My "new" project is finished! Gray unheated tanzanite

[jbkhere]

It all started when I saw Freke's gray spinel. I loved it and loved the look so I added "gray" to my list. I tried a few but didn't find any with the saturation I was aiming for. Then Chris A posted his gray tanzanite. Recut by Dan Stair. I liked the pics but was trying to avoid tanzanite. So I gave in and bought it. The moment it arrived I loved it! But would it fit in the mount I had??
So I took it to the bench I've been using and had so far been happy with. When I brought it in I mentioned that it was an unheated tanzanite. The jeweler says "Why do you think that? If it was unheated it would be brown" He continues "I'm currently taking the GIA course - do you mind if I test it?" Of course not.....
I pick it up today, this jeweler is there. As soon as I walk in he says "You were right! That stone is a tanzanite. You know, most people would have kept that as a collectors stone!"
I explain yes but its just such an awesome stone, I just couldn't stand to leave it in a gem jar for the rest of its life. He proceeds to give me the necessary warnings (occasional ring, be careful - its soft etc etc)

7.8 x 7.3 1.8ct antique cushion cut by Dan Stair.

I am in love! I can't stop looking at it. Everytime I'm in different light I HAVE to look at it and it and it responds nicely changing color as you'd expect. And its SO sparkly! Sometimes it grey. Sometimes it blue. Sometimes its teal-y. Sometimes its purple. I think I even saw green.
I am a happy happy lady

 

[jbkhere]

more

 

[chloeishere]

I love that! What a cool stone. I love all the moods it has!

 

[ChrisA222]

JBK! Im so glad you like the stone!! It looks so nice in that setting, a whole lot nicer than the gem jar that it was in for its last year of life!!

It is a very, very moody stone. I keep thinking of how I thought when I first got the stone..thinking "hey where is my bright Teal stone?" I didn't until recently "embrace the grey". When I saw that people were liking Grey stones...I had to have that stone recut because, while it doesnt make for a great Teal stone, it sure looks nice as a grey stone!!

Anyway, I am SO happy that it looks so nice in your setting and even happier to see you enjoying it so much!! It looks REGAL!!

 

[Starzin]

I am in love! I can't stop looking at it. Everytime I'm in different light I HAVE to look at it and it and it responds nicely changing color as you'd expect. And its SO sparkly! Sometimes it grey. Sometimes it blue. Sometimes its teal-y. Sometimes its purple. I think I even saw green.
I am a happy happy lady

It looks great jbk - I'm so pleased you have something to love while the pear hunt is ongoing

 

[Enerchi]

Now *THIS* is a fantastic ring, jbk!!!! I am completely head over heels over this one!! I love love LOVE the cushion spinel, and the setting is PERFECT for it!!! What a BEAUTY!! Wow

If it were me, I'd be all over this one in a heart beat!! put me at the top of the list for "If I ever have to sell a ring...." - I wanna be Numero UNO on this one! "Enerchi - top of list" --- go put that somewhere on a piece of paper, right now!!!

 

[davi_el_mejor]

How'd you know my favorite color (for now ) is grey????

It's FREAKING GORGEOUS!

 

[jbkhere]

Now *THIS* is a fantastic ring, jbk!!!! I am completely head over heels over this one!! I love love LOVE the cushion spinel, and the setting is PERFECT for it!!! What a BEAUTY!! Wow

If it were me, I'd be all over this one in a heart beat!! put me at the top of the list for "If I ever have to sell a ring...." - I wanna be Numero UNO on this one! "Enerchi - top of list" --- go put that somewhere on a piece of paper, right now!!!

Its a tanzanite (zoisite really) ! Still want to be at the top of the list Enerchi?

 

[Enerchi]

ooops!!!

YUP!!! I'm still numero uno for this ring!!! (Will you size it before shipping to me please? 7.75, if you don't mind )

 

[jbkhere]

Chloe - thank you! She's definitely VERY moody - I LOVE it!
Starzin - me too! Now I have something to distract me for awhile
Davi - thank you! Its nice to know I'm not the only one who was obsessing for a grey!
Enerchi - thank you! I think the rings about a size 8 now - so you're really close!

Much thanks to Chris. He persisted with me on this one. I wasn't going to buy it. But once he told me it was headed for the oven I knew I had to save it! Admittedly, it would have been a cool experiment he & Gene were embarking on. But not on THIS stone! I think that now that she has been saved from the oven - she's happy to display all her colorful moods!

 

[NKOTB]

That looks great! I'm happy you found something gray to your liking, and that setting is beautiful.

Your jeweler should know, though, that there is also some unheated blue tanzanite. Perhaps he'll learn this in his course.

 

[jbkhere]

Thanks NK! Yeah, I think after seeing mine he did a bit more learning on tanzis. I give him credit - we all have to learn sometime. And as a "retailer" he could have just blown me off. And/or told me I didn't know what I was talking about. Instead, he tested and researched and taught himself something new. AND admitted it to me. And now we each have a better understanding of each other....

I HAVE AN AVATAR!!! Its taken me a long time but I finally have one! Though I imagine it will be temporary until the "next" thing I love comes alone

 

[NKOTB]

I didn't mean it in a "tsk tsk" way at all - not like "he should have known", just that he will learn that, or something along those lines. I think it's great that you contributed to his learning, and that you have someone local who is keen, helpful, and doesn't blow you off and act like he knows everything, etc.

Nice avatar!!

 

[Coco914]

Ooooo. I saw this stone on the DB and loved it, but had too many irons in the fire to actually buy it. LOL I'm so glad you saved it from the oven, it's absolutely stunning as it is!!! The setting you selected is perfect!! Glad you're enjoying all of its colors.

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

Oh wow! I never knew a tanzanite could have that many color moods and I adore the green color I saw in pic three. I have one that goes from purple to silver to blue- but no green. And the cut and setting- really, really beautiful. I learned something knew about tanzanites today thanks to your thread.

 

[ChrisA222]

JBK, I just caught up to this thread.

I knew you were happy, but I didn't know you were THIS happy

It is such a funny story with that stone...from the vendor pic which made me think it was this stunning bright teal (and me being pissed), to then realizing there's a market for 'grey', then Dan Stair fixing the weird cut it had...and then me deciding I wanted to play with it in the oven just to see what happens...LOL. I am very, very glad how things turned out!

Interestingly, the same exact thing just happened to me with two unheated-Aquamarines I bought. They are so de-saturated that I'd call them silver-grey. But this time instead of getting angry (the price and the cutting and clarity are very good) I am embracing the silver-grey. LOL!

JBK I'm SO happy we worked this deal. I cannot wait to see the next project that features some of my ex-stones...ie the one that did an impersonation of a Mexican Jumping Bean!! (and its two sisters)

 

[jbkhere]

JBK, I just caught up to this thread.

JBK I'm SO happy we worked this deal. I cannot wait to see the next project that features some of my ex-stones...ie the one that did an impersonation of a Mexican Jumping Bean!! (and its two sisters)

THEY are destined for a three stone ring. Now if only I could find a mounting for them