Madagascar Sphene arrived from Precision Gem!

[blithesome71]

*drool* very pretty & the color looks lovely on your skin. congrats

 

[CharmyPoo]

That is a gorgeous stone! I think you should go with the pendant idea. That setting doesn''t fit the stone in my opinion. I love all your rings and they are always a perfect match - some of my favorite pieces! I just don''t think this setting is doing it for the stone.

 

[Nomsdeplume]

It''s so glowy!! Beautiful stone, and you take fantastic pictures! What camera are you using?

 

[Arcadian]

Date: 2/17/2010 1:44:06 PM
Author: cellentani
I looked for your second sphene but didn''t find it - I love the sphene in your avi though, and I love your resourcefulness with the rubber band and tweezers. I have locking tweezers, but was a little nervous about using them. I wish I had a pair of insulated tweezers just for soft stones. Have you done anything with your other sphene? Can''t wait to see the finished pendant - what color metal did you use?

The other ring I''ve not had opportunity to take pictures of since work has me too busy to take them, its in white gold. The pendant is in white gold, no diamonds. Its 5cts so....I figured a ring would be out of the question. I tend to buy a greener body sphene because they look good against my skin.

I''m going to have to take a day where there''s some actual sun and get some pictures.


-A

 

[cellentani]

FlyGirl - haha, love the traffic light reference! I never thought of that when I was photographing, but you''re totally right!

Largosmom - wow, thank you for the generous compliment on the photos. I have to say though, this stone looks good pretty easily - just get it near any light souce and it goes bonkers with the dispersion. And you''re a girl after my own heart with the halo pendant suggestion. Not only do I love the look of a diamond halo, it would offer better protection - can''t lose with that one!

And thank you brandy, crasru, and blithesome for your very kind comments as well!

 

[cellentani]

Hi Charmy! Thanks for your input - I''m kinda liking the pendant idea too, and even if I decide on a ring, you''re right - it needs to be a different setting. Did you get your new rubellite from Bob yet? I''m dying to see photos!

kribbie, thanks for the wonderful compliments! I use a Canon PowerShot SD1000 for all my photos - nothing fancy.

Arcadian, I hope work lets up so you can take some pics - I''m very anxious to see your pieces. 5 carats of sphene? Good lord, that''s going to be stunning!!! And you''re right, green looks fantastic against your skin!

 

[AustenNut]

Wow, what beautiful pictures! All 3 stones are lovely, but that sphene really is something. I''m jumping on the pendant bandwagon, and think that diamond accents (either as a halo or in some other shimmery formation) would look gorgeous. I''m partial to white gold, but it also looked nice in the yellow. So glad a PSer got this one so I can keep on admiring it!

 

[stepcutgirl]

i normally am not a yellow gal...but that is AMAZING!

 

[cellentani]

another round of pics - you''d really have to TRY to get a bad one!

 

[cellentani]

.

 

[cellentani]

All of these in direct, afternoon sun.

 

[vc10um]

C, you keep making me drool all over my desk.

That is a heckuva stone.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

oooo love the new pics. such fiery discoball!

 

[Largosmom]

Ditto on the drool...can''t wait till my next sphene!

 

[cellentani]

Thanks AustenNut! You''re a girl after my own heart with the diamond halo suggestion, and I''m liking the sphene in white gold too. Now I just have to find it!

vc10um - you crack me up, thanks! And I''m anxiously awaiting your sugarloaf - how much longer? Sorry you have to work today!

thanks for your kind words, MTG!

Largosmom - have you already gotten another sphene, or are you looking? I swear, I''d love to try one of the green ones - these are addictive!

 

[Largosmom]

I have a little oval one I bought from Dana at Mastercutgems over the holidays. It''s quite flashy and I will set it, but I now want a larger one! I know it isn''t recommended for a ring, but I will probably get it set as one anyway, for occasional wear. I really like this stone..not sure if I prefer the greenies or more yellow stones yet though.

Laura

 

[beaujolais]

I just saw the photo of this spectacular stone in the gallery and had to comment. I think it''s my favorite sphene, Ever. I love the color, the cut, the performance . . .

 

[Arkteia]

Yesterday I was reading about sphene and thinking, why haven't I bought one for myself so far? It is very bright, very rich-yellow and very well-cut.
Re. setting - I know LD managed to do it, so you should. A stone of such brilliancy should be seen.
I, unfortunately, am a very bad wearer of rings, i.e. tend to wear them for days on end (the same) and it is not good for the stones. If I had such a stone, I'd opt for a pendant, and look at myself in the mirror as often as I could so the stone could elevate my own mood. I had to set a demantoid in a pendant, and made the right choice.

 

[cellentani]

Oh wow, thank you sonomacounty - that''s quite a compliment! I know more people have sphenes here, and I wish they''d post them. I have to say though, I''m still wowed by this one!

crasru, you''re so right about sphene being a mood lifter - I get so much enjoyment out of this stone! You should definitely get one (and then post lots of pics)!


And, I did take more pics the other day....

 

[cellentani]

sneaking in a few more...

 

[cellentani]

I''m handling this stone so much, I bought some insulated tweezers just to use for softer stones.

 

[chrono]

Just beautiful!

I can't get my camera to capture a single dispersion off anywhere on my sphene.

 

[T L]

Date: 2/27/2010 2:25:02 PM
Author: cellentani
I''m handling this stone so much, I bought some insulated tweezers just to use for softer stones.

Great photos Cellentani, as usual!! BTW, where did you get those tweezers, do they lock in place?

 

[cellentani]

Date: 2/27/2010 3:41:24 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Great photos Cellentani, as usual!! BTW, where did you get those tweezers, do they lock in place?

Thanks TL. I got the tweezers from jemco at the last Intergem show, but I noticed that Rio Grande also has them. I think you could also use rubber-coated steam tweezers, but they are generally longer. Mine are 6.5-inches, while the steam tweezers I''ve seen are generally in the 8-12 inch range. And no, mine don''t lock. I''ve never any insulated ones that do.

 

[chrono]

I don''t like the locking tweezers much; I have better success handling the plain vanilla variety.

 

[T L]

Date: 2/27/2010 4:33:35 PM
Author: cellentani

Date: 2/27/2010 3:41:24 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Great photos Cellentani, as usual!! BTW, where did you get those tweezers, do they lock in place?

Thanks TL. I got the tweezers from jemco at the last Intergem show, but I noticed that Rio Grande also has them. I think you could also use rubber-coated steam tweezers, but they are generally longer. Mine are 6.5-inches, while the steam tweezers I''ve seen are generally in the 8-12 inch range. And no, mine don''t lock. I''ve never any insulated ones that do.

How in the world do you hold the stone in the tweezers steady and press the button on the camera.

I assume you''re using a tripod.

 

[chrono]

Date: 2/27/2010 4:39:47 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
How in the world do you hold the stone in the tweezers steady and press the button on the camera.

I assume you''re using a tripod.

Excellent point, TL! Even with a locking tweezer and tripod, I don''t think I can keep my hand steady.

 

[cellentani]

Date: 2/27/2010 4:39:47 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

How in the world do you hold the stone in the tweezers steady and press the button on the camera.

I assume you''re using a tripod.

Heheh, nope, no tripod. If I were taking studio shots (similar to most vendor photos), I might use a tripod, but I prefer taking more casual shots, since the lighting is more realistic. It has it''s place, but I mean, no one walks around with a full-spectrum bulb above their finger. Also, I''m just not that good with a tripod - it feels very limiting to me.

You could try the rubber bands on the tweezers - I can''t remember who did that trick, but she reported that it worked successfully.

 

[chrono]

Cellantani,
I stand and bow in awe of your photography skills. Wow, no tripod!

 

[cellentani]

Date: 2/27/2010 5:00:41 PM
Author: Chrono
Cellantani,
I stand and bow in awe of your photography skills. Wow, no tripod!

Well, let me clarify that. I still need to stabalize my camera and the hand holding the tweezers, but I just don''t do it with a tripod. For example, in the photo below (under a halogen bulb), I''m stablizing my camera on an overturned glass tumbler, and my left hand (holding the tweezers) is touching the side of the glass at about wrist level. You can use anything as a stabliizer - I''ve used my knee before when I''m sitting, even.