Where to Buy JXR Amethyst?

[tara3056]

Hi all

Does anyone know of a reputable source for JXR amethyst? I know there are some experts on the material here, but I *think* they are collectors rather than sellers (could be wrong). I've searched all the usual websites, to no avail.

I'm looking for an 8-9mm round, medium-dark, preferably. If anyone's seen something, somewhere, please let me know!

 

[Haywood74]

I have 2 of them that I wouldn't mind moving before Christmas time, a large barion cushion and the scissor cut that appears in my avatar....However, as you probably already noticed, neither of them are rounds and are gonna be quite a bit bigger than what you had listed....If you have your heart set on a round, I think I might know where one around 10mm is....

 

[JewelFreak]

Email Brad Payne at The Gem Trader ([email protected]) I just returned 2 or 3 to him -- he sent me a packet to choose from. They are round, between 6 & 8 mm, nice ones. He should receive them back in a few days; I dropped them at the P.O. about half an hour ago! Good luck.

ETA -- Don't know what's wrong -- PS won't link the email address but you can copy & use it.

 

[ChrisA222]

I echo what JF said...I got a nice one from Brad also, by emailing him.

JF...why isn't your new stone posted in the "show us your JXR" thread?! Get to it

 

[NKOTB]

I don't know if 10 mm is too big, but a round that size just went up on DB.

 

[tara3056]

I just saw that! Unfortunately, I think 10 mm IS too big for me But I've emailed Brad to see if he's got anything, so fingers crossed! Really hoping for more like 8mm, maybe 9 tops.

 

[tara3056]

Well, pooey Brad replied and said the issue with many of these stones, especially at this size, is a lack of saturation. I'm really not looking for a medium purple. I want intense purple. He also said rough production is not good now.

He doesn't have anything suitable now, but said to keep checking in the future. So if anyone knows of some alternative source, please keep me in mind!

 

[JewelFreak]

JF...why isn't your new stone posted in the "show us your JXR" thread?! Get to it

Because I ended up keeping a Zambian round, Chris. As Brad told Tara, the saturation of the JXRs wasn't what I was looking for. I am waaaay behind in getting pics of my most recent stone buys. Will get myself moving as soon as it stops raining!

--- Laurie

 

[Barrett]

A buddy of mine put up a JXR piece of facet rough for sale on ebay. I was their when he dug this up a few months back. It's from the new location that Rodney opened up. I got to see this crystal and it's surprisingly clean in the top portion but the color is not very good. It's got the clarity but just not the color....sigh..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JXR-Jackson-Crossroads-amethyst-facet-rough-/110979415796?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19d6e37ef4

 

[airplay355]

I'm not sure what the JXR stands for but maybe you would like this one?

 

[chrono]

JXR is short for Jackson's Crossroad, which is a well known Georgian mine area for amethyst with blue flash.

 

[airplay355]

Thanks!

 

[ChrisA222]

Barrett, would that stone, having only a Rose-de-France color, still have any of the blue flash? Or is that only with the more saturated stones?

 

[gsellis]

A buddy of mine put up a JXR piece of facet rough for sale on ebay. I was their when he dug this up a few months back. It's from the new location that Rodney opened up. I got to see this crystal and it's surprisingly clean in the top portion but the color is not very good. It's got the clarity but just not the color....sigh..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JXR-Jackson-Crossroads-amethyst-facet-rough-/110979415796?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19d6e37ef4

That looks like a site 4 stone. Very clean from the pieces we found one hot, melty day. Only chance I got to dig with Haywood! It will make a good smoky with a purple accent. A pretty unique color (Diamond Hill does a lot of that).

 

[Barrett]

The luster on the one crystal face is spectacular. To bad the color is sub par. It won't have any blue flash due to the low saturation.

 

[ChrisA222]

So what would it cut to be, in your opinion?? A violet-tinted clear stone!

 

[gsellis]

So what would it cut to be, in your opinion?? A violet-tinted clear stone!

A light lavendar-gray stone with a pretty good return from the crystal point being the pavilion.

 

[Haywood74]

A buddy of mine put up a JXR piece of facet rough for sale on ebay. I was their when he dug this up a few months back. It's from the new location that Rodney opened up. I got to see this crystal and it's surprisingly clean in the top portion but the color is not very good. It's got the clarity but just not the color....sigh..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/JXR-Jackson-Crossroads-amethyst-facet-rough-/110979415796?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19d6e37ef4

That looks like a site 4 stone. Very clean from the pieces we found one hot, melty day. Only chance I got to dig with Haywood! It will make a good smoky with a purple accent. A pretty unique color (Diamond Hill does a lot of that).

I remember that day of digging feeling that it was possible for me to spontaneously combust at any second. You know it's hot when you start the car, turn on the AC, and it starts to overheat within 5 minutes...

As far as the rough goes, I haven't seen a lot of JXR stuff that has that clarity level...I would take George's word for it though on what it would cut as he's done quite a bit of work for me and it's always been spot on for what he said it would be...For the price that the rough is being offered for, seems like it would be worth rolling the dice on...

 

[ChrisA222]

I bought this piece of JXR on eBay, from digforcrystals. Its 30 grams..it does have really nice clarity, I will say that!

I dont know what it will end up cutting, because there is almost a line in the middle of the stone that divides it between clear and purple. The color is pretty good...a nice medium-purple with blue mods. Its obviously not top color for JXR, but I didn't pay top price for it either.

Im sending it off for cutting this weekend, and Ill be sure to post the results. It might be a while, I have quite the parcel of recuts and a few pieces of rough that are going to Dan Stair.

Im curious if he thinks we should do purple stone/stones, or try to capture a bi-color stone with the division of color. I (clearly) don't know enough about rough/cutting to say what will happen...but the stone was nice enough and affordable enough to take a chance on.

Wish me luck

 

[gsellis]

I can see a crack near the color transition. So a bi-color may be out. That is sort of normal for JXR that I have seen. But, you will be surprised on the color he will be able to get out of it. JXR can have darker regions in the zones, and if focused in the pavilion, it will go crazy.

 

[ChrisA222]

Thanks George! I didn't even notice the crack, shows you what I know about rough. I just couldn't turn down this stone, It was only $60...even if I only get a couple ct stone out of it, I will be happy.

 

[Haywood74]

you got a good deal on that rough I believe and I don't think you got hurt at all on it price-wise....I know I have paid more for and received less quality than what you got for rough...check recently completed auctions for a cost comparison as to some prices for some JXR facet material...That one that went for close to $600 was top color and a complete WOW factor as it will probably cut a huge stone....check some old posts about JXR to see one that sold for $1400 a few years ago....I also saw one in a video that sold for over 4k which was completely unreal, so this stuff can get super-expensive super-quick....you wanna see really crazy pricing, try to find a JXR crystal cluster with something like that $600 rough in the middle of it....that will make your head spin

I think in the end you will be pleasantly surprised with what you end up with for a cut stone out of that material....Some of the smaller roughs will cut just as good of a stone as the bigger ones, just in smaller sizes which works good if you are wanting gems for rings/earrings etc...you might not get that almost black color saturation, but then again that color doesn't always produce top-end gems either because of light return issues....Those big roughs are great for large gems mounted in pendants etc or if you just want some larger-sized stones for your collection...Barret knows what I am talking about when I say JXR Doorknobs....

make sure to post up finished gem photos when you get them!