Community Chat

[onlyshopsonline]

Diamonds have my heart....however I don't have the budget for too many, lol.

After that, I love almost any gemstone that is blue.

[MrsSweetieBear]

Diamonds and pearls, especially Tahitian Black and South Sea White and Gold. I have found that I also like Moissanite which surprised me.

My birthstone, Opal, is probably the No. 2 spot before said pearls though. I have a nice ring and a favorite Kabana black opal pendant in yellow gold.

I also like Rubies and Sapphires, my sons' birthstones.  I planned their birth months for the desired birthstones. 

[mstyrion 1]

@MrsSweetieBear

I was hoping to see you.  Just wanted to tell you that I just returned from visiting The Big Island for 10 days.  What a lovely place!  Loved the food. Loved the fruit. Loved the people.

The weather at Kona was kind of meh.  Very hot and humid for this time of year, but that didn't ruin my time there!

You are so lucky to live in such an awesome place.

[AliJoi5]

I got so carried away with transparent gems, that I forgot to also mention turquoise.    And I agree with @SHIRAZ... can't go wrong with high quality lapis!!

@Drythe - You had some great choices, and since you mentioned bi-color tourmaline, I just had to chime in (again).  I sourced a large 10 ct. emerald cut, untreated bi-color from the Himalaya Mine in San Diego, CA.  It's very clean, and graduates evenly from green to blue to white and then pink in color.  I had it set in a ring last year.  Love bi-color tourm... thanks for mentioning it!

[Drythe]

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@AliJoi5 wrote:

I got so carried away with transparent gems, that I forgot to also mention turquoise.    And I agree with @SHIRAZ... can't go wrong with high quality lapis!!

@Drythe - You had some great choices, and since you mentioned bi-color tourmaline, I just had to chime in (again).  I sourced a large 10 ct. emerald cut, untreated bi-color from the Himalaya Mine in San Diego, CA.  It's very clean, and graduates evenly from green to blue to white and then pink in color.  I had it set in a ring last year.  Love bi-color tourm... thanks for mentioning it!

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@AliJoi5

Wow!   A 10 ct. bi-color?  I have a not very good color 4 ct. cushion, cab.  I am green, pink and white with envy!

[MrsSweetieBear]

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@mstyrion 1 wrote:

@MrsSweetieBear

I was hoping to see you.  Just wanted to tell you that I just returned from visiting The Big Island for 10 days.  What a lovely place!  Loved the food. Loved the fruit. Loved the people.

The weather at Kona was kind of meh.  Very hot and humid for this time of year, but that didn't ruin my time there!

You are so lucky to live in such an awesome place.

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______________________

@mstyrion 1Our weather all through July, Aug and Sept. was the hottest on record this year.  We had hurricanes stacked up out there in the Pacific blocking off our trades make awful humid conditions.  Yuck!  Now we are having some lovely fall rain or liquid sunshine.

Mahalo for visiting. Come to Maui next time!

[mstyrion 1]

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@MrsSweetieBear wrote:

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@mstyrion 1 wrote:

@MrsSweetieBear

I was hoping to see you.  Just wanted to tell you that I just returned from visiting The Big Island for 10 days.  What a lovely place!  Loved the food. Loved the fruit. Loved the people.

The weather at Kona was kind of meh.  Very hot and humid for this time of year, but that didn't ruin my time there!

You are so lucky to live in such an awesome place.

---

______________________

@mstyrion 1Our weather all through July, Aug and Sept. was the hottest on record this year.  We had hurricanes stacked up out there in the Pacific blocking off our trades make awful humid conditions.  Yuck!  Now we are having some lovely fall rain or liquid sunshine.

Mahalo for visiting. Come to Maui next time!

---

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Yeah!  I kept asking "where are those trades everyone is talking about?!"   LOL.

We left last Sunday just ahead of the tropical storm that was sitting off the coast of the Big Island.  

Maui is definitely on my bucket list!

[AliJoi5]

Hi @ROMARY - Chatham does manufacture synthetic padparadscha at a fraction of the cost.  But it really looks nothing like fine quality pads.  It's usually a garish orange with flashes of reds and pinks.  Fine quality natural pads should be untreated with a delicate orangey-pink to pinkish-orange tone.  Some of what I see referred to as padparadscha on the market are a far cry.  Heated pads are also acceptable, but some are diffused (meaning that they are chemically treated), which are not collectible.  I sourced a 1.48 ct. pad from Sri Lanka, which I had certified by the GIA as untreated.  (I always recommend certification with these highly collectible/valuable gems.)  I paid a pretty penny for it, but it was a gift to myself after receiving a bonus at work.  (woot woot!)  Anyway, here is an example of synthetic v. natural, untreated...

Synthetic padparadscha

Natural, fine quality padparadscha...

[AliJoi5]

Thanks @Drythe!  They're out there to be found, but it just takes a lot of time to locate the good stuff.  It took me months of daily searching and inquiries to source that gem.  The good thing is though, even in its highest qualities, bi-color tourm is still affordable.  Good luck in your hunt!!

[Sweetbay magnolia]

Hands down, white agate. Then amber.  Malachite, too.  And aventurine.  Citrine, peridot, various quartz, red jasper . . . I guess I have cheap taste but I love the earthy stones.  Lapis, also.