The Random Bling Thread!

[junebug17]

Wow dragonfly, love the colors of those stones, really pretty!

 

[Rosebloom]

What great treasures!!

JG - I am wildly jealous about that diamond! Do you plan to set it?

Woofmama - LOVE your pendants! So cool!

Naty Lad - I would set that baby in a single station DBTY either necklace or bracelet. It's a beauty!

 

[Smith1942]

Here are some of my random blings that I haven't shown before as I thought they were too small for SMTB. All these items cost $100-$500, with the average being around $300. Much of it was bought in sales. Enjoy!

First up, 14k large rose gold knot earrings from Blue Nile.

 

[Smith1942]

Next, a silver, amethyst, and blue topaz bracelet and necklace set from Links of London. I think of this set as my summer jewellery. The stones are significantly darker and deeper in real life - the flash has REALLY washed them out.

 

[Smith1942]

Next, my amethyst set. Amethyst-by-the-yard necklace in 14k white gold from Hamilton Jewelers, and amethyst, diamond and white gold drop earrings from a jewellery store in Boston. They were quite a steal at $175.

 

[Smith1942]

This yellow and white gold 14k ring is from Aruba about 14 years ago. It was only about a hundred pounds equivalent, and it's thick and chunky. Goes to show how much gold has increased.

 

[Smith1942]

I love this ring, but never wear it as it's the wrong size. It's sapphire leaves in 18k gold. I got it on a skiing holiday in Andorra about 12 years ago. It cost 160 pounds equivalent back then. I love the deep blue, and it reminds me of that holiday.

 

[Smith1942]

This is a Victorian 18k ruby and diamond ring. It was an 18th birthday present and cost just a hundred pounds, 21 years ago. It's from The Lanes, the jewellery quarter of my hometown in the UK.

 

[Smith1942]

I can't remember exactly when I bought this tri-colour rolling ring, but again it was from The Lanes, and I was either 14 or 18. So I've had it for 21-25 years. It's 9k gold and cost forty pounds.

 

[Smith1942]

And lastly, a lovely diamond baguette ring, 14k gold, that I bought in The Lanes nine years ago for just 250 pounds. No specs, but it's sparkly, and I just had it re-conditioned for 70 pounds, replacing some of the diamonds.

 

[Smith1942]

Found another one. I think this is all I have to show - I do have gold and silver pieces, but am saving them for the gold thread and a silver thread that someone started a while ago.

These are 14k brushed white gold earrings with three tiny round diamonds in kite-shaped settings, which actually sparkle a lot more than you'd think. The earrings are sold and weighty. I think they cost a hundred pounds equivalent in Aruba about 12 years ago. (I used to work for the Aruba Tourism Authority so went there quite a lot, back when jewellery prices were cheap compared to now.)

 

[Smith1942]

Ear shots. In the second photo, you can actually see a bit of fire coming from one of the bottom diamonds, small though they are!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

My new bangle. Could not be happier with the product and service received from Mint66. I'll be shopping there again!

http://www.66mint.com/p-1136-tiffany-co-frank-gehry-torque-bangle.aspx

cheers--Sharon

 

[junebug17]

Smith, all of your pieces are so pretty, you have a fantastic collection! I really like the amethyst set.

Wow, gorgeous bracelet Sharon! A show-stopper!

Catmom, I love your rose gold and diamond band, what a beautiful design!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Smith, you HAVE to get that sapphire ring sized you so wear it--lovely!

 

[junebug17]

My baguette round bangle!! The straight one is mine, and the other twisty one is a dream one in the works

Really beautiful!! You have such gorgeous bracelets joolsiepetunia!

 

[arkieb1]

Another photo lifted from Leibish:





Love your new Argyle stone, ginger I love them too!!! Although it is somewhat twisted irony that you live in WA where the Argyle mines are and you bought a stone from the US? Are there no decent jewellers selling them where you live?

Leibish is located in Israel, not the States - they do such a cracking colored diamond trade that their prices are roughly half that of ANY local Argyle vendors. I do find it ironic, but considering the overhead costs of running a shop front in WA, it's not really a surprise.

I should have been an engineer, so I could have been employed by Argyle!

True the markup on diamonds here is way more than the US and many online vendors. Leibish have offices in the US and Israel now I think.... One of my best friends has a darker pink Argyle in her e-ring and a white and pink band also Argyle but she got the stones from Perth and somewhere else on your side of Oz because they are even more expensive at places like Calleija and the jewellers that stock them over this side of the country. Curiously places like Calleija and others have a mix of stones only available to a select few via the tenders they put out but they also have some of the nicer stones that do not go into the tenders.....

It was Kenny that pointed out to me and it is generally fascinating who actually has access to & sells the rest of the stones that are mined that are not part of the tender process. Leibish is at a guess buying the rough and cutting it in Israel.... Anyway if buying from them gets you a better priced pink diamond then I think that is cool!!!

 

[Natylad]

I don't think i have ever posted pics of my matching yellow gold and amethyst bracelet and ring. They were a gift from my dad many moons ago...
I love them and they have great sentimental value for me...

 

[diamondringlover]

I'm so glad you posted diamondrnglover! It's beautiful!! I think you made a great choice - the diamonds look very bright and sparkly and the setting is really pretty, love it!

Thank you for encouraging me!

Love all this bling...Catmom love that band wow, where did you get that at?

 

[Catmom]

Grannie - your ring is lovely! And it's huge! You should totally start a SMTB thread about that baby! So beautiful!

Catmom, I adore your plaited rose gold band - exquisite!

Thank you!!

 

[Catmom]

Thank you junebug17 and diamondrnglover! I found it at my local jewelers when they were having a moving sale.

 

[junebug17]

My pride and joy, custom made for me and designed by......ME

Very beautiful and blingy set Grannie!!!

 

[junebug17]

I don't think i have ever posted pics of my matching yellow gold and amethyst bracelet and ring. They were a gift from my dad many moons ago...
I love them and they have great sentimental value for me...

These pieces are stunning natyLad!! I love the bold look of the bracelet, such a unique and beautiful design!

 

[AprilBaby]

Smith: that sapphire leaf is my favorite! Get that gem sized or send it here!

 

[AprilBaby]

I love watches! My favorite is my michael kors

 

[AprilBaby]

My diamond earrings, two pairs Leo each diamond .15 and one pair ACA .42 each

 

[justginger]

Another photo lifted from Leibish:





Love your new Argyle stone, ginger I love them too!!! Although it is somewhat twisted irony that you live in WA where the Argyle mines are and you bought a stone from the US? Are there no decent jewellers selling them where you live?

Leibish is located in Israel, not the States - they do such a cracking colored diamond trade that their prices are roughly half that of ANY local Argyle vendors. I do find it ironic, but considering the overhead costs of running a shop front in WA, it's not really a surprise.

I should have been an engineer, so I could have been employed by Argyle!

True the markup on diamonds here is way more than the US and many online vendors. Leibish have offices in the US and Israel now I think.... One of my best friends has a darker pink Argyle in her e-ring and a white and pink band also Argyle but she got the stones from Perth and somewhere else on your side of Oz because they are even more expensive at places like Calleija and the jewellers that stock them over this side of the country. Curiously places like Calleija and others have a mix of stones only available to a select few via the tenders they put out but they also have some of the nicer stones that do not go into the tenders.....

It was Kenny that pointed out to me and it is generally fascinating who actually has access to & sells the rest of the stones that are mined that are not part of the tender process. Leibish is at a guess buying the rough and cutting it in Israel.... Anyway if buying from them gets you a better priced pink diamond then I think that is cool!!!

I know that Argyle still cuts at least some of its non-tender rough. I don't know where the rest goes, but Leibish is certainly capable of cutting, as they have demonstrated with their incredible tender win of a FIP, which they managed to turn into a FVP with a very tiny recut.

True story, one of my coworkers' father is employed at Argyle. Sometime last year he won a pink diamond from them! Apparently they have monthly raffles - everyone who hasn't taken a day off that month is put in the raffle, and they draw for a diamond. Anyway, her dad won. She described it as if it were perhaps 2 mm, so not an insignificant stone at all! She said it was pink, but not PINK. But it was cut and polished, a little round one, and came directly from the workshop at Argyle.

 

[justginger]

What great treasures!!

JG - I am wildly jealous about that diamond! Do you plan to set it?

Woofmama - LOVE your pendants! So cool!

Naty Lad - I would set that baby in a single station DBTY either necklace or bracelet. It's a beauty!

Rosebloom, don't be jealous! I'll bring it with me when I'm in NYC so you can cuddle it for the day.

I do plan on setting it, eventually. I need to find a totally amazing design to incorporate it, my FIB, and my FIG. The main reason I wanted to change cut types with my new pink (my old one was a baguette) was that the difference in how the stones handled light drove me crazy - I never could have had them set together. The broad flashes from the baguette next to the sparkle of the oval and radiant was just not ok. So now I have an oval, radiant, and princess, which are far more suitable to share space.

I'd really like to hand them to Mike R. I'm sure he could come up with a totally awesome, quirky design that perfectly integrated them. However...I don't have the budget for that sort of project right now (not after my NYE tickets, lol!).

 

[junebug17]

Nice watch collection AprilBaby, and your diamond studs are really pretty - and how awesome to have ACA stones!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Justginger, I would love to see a pic of all three of your stones together!