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Memory Ring

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ShannyBananny

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 26, 2020
Messages
6
My father passed away last month and left me a small amount of money. I would like to get a ring in his memory. We were both born in August so peridot would be a natural choice. I really like peridots that are more of an olive color and am wanting a 3-5 carat stone surround by diamonds in a halo style ring. My concern is that I want to wear it daily, not as a special occasion ring, and I know peridots are too soft for that. Are there any other alternatives? I am not familiar with gemstones except for peridot and diamonds.
 
Sorry for your loss...Spinels were included in the August birthstone family (I'm August too) and their hardness is amenable to daily wear I believe. They are pretty lustrous (idk if that's a proper term or not) and many different natural color varieties, except green however.
 
Instead of a ring, how about a pendant instead?

If a ring is desired, I would probably bezel it for added protection.

This is my cheapo Amethyst from JD in a Legacy inspired setting with a paved diamond halo.

577320
577319

DK :))
 
No pendant. Definitely want a ring. I have looked at black spinel but can't seem to find a ring in the 3-5 carat range.
 
ShannyBananny said:
No pendant. Definitely want a ring. I have looked at black spinel but can't seem to find a ring in the 3-5 carat range.
Click to expand...

You may need to find a suitable stone first, then have a custom ring setting made for it.

DK :))
 
If you insist on a daily wear ring I would also suggest going with spinel over peridot. Either way you can plan to change the center stone if it ever gets too worn or damaged but the spinel should wear better over time. They also come in a wide variety of color options.
 
Examples of the different colours of Spinels as can been seen in Jeff White's Sold Gemstones gallery.

JW_Spinels.JPG

DK :))
 
Is green tourmaline harder and does it come a color similar to a darker peridot?

I will look for a loose black spinel. I contacted our local jeweler about having a custom ring made (picked out the setting, size, etc.) and he was going to order a peridot in the size and color I was looking for so he could give me an estimate and then he never got back to me. :(
 
Green tourmaline isn't any harder, and I think that for a color similar to a darker peridot, tourmaline would be more expensive. If you want a green tourmaline that doesn't close up, you might have to pay spinel prices, so unless you really want a green gem, you should think about going spinel.

Do you not like red, pink, purple, blue, or grey spinel? Spinels in lighter colors sparkle like mad. I particularly love red spinels, and my current avatar is an example of such a spinel.
 
I wouldn't have a local jeweler find you a stone--I would pick one out yourself and then figure out the setting second. The stone is the "Star" here so make sure that you pick one you love first!
 
Green tourmaline chips easier...I replaced mine once for that reason. Love the stone but I am careful how I wear it.
 
One of my friends has a 3 stone ring for her engagement ring - a diamond in the middle and peridots on either size. I think she has been married for over 10 years, and has been wearing the ring daily. It's possible that the stones were a bit scratched looking, but I can't remember exactly. I remember thinking what a truly unique engagement ring she has! I think your idea of a peridot with a halo of diamonds sounds gorgeous.
 
I'm going to add that
Peridots are affordable and plentiful so I'd just get the ring made and have the stone switched out if it gets too scratched or cracked over the years.
 
I think you should go for it and buy a gorgeous peridot. With a halo it will be more protected. Just make sure to buy a high quality and well cut one, bc there are a ton of peridot that look "dead" and arent bright. I recommend looking at these:

Peridot, American Cut Gemstones

American Cut fine quality Peridots from Gemfix
gemfix.com gemfix.com

All great cut and from a trusted vendor.
 
voce said:
If you like green, then just go with peridot and replace the stone after it wears down.

Don't forget Mastercut Gems for peridot.




Also, if you are considering getting the stone replaced at some point, get a prong setting, not bezel. You'd have to destroy the stone or the setting if you're doing a replacement with a bezel setting.
Click to expand...

lol I came back to link to MCG! Yes, they have some great choices.
 
That sounds like a wear-it-for-a-lifetime stone so I would have to say sapphire. In a less-desirable color like that, might be affordable. I have seen very few green sapphires and they tend to be an unattractive green (almost like a yellow-green tourmaline). Teal had been a lesser-quality sapphire and they are everywhere now (and on this forum) so maybe one leaning more toward the greener end of he spectrum.

So sorry about your Dad. Bought my spouse a lovely sapphire ring a decade ago and it was a big purchase for us. My father died very unexpectedly that same weekend (thousands of miles away) so the two are always connected in my mind -- in a good way.
 
Why are the prices so different between MCG and gemfix.com?
 
Why are there $1000 purses and $10000 purses? The $10000 purse isn't necessarily better quality, it's all a matter of marketing. Gemfix spends more money (they have a brick and mortar store in San Diego that you can visit), so it's more overhead, higher margins. Think of it as a different brand. Different retailers have different margins, and different levels of services they can offer. As far as I know, Mastercut is a mail only business.

When it comes to colored gems, it's not been dominated by a single company that can price fix the market (De Beers for diamond in past). You have to educate yourself to recognize the quality in individual gems, as there is no standard price unless you're looking at something as common as quartz (citrine, amethyst) or topaz.
 
voce said:
Why are there $1000 purses and $10000 purses? The $10000 purse isn't necessarily better quality, it's all a matter of marketing. Gemfix spends more money (they have a brick and mortar store in San Diego that you can visit), so it's more overhead, higher margins. Think of it as a different brand. Different retailers have different margins, and different levels of services they can offer. As far as I know, Mastercut is a mail only business.

When it comes to colored gems, it's not been dominated by a single company that can price fix the market (De Beers for diamond in past). You have to educate yourself to recognize the quality in individual gems, as there is no standard price unless you're looking at something as common as quartz (citrine, amethyst) or topaz.
Click to expand...

This. MCG is mail only, they have no storefront. They are a small family business vs gemfix which is in San Diego and runs a brick and mortar operation.
 
Overhead and costs make sense. I wasn't sure if there was a different in quality.
 
ShannyBananny said:
Natural Green Tourmaline

Would this be a good substitute? I haven't found a darker peridot but I know some are out there.
Click to expand...

I'd take a sparkly spinel over a darker tourmaline in a heartbeat. If you want a darker green stone, go for a sapphire or emerald as substitute. Tourmaline is not more durable than peridot, and I know not of what "darker peridot" you speak of.

1585848456838.png

This is my photo of a peridot I bought from Mastercut Gems, and I consider it as one of the best that I've seen in person. It was cut from material from Burma, one of the better sources of peridot, and it's way less yellow compared to the commercial quality stuff you see in typical jewelry stores. I don't recall seeing any peridot gem that was noticeably "darker" green than this.
 
www.etsy.com

Excellent Green Blue Sapphire Gemstone From Australia 0.72 Cts. - Etsy

This Gemstones item by KosnarGemCo has 70 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Arvada, CO. Listed on Apr 9, 2024
www.etsy.com www.etsy.com

www.etsy.com

Gorgeous Green Sapphire Gemstone From Australia, 1.13 Cts., 6 Mm., Round Brilliant Cut - Etsy

This Gemstones item by KosnarGemCo has 41 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Arvada, CO. Listed on Jul 3, 2024
www.etsy.com www.etsy.com

www.etsy.com

Gorgeous Green Sapphire Gemstone From Australia, 1.13 Cts., 6 Mm., Round Brilliant Cut - Etsy

This Gemstones item by KosnarGemCo has 41 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Arvada, CO. Listed on Jul 3, 2024
www.etsy.com www.etsy.com

The above: some examples of what green sapphires would look like. It's from Kosnar Gems.

Also, what do you think of concave cut peridot? You can't see a tilt window with concave cuts.

This item is unavailable - Etsy

Find the perfect handmade gift, vintage & on-trend clothes, unique jewelry, and more… lots more.
www.etsy.com www.etsy.com
 
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