Jeff White Asscher Mint Garnet Goodness!

[endless_summer]

I need someone to lift my jaw after seeing that stone. It's gorgeous!

I agree you need to set that baby with some white diamonds. It'll have the most incredible polish and lines knowing it's from JW. Congratulations.

Thank you, royalstarrynight - I had the very same reaction when I first saw the pic of the finished stone from the same parcel, and if this baby turns out to be anywhere close to that one, I have a feeling that I'll be jumping for joy, literally!

 

[endless_summer]

I am sooooooo jealous right now! So jealous!!!

YT, thank you so much! I am so jealous of so many pieces on this site on a daily basis, most definitely including your OEC AND AVC to boot!!!

 

[txgreeneyes]

endless summer:

Did you decide on the metal?

I'm envious! An asscher and a mint garnet!

 

[endless_summer]

endless summer:

Did you decide on the metal?

I'm envious! An asscher and a mint garnet!

I'm thinking platinum. I've seen some beautiful rose and yellow gold/mint garnet examples, but I know I'd wear a white/silver colored metal ring far more often - just hoping that helps bring out cool tones in the finished stone

 

[dk168]

If it is going to be platinum with diamond sides, then the finished ring will be another case of the CS centre stone costing less than the ring setting!

Random post which is a follow-on from the thread about setting costing more than the centre stone, which is not unusual for CSs.

DK

 

[endless_summer]

If it is going to be platinum with diamond sides, then the finished ring will be another case of the CS centre stone costing less than the ring setting!

Random post which is a follow-on from the thread about setting costing more than the centre stone, which is not unusual for CSs.

DK

If only that were true in this case, but such is life From everything that I've read here and elsewhere, mint garnets over 2 carats are very rare and rough prices have been increasing quite a bit. Just as an example, here's a thread from way back in 2009:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/merelani-mint-garnet.123581/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/merelani-mint-garnet.123581/[/URL]

When Jeff said that he had this piece, I basically jumped on it - with how difficult it is to find a mint garnet of a substantial size, let alone with great color, clarity, and to be cut into a JW asscher, it was pretty much a no-brainer

 

[Niel]

Don't you love (and hate) when that happens

When you find something and you just have no choice to jump on it.

 

[endless_summer]

Don't you love (and hate) when that happens

When you find something and you just have no choice to jump on it.

Yep - I think that's how you know you're gonna have a winner

Under any normal circumstances, I'd wonder if all of the excitement and anticipation had my expectations running too high, but in this case, if other folks' experiences with JW and the way the previous asscher from the parcel turned are any indication of things to come, I wouldn't be surprised if the finished stone still manages to exceed my expectations. I think that's the fun in waiting, but that said, hopefully, I'll find out when the piece will be added to the cutting schedule as some point soon

 

[T L]

endless summer:

Did you decide on the metal?

I'm envious! An asscher and a mint garnet!

I'm thinking platinum. I've seen some beautiful rose and yellow gold/mint garnet examples, but I know I'd wear a white/silver colored metal ring far more often - just hoping that helps bring out cool tones in the finished stone

Chrono set her mint garnet in platinum. There's a thread on it here somewhere. Just be careful, as platinum is a hard metal and requires someone with excellent skills to set it without chipping the stone.

 

[endless_summer]

endless summer:

Did you decide on the metal?

I'm envious! An asscher and a mint garnet!

I'm thinking platinum. I've seen some beautiful rose and yellow gold/mint garnet examples, but I know I'd wear a white/silver colored metal ring far more often - just hoping that helps bring out cool tones in the finished stone

Chrono set her mint garnet in platinum. There's a thread on it here somewhere. Just be careful, as platinum is a hard metal and requires someone with excellent skills to set it without chipping the stone.

I understand completely. I have a relationship with someone locally that does stunning, carefully crafted hand-forged work that I would trust with the stone. But, I am open to suggestions if folks have had good CS experiences elsewhere. I'm sure that Steven Kirsch would handle the stone with care as well, which would be great, given that I really like his work, but I know examples of his work with diamonds. Either way, I'll certainly spend some time getting quotes, researching, and trying to read about the experiences of others before setting it. Right now, I'm more focused on the stone itself and just looking forward to seeing it in hand after it's cut

 

[dk168]

If it is going to be platinum with diamond sides, then the finished ring will be another case of the CS centre stone costing less than the ring setting!

Random post which is a follow-on from the thread about setting costing more than the centre stone, which is not unusual for CSs.

DK

If only that were true in this case, but such is life From everything that I've read here and elsewhere, mint garnets over 2 carats are very rare and rough prices have been increasing quite a bit. Just as an example, here's a thread from way back in 2009:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/merelani-mint-garnet.123581/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/merelani-mint-garnet.123581/[/URL]

When Jeff said that he had this piece, I basically jumped on it - with how difficult it is to find a mint garnet of a substantial size, let alone with great color, clarity, and to be cut into a JW asscher, it was pretty much a no-brainer

Crumbs!!! I must admit not paying much attention to the prices of garnets, as I favour rubies and pink sapphires more, and do not realise they can be that expensive!!!

DK

 

[endless_summer]

If it is going to be platinum with diamond sides, then the finished ring will be another case of the CS centre stone costing less than the ring setting!

Random post which is a follow-on from the thread about setting costing more than the centre stone, which is not unusual for CSs.

DK

If only that were true in this case, but such is life From everything that I've read here and elsewhere, mint garnets over 2 carats are very rare and rough prices have been increasing quite a bit. Just as an example, here's a thread from way back in 2009:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/merelani-mint-garnet.123581/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/merelani-mint-garnet.123581/[/URL]

When Jeff said that he had this piece, I basically jumped on it - with how difficult it is to find a mint garnet of a substantial size, let alone with great color, clarity, and to be cut into a JW asscher, it was pretty much a no-brainer

Crumbs!!! I must admit not paying much attention to the prices of garnets, as I favour rubies and pink sapphires more, and do not realise they can be that expensive!!!

DK

No worries at all! Before I had researched, I had no idea But, man oh man, rubies and pink sapphires sound quite yummy and are very much worthy of as much attention as you can give them!

 

[Spirit]

I believe that the original minty in your photo is now my pendant!
I adore this stone and Jeff did an amazing job in the cutting. It sparkles and the color is so rich and beautiful!
Lucky for you that he still had a piece of this rough! Enjoy!

 

[endless_summer]

I believe that the original minty in your photo is now my pendant!
I adore this stone and Jeff did an amazing job in the cutting. It sparkles and the color is so rich and beautiful!
Lucky for you that he still had a piece of this rough! Enjoy!

Are you serious?!?!?! Really, no, lucky you! I'm so happy to hear how much you like yours - it is one absolutely gorgeous stone, and I'll be thrilled if mine turns out even close to it

 

[Spirit]

Yup - serious! I just looked at it today .
That's the thing about pendants: unless you carry a mirror around with you, you can only really see it when it is off your neck! It does feel good though when other people admire it!
I am positive that since Jeff " practiced his cutting" on mine, which was a few years ago, he will make sure yours is perfect!
I will follow this thread to see how you set it and look forward to seeing your finished product! Good luck.

 

[endless_summer]

Yup - serious! I just looked at it today .
That's the thing about pendants: unless you carry a mirror around with you, you can only really see it when it is off your neck! It does feel good though when other people admire it!
I am positive that since Jeff " practiced his cutting" on mine, which was a few years ago, he will make sure yours is perfect!
I will follow this thread to see how you set it and look forward to seeing your finished product! Good luck.

Thank you so much!!!

 

[Niel]

Yup - serious! I just looked at it today .
That's the thing about pendants: unless you carry a mirror around with you, you can only really see it when it is off your neck! It does feel good though when other people admire it!
I am positive that since Jeff " practiced his cutting" on mine, which was a few years ago, he will make sure yours is perfect!
I will follow this thread to see how you set it and look forward to seeing your finished product! Good luck.

where is the photo of this lovely??

 

[endless_summer]

I was wondering that too - I searched PS thoroughly and couldn't find one after many attempts over the course of the past few weeks The best I could come up with was the pic of Jeff's 'fine mint' hand shot that looks pretty spot on - is that the same/your stone Spirit? I'm sure if you post of pic, many folks would be happy to admire it!

And, I got timing! 6 to 8 weeks - which sounds like a long time, but that's actually good timing for me, and with any luck, I'm sure it will blow by

 

[dk168]

I can't remember where I read it on Jeff's website, however, I vaguely remember 8 weeks being mentioned as the normal/current waiting time for a piece of custom-cut gemstone. It suits me well, as I can pay for the stone in 3 instalments.

My GF's ring is not needed until Oct 2014, therefore, there should be sufficient time for the stone to be cut and for it to be set in time.

I am paying for the jeweller/bench who is setting the stone in 4 instalments, hence I thought I would start my project early.

4+ months for a made from scratch piece of jewellery is not really that long, and I am sure the OP's finished ring is worth the wait.

DK

 

[chrono]

Looking forward to seeing the rough turn into a beautiful green garnet. Yes, grossular garnets rarely come this big, so it is not an inexpensive stone. When setting a softer stone like a garnet, I would take more care in selecting the bench. I would look to see example work with coloured stones, not diamonds and sapphires, because those are easy to set comparatively. I've had good (skilled and experienced) benches take good sized chips out of 2 spinels so far.

 

[endless_summer]

I can't remember where I read it on Jeff's website, however, I vaguely remember 8 weeks being mentioned as the normal/current waiting time for a piece of custom-cut gemstone. It suits me well, as I can pay for the stone in 3 instalments.

My GF's ring is not needed until Oct 2014, therefore, there should be sufficient time for the stone to be cut and for it to be set in time.

I am paying for the jeweller/bench who is setting the stone in 4 instalments, hence I thought I would start my project early.

4+ months for a made from scratch piece of jewellery is not really that long, and I am sure the OP's finished ring is worth the wait.

DK

Ohhh absolutely! I was really happy about the timing, as it will give me more time to save for the setting I haven't even gotten to completely planning out the setting or getting quotes yet, but when everything falls into place, it will totally be worth the wait.

And, I'm completely impressed with how well you've already planned your project and it's timing! Your GF will really appreciate all the thought, time, and effort that will have gone into it.

 

[endless_summer]

Looking forward to seeing the rough turn into a beautiful green garnet. Yes, grossular garnets rarely come this big, so it is not an inexpensive stone. When setting a softer stone like a garnet, I would take more care in selecting the bench. I would look to see example work with coloured stones, not diamonds and sapphires, because those are easy to set comparatively. I've had good (skilled and experienced) benches take good sized chips out of 2 spinels so far.

I agree with you completely. The last thing I want to do is chip Jeff's beautiful work once the stone is done. If you have suggestions as to benches that are experienced with CS's, I am completely open to them.

 

[chrono]

I've used Whiteflash many times with great success but unfortunately, they no longer accept "outside" stones.
I've used ERD once for a spinel but do not have confidence in them setting a garnet. I've seen them set an antique zircon without issues though.

 

[endless_summer]

Thank Chrono - that's good to know - I appreciate the heads up!

 

[Spirit]

I will try to get some help posting a photo. I did a diamond halo around the stone and the bale has two thin lines instead of just one, all diamonds. The side view is very open as I wanted to be able to admire as much of this special stone as possible!
It took me 2 or 3 years to decide on the setting !
Jeff told me that he used my stone in the photo on the top of his Facebook page - the one with the beautiful greens and pinks!
He was very proud of this find and of the finished product!

BTW: I just went back to my email exchange with Jeff from a few years ago and it looks like that photo you showed is def my stone! He said mine turned out to be 4.31 ct and 9 mm !
Can you imagine if yours could be over 5 ct? Spectacular!!!

 

[endless_summer]

I will try to get some help posting a photo. I did a diamond halo around the stone and the bale has two thin lines instead of just one, all diamonds. The side view is very open as I wanted to be able to admire as much of this special stone as possible!
It took me 2 or 3 years to decide on the setting !
Jeff told me that he used my stone in the photo on the top of his Facebook page - the one with the beautiful greens and pinks!
He was very proud of this find and of the finished product!

BTW: I just went back to my email exchange with Jeff from a few years ago and it looks like that photo you showed is def my stone! He said mine turned out to be 4.31 ct and 9 mm !
Can you imagine if yours could be over 5 ct? Spectacular!!!

I was so hoping that the handshot was your stone too! OMG - it is amazing. I completely scoured through everything JW I could find to try to locate a handshot or non-glamour shot of the stone and finally stumbled upon it in 'other eye candy.' I actually had all three photos up on my screen - my rough, your glamour shot, and the handshot to see if they all matched I really had just wanted to be sure that I wasn't just drooling over your glamour shot, and I certainly wasn't! Goodness knows, I'd love to see a pic of your stone now set - it sounds beautiful. And, I could certainly tell that Jeff was proud of your stone from how much it appears on his site, as he totally and completely should be!

If mine turned out over 5 carats, it would just be nuts! I even told Jeff that I thought the size of yours was more than generous, and if we got to 8mm or slightly over, that I would be thrilled As I'm sure you can tell, if this piece turns out to be your stone's twin or close to it, it would be a great success!

 

[RTFrog]

That's gorgeous Endless! Wear it in good health - can't wait to see how you set it.

Beautiful transformation from rough into glowing finished product. That green glow combined with each of those flashy steps sure creates an awesome effect that must be phenomenal in the sunlight.

 

[FrekeChild]

Well, having seen two of Jeff's asschers in person, I can assure you that they are spectacular. I'd love to see Spirit's mintastic garnet too, since my spinel is it's companion in the image on FB/his website.

I'm so excited for you!

 

[endless_summer]

That's gorgeous Endless! Wear it in good health - can't wait to see how you set it.

Beautiful transformation from rough into glowing finished product. That green glow combined with each of those flashy steps sure creates an awesome effect that must be phenomenal in the sunlight.

Thanks RTFrog! The finished stone hasn't been cut yet, but it's a go. The pic of the rough is mine, while the two finished asschers are the glamour shot and hand shot of Spirit's lovely stone, which was cut from a piece of rough from the same parcel. Jeff said that my piece was very, very similar, so I'm looking forward to things to come!

 

[endless_summer]

Well, having seen two of Jeff's asschers in person, I can assure you that they are spectacular. I'd love to see Spirit's mintastic garnet too, since my spinel is it's companion in the image on FB/his website.

I'm so excited for you!

Thanks FrekeChild - I adore your spinal and would love to have one just like it one day! One can dream right? I'm so very excited that Jeff had this piece of rough and that this project is moving forward! Spirit's mint awesomeness was cut from the same parcel and is that spectacular asscher featured in the glamour shot and the hand shot - though hopefully, we get to see some pics of it set!