Community Chat

[MyGirlsMom]

@AliJoi5

Have you looked at Kyanite?   It's  a beautiful blue, I like it better than Sapphire.

[AliJoi5]

Hi @MyGirlsMom -  Great suggestion!  I would say sapphire is probably my favorite (transparent) blue gem because of its purity of color, clarity, and hardness, but I really like kyanite too, in all of its incarnations.  The nice thing about kyanite is that it's typically untreated (whereas all sorts of ungodly things are done to sapphire, which makes certification necessary).  Here are a couple of Carolyn Pollack pieces I have that include opaque kyanite and chrome diopside.  I believe they're both still available.

But until I studied at the GIA, I had no idea there was gem grade kyanite that looked like this...

Beautiful!  And much more affordable. 

[AliJoi5]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

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.

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Such a great point!  It's the pieces you leave for years and years, which aren't properly stored, that turn.  But even gold needs a polishing once in a while.  Don't get me wrong, props for the beauty and durability of gold, but silver is the most reflective metal.  And so there is nothing comparable to that luster... not gold or platinum.  All of the precious metals have their advantages and disadvantages.  But I guess when you love these pieces, it's worth the effort to take care of them!

[MyGirlsMom]

@AliJoi5

I bought my daughter a Sundar Kyanite ring and it's beautifyl. 

[AliJoi5]

P.S.  @Kachina624 O/T - But I just wanted to share this royston ring I bought a few days back.  Haven't received it yet, but I hope the color is fairly true in person... you just never know what's going to veer green once you get it home and away from the vendor's "blue lit" photo studio.  I love star shots, and this silversmith (Happy Piasso) typically uses them as a border to the ring face.  You can always spot her designs!  Anyway, I love these stones that look like aerial shots of Caribbean waters.  And royston always seems to deliver in that respect.

[AliJoi5]

Sounds lovely @MyGirlsMom!!  And what a good momma you are! 

[ChynnaBlue]

Those pieces are gorgeous. I love how every piece of labradorite looks unique.

[Kachina624]

 wr

P.S.  @Kachina624 O/T - But I just wanted to share this royston ring I bought a few days back.  Haven't received it yet, but I hope the color is fairly true in person... you just never know what's going to veer green once you get it home and away from the vendor's "blue lit" photo studio.  I love star shots, and this silversmith (Happy Piasso) typically uses them as a border to the ring face.  You can always spot her designs!  Anyway, I love these stones that look like aerial shots of Caribbean waters.  And royston always seems to deliver in that respect.

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@AliJoi5, I have a"Happy" ring too.  I'm not very satisfied with mine.  It's too green and I don't like the matrix.  No w my next trick will be to get it from one tablet to another so I can post a ppicture.

Im having tech troubles, but you get the idea.  The pics appear to have been taken on the same granite table/counter top, so you must have gotten yours from Sheila too.

 

[AliJoi5]

Thanks @ChynnaBlue!  Yes, very unique gem indeed!!  Usually you see some green and gold in there too, but I love the pure indigo blue here.  Strong labradorescence in this collection's stones too. 

[AliJoi5]

@Kachina624 I've gotta tell ya, I'm really digging that stone!  I like the shade of matrix and veining pattern, coloration of the stone, and the shape of the stone too.  I think she's a beaut.  I have a pendant that ring would look great with.  Oh boy, now I'm starting to build ensembles with other people's pieces...

And, yes, too funny... SHEILA!  I ordered a cluster ring (pilot mountain) from her once that looked sky blue online, but when I got it home it was a soft sea green (not even a blue-green).  So sometimes I'm not quite sure what to expect until I get a piece home.  Nice lady though... and she does carry some beauties.