Any jewelry/gemstone freaks out there?

godiva

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A recent jewelry-themed thread reminded me I'm on a site with a ton of girls, so I can talk about JEWELRY!!


What is your favorite stone? Do you prefer cut gemstones or more organic polished stones?

I recently dropped off one of my loose stones to be set in a pendant. It's a rutilated quartz- round cut, about 12 mm wide, and has golden rutile in one direction down the center (about 7 mm wide). I had it set with some small yellow quartz... we'll see how it turns out. It might be better in some organic-looking setting.

My all time favorite stone is zircon. No, not the "fake diamond" stuff (although way back in the day, that's what they used), but zircon. It is doubly refractive, so each facet shows up twice, and if cut at the right angles, shoots off some prisms prettier than any you've seen in a diamond. The problem is it's fragile and hard to find in colors other than neon turquoise blue (from heating, I think...).

Labradorite is my second all-time favorite. It's like an opal on crack. It's a more organic stone and I've never seen it cut.

I have a soft spot for a pretty royal blue sapphire, and Montana sapphires. I also have a few cut stones in my collection that are neon orange/salmon, chartreuse, and natural crystals, but they are too soft to set... they're just to look at.

A nearly clear grass-green emerald is an amazing sight, too.

There are tons more that I adore, but those are my main favorites. What about you guys?
 

dragoriana

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as everyone knows i'm a gemstone freak too
i have a big collection of polished and rough stones. my favourite is probably amethyst (my birth stone), but i love most stones. actually moonstone is pretty nice as well
 

carrie640

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Well, I don't know about all gemstones, but I LOVE diamonds, too!!! Why can't I get more of them???? Crappy I only have the couple that are only on my engagement ring!
 

theimp98

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well, i like study more how they are made, you know the process that created the stone. i have couple of books on that. i have always wanted to go out looking for my own, to get a polishing kit, and shine up my own stuff.

have watched several shows on how they are cut etc, so very interresting to me. , i think diamonds and all of those are very over priced,(jheeh maybe its just a girl thing) and the amoiunt of work and surffing that they cause just to dig them up is sad.
 

theimp98

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Originally Posted by carrie640

Well, I don't know about all gemstones, but I LOVE diamonds, too!!! Why can't I get more of them???? Crappy I only have the couple that are only on my engagement ring!
lol i had 700 dollar pair of diamonds ear rings that i saved up for back in my college days,took me over a year to save up that money. flash forward 3 years later my sister ask to use them, and i never saw them again
 

proudkittiemom

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hmm..i love to many gemstones to have a favorite
I am always finding out there are new ones too, but I do love blue moon quartz
But I sit here all the time and watch gems tv
but still remember diamonds are a girls best friend
 
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godiva

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Originally Posted by theimp98

well, i like study more how they are made, you know the process that created the stone. i have couple of books on that. i have always wanted to go out looking for my own, to get a polishing kit, and shine up my own stuff.

have watched several shows on how they are cut etc, so very interresting to me. , i think diamonds and all of those are very over priced,(jheeh maybe its just a girl thing) and the amoiunt of work and surffing that they cause just to dig them up is sad.
Definitely! I have a strong interest in geology as well as gemology. I also like the science of how they are cut and the artistic aspect of it. It just involves so many things from all areas of life... I'm such a nerd.

I've always made my husband happy by not necessarily wanting really expensive stuff, just somewhat hard to find stuff.
I used to be addicted to eBay's loose gemstone section...
 

angi

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I have many crystals & a few gemstones, does that count?!?
I only have a small collection, about 40 or so I think. None of them are really cut for jewelry or anything, but I still like them. I have some emerald pieces (my birthstone), amythest, moss agate, snowflake obsidian, sodalite, clear/rose/smoky quartz, aquamarine, bloodstone, moonstone, tiger's eye, onyx, just to name a few.
 

scamperfarms

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I am just startin to get into jewlery. So I dontknow to much,and I dont own an expensive peice in the bunch,LOLmy wedding ring is a basic pretty silver band with a celtic design that matches hubbies and i like it that way.

I am gonna follow this thread so I can learn a bit more. I know I was at the thrift store the other day and saw some beatiful older peices I loved
 

dragoriana

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you sound like me Angi, i like to collect from gemshows, i buy the luckydips which have the cutoffs and raw stones, then a hippie store near Tristans house who specialise in polished stones and jewellery. I can't remember all of what i have but these are the ones i remember -

tiger eye red blue orange
jade african chinese
agate numerous
hematite
quartz rose smokey crackled
amethyst
citrine
sparkle stone
garnet
laprodite
petrified wood
turquoise
lapis lazuli
pyrite
tourmaline
 

angi

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Originally Posted by Dragoriana

you sound like me Angi, i like to collect from gemshows, i buy the luckydips which have the cutoffs and raw stones, then a hippie store near Tristans house who specialise in polished stones and jewellery. I can't remember all of what i have but these are the ones i remember -

tiger eye red blue orange
jade african chinese
agate numerous
hematite
quartz rose smokey crackled
amethyst
citrine
sparkle stone
garnet
laprodite
petrified wood
turquoise
lapis lazuli
pyrite
tourmaline


I have almost all of those same crystals! Most of mine were purchased at a new age or witchcraft store. I haven't found any here since I moved, but I would really like to.
 

dragoriana

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Originally Posted by Angi



I have almost all of those same crystals! Most of mine were purchased at a new age or witchcraft store. I haven't found any here since I moved, but I would really like to.
Tristan bought me a rose quartz unicorn horn wand with green/purple fluorite tip from a witchy shop which only opened a few months ago near his place, i've already been there tonnes of times now so the owner doesnt forget me. My witchy haunts in the city do not really have much in the way of stones, more potions, herbs, spell supplies etc. I also have a beautiful lapis lazuli tealight candle holder which weighs quite a bit. I LOOVE gemstones precious and semi-precious
 

angi

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Originally Posted by Dragoriana

Tristan bought me a rose quartz unicorn horn wand with green/purple fluorite tip from a witchy shop which only opened a few months ago near his place, i've already been there tonnes of times now so the owner doesnt forget me. My witchy haunts in the city do not really have much in the way of stones, more potions, herbs, spell supplies etc. I also have a beautiful lapis lazuli tealight candle holder which weighs quite a bit. I LOOVE gemstones precious and semi-precious
Oohhhh, that sounds really nice!!! I only have a tiny piece of lapis lazuli, & it's gorgeous, I can't imagine how beautiful that candle holder is!
 

dragoriana

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Originally Posted by Angi

Oohhhh, that sounds really nice!!! I only have a tiny piece of lapis lazuli, & it's gorgeous, I can't imagine how beautiful that candle holder is!
Here you go

Smaller polished stones



Chips, fossils, rough stones/offcuts and theres the candle holder (they are all much more colourful irl and bigger than the pic obviousely)
 

arielrain

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Wow great photos! I have many of the ones you've just shown. I just adore moonstones and cubic zirconias, and many many others.
 

angi

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Very nice!!!


I don't have any good photos of mine, but maybe I'll take one tomorrow & post it.


The sharks teeth are cool, I have a few of them that my little sister gave to me. & in the second photo, is that large green one flourite?
 

dragoriana

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Originally Posted by Angi

Very nice!!!


I don't have any good photos of mine, but maybe I'll take one tomorrow & post it.


The sharks teeth are cool, I have a few of them that my little sister gave to me. & in the second photo, is that large green one flourite?
Erm i don't think it is, but i dont remember what it is lol. The only fluorite i have is at the end of my wand

it looks like tsavorite and chrysophrase and beryl...poop i just can't remember!!!!
 

angi

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Originally Posted by Dragoriana

Erm i don't think it is, but i dont remember what it is lol. The only fluorite i have is at the end of my wand

it looks like tsavorite and chrysophrase and beryl...poop i just can't remember!!!!
It looks like my little piece of flourite, but a bit darker.

I forget mine sometimes too...I used to have little papers with the names of them underneath.
 

pookie-poo

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My father is a lapiderist (gem cutter) and a member of the GIA (Gemological Institute of America). He also sets gemstones in gold or silver, but doesn't do any lost wax casting. This is his hobby that he got into after he retired. He and my mother have gone rock-hounding and gem mining all across the U.S. since they retired back in the early '80's. Their favorite places to gem mine is in North Carolina for rubies and pink, blue and purple sapphires, and in Montana for blue and green sapphires. Needless to say, I have some absolutely awesome pieces. My birthstone is an emerald, which I love...but it's very difficult to find a good clean natural emerald. I also love tanzanite, but it is becoming difficult to find also. Right now I'm on an opal kick. I've been searching e-Bay for the perfect opal...no luck so far! I wouldn't be able to actually pick a favorite stone....although I prefer a faceted stone over a cabachon. Most of the gorgeous stone I have are set into pendants, as I can't wear rings in my line of work, so I just never bother with them. I do have a couple of really beautiful rings that he has made for me, but they mostly just grace my jewelry box and not my hands.
I would really love to have my dad teach me how to use his lapidary machines, so I could try my hand at gem cutting. I'm not sure if I have the patience though!
 
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