Show your Star sapphires and rubies

[Bluegemz]

Here are my stars, plus one cat's eye!
I made them all, in sterling.
Black star diopside, cat's eye scapolite, untreated star ruby, treated blue star sapphire,
30 ct. untreated star sapphire.
The ruby has the best star, but it is hard to photograph.

Wow, Stracci, I think they are all fabulous! Do you ever wear them together like that? The scapolite and the 2 star rubies are my favorites! I think it's so cool that you made those.

 

[stracci2000]

Thanks Bluegemz! I usually wear the large ones by themselves, and two of the smaller rings together on one hand.
The scapolite is really nice, with a crisp white line that always fascinates me when I wear it.
I love a large, unusual gemstone.

 

[Keeliamira]

I forgot about this fun little ring I had at the back of my jewelry box. I think I picked it up when I was in college. Untreated purple star ruby?/sapphire?

 

[Bluegemz]

I forgot about this fun little ring I had at the back of my jewelry box. I think I picked it up when I was in college. Untreated purple star ruby?/sapphire?

Oh that is such a wonderful ring! I love that purple color. It would probably be considered an Indian star ruby. I've been wanting one of those these days because they have a specific look with a lot of character! How fabulous that you have 2 stars, each so unique.

I have a little story about an Indian star ruby. When I was 8 or so, my parents went to India. They brought back with them, a small purple star ruby ring with claw prongs holding it. It was round, and bullet shaped, held with a gold plated silver ring. I LOVED it! I spent hours playing with it looking for the star. Then, one day it fell behind a shelf unit which was built into the wall and there was no way to retrieve it. Heartbreaking! Since then, I've wanted one of that kind again. They have a beautiful ruggedness which contrasts so well with the magic looking stars.

I'm so glad you found yours again after a long time hidden in your jewelry box!

 

[stracci2000]

Oh that is such a wonderful ring! I love that purple color. It would probably be considered an Indian star ruby. I've been wanting one of those these days because they have a specific look with a lot of character! How fabulous that you have 2 stars, each so unique.

I have a little story about an Indian star ruby. When I was 8 or so, my parents went to India. They brought back with them, a small purple star ruby ring with claw prongs holding it. It was round, and bullet shaped, held with a gold plated silver ring. I LOVED it! I spent hours playing with it looking for the star. Then, one day it fell behind a shelf unit which was built into the wall and there was no way to retrieve it. Heartbreaking! Since then, I've wanted one of that kind again. They have a beautiful ruggedness which contrasts so well with the magic looking stars.

I'm so glad you found yours again after a long time hidden in your jewelry box!

Doesn't that just break your heart about lost jewelry? It's one of those things that we 'jewelry girls' never forget.
I remember when I was a kid I had a small amethyst ring, and my older sister insisted on wearing it one day. That day, Dad had us pull weeds in the yard, and she lost it.
I must have been 8 years old at the time, and I still remember how sad I was.
And how much I hated pulling weeds!

 

[Bluegemz]

Doesn't that just break your heart about lost jewelry? It's one of those things that we 'jewelry girls' never forget.
I remember when I was a kid I had a small amethyst ring, and my older sister insisted on wearing it one day. That day, Dad had us pull weeds in the yard, and she lost it.
I must have been 8 years old at the time, and I still remember how sad I was.
And how much I hated pulling weeds!

Stracci, that is SO true! We 'jewelry girls' do not ever forget these instances. Your story is heartbreaking ! Gosh, you seemed to have intuitively known that your ring was not safe. Ugh, and lost while pulling weeds ! I can well understand why you hated it. Did you're sister understand how upset you were?
Hopefully such instances are compensated for by good jewelry karma later . Still, the loss always remains.

 

[stracci2000]

Stracci, that is SO true! We 'jewelry girls' do not ever forget these instances. Your story is heartbreaking ! Gosh, you seemed to have intuitively known that your ring was not safe. Ugh, and lost while pulling weeds ! I can well understand why you hated it. Did you're sister understand how upset you were?
Hopefully such instances are compensated for by good jewelry karma later . Still, the loss always remains.

My sister is a 'jewelry girl', too!
I guess I forgive her...........
She has a massive collection of pearls, and emeralds, and vintage costume.
She also collects flow blue transferware. She has all the good stuff!!!

 

[Bluegemz]

Here is a picture of a little star ruby or sapphire which my mother brought back from Sri Lanka for my niece who's turning 10. It's not a clear star but transparency is pretty nice. This will go in a ring.

 

[Austina]

Oh dear, how bad am I that I'd forgotten I'd bought this

Got it from Thailand and didn't do anything with it. 4.83 cts 10.6 x 8.7 x 5.3 not even sure if it's any good, but here you are
]

 

[Bluegemz]

Oh dear, how bad am I that I'd forgotten I'd bought this

Got it from Thailand and didn't do anything with it. 4.83 cts 10.6 x 8.7 x 5.3 not even sure if it's any good, but here you are
]

It's really gorgeous, Austina! Why do you yhink you are unsure of how good it is? Do you have a planned setting for it?

 

[Austina]

Only because I paid very little for it @Bluegemz so I wasn't sure, although I do admit the asterism is pretty crisp. It was an impulse buy, I just wanted to see what it was like as I had seen some very pale ones that were almost grey and this looked a good colour. It's been sitting in a box for probably 10 years.

 

[stracci2000]

Austina...
It's beautiful! You must have it set, even in a simple pendant. Don't leave it tucked away!

 

[Bluegemz]

Are you

Only because I paid very little for it @Bluegemz so I wasn't sure, although I do admit the asterism is pretty crisp. It was an impulse buy, I just wanted to see what it was like as I had seen some very pale ones that were almost grey and this looked a good colour. It's been sitting in a box for probably 10 years.

Do you mean that because of the low price, you are wondering if it may be treated or synthetic? Wether it is or isn't, it's really pretty and would be so fun to wear! It's a lovely color with a great star. I can imagine it in a nice ring!

 

[Arkteia]

Mary Pickford's husband gave her the Bombay Star set in a ring as a kind of "don't divorce me" gift. She ended up leaving him and taking the stone. Apparently, the man from the Smithsonian came to look at her estate and took a few items. The appraiser on site saw the sapphire and literally yanked it out of the setting and took the stone. "Pry" was the word someone at the estate used. I always thought the star sapphire trend stated in the 1930's (with actresses) and I am not sure who really started it. Mary divorced her husband in 1936 and received the stone around then. So not her.

I have done some more digging. The rumor is that she owned the Star of India. The museum that owns it claims she did not so I am guess that is correct.

I love the spirit of the people of those years! Men, too, not only women...I had to find the memoirs of Count Felix Yusupoff, the famed, incredibly handsome, assassin of Rasputin. The memoirs of this true blue-blooded Russian gentleman, smart and educated, at times look surprisingly naive (his diamonds were stolen several times). In Paris, he describes his relationship with the maharajah from Alvar (Rajasthan), who, enamored with charming Felix, dressed him in Indian costume and mounted incredible sapphires and emeralds on him, promising to give them all to Felix in return for a trip to India. It was in the 20-es. People were larger-than-life at those times. Felix had something good to say about the honesty of Chaumet, the jeweler who used to work for him.

 

[Austina]

I think it's real @Bluegemz , looking at the back of it, it doesn't seem too perfect if that makes sense, i.e. it doesn't look like it's come out of a mold or feel synthetic.

 

[valeria101]

it doesn't seem too perfect if that makes sense

It does - hence WWW.

The type of star - sharp & not transucent, does exist; the true damned with the false ...

Just a thought

 

[Bluegemz]

I think it's real @Bluegemz , looking at the back of it, it doesn't seem too perfect if that makes sense, i.e. it doesn't look like it's come out of a mold or feel synthetic.

That is fantastic Austina! You really must bring it out and wear it. Really, it's gorgeous!
I personally have seen strongly colored, opaque stars with very sharp stars that are natural. A jeweler friend has one somewhat like yours, selling for 3k. It's opaque but with great color and a super sharp star, not diffused.

 

[Bluegemz]

It does - hence WWW.

The type of star - sharp & not transucent, does exist; the true damned with the false ...

Just a thought

Valeria, I love these articles! Thanks for linking it. Important info about these stars.

 

[Vesper]

I love the spirit of the people of those years! Men, too, not only women...I had to find the memoirs of Count Felix Yusupoff, the famed, incredibly handsome, assassin of Rasputin. The memoirs of this true blue-blooded Russian gentleman, smart and educated, at times look surprisingly naive (his diamonds were stolen several times). In Paris, he describes his relationship with the maharajah from Alvar (Rajasthan), who, enamored with charming Felix, dressed him in Indian costume and mounted incredible sapphires and emeralds on him, promising to give them all to Felix in return for a trip to India. It was in the 20-es. People were larger-than-life at those times. Felix had something good to say about the honesty of Chaumet, the jeweler who used to work for him.

Count Felix Yusupoff! Yes, he poisoned then shot Rasputin who just refused to die. Google "Rasputin disco." I can't access youtube at my office otherwise I would give you the link. It is worth your time.

I often think I would have been an excellent eccentric royal during those times. I would study natural sciences, wear a monocle, ride an orange bike and set up a theater in my house to watch "talkies."

 

[Arkteia]

Not my star sapphire (mine is small). A photo from Moscow Mineralogy Museum. Star sapphires. Not the best photo, very difficult to take photos in museums with glass covering the stones.

 

[Vesper]

It would be amazing if they put the star sapphire on a turning table so you could see the star from all angles.

This is a ring I have been drooling over. In video it glows.

 

[Bluegemz]

It would be amazing if they put the star sapphire on a turning table so you could see the star from all angles.

This is a ring I have been drooling over. In video it glows.

Wow that's a beauty, Vesper! It has a beautifully deep and mysterious color! I'm assuming it's still for sale? Maybe it's meant to be...it reminds me of the rich color of that larger one that you loved by the complex darkness that they both have.

 

[Bluegemz]

I saw this adorable buttercup ring with 3 small, natural stars in it. How sweet is this? I'm starting to imagine that maybe I could have some of my tiny stars made into a ring like this where the stars are the center of the flower. I still love the pod idea and the whole theme of mother..

 

[valeria101]

my tiny stars

What do you make of Seaman Schepps 'Bubbles' ? The other I had coffee next to a large bracellet of the line - practically, a pile of small-ish, random cabs of various shades between pink & sky blue through colourless, small wing pearls, larger green beryl, etc. Certaily reminded your lot of small stars & collection of everything !

 

[Bluegemz]

What do you make of Seaman Schepps 'Bubbles' ? The other I had coffee next to a large bracellet of the line - practically, a pile of small-ish, random cabs of various shades between pink & sky blue through colourless, small wing pearls, larger green beryl, etc. Certaily reminded your lot of small stars & collection of everything !

I just looked it up, and I think they are gorgeous! It's a great way of using small stars!

 

[Bluegemz]

I just found this 95 carat star ring! It's HUGE!

 

[valeria101]

I just looked it up, and I think they are gorgeous! It's a great way of using small stars!

I can only imagine that the stars may end up combined with other things from your collection - as heteroclite as the Schepps meddleys & not the same. Jade [was there a knotted strand of fine jadeite shards ? ] & moonstone seem particularly reasonable from where I am standing, however - playing with such things works very differently from thinking of them - I am not going to try.

I just found this 95 carat star ring! It's HUGE!

What do you mean - 'found' ...

 

[Bluegemz]

I can only imagine that the stars may end up combined with other things from your collection - as heteroclite as the Schepps meddleys & not the same. Jade [was there a knotted strand of fine jadeite shards ? ] & moonstone seem particularly reasonable from where I am standing, however - playing with such things works very differently from thinking of them - I am not going to try.



What do you mean - 'found' ... ,-)

Valeria, I know what you mean...composing such arrangements of gems is very different than imagining them. I imagine that deciding what to use and how to arrange them might be like a master florist putting together a beautiful flower arrangement.

By 'found' I mean that I stumbled across it online while browsing. I'm not thinking of purchasing it since it's quite expensive, but it's huge size is a sight to behold and similar in massive size to the Hollywood actresses' star jewelry of the past. In all truth, I'm still looking at stars quite a lot. I have it in my mind that I'll find one more eventually, though my savings needs to replenish a bit first.

 

[Bluegemz]

Valeria, I know what you mean...composing such arrangements of gems is very different than imagining them. I imagine that deciding what to use and how to arrange them might be like a master florist putting together a beautiful flower arrangement.

By 'found' I mean that I stumbled across it online while browsing. I'm not thinking of purchasing it since it's quite expensive, but it's huge size is a sight to behold and similar in massive size to the Hollywood actresses' star jewelry of the past.

In all truth, I'm still looking at stars quite a lot. I have it in my mind that I'll find one more eventually, though my savings needs to replenish a bit first. If I were to buy one more star ring eventually, I would probably want one that is a different color from the other 2, such as a violet or a pink one. Possibly a dark color, blue or purple or a mix of darker colors. Or, a star that is half pink and half light pink or white. Those are fabulously interesting, like the hide of a cow.

At first, I thought that a yellow star would be great, but now I know I have little chance of finding those since they are so rare, and probably not in a size that would be large enough.

 

[valeria101]

@Bluegemz

The white/red(ish) splotch material - I never see offered anywhere in good English WWW.