Community Chat

[Kachina624]

The CP lapis I've gotten over the years has been great quality.  It never has white in it like Jay King's lapis typically has.  I love a plethora of gold specks in my lapis.

[PamfromCT]

Just a thought here.  Maybe Kachina and AliJoi coild start a special jewelry thread, ongoing with tips on how to determine quality of gems and best places to purchase.  Especially for those like me who love gems but don't know too much about them.  I'm sure you both would have a lot to share.  Thanks!

[AliJoi5]

@PamfromCT I'm glad others enjoy discussing gems as much as I do.  Kachina and I have started a few different photo threads on other gems as well.  Maybe we can do a few more down the road.  Thanks again for the great suggestion! 

[chickenbutt]

Wow!  The style of those pieces is really beautiful.  I don't do silver, though, and prefer gold.  Silver turns my skin black, it tarnishes, and it will make my ears very sore so I really don't consider it a fine metal.  But i sure like the style of the pieces except for one other thing - 

Why is the hallmark on the FRONT of the pendant piece?  That is very unappealing to me.  

[AliJoi5]

Hey Kachina - Agreed!  I know you're not a brass fan, but check out the quality of lapis in this American West necklace.  It's some of the finest I own.  Carolyn brings us some pretty nice stones, but I must admit I was really surprised by her lapis.  And I like that she partners with the GIA so we can feel confident that it's undyed/untreated.

Carolyn Pollack's "sincerely fabulous" lapis enhancer on a leather cord necklace I made just for fun.

The matching ring, which has nice color but very little pyrite.  I exchanged the first one hoping for a stone with more, but didn't luck out.

Here's a pendant I own by Jimmy Secatero, Navajo Dine.  It's about 2-1/2" L.  The collar is by David Yurman.

And a ring I own by Happy Piasso, Navajo.  I'm having it resized in AZ as we speak.  It's about 1-1/4" L.

Would love to see any pix of your lapis (or anything else!) you wanted to share Miss Kachina.  Or anyone else's beauties! 

[AliJoi5]

Hi @chickenbutt - My mom has the same problem.  She can do some sterling, but definitely cannot do earrings.  Her ears become swollen and weepy (yeeeuck!), and ache for days!  Bummer... but ain't nothin wrong with gold instead. 

The pendant is by Carolyn Pollack and the necklace is by David Yurman.  He makes sure his name is fairly prominent on every one of his pieces.  I think for some collectors, they like that because it's kind of a "status symbol."  That's not something that interests me though; I like what I like regardless of the value or "name."  But seeing the name there doesn't bother me either. 

Thanks for your comment!  Feel free to post pix of any goodies you might want to share, blue or otherwise!! 

[chickenbutt]

I have a few lapis pieces in 14k gold that I really like.

One is a bracelet that I got many years ago from QVC.  I remember it being the TSV and Lisa R was on that night (I'm on Pacific time, so the TSV starts at 9pm) and I still remember her saying something like 'if you don't get this one you'll be sorry later'.   Now, I get that it's all about selling but I have to say that I was really glad that I DID get it.  

It was one of those with the bars - slightly curved bars of lapis that are capped in gold and with a couple little gold links between each one.  I also love that it has a hidden clasp for a nicer look.

[AliJoi5]

P.S.  Silver itself is a fine, precious metal and does not tarnish.  It's the copper in the sterling alloy that tarnishes.  Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver (which is very soft) and 7.5% copper (which hardens/strengthens the alloy).  I find that my sterling really requires very little upkeep/polishing if properly maintained/stored. 

[AliJoi5]

Sounds beautiful!!  I think lapis looks particularly nice with gold or mixed metals, because it really compliments the warm flecks of pyrite in the stone. 

[Kachina624]

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@AliJoi5 wrote:

P.S.  Silver itself is a fine, precious metal and does not tarnish.  It's the copper in the sterling alloy that tarnishes.  Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver (which is very soft) and 7.5% copper (which hardens/strengthens the alloy).  I find that my sterling really requires very little upkeep/polishing if properly maintained/stored. 

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I agree, I have a ton of silver and rarely polish any of it.  When I do it's more about removing smudges and fingerprints than tarnish.  I keep it all in tarnish proof boxes, and make sure they're tightly closed.  I've been wearing some Indian-made bangles since I retired in'98, and they've never been polished.  Worn silver rarely tarnishes.