Oregon Sunstone Jewelry

[Fly Girl]

I recently fell in love with Oregon Sunstone and purchased several pieces from Rogue Lapidary in Medford, Oregon. They sell as sparklequest on etsy. Link I worked with the folks at Rogue and my local jeweler to come up with a small sunstone suite. I think they are pretty sweet. (Pun intended

)

I''ll begin with a photo I already posted on the Catch All thread, p. 49. It gives you some idea of the shiller of this material, but I''ve tried to capture it with some more photos to come. On the left is a facted briolette I wear as a pendant. The photo on the right shows a couple of small briolettes I wear as earrings and a couple of drops I can attach and wear together as a pendant.

 

[Fly Girl]

Here is a vendor photo of the brios and drops together. I was asking how they would look together, and they kindly obliged with a photo.

 

[Fly Girl]

I had the vendor add these simple 14k caps to the larger sunstone drops. They had already capped the smaller drops.

 

[Fly Girl]

To complete the suite I also purchased this 9 x 12 mm pear cabochon to have made into a ring. Here is the vendor photo. By the way, this stone was on clearance and cost less than $20.

 

[T L]

I think oregon sunstone is such an affordable, yet really cool stone. Very pretty!

 

[Fly Girl]

As I was saying to Cehrabehra yesterday in her "fell for a color" thread, this shape of stone looks lovely in a simple bezel setting. I had the stone set into a ring with a thin yellow gold bezel, a backing of pure silver to reflect back the light, and a brushed band of sterling. I''m wearing it in this direction because the shiller in the stone looks a bit better to me from this side. And, watching the shiller is a lot of the fun. The jeweler is Janishjewels on etsy. I use her for simple bezels like this because it is a specialty of hers and her work is stunning.

 

[Fly Girl]

Thanks, TL. Yes, I love wearing affordable stones. I worry a lot less about breakage.

The sun was out briefly last week, and I got a few sun photos. There is nothing quite like sunstone in the sun.

I'll begin with the pendant briolette.

 

[Fly Girl]

The pendant stone and the two drops in the sun. As you can see, the shiller is different, but I think they go together just fine.

 

[Fly Girl]

Another sun shot.

 

[Fly Girl]

Get ready for a few more of these because I can''t decide which photo I like best.

 

[Fly Girl]

And another.

 

[Fly Girl]

Last one of these.

 

[Fly Girl]

Now for the earrings. My jeweler added small wires with tiny loops on the end so I can wear them as drops from my studs. An ear shot.

 

[Fly Girl]

Another. I am delighted with how the shiller shills in these small brios. The shiller is directional, so I am a bit careful with the direction when I mount the brios on the studs, but they turned out to be better performers than I was expecting.

 

[Fly Girl]

I''ll finish up with a neck shot showing the two necklaces with the brio and the drops worn together. I had this set of necklaces made last year so I could change out the briolettes or drops. It has turned out to be a fun piece.

Thanks for coming by and looking.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Thank you! Those are beautiful! I think you''re right that the two types go well together the way you have one long and one short... The more striated ones remind me of old marbles... but much prettier I like the stone in your ring the best I think... I will have to see one in person next time I''m back in Oregon.

I do have a question - about the backing of your stone - is this recommended? The gold is so complimentary as a bezel and I get doing the band in silver for cost, but why the choice to back the ring at all and in silver and not gold? Just curious - I''m completely ignorant on this... should I be considering putting a backing on my aqua? Hmm... I kinda just assumed it would be naked back there!

ps - I love briolettes!

there is just something sexy about the sunstones - they look like shimmery nudes or something...

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 5/8/2010 10:09:08 AM
Author: Cehrabehra
Thank you! Those are beautiful! I think you're right that the two types go well together the way you have one long and one short... The more striated ones remind me of old marbles... but much prettier I like the stone in your ring the best I think... I will have to see one in person next time I'm back in Oregon.

I do have a question - about the backing of your stone - is this recommended? The gold is so complimentary as a bezel and I get doing the band in silver for cost, but why the choice to back the ring at all and in silver and not gold? Just curious - I'm completely ignorant on this... should I be considering putting a backing on my aqua? Hmm... I kinda just assumed it would be naked back there!

ps - I love briolettes!

there is just something sexy about the sunstones - they look like shimmery nudes or something...

Thank you, Cehra. I've had other cabochons set with different metal backings. When I set my garnet cabs, I was fortunate enough to be able to take them in to the designer in person and we played around with different colors of gold metal. It can really change the look. (Link to thread.) You could also have the back completely open, which is how I've had some of my earring cabochons set, primarily to save weight (I hate heavy earrings). Frankly, I'd wait until you get the stone, then try setting it on different color metals and on your hand and in different lighting, and see which you like best. The particular designer I used for this ring often uses a pure silver backing which essentially gives the stone a very reflective white background. She says that pure silver will not tarnish, and so far, so good.

ETA - I agree about the sensual pleasure of sunstones. The brios also have a pleasing click as I wear them. They sound tough, a bit like the marbles you mentioned, and not brittle at all.

 

[colorluvr]

Great set, and I really love the ring.

 

[Fly Girl]

I found another neck shot, but wearing a different color shirt. A bit better background color.

Thank you, colorluvr.

 

[Arcadian]

those look great, and the ring is so fab!! How was it working with Janishjewels?


-A

 

[oddoneout]

I''m really liking sunstones lately. Yours are beautiful.

 

[Fly Girl]

Date: 5/8/2010 10:56:25 AM
Author: Arcadian
those look great, and the ring is so fab!! How was it working with Janishjewels?


-A

Thank you, Arcadian. Janishjewels is great. Now, I prefer to use a jeweler's specialty, where I can just point to a design and say, 'I want mine to look just like this'. I think her simple bezels are absolutely perfect for a stone like this, so I went with her. Turnaround on her end was only 1 day both times I've used her. Prices are competitive as well. Workmanship is clean and careful. All in all, I give her 5 stars.

BTW, she also set my star rose quarz last year. Link

Thank you, too, oddoneout.

 

[stepcutnut]

FG-what a fabulous set! They are look like really fun pieces to wear!!!

 

[ma re]

A great set! Love the bezel ring and the other pieces are nice too. I really like how this color looks in combination with yellow gold.

 

[Indylady]

Very, very lovely. Flygirl, I'm sure I've told you before, but I just love your taste and sense of style.

 

[virgoruby]

They are all so beautifully made. And I love your star rose quartz ring.

 

[Arcadian]

Date: 5/8/2010 11:18:05 AM
Author: Fly Girl

Date: 5/8/2010 10:56:25 AM
Author: Arcadian
those look great, and the ring is so fab!! How was it working with Janishjewels?


-A

Thank you, Arcadian. Janishjewels is great. Now, I prefer to use a jeweler''s specialty, where I can just point to a design and say, ''I want mine to look just like this''. I think her simple bezels are absolutely perfect for a stone like this, so I went with her. Turnaround on her end was only 1 day both times I''ve used her. Prices are competitive as well. Workmanship is clean and careful. All in all, I give her 5 stars.

BTW, she also set my star rose quarz last year. Link

Thank you, too, oddoneout.

thanks so much, and yeah I now remember that ring... They''re just in NY so not far from me. I''ll be sending a few things their way

-A

 

[Fly Girl]

Thank you so much stepcutnut, ma re, IndyLady, and vigoruby.

Arcadian, looking forward to your new pieces. Please post pics when you get them back.

 

[brandy_z28]

Love your sunstones Fly Girl!

You have some of the coolest jewelry, very nicely done!

 

[TravelingGal]

Love all these!!