My Birthday Garnet

[deskjockey]

I've been wanting a collection of garnets since I started looking for my ering stone, and "discovered" how amazing they really are (I've always liked garnets, even the ones that look like dried blood, heh), so as a present to myself I figured I'd get started with a nice "entry level" rhodolite. After looking around a lot (and salivating over more expensive "interesting" stones, oh, you beautiful spessartites and tsavs, I can't wait to buy you!) I got a "cherry" garnet from Barry Bridgestock. The photo online honestly didn't thrill me that much - it showed a lot of bling but compared to some of the crisp, spectacular photos I'd seen, I wasn't sure about it), but I know he has a great reputation and I was specifically looking for something that would be beautiful under crap flourescent lighting (where I work), and he told me it would work really well for me. So I bought, and holy moly in person this thing is so beautiful! Very purple, with so much flash and life! I was going to put it in a simple silver setting but now am thinking I'll do white gold and have a second e-ring (am I feeling blue-green, or purple today? oh decisions!)

Deets:
7.4 x 6.2 supernova cut oval, 1.75 ct
color described as "cherry" - a lot more purple in person than I expected from the photo

vendor pic:



My horrible cell phone pics (because I'm too impatient to wait till the weekend when I'll have some computer time to get the ones off my real camera):

(this is with the help of the LED lightstrip from my fishtank. I've noticed these lights bring out cool tones - they turn my montana a pure green, and make the garnet look a deeper purple than it actually is.

Under multiple CFLs at an angle. Was trying to get the color without glare, which is pretty hard to do. This photo isn't quite accurate either, it washes out the color a bit.

Incandescents in my kitchen. A bit dark.

I really need to lay on the moisturizer. *sigh*

I need to get pics outside, they will probably be better. I just love this little thing, and though BB's pic was certainly accurate, was so amazed by how awesome it is in real life. Any thoughts on setting? I was going to go for a very simple U-prong style, but now am not so sure. The only thing I don't want to do is a halo, I want something simpler for it

 

[chrono]

Congrats on the new sparkly. BB's photography is accurate yet doesn't capture the sparkle and brilliance of the stone. Can't wait to see more of your garnet.

 

[Kelli]

Awesome! I'm glad you picked up this stone; it looks great! I love the cut, and buying garnets is just so much fun!

 

[JewelFreak]

So pretty! It's a joy to pick up something that makes you smile, isn't it? Love all its various colors. What about yellow gold for it? At least maybe the head -- it would set off that rich color beautifully.

--- Laurie

 

[Indylady]

Gorgeous!! I love the plum-ish color.

 

[ilovegemstones]

This is so pretty! What great cutting and sparkle!

 

[Kim Bruun]

Absolutely lovely - and I am very jealous!

It's interesting that the stone is more purple in hand - I once ordered a "very rare purple garnet" from a trusted vendor - but to my eyes, it looked much like a typical, nice rhodolite. Of course, purple - and violet - are difficult colors to capture accurately.

 

[Jereni]

Very pretty! I always like seeing a Barry stone.

 

[minousbijoux]

Talk about schizophrenia! That stone looks different in just about every situation. Which color do you see most often?

It looks beautiful and that purple is awesome.

 

[deskjockey]

I think in real life the impression of the overall stone is a dark berry color (like in my 3rd pic). It's the flashes that are a light purple (like in the fourth pic)- and there are a lot of them. I really have to tip my hat to people who manage to capture that in photos, even with my good camera last night I didn't get anything that seemed true to life! The overall color, combined with the flashes/twinkles, makes my brain see more "purple!" than might actually be there if you look objectively.

I do think it's neat how dark purple it goes under the LEDs, but those lights really do funny things. I like to spend time in the work bathroom because the LEDs in there turn my sapphire such a neat, pure green color.

 

[JewelFreak]

Uh oh....I think you've contracted the Colored Stone Disease, DJ. Afraid there's no cure for it.

--- Laurie

 

[minousbijoux]

I think in real life the impression of the overall stone is a dark berry color (like in my 3rd pic). It's the flashes that are a light purple (like in the fourth pic)- and there are a lot of them. I really have to tip my hat to people who manage to capture that in photos, even with my good camera last night I didn't get anything that seemed true to life! The overall color, combined with the flashes/twinkles, makes my brain see more "purple!" than might actually be there if you look objectively.

I do think it's neat how dark purple it goes under the LEDs, but those lights really do funny things. I like to spend time in the work bathroom because the LEDs in there turn my sapphire such a neat, pure green color.

Great description - thank you - and I know exactly what you mean from your description.

 

[iluvshinythings]

Wow! It's beautiful. I love the pics in various lighting. I think it's so interesting when a gem shows so many different personalities like that.

 

[FrekeChild]

I'm so glad to see this here, as I'm always sad to see my favorite stones sell on sites, never to be seen again! It's so pretty! Do you want any diamond accents?