My chartreuse chrysoberyl -- sell it or set it?

[Lula]

I own a beautiful portuguese-cut chartreuse chrysoberyl cut by Richard Homer. It's about 1.50 carats, and is 6.50 mm. It's been loose for about a year. I'm torn between selling it and setting it.

Here are the stone's pros:
1. The color glows. I've attached a few photos, but the stone is very difficult to photograph. It's more green indoors and more yellow outdoors. It never shows brown or grey.
2. I like precision-cut stones and I like the portuguese-style cut on this stone.The cut suits the stone.
3. The size is good for daily wear as a ring.
4. I already own it, ha-ha.
5. Neon green chrysoberyl is getting harder to find. If I sell it, I may not find another one this nice.
6. Chyrsoberyls are (believed to be) untreated.

Here are the stone's cons:
1. It's round. I much prefer square or cushion-shaped stones. I'm just not a fan of round settings, rounds stones, etc. I found this out after a lot of costly custom jewelry adventures. Sigh. Live and learn.
2. No one knows what a chartreuse chrysoberyl is, so people -- even jewelers -- think it's a peridot. I've always like peridot, don't get me wrong, and this shouldn't bother me, but it does.
3. It's been loose for a year, and every time I take it out of its box and look at it, it does take my breath away (the glow). But I'm not the kind of person who likes to collect a lot of stones and not wear them, and the fact that this has been loose for so long makes me doubt that I'd wear it if it was set.

So please help me with my decision: If this was your stone, would you keep it and set it? Or sell it?

I have no idea how I'd set it, but I do like MissyDebby's Leon ring with the greenish-yellow diamond. http://www.goodoldgold.com/diamond/8729/. I love the combination of the greenish-yellow center stone with the colorless diamonds. But I'm wary of spending $$$ on something I'm having doubts about keeping. Can I set it in a way that will help me overlook the fact that it's a round stone?

 

[Lula]

Indoors

 

[Lula]

Indoors again

 

[Lula]

Outdoors in the shade

 

[Lula]

Outdoors -- shade and shadow

 

[Lula]

Last photo -- outdoors -- diffused sun and shade. These do not show the vibrancy of the stone's color, but they are the best I could do.

 

[Lula]

Okay, I lied. Here's one more. I hope it shows the vibrancy. PS tends to wash out the color in my photos.

ETA: Sorry about my hands -- I am a gardener and I try to wear gloves, but...

 

[minousbijoux]

Excellent summary, Lula!

I want you to keep it and set it. I won't be nearly as articulate as you in my reasoning, but here are my reasons. You are right, that neon chysoberyl is getting harder to find. I believe the main source is from Tanzania (at least in my limited experience, the stones that have that glow are typically from Tanzania) and it must be running out, or getting to lesser quality stones, because its just not around like it was a few years ago. I know its hard wearing something that people don't recognize, but so many people are lemmings (look at Kate Middleton's ring, or the Mahenge craze) that if enough of us start wearing our chrysoberyls, after a while others will follow, and you'll be leading a whole army of chryso loving folks. Okay, well I'm getting ahead of myself, but I do believe the stone will become more popular as people realize its one of the few pretty, bright, hard, and available stones suitable for rings, other than the usual suspects of corundum, diamond and alexandrite.

As for setting it, I love fishtail prongs that make stones look cushion or square. Would it be possible to set it in some variation of fishtail prongs and a setting that squares off the sides a bit to give it the illusion of being square? I have no examples unfortunately, other than art deco-ish rings I've seen on this site, probably in the antique section. Personally, I love that look, but I don't know what your style is like...

If despite these pleas, you decide to sell it, please hold out for a good price! And good luck!

 

[minousbijoux]

One more thing - can I come over to your house and pick those cherries?

 

[Thuvia]

I agree with minousbijoux - set it. I love that color. But if it doesn't do anything for you, by all means sell it. I for one would be happy to consider buying it.

 

[Enerchi]

What drew you to that stone in the first place? Are any of those factors still in play? Would you be disappointed to see it sold, then view it back on PS SMTB and feel like, rats, that could have been my ring/pendant/bracelet...??

Sometimes the little voice in our heads really is the voice of reason - is it telling you one thing more than the other? For me, when I keep passing up on an item for whatever reason, soon after, the answer comes to me and I know what I should do (not in that mystical way that iLander finds items, but more of an 'aha!' moment)

I hope your decision is one you are happy with

 

[bluebirrrd]

If you can't love it, someone else surely will. I wish I could wear yellow, yours is very beautiful. There are plenty of ways to make a round stone look more square or cushion, if that would help. Even a semi-bezel can make a round look more like a cushion.

 

[GemFever]

How much you sellin' for *Sigh* I wish. I'm on a CS moratorium.

If it were MY choice, I'd keep it and try to find two smaller chrysos to match, and make an awesome three stone in 18K YG. This is actually a project of mine for the future, I've spilled the beans I was recently wearing my chryso (in an 18K bezel) and it's amaaaazing. The color is electric. I think yours is just as good if not better, I wouldn't let it go!

 

[VapidLapid]

it is a keeper

 

[beaujolais]

You said:

it does take my breath away (the glow)

Do. Not. Sell.

Squarish setting.

 

[milton333]

Keep. Set in yellow gold, or yellow and white gold/platinum 2-tone. I love these: http://www.maevona.com//bridal/4/eriskay , http://www.maevona.com//bridal/121/primrose,, http://www.maevona.com//bridal/13/iona,, http://www.maevona.com//bridal/15/danna

 

[chrono]

Cons of selling the chrysoberyl
1. Will sell at a loss.
2. Difficult to find this material again
3. This beauty of this stone is further highlighted by the precision cutting.
4. Very durable stone that is suitable for everyday wear

Is being a round really a con? Actually, round stones are very easy to set as just about every jewellery maker makes settings for round diamonds, so you have an endless selection. If you want it to look square, there's lots of setting that give it that illusion from the antique styles to square halos for round stones.

Nobody knows what's a chrysoberyl? No way - when people see a well coloured stone, it catches their eyes. Period! It is impossible to mistake it for a lower RI glassy looking peridot. If a jeweller does that, then he/she obviously doesn't know diddly squat.

Short answer, if it were mine, I'll keep it.

 

[T L]

Can I set it in a way that will help me overlook the fact that it's a round stone?

Set it in a cushion shaped halo, bezel or fishtail (squared off prongs). Art Deco jewelry was reminiscent of this style.

 

[ChrisA222]

EVERY time I see a neon yellow/green Chrysoberyl for sale, at a reasonable price, I buy it, ALWAYS! Right now I am looking at my clear plastic display case from JTV where I keep my Chrysos, I have 14 of them! Haha. They are kept in their own display, separated from all the other gems I collect in their individual gem jars...thats how much I like Chrysoberyl and what a bargain they are if you find them from someone that wants to sell...lol. I love TLs suggestion which almost takes the round shape out of the equation. Keep that stone or sell it to ME!

 

[ChrisA222]

TL, I like that design as it takes the round out of the equation as it looks square overall but I have a question...why does the cutlet look too far down in that stone? Is it my imagination, or the angle the stone is at? It just seems "off" to me. I am new to diamonds and just recently learned the difference in OEC and RB and the look of cutlets to me is very odd/interesting. But that cutlet seems off center or too far down. ?? NOt trying to threadjack but I am curious and learning about OECs/Diamonds.

But to the OP keep that stone no matter what!

 

[chrono]

Chris,
OECs have a distinctive look - it is the cut design that lends itself that certain flowery appearance with large chunky flashes. I think that particular stone looks to be really well cut and pretty. Doesn't look "off" at all to me. The ring is tilted slightly, so the OEC looks a bit off angled.

 

[GemFever]

Sorry to continue the threadjack a bit, but in response to Chrissa: I agree with Chrono that it's probably mostly the angle at which the image was taken that makes the culet look off center. Near the bottom you see two reflections of the culet -- it's called the kozibe effect. Also, it's culet, not cuTlet (I've been corrected myself ).

Lula -- I'll just say again what a beautiful stone you have. And I'll agree with Chrono about people not knowing what a chryso is -- don't let that bother you. Regular people won't know, it's true, so you should be proud to have such a rare stone and such superior gemstone knowledge As for jewelers not knowing -- I would *not* be surprised. Unless they specialize in CS, they really just don't know. If they think your chryso looks like a peridot, it only means they don't really even know what a peridot looks like.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

It is a gorgeous stone. I want to scream set it! However, if, in the end, you aren't going to wear the piece, then perhaps it is better to sell it (to me, of course).

 

[Lula]

Wow -- thank you so much for all the great responses! I was feeling a little sad and frustrated when I posted, and your kind comments and suggestions have given me some much needed perspective. I have family here this weekend, so I can't respond at length right now. But I will respond to each of you after I get a chance to mull over what you've said and answer some of your questions.

And minous -- I'd love your help picking cherries! Our tree was planted in the late '40s or early '50s by the original owners of our house, has never been pruned, and is nearly 30 feet high! It supplies "pie" (sour) cherries to our entire neighborhood!

 

[minousbijoux]

Thank you Lula, I'll be right over! I love what TL showed you, but I think even that looks round because it emphasizes the circle in the inside of the setting. Look at fishtail prongs, like this one from DB (sorry for their lack of focus on it, but you get the picture):

http://www.diamondbistro.com/category/216/Natural-Diamond-Center/listings/29205/Platinum-578mm-OEC-Diamond-Ring.html

It will be such a gorgeous ring!

 

[Lula]

I'm just checking in with an update after several months. I sincerely want to thank all of you for your opinions and suggestions. I've come back to this thread several times as I pondered my choices. I've owned this stone for nearly two years, and during that time I've learned a lot from all of you. I've also learned a lot more about my own CS preferences. Bottom line -- I'm just not a fan of round stones, and I'd rather put my money toward something I'll wear. So I'm learning toward selling it. I'm going to research pricing and make a final decision. I may end up giving it to one of my friends who's a gemstone lover, and more of a collector than I am. I am a "wearer." Thanks again.

 

[chrono]

Lula,
You have to do what is right in your heart and mind. It is a gorgeous chrysoberyl and I know it'll go to someone who will treasure it very much. I cannot imagine anyone not falling in love with the fabulous colour and cutting at first sight.

 

[purplesparklies]

Ooohhhhh.....it's gorgeous! I'll be stalking pre-loved.....

 

[ChrisA222]

Im definately interested, if you decide to sell.

 

[Kim Bruun]

That is a beautiful stone, Lula! Notice how it shows off even with diffused light - it practically glows in the shade because of that neony saturation. Keep it!