the Emeralds at Columbian Emeralds ltd. There the green is lighter and the stones glow.

You''ve seen my pics of my sapphire ring, yes? That should be of some help. A well cut sapphire will not disappoint. I don''t like the majority of emeralds that I see, either. My B&M had two emeralds that were really nice and I got one of them. Too many emeralds--within my insurance company''s generous budget--seemed lifeless, to me.

OK I am definately going for a well cut stone. And a lighter color than the ones I see around town, and at the B&M stores. Then if I love it I''ll just try another color in Sapphire!