Oregon Sunstone - Help Needed

[JimmyMilla]

Hi All. I am trying to decide between two different peach / Golden Oregon Sunstones that I have found online.

The first one is 3.60cts, looks beautifully cut and has a really nice saturation of color:
http://www.gemrockauctions.com/auctions/sunstone/sunstone-gemstones/item-455244

The second one is much bigger, 10.31cts, but the colour in the hand shot looks a little flat and the cut has a high table which I am not crazy about.
http://www.gemrockauctions.com/auctions/sunstone/sunstone-gemstones/item-479337

But....my dillema is that the 3.60cts stone looks beautiful, but the 10.31cts stone is nice and big and I do like big stones.

I wanted to get everyone's opinions on which stone would be better, what to look out for when buying sunstone and how much does color add to the value. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

 

[pregcurious]

I just came by to say that I don't know much about sunstone. In general, I buy stones based on color, with a minimum size for rings based on personal preference. I hope someone comes by to help you.

 

[austinj]

Hey! I also don't know too much about sunstone, but in any case I always say quality over quantity. In my opinion the smaller one has a nicer cut and if you look at the two hand shots much nicer color as well! The larger one kind of blends into the skin. The smaller one pops! And it's still quite large if you ask me. Would make a lovely ring or pendant.

 

[Garnet Gimlet]

Of the two, I have to say, I prefer the smaller one. The cut is stunning and it color is just beautiful. Much like you, I have an affinity for sunstones, and I don't think you could go wrong with either one. But if it were my purchase, I'd go with the 3.6. Hope it helps! Let us know which one you get!

 

[Marlow]

I don't know this vendor.

I would be careful buying oregon sunstone from an unknown vendor without a report - there are many treated andesine in the market.

So I would ask for a guarantee that this is oregon sunstone - in some colors you can't see it neither on a picture nor in real life.

I hope it is oregon sunstone - the smaller round is awesome.

 

[Alnitak]

Like pretty much all colored stones the value of OR sunstone is directly tied to the color. Teal blues and deep forest greens are the most rare and valuable, followed by deeply saturated reds. The more saturated the color, the more likely the gem will be smaller. While OR sunstone can be found in larger sizes, its almost always a lighter color when it is larger.

While there was some treated red andesine sold a few years back I would not say that there "is a lot" of it out there. That said, I would suggest buying your OR sunstone from someone here in the US who is connected to the miners rather than from overseas, where the treated material was being created. A number of the miners sell cut stones directly or on eBay. In addition, many US-based cutters also cut and sell OR sunstone since its a purely American gemstone.

Of the two you are looking at, I would say that the smaller one appears to be better from the photos. Finally, a word of advice on its use in jewelry: Sunstone is NOT a tough material. It is about the same hardness as tourmaline or tanzanite, but it has perfect cleavage, so it can crack or chip if its hit hard enough. I tell people that if you are going to use it in a ring its best suited for a RHR for evening wear or occasional wear--actually just like tanzanite. If you know that, then you should be fine. It is a superb gemstone and I feel its under appreciated and undervalued right now.

Jeff

 

[chrono]

The decision of which gemstone to purchase depends on what you want. Do you want something that is the trade/market preferred or something that you love (which can sometimes be different from what a top stone is)?

As always, colour sets the price of coloured stones and this includes sunstones. The andesine fiasco is, fortunately, almost a thing of the past but I prefer to purchase from a US based vendor, as it is from Oregon. The saturated reds are more highly prized than the yellow/golden variety. The smaller one looks to be a better colour than the larger one and if I had to choose between the two, I'd take colour over size. I also agree with the other posters' caution that this is a soft stone that is best as a pendant or earring stone. With care, you can wear it once a while as a ring stone.

 

[sani987cece]

I was seeking that "orangy" color as well, and found some beautiful sunstones, as others have mentioned, it is pretty soft and I nixed it for a ring due to that issue. Good luck with your search (BTW: I like the smaller one)

 

[JimmyMilla]

Thanks for the advice everyone! So far I think I like the smaller stone.

I contacted the seller and he is located in the USA and owns a portion of one of the mines. All of the stones are cut by Americans so the quality looks very nice.
I requested an audit of the stone (it is a feature of the website, a panel of experts check to see that everything looks ok) and that came back all good.

Guess I have some decisions to make over the weekend. Thanks everyone

 

[Marlow]

That sounds perfect - please share your experience with us - maybe this vendor is interesting for some here....


Chrono: This is the problem that the andesine fiasco happened some time ago - they still have enough cut stones in Thailand and I fear that they will offer them again - maybe cheaper.

So a vendor like this one based in USA with access to the mine - this is the best way to buy fantastic oregon sunstone!

 

[Siameseroo]

I'm very excited to see what you decide! Please keep us posted!