Lovedogs' 2019 bling projects

[lovedogs]

Now moonstones. These suckers are impossible to photograph. But if anyone is considering buying from the vendor, I highly recommend it. Helpful with videos and pics, and they are true to what I see (but can't freaking capture with my dumb phone).

Larger cab:

 

[lovedogs]

Smaller faceted stone:

 

[strawrose]

Woohoo, both the opals and moonstones are here, and all are perfection.

Quick pic of the opals in horrible light. Parked in my car in the rain haha. Can't get good moonstone pics for the life of me, but going to keep trying!

Yay! I’m glad you finally got them!

 

[lissyflo]

Yay, they made it to you!!

They all look great, but the blue/green opal just sneaks the win for me - I adore that colour mix! And how different to the cab is the faceted moonstone in real life? I haven’t seen a faceted one in person, although there’s a couple of threads on here somewhere with pics, and I’d be intrigued to hear your thoughts!

Are you planning to keep and set them all? - can’t wait to see what you do with them.

 

[elle_71125]

Those opals are stunning. I too love the big one with those gorgeous flashes of color. The blue green one comes in second on my list.

I’ve always wondered how moonstones compare in person. Are they everything you hoped for? I like the small faceted one a lot. I thought about buying one but wasn’t sure it would show those effects the same way as the cab. How would you compare them?

ETA: faceted moonstone with a colored halo? Just throwing it out there.

 

[lovedogs]

Thanks, everyone!! @lissyflo I think I'll keep them all for now, and see what happens with settings. If I find I'm less enthusiastic about setting one of them, I'll probably sell it down the line.

@elle_71125
The faceted vs cab moonstone is a hard one to describe. It's a softer and more shimmery effect than the cab, but beautiful in it's own way. I know that's not helpful....I think the faceted one shows more colors at once, but the flashes aren't as bold.


I need setting help!!!! I feel like the faceted moonstone in the onyx/engraved halo (like @Rfisher ) would be lovely, but not 100% sure. The blue/green opal might work in that setting too.

The biggest opal will be a pendant, likely with a simple halo in yellow gold.

No clue what to do with the bigger moonstone. Likely a pendant, but style?? No clue!

 

[voce]

When in doubt, I think you should use a similar style and match your moonstone pendant to moonstone ring.

 

[Acinom]

Stunning stones!!!

 

[2Neesers]

Your moonstones are so dreamy . I’ve never seen a faceted moonstone before and I love it!

 

[Bluegemz]

Super pretty love that domed one. The faceted one has such a dreamy light effect

 

[lovedogs]

@elle_71125 do you have any good setting ideas? You mentioned a colored halo. I've never had such a hard time considering settings for stones , but these are so unique and I don't want to choose "wrong".

 

[elle_71125]

@elle_71125 do you have any good setting ideas? You mentioned a colored halo. I've never had such a hard time considering settings for stones , but these are so unique and I don't want to choose "wrong".

Personally, I don't think you could go wrong with any colored halo or even a diamond halo. I do think these need something to help accent the color, which is why I said halo in the first place. Do you see one color more obviously than any of the others? If you do, that's the color I'd use on for a halo...so it helps the color stand out. I was leaning towards light pink, blue, or green.

Don't kill me, because this is an expensive option, but picture that gorgeous moonstone with little paraiba melee.

ETA: I also really like the idea of an onyx halo like @Rfisher and @stonewell

 

[elle_71125]

Ooh, or lavender melee. I remember Yvonne having some of that in her shop and that would look beautiful.

I looked up some pics on Pinterest. So just for fun:

I love the rose gold / diamond combo on this one.




Picture a setting similar to this with paraiba melee.




The black gold setting really makes the white pop. Kinda love it.

 

[lovedogs]

@elle_71125 haha great minds think alike! I was just drooling over Omniprive's instagram and got super inspired by this one. I wouldn't want the side stone diamonds because it doesn't quite "fit", but the black gold and deep blue combo is pretty incredible.

 

[elle_71125]

@elle_71125 haha great minds think alike! I was just drooling over Omniprive's instagram and got super inspired by this one. I wouldn't want the side stone diamonds because it doesn't quite "fit", but the black gold and deep blue combo is pretty incredible.

Oh God, YES!!!

 

[lovedogs]

Ok, so horribly bad photoshop skills aside....which looks better?

 

[elle_71125]

Ok, so horribly bad photoshop skills aside....which looks better?

Blue halo gets my vote.

 

[voce]

Of the two, I prefer the blue halo, but would rather see your moonstone in rose gold with "soft" lilac colored melee than the dark blue in black gold. In the end, though, you just have to go with your own taste/aesthetic.

 

[Acinom]

Blue! Or a soft colour

 

[lovedogs]

Stupid question---but does anyone know how to estimate how much melee is necessary for a given stone? I have a bad feeling it requires math and knowing diameter. the faceted moonstone is 9.73x7.1 and the 7ct oval is 12.3x9

 

[qubitasaurus]

I think maybe use this and add a bunch of extra stones because breakage is probably invariable while setting

http://cecileraleydesigns.blogspot.com/2015/07/designing-halos-with-melee-gems.html?m=1

 

[elle_71125]

I think maybe use this and add a bunch of extra stones because breakage is probably invariable while setting

http://cecileraleydesigns.blogspot.com/2015/07/designing-halos-with-melee-gems.html?m=1

Awesome find @qubitasaurus . I didn’t realize Yvonne had anything like this posted. Super helpful.
I’m uploading the pics, just for convenience.

 

[Bluegemz]

Ok, so horribly bad photoshop skills aside....which looks better?

I love the blue best also! Beautiful

 

[missy]

Blue halo gets my vote.

Blue! Or a soft colour

I love the blue best also! Beautiful

Make that four who prefer the blue halo. Love the contrast and it's so soft and pretty. Gorgeous.

 

[Rfisher]

I’d bite the bullet and order a bunch of melee in colors that are contenders. Good return policy from vendor of course.
2fold.
I’d want to ensure the melee match each other in size/cut and tone/hue.
You’ll see the different color personalities of your moonstone as it changes in front of your eye and how well they work together or not.

Are you married to the idea of white metal?

 

[Rfisher]

https://www.pricescope.com/communit...0-51ct-joe-escobar-star-sapphire-ring.227783/

I know you aren’t asking for more halo suggestions- but this shape would be lovely with your cab as well.

 

[lovedogs]

@qubitasaurus thank you!!!! That's exactly what I wanted, and the size visual of melee is perfect! Hooray!

 

[strawrose]

I think maybe use this and add a bunch of extra stones because breakage is probably invariable while setting

http://cecileraleydesigns.blogspot.com/2015/07/designing-halos-with-melee-gems.html?m=1

Thanks for posting the link. That is very useful for other people, too.

 

[lovedogs]

I totally forgot that I have lots of little melee kindly donated by @Bron357 via @suzanne2!!

I had way too much fun just now. Part 1 is the faceted moonstone:
Part 2 is opals:



Part 3 is the moonstone cab



Here are my thoughts but happy to hear other opinions! I think the faceted moonstone would look great with red, the cab moonstone needs a deep blue, and the opals can either be plain halo, or the color most prominent in them. So the reddish opal = red, the blue/green = blue, and the oval mixed color one could either go blue or green or even yellow.

That said, the faceted moonstone would look insane with paraiba melee.....eek!

 

[lovedogs]

https://www.pricescope.com/communit...0-51ct-joe-escobar-star-sapphire-ring.227783/

I know you aren’t asking for more halo suggestions- but this shape would be lovely with your cab as well.

Do we share a brain??? Because I was strongly considering this shape for the faceted moonstone or one of the opals.

Not identical, but pretty darn similar!