Jewelry

[wagirl]

@BirkiLady -----yes, your hubby was a special guy----he must have considered himself very lucky too. So sorry for his passing. Love to see beautiful jewelry; enjoy it very much.

[Remar]

I'm a huge jewelry lover and also love so many different stones. I think with Alexandrite either you really love it or you don't. I'm one of those people who have seen many pieces of Alex but just don't care for it. I think it would be a boring world if we all liked the same things.

I agree with finding a private jeweler or a several generations jeweler. My husband and I have been dealing with the same family owned jeweler for 30 years. I love that they take their time with us. We can choose unset diamonds and gem stones. They have so many beautiful settings to choose from but they also do custom work. And yes, their prices are always negotiable. I think the longer you've been dealing with them and if you've bought several pieces they give you an even better deal.

I don't even bother to go in to a jewelry store when I go to the mall. Most of them carry H color I2 clarity diamonds, and some are set in 10 kt gold, even engagement rings. And the cost is outragious. They need to pay that very high rent.

I came across Michael V jewelry on Overstock. That was surprising. The prices are pretty good too. Check it out if you like Michael V jewelry.

[jubilant]

I have a simulated Alexandrite ring set in a thick crown of gold passed down to me by my grandmother. This picture is somewhat similar to how it looks.  Grandpa bought it for her years ago thinking it was an amethyst. I was given it because I am a February baby.  It is a large Karat weight with a beautiful cut to it and yes, it changes colors beautifully. 

Many years ago an antique dealer offered me four to five hundred dollars for it. I would not part with it.  It is a stunning ring and it reminds me so much of Grandma.  We were very close.  Also, we had a house fire in 1993 that destroyed our home.  There was, however, one dresser in a bedroom that did not burn up.  I kept this ring in a drawer (in a padded box) and it survived the fire without one "blemish" on it.  I walked away from that fire with one thing.....that ring.  Everytime I look at it I am so grateful.  We walked away with our lives and that ring!  It stands not only as a cherished gift from Grandma but how fortunate we were that we made it out of the house with our lives.

[Kachina624]

Couldn't resist, just had to take pictures of my simulated Alexanderite ring which is Indonesian made.  It's very big and quite heavy.  The top of the stone is 1" X 3/4".  The color inside under incandescent light is rasberry similar to rhodilite garnet and it changes to almost a London blue outside.

[blackhole99]

!970 I bought my Mother a Mother's ring that was so popular at that time. My youngest sister is a June baby so the stone for her was Alexandrite. The stone is small, but it is very noticeably a lavender color that changes to a sage green in different light. Back then everything our jeweler sold was set in heavy 14k and the stones were are real and high quality. My youngest sister inherited the ring when my Mom died.

[VegasBusinessWoman]

Alexandrite is a lovely stone, but a real one is pretty pricey--which is why it is one of the few I don't have.  I keep thinking one day I'll find the right piece at the right price.