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Suggestions for a red colored stone for daily wear?

Alexiszoe

Alexiszoe

Brilliant_Rock
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Joined
Aug 28, 2008
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720
When was about 5 years old my parents brought me to Australia and bought me a toy heart-shaped crystal pendant. It meant a lot to me since we were poor, and being able to go on that vacation, in which I experienced a lot of love and amazing experiences was somehow represented and encapsulated in that toy pendant.

Many many years down the road, I am trying to replicate this: to find a red colored stone and make it into an everyday pendant.

Do you guys have any recommendations for an affordable, red/orangy red stone that's suitable for daily wear? I don't mind it being treated. Also, which vendors should I look at?

Thanks, CS experts!
 
I absolutely love the sentiment behind your project. :) Thanks for sharing your story!

When you say affordable, what do you mean? $100? $500? And is that just for the stone? I assume you'll have someone make the setting once you find a stone?

I'd highly recommend starting with Multicolour.com, but after that I'd look at the sticky thread of recommended vendors at the very top. I'd say, since it's going to be in a necklace, you could look at spinel, garnet, zircon, tourmaline, sapphire.
 
Your options are huge if you plan to set and wear it as a pendant.

I second SparkliesLuver's recommendation:
Spinel, zircon, garnet (many reddish choices), tourmaline, and sapphire (priciest)
 
@MollyMalone , thanks for the suggestions! I will have a look!

@SparkliesLuver , ideally I don't want to spend more than $1k on the stone, although I did see a mahenge spinel on one of the listed PS CS vendors that made my heart skip a beat...sadly it costs $31k!

Thanks @chrono. If I were to set it in a bezel type ring instead, what stones should I steer clear of? I had an amazingly large beautiful emerald ring a number of years ago but after I fell it chipped my stone :cry2:
 
Bezel only protects the girdle, leaving the crown facets exposed. Some people are really gentle on their rings so I really can't say which might be suitable for you.
 
That's a good budget. I hope it made your heart skip a beat for that price! ;) haha

I haven't found much yet but I figured I'd post this anyhow. Use it as a starting point. For an 8mm red garnet - I know, it's dark - it's $67. That'd leave you with a good chunk to spend on a nice setting. I'll keep looking though!

https://www.africagems.com/calibrated-mozambique-garnet-heart.html

Heart.jpg
 
The others have given lots of good options for reds within your budget. I would just chime in and say that I agree - there is no need to ensure it is a super-durable gem, if you are planning to use it in a pendant. If it were a ring, that would be a different thing. Garnet would be a very affordable option and is available in a wide variety of subtle red hues.
 
Garnet might be your best bet. They are quite affordable which leaves more to spend on the setting and chain. I have a gorgeous 10mm round red garnet that needs to be set, but I can't decide what to do with it.
_29780.jpg
 
One quick major clarification: the stone needs to be heart-shaped, correct? Or are you open to any shape?
 
If you aren't in a hurry and it needs to be heart shaped, I think I have a red heart shaped rhodolite garnet that you can have for free. But I won't be able to ship it for a couple of weeks. On the other hand, you may be looking for something nicer.

Here are my notes:
2.08 cts, 7.78 mm, deep red, eye clean (some inclusion on 10x loupe)
Origin: Tanzania Treatment: None
 
@SparkliesLuver , when you put up the picture of the heart shaped garnet, it brought back so many memories for some reason that I got a bit choked up...and yes I am looking for a heart shape. Thank you so much!

@indigoblue , your garnet is a KNOCKOUT! It looks beautifully cut too. Very curious as to what are you going to do with the gem!

@chroman , thanks for taking the time to find these spinels...red (rather than more orangey) is what I am looking at. The pearlman's fire engine red is spectacular :)

@lilmosun , thank you for your very generous offer, that is very kind of you! If in a couple of weeks you are still up for it, do let me know :)
 
Skin tone plays a part too. A ruby band that looks a nice red on my friend looked fuschia to hot pink on me. I was VERY aggravated (but my wallet was relieved - it wasn't ready for a diet). My suggestion is to play with the stone at home prior to setting.
 
Could you reach out to Tan? His ebay websites used to have lots of heart shaped stones. Also can someone confirm if this is his current ebay store?

By the way the memories sound really priceless -- to have something to wear which is so strongly associated with your parents love sounds wonderful.

Also wanted to say I love the avatar -- it looks a little like Pissaro, it is really beautiful.
 
@Rfisher , thanks for taking the time to find and post DBL link! I must say I was very tempted - especially since everything is set and ready to go. The way it's set (pendant and chain as one) definitely given me inspiration on how to set it rather than the standard separate pendant and chain

@PintoBean , that's a great suggestion that I never thought about before. I am worried too as to how the setting, and the color of the setting would affect the stone...so fingers crossed that unset and set it would look lovely on me ;)2

Thanks for the link @qubitasaurus ! The avatar is Boston Common at Twilight by Childe Hassam. Even though it was painted in the 1880s, Boston Common today still looks like that. It gives me the chills as if I am sharing the same time space as people 140 years ago...vestiges of history built upon the same shared space.
 
@Rfisher , thanks for taking the time to find and post DBL link! I must say I was very tempted - especially since everything is set and ready to go. The way it's set (pendant and chain as one) definitely given me inspiration on how to set it rather than the standard separate pendant and chain

@PintoBean , that's a great suggestion that I never thought about before. I am worried too as to how the setting, and the color of the setting would affect the stone...so fingers crossed that unset and set it would look lovely on me ;)2

Thanks for the link @qubitasaurus ! The avatar is Boston Common at Twilight by Childe Hassam. Even though it was painted in the 1880s, Boston Common today still looks like that. It gives me the chills as if I am sharing the same time space as people 140 years ago...vestiges of history built upon the same shared space.
 
After some internet sleuthing, I have narrowed it down to a few options

Option 1) - 4.78 carats rhodolite from Tan thanks to @qubitasaurus
The photo is meh, but the link has a video and it looks rather nice. However I am no expert, so I am concerned that it would look almost red/black and flat IRL
3113-2.jpg



Option 2: 3.3 carats rhodolite from Multicolour (This was the one that David picked out of several options I sent to him for his opinions)
j2w_rh11093ab.jpg
 
This sounds like such a great project! I love the idea behind it—what lovely memories! I don’t know if they have your color, but the Kosner Gem Co. on Etsy has lots of heart shaped stones, especially ametrine. They have a sale going on right now. It’s free to look! :D
 
This sounds like such a great project! I love the idea behind it—what lovely memories! I don’t know if they have your color, but the Kosner Gem Co. on Etsy has lots of heart shaped stones, especially ametrine. They have a sale going on right now. It’s free to look! :D
 
Thanks for the link @qubitasaurus ! The avatar is Boston Common at Twilight by Childe Hassam. Even though it was painted in the 1880s, Boston Common today still looks like that. It gives me the chills as if I am sharing the same time space as people 140 years ago...vestiges of history built upon the same shared space.
Click to expand...

It is a stunning painting -- the lighting is beautiful. I would go with the multicolour. It looks sparkly! But I would pass on the Tan stone as it is too dark -- if he doesn't have anything better in inventory than I feel like you can find way nicer stones elsewhere :D.
 
This sounds like such a great project! I love the idea behind it—what lovely memories! I don’t know if they have your color, but the Kosner Gem Co. on Etsy has lots of heart shaped stones, especially ametrine. They have a sale going on right now. It’s free to look! :D
 
This sounds like such a great project! I love the idea behind it—what lovely memories! I don’t know if they have your color, but the Kosner Gem Co. on Etsy has lots of heart shaped stones, especially ametrine. They have a sale going on right now. It’s free to look! :D
 
Would love to see a handshot of Option #2 to see if it's as bright as it looks in the photo. Pretty sure that one I offered was darker like the others. I packed away some of my loose stones awhile ago and I'll have to look for it next weekend.
 
MissyBeaucoup said:
This sounds like such a great project! I love the idea behind it—what lovely memories! I don’t know if they have your color, but the Kosner Gem Co. on Etsy has lots of heart shaped stones, especially ametrine. They have a sale going on right now. It’s free to look! :D
Click to expand...

They do have several heart shaped stones. There are three on this page.
https://kosnargemco.com/shop?page=3
 
Do you plan on wearing this with any other pendants? Just want to be sure your beautiful heart won't get scratched. I actually like red spinel for a more pure red. I'll have a look too!
 
That is nice you have such special memories to carry on with this project. Red spinels will give you a more spectral red color but garnets are great gemstones as well. Good luck finding that perfect gemstone. I can't wait to see the final pendant.
 
@rockysalamander , I am wearing it alone (since I am lousy at layering and wondering what works!) The size ho in me wants it big...Spinels are lovely but it seems that I haven't had much luck with a heart shaped stone in the size I want (and in my budget, I don't have 31k to blow on a mahenge spinel that blew my mind!) :p

@marcy , thanks! I am so excited over this little project. It feels like it's been many years in the making !

@MissyBeaucoup and @indigoblue , thanks so much for suggesting kosnar! I saw a few stones (while not heart shaped) had such amazing colors that I feel another CS project coming on....uh oh! ;)2

The partner is suggesting I get it made into a ring instead. That way I get to see it (as opposed to wearing it as a pendant)

Given what I read about garnets on this forum, it seems like it's more suited for occasional wear rather than daily wear as a ring?
 
@rockysalamander , how did you even turn up such a gem? It looks so cute!! And such a lovely idea too to reuse my original heart stone :)

I don't think I have the original anymore (my folks donated all my toys and stuff many moons ago) but doesn't hurt to ask them if they happen to keep that, my mom can be sentimental =)2
 
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