Mint stones

[Arkteia]

I might have to post in a couple of days. I bought several new stones and my new camera does not capture their beauty too well.

First, a mint garnet cushion, 4.88 ct. Daytime photos

 

[Arkteia]

Same stone, evening:

 

[Arkteia]

more photos, outside

 

[Arkteia]

Inside pictures


Stats for the stone: 4.88 ct, 9.4 x 7.8 x 7.3

 

[Arkteia]

Another mint garnet, was 5 + ct but I had to recut it, and it was a good choice. The recut significant improved color and brilliance.

In the evening and outside

 

[Arkteia]

And also a tourmaline from Lisa Elser.

It is a beautiful stone, very bright, which is very hard to photograph because nothing can capture its brightness and vibrancy. I have to tilt it on the hand, and this is not how it should be seen. It is best fit for a pendant. Photos taken outside the house. One was taken inside the house, in the early morning hours, I like seeing the "bluish" color of mint garnets and some tourmalines in this light. In all honesty, the light inside and outside the house is almost the same, our typical Northwestern sky...


Stats: 5.99 ct 13.57 * 9.78 * 7.1 Today I found out that we have no sources of incandescent light left in the house. Everything has been replaced by the CFLs. I shall take evening pictures in the office or elsewhere and post them. Thank you for viewing!

 

[chrono]

Gorgeous stones. If any needs a good home, I am more than happy to take the mint garnet off your hands. I can see the blue in them and the garnets are especially brilliant. The tourmaline surprised me with its glow too. They are well saturated despite being light in tone. I would not mind seeing more of them, closer up too.

 

[NKOTB]

Mmmmminty goodness! I particularly love the first shot of the first garnet, and the beautiful glow of Lisa's stone in that last shot!

 

[Arkteia]

Thank you, Chrono, and thank you, NKTOB. My new cell phone camera, while supposedly good, needs some time for adjustment. I came to a conclusion that a well-cut mint garnet is probably cheaper but quite a decent alternative to demantoids. I can not even call it "a poor man's demantoid". Color-wise they are not worse, because many dispersive demantoids resemble pwridots,while darker demantoids are not dispersive. As to the cushion, I am positively in love with it. On my pictures it does not look symetrical, it is because I had to tilt it so that it could capture some light. There is not much inside, and very little outside. What l8ghting would you like me to use, Chrono, for more shots? I should probably take it out of the box, to minimize any shades.
As to the rest of the stones. The other mint, actually, has much blue, I shall not get into details, suffice it to say that it is significant improvement.
Lisa's stone is beautiful, and I am not a tourmaline person. I shall have questions about its setting and possibly color-matching (whisper pink). For the cushion, I have vew ideas. My large heart-shaped mint garnwt I want to set in a halo of irradiated lilac-purplish diamonds, for a pendant, the cushion woukd look good in a ring, but I do not know how these stones are usually set. Are they safe in rings? Would a white diamond halo change its color? When my jeweler finds the time (it is X-mas season), I shall get back to the forum with requwsts for help.

NKTOB, thank your for your kind words!

 

[chrono]

My favourite of all three is the cushion garnet. Just so saturated and sparkly. The size is really big too.

You need to get much closer to the stone, using the macro or magnify feature of your phone. You can zoom it in by enlarging the camera screen with your fingertips, right? A hand shot outside when it is sunniest where you are, and more closeups indoors to see the blue. I can barely make anything out of the oval and would like to see more of it too. Heck, just rephotograph them all.

Why not a halo of purple amethysts in rose gold? Lovely shade, affordable and still 100% untreated. Garnets are fine as RHRs when worn with care. Considering your line of work, you are fine as long as you don't bang your hands into the doors and drawers.

 

[OTL]

Your first photo of the mint garnet totally remind me of those ones at intergem. And yours is better because it's huge!! Very minty! It's got EVERYTHING I dream about a mint garnet!

 

[kgizo]

Wow, wow, wow! I also love the cushion - the color, shape and size are divine. I can't wait to see all of them set. I have a cushion tourmaline in a halo setting and I think the halo helps protect the main stone. I try to be careful, but I'm really accident prone. Not sure how to post a link here. It is on pg 60 of the Colored Stone E-rings/Eyecandy thread if you want to check it out.

 

[minousbijoux]

Yes, love the mint garnet and its huge!

 

[JewelFreak]

Arkteia, I'm so jealous I can't express it! They are beautiful. I died on my keyboard at the garnet, then Lisa's tourm. Wow.

Roger Dery has a tempting mint tourmaline on the home page of his website, love the cut & color. Sigh, no amount of temptation can help me at this time of year.

--- Laurie

Oh yeah, P.S. -- gorgeous bracelet!

 

[Arkteia]

Chrono, I shall rephotograph them, most likely, on Friday. Thursday promises some clouded sun, so if we shall have time during the day, we shall do it. I think the need to resize the photos makes the image worse.

OTL, it may be the same stone, and I am sorry for the confusion. It is 4.69 ct, I was reading the label without my eyeglasses. Sorry...

Kgizo - your tourmaline is amazing. I loved all of the stones, the tsavorite whitch appears forest - green on my monitor, and the funny lovely pendant. What beauties!

Jewelfreak - thank you! I browsed Roger's website, and I think I know which stone you were talking about. Trilliant, right? Beautiful color. I have to tighten up my belt so far, though... but it is a beauty And thank for the compliment on my bracelet.

Minousbijoux - thank you for your kind words!

 

[JewelFreak]

Actually, Arkteia, I was thinking of the asscher, but the trillion is more of a knockout. Different lighting makes color comparison hard -- and PS seems to have darkened the asscher photo from what it looks like on Roger's site.


Congo tourm, 2.24 ct, 7.15 x 7.15 x 6.45


Congo, 2.23 ct., 8.15 x 8.15 x 5.85

Wonderful cut on the trillion. Wish I had any spare change!

--- Laurie

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

As usual, your stones excite! Thanks for sharing!

cheers--Sharon

 

[Arkteia]

Thank you, Canuk-gal. Always nice to hear from you.

jF, you are very right, both stones are awesome but shot at totally different conditions. Well, I have a beautiful r ouemaline now, but Roger cuts and posts different stones, so eventually I shall buy from him.

I guess I owe better sjots, not only to PSers but to vendors .

 

[innerkitten]

Wow. Gorgeous minty stones!

 

[Jereni]

All of these are so gorgeous. I love mint stones. The first one is especially pretty!

 

[erinl]

They are all beautiful, but I really love the cushion!!

 

[Kim Bruun]

That 4.88 cushion looks like a real dazzler, Arkteia - very wearable! I can see what you mean regarding the Lisa Elser tourmaline being difficult to photograph, but that third hand shot shows a beautiful colour - I am sure it is stunning in person.

 

[Arkteia]

Chrono, I took some photos of the garnet. Lisa' s stones I shall post separately because I have three of her tourmalines, and they deserve a separate post.

There three photos are made under feeble incandescent light in my house

 

[Arkteia]

This is fluorescent light

 

[Arkteia]

these are taken in the house, without the light, at daytime but in a bad weather, overcast and rainy

 

[Arkteia]

this is taken under CFL light

 

[Arkteia]

these are taken outside, no sunshine, and none to expect for the rest of the week

 

[Arkteia]

And I had to post this photo

It is not in focus, but just for the effect!

 

[Arkteia]

Innerkitten - thank you!

 

[Arkteia]

Erinl - thank you!

Kim Bruun - thank you!

I have not been here for a long time, and everyone has changed avatars...



I know I have already asked this question, but what would a halo do to the mint garnet? Bring out the blue due to shading? Or, on the contrary, make it greener and less bluish? Any advice would be appreciated, and thank you for viewing!