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Olothreutes posted:Is the gemstone industry really that weird? Yes it is! Those kinds of arrangements are very common. It isn't unusual for someone to be supplying his direct competitors with similar product. PRADA SLUT posted:Opinion on VS1 or VVS2? D ~2 carat Amora, solitaire white gold setting. Is it better to kick it up to IF? I understand there's not much difference unless you get it under magnification. For Amora moissanite? They come in one clarity flavor: Pretty. I don't believe that there's anyone trying to represent moissanite as having different clarity grades. A cathedral mount is used for any sized gem. They scale up and down well. A Wizard of Goatse posted:Is there a clear resin or varnish anyone can recommend for protecting softer stones? I have hard-wearing epoxy clearcoats and stuff that work great on bigger things but are all a little too viscous/not clear enough for ideal performance on something like jewelry, where you'd want any poo poo on the surface to be basically invisible. Would something like that also work to seal metals against tarnishing, or just ensure it's virtually impossible to clean up any oxidation that occurs? Yes, you can seal metals that way. Sterling is often coated with a clear e-coat. But they wear off quickly with regular use on rings, necklaces, or earrings. For precious gemstones this is not recommended as it destroys the value of the gem because a gemologist can't tell where the coating ends and the gem begins. Any subsurface reaching filler would be considered an illicit clarity enhancement. There are a few mineral types that are polymer treated for added stability (some fragile opals, ammonite, some jades) but it's frowned upon for most materials.
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Jul 27, 2015 19:29
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I'm not exactly looking to plastic up the Hope diamond I was mostly hoping for brand recommendations for protecting semiprecious, slightly porous poo poo like turquoise.
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Jul 28, 2015 05:35
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A Wizard of Goatse posted:I'm not exactly looking to plastic up the Hope diamond I was mostly hoping for brand recommendations for protecting semiprecious, slightly porous poo poo like turquoise. Well if it's cheap turquoise odds are it's just a bunch of blended stone stuck together with epoxy anyway.
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Jul 28, 2015 06:12
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Yes, I am aware of the whole natural vs. treated thing. I have, among other things, some natural turquoise that is pretty nice looking but too soft to just bung in a ring or whatever without them coming to pieces or scratching up immediately, that I'd like to do some stuff with that I wouldn't do with high-grade materials. I am not in the least interested in the commodities speculation end of the jewelry market, I am concerned with 'does this look good' and 'will it disintegrate if I stick it in something'.
A Wizard of Goatse fucked around with this message at 07:35 on Jul 28, 2015 |
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Jul 28, 2015 07:03
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Because turquoise is so porous, I would be worried it would suck in whatever you put on there and cause an unpredictable reaction; even sweat and skin oil can mess with it. Some turquoise has been given something called a Zachery treatment which greatly enhances its stability and reduces porosity, but you need a lab to identify whether it has been done. However, if it is just for fun costume jewellery and you wanted to experiment, you could buy a few cheap pieces of reconstituted turquoise or dyed howlite and try coating it in things like wax, acrylic medium, Future floor finish, Varathane, and even clear nail polish to see what happens. Put it on and wait a few months to see if it changes the stone at all. At the very least, it will be fun and educational!
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Jul 28, 2015 13:51
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JohnnyRnR posted:For Amora moissanite? They come in one clarity flavor: Pretty. I don't believe that there's anyone trying to represent moissanite as having different clarity grades. No, Amora Gem Ultra H&A. and it's listed with varying clarity grades.
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Jul 29, 2015 01:52
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PRADA SLUT posted:No, Amora Gem Ultra H&A. and it's listed with varying clarity grades. Ah, found it. It's definitely Moissanite. I wouldn't put much stock in their clarity grades as there are no laboratories that will issue a clarity grade for a stone like this. These are all done in-house for marketing reasons. 
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Jul 30, 2015 04:33
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It's not moissanite, it's another polytype of Silicon Carbide. It actually has different optical qualities including being able to be much whiter. BTD has a contract with NAGL to grade all their stones with diamond equivalent values. I've been flip flopping on whether I'm going to pick up an Amora gem over a moissanite because the edges are just not as crisp. It looks really almost milky and soft because of the high refraction/brilliance I'm guessing, which is a shame.  edit To be more clear on the difference. Rurutia fucked around with this message at 05:10 on Jul 30, 2015 |
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Jul 30, 2015 05:01
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So uh It has a higher RI? I'm not sure how one artificial gem could be graded "whiter" than another. The diamond scale measures the amount of yellow/brown/not white in a gem and I doubt synthetics are going to be yellowish. 
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Jul 30, 2015 05:22
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Xun posted:So uh Moissanites are yellow. There's a specific chemical reason for it. A lot of them you can't tell as much by itself, but there's definitely a difference next to a white diamond.
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Jul 30, 2015 05:28
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Rurutia posted:Moissanites are yellow. There's a specific chemical reason for it. A lot of them you can't tell as much by itself, but there's definitely a difference next to a white diamond. I can confirm that this is the case, I was looking at a number of different stones earlier today and the moissanite was clearly a bit yellow compared to the diamond and some of the other weird things I had never seen/heard of before like strontium titanate. On it's own you probably wouldn't be able to tell unless you were a jeweler, but even a cursory comparison between two stones would make it apparent. Side note, strontium titanate is really pretty, too bad it's so soft. JohnnyRnR posted:Yes it is! Those kinds of arrangements are very common. It isn't unusual for someone to be supplying his direct competitors with similar product. So, if you were in a position to want to buy a (loose, cut) moissanite, where would you purchase one from? I'm assuming that the first answer is probably "from my supplier who deals is this sort of thing." But as a consumer I don't really have access to that, so what is the next best option? Olothreutes fucked around with this message at 05:48 on Jul 30, 2015 |
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Jul 30, 2015 05:40
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The Amora Gem is supposed to be a lot whiter (non-yellow) than normal moissanite, it's one of the differences between it and the Amora Mojssanite. It's still silicon carbide, but the specific gem has slightly different optical properties to it, than normal moissanite. Some comparison pictures:  (amora gem, moissanite, diamond)   They're putting color and clarity grades all over the Amora Gem on their website. PRADA SLUT fucked around with this message at 06:04 on Jul 30, 2015 |
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Jul 30, 2015 05:54
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http://www.thefacetlounge.com/Thread-A-Thorough-Review-of-the-Amora-Gem-Ultra-photos-videos-included Tbh it kind of sounds like fancy glass to me  the fact that the facets are rounded is really suspicious. Also from your photos the Amora has a far lower "rainbow factor" than the moissanite. Do you have any information on the comparison itself? I'm suspicious about the difference in cut between those two because if an Amora gem is shinier than moissanite, you cannot cut the two stones exactly the same. But hey it's your ring! Go for whatever you think looks best.
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Jul 30, 2015 06:19
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Xun posted:Tbh it kind of sounds like fancy glass to me This kind of irks me. What makes it sound like fancy glass that wouldn't apply to a lab diamond?
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Jul 30, 2015 06:29
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Xun posted:http://www.thefacetlounge.com/Thread-A-Thorough-Review-of-the-Amora-Gem-Ultra-photos-videos-included The only information I have is from forums and searches, but the big problem is that apparently they changed something about the cut right after it came out (improved), so a lot of people's complaints didn't really follow what the current product is like. It's hard to find more information on it though, since it gets mixed in with the "regular" Amoras. Found these too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbsH-vZYG40 Top(wrist) Amora Gem / Mid Moissanite / Bot(fingertip) Diamond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyedm0ynZEY Top Moissanite / Bot Amora Gem The Amora definitely looks a bit "whiter", but aside from that, I'm having a hard time picking up where the real difference lies. PRADA SLUT fucked around with this message at 07:44 on Jul 30, 2015 |
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Jul 30, 2015 07:38
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PRADA SLUT posted:The only information I have is from forums and searches, but the big problem is that apparently they changed something about the cut right after it came out (improved), so a lot of people's complaints didn't really follow what the current product is like. It's hard to find more information on it though, since it gets mixed in with the "regular" Amoras. Have you read this? http://www.prosumerdiamonds.com/amora-gem-review/ The Amora, imo, looks less like a diamond than a moissanite (since diamonds can get pretty yellow). I guess where I see the main difference is in the contrast between the facets. Moissanites and diamonds have pretty high contrast, whereas in the Amora they look closer together which makes the gem look almost blurry.
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Jul 30, 2015 15:07
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Does anyone remember the place for uncut raw gem material that (I think) Johnny linked to?
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Aug 9, 2015 16:27
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New Era is one I have used in the past and enjoyed working with. https://neweragems.com/
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Aug 14, 2015 07:16
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JohnnyRnR posted:New Era is one I have used in the past and enjoyed working with. Why  I dont have the time to cut more gemstones!!!
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Aug 14, 2015 18:44
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Sorry if this has been answere (I'm sure it has) but my friend is looking into buying an engagement ring - what path gives him the most bang for his buck? Buy a stone and have it put in a ring? I know going to Tiffany's etc. is a ripoff according to the OP... Thanks!
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Aug 19, 2015 17:00
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black.lion posted:Sorry if this has been answere (I'm sure it has) but my friend is looking into buying an engagement ring - what path gives him the most bang for his buck? Buy a stone and have it put in a ring? I know going to Tiffany's etc. is a ripoff according to the OP... Probably best to get into touch with a good jeweler from the start and not try to DIY it. I personally always recommend my friends at PAK Designs for engagement rings. You can see a lot of their pieces on their ebay. No matter what type of stone you're looking for, they'll either have it, or know the guy who does. Their contact email is info@pakdesigns.com Tell them the Angry Turtle told you to get in touch. 
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Aug 19, 2015 17:48
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I had been making stuff with wire and sheet metal, but my boyfriend wanted a big, heavy ring, so I gave wax carving a try. Don't have the setup to cast myself, so I sent it out to a place in in NY. It came out kind of lumpy, but he likes it. the design is supposed to be a Game of Thrones Stark wolf.
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Aug 23, 2015 23:55
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Got a question for you jewelers out there, is it possible to buy electrum? I've got a project that needs a 12"x12" sheet of metal, right now all I can find is gold, brass, or silver but I'd like to do it in electrum. I don't exactly have the tools to make an alloy myself, but I can't find anywhere to buy just a sheet of electrum. Edit: Dunno if it matters, but I'd need it in 20 gauge.
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Sep 3, 2015 00:16
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Captain Bravo posted:Got a question for you jewelers out there, is it possible to buy electrum? I've got a project that needs a 12"x12" sheet of metal, right now all I can find is gold, brass, or silver but I'd like to do it in electrum. I don't exactly have the tools to make an alloy myself, but I can't find anywhere to buy just a sheet of electrum. What ratio do you want? You can try Hoover and Strong. EDIT: Best to look for it under the name 'green gold'. Double edit: dangit, forgot they don't sell to people who aren't wholesaling. Tunicate fucked around with this message at 00:25 on Sep 3, 2015 |
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Sep 3, 2015 00:20
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Shot in the dark here http://www.hauserandmiller.com/fab/index.html
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Sep 3, 2015 00:24
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Thanks guys, I'll call both of those places tomorrow and see if they can hook me up. Next question: If I want to embed a precious stone (Lab-grown Alexandrite, for reference. basically this.) into that metal sheet, could I simply heat it with a propane torch then stick the stone in the hot metal? Or should I carve out a hole and solder the stone in from the back?
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Sep 3, 2015 00:53
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Captain Bravo posted:Thanks guys, I'll call both of those places tomorrow and see if they can hook me up. no People heating stones to high temperatures are using big fancy kilns and a totally controlled environment to keep the rocks from cracking, not a blowtorch. A flawless lab-grown corundum will take more abuse than most things but it'll still probably be in a dozen pieces before you even get your (hopefully non-lead-based?) solder to flow. Treat em like you would glass, fire bad. There's tons of guides online for mounting stones, it sounds like what you want is something like this, although a 10mm would be pushing it with that mounting style. A Wizard of Goatse fucked around with this message at 01:43 on Sep 3, 2015 |
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Sep 3, 2015 01:26
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Hmm... I was hoping they'd be able to take the heat but I'll take your word on it. I'm honestly not experienced at all in the delicate kind of metalworking I'd need to prong those bad boys in there. I have some 3 mm x 3 mm princess cut, and the plate is going to sit flush against another piece, could I file out angled holes with 2.5 x 2.5 facings for the gems and hold them in place with some epoxy in the back, where it won't show? Edit: Also, my gems are Chrysoberyls, not Corundums. Does that make any difference? Captain Bravo fucked around with this message at 02:01 on Sep 3, 2015 |
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Sep 3, 2015 01:59
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Yeah there's a few ways you could sandwich em in there. Maybe try wire rivets - solder some thickish wires standing up on the back of the front plate, drill corresponding holes on the back plate, stick gems in their slots in between, combine and swage the ends of the wires out? e: I don't think there's any rock you can just dump molten metal on without inviting thermal shock, no. granted, there are ways somebody can A Wizard of Goatse fucked around with this message at 02:21 on Sep 3, 2015 |
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Sep 3, 2015 02:08
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A Wizard of Goatse posted:Yeah there's a few ways you could sandwich em in there. Maybe try wire rivets - solder some thickish wires standing up on the back of the front plate, drill corresponding holes on the back plate, stick gems in their slots in between, combine and swage the ends of the wires out? I'll give this a shot. Once I get the plate, there's a few pieces I'll need to carve off of it, so I'll test it out on one of those and if I can get it done that should work. Thanks!
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Sep 3, 2015 02:41
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Captain Bravo posted:Thanks guys, I'll call both of those places tomorrow and see if they can hook me up. You might want to look into precious metal clay. Essentially, moldable sculpie that you stick into a pottery kiln, which burns out all the filler and turns into a solid chunk of metal. You actually *can* put stones into it before firing, if you're careful, so that's an advantage. As a disclaimer, I have no idea what happens if you mix gold clay and silver clay, but that might end up giving you a neat effect.
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Sep 3, 2015 03:52
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I have a ring made of some cheap stuff which might be silver that I got in a bus station in Spain, and some copper that is definitely copper that I got from a copper spool wire, and I've been wearing them as rings for a while, and I'd like to take them somewhere and make them into something nicer that maybe won't even turn my fingers green. Is this possible? Can I just take the metal to any jeweler and they make something cool out of it for me? Or do only special places do that? Or what?
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Sep 9, 2015 20:35
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Vino posted:I have a ring made of some cheap stuff which might be silver that I got in a bus station in Spain, and some copper that is definitely copper that I got from a copper spool wire, and I've been wearing them as rings for a while, and I'd like to take them somewhere and make them into something nicer that maybe won't even turn my fingers green. Is this possible? Can I just take the metal to any jeweler and they make something cool out of it for me? Or do only special places do that? Or what? Generally it's a lot cheaper and easier to sell the metal for its value and have them use fresh wire or whatever. Working with unknown alloys is a pain.
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Sep 9, 2015 22:32
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How do you guys usually judge the polish on a gemstone? I look at mine through an x25 loupe to see if I can see anything obviously unpolished but I'm not sure if I'm making the shiniest gem possible. Or just going insane and trying to polish out imaginary scratches
Xun fucked around with this message at 18:42 on Sep 11, 2015 |
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Sep 11, 2015 18:36
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Rurutia posted:This kind of irks me. What makes it sound like fancy glass that wouldn't apply to a lab diamond? Sorry I missed this! Super late but the "rounded" facets are a huge sign that something is up. Gemstones should have very sharp facets and the only reason why I think they'd be rounded is because the stone is very brittle. That and the reviews claiming that the light appears to move slower through the stone might indicate the material doesn't have a definite crystal structure. It's also not uncommon to have special formulas of glass being sold as diamond simulants. It's not like they're picking up broken bottles and cutting gems out of them! Also a lab made diamond is an actual diamond. Lab made simulants like moissanite and Amorites don't have the same chemical makeup/properties as a diamond, just similar physical ones.
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Sep 11, 2015 19:11
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e: dumb question
Colonel Squish fucked around with this message at 00:06 on Oct 4, 2015 |
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Oct 3, 2015 22:55
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What are some good materials for a men's wedding band? I'd like something matte silver or gold colored that isn't super expensive.
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Oct 9, 2015 17:02
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laxbro posted:What are some good materials for a men's wedding band? I'd like something matte silver or gold colored that isn't super expensive. What price range are you looking for? 14k or 18k gold isn't really super expensive. A lot of people like brushed matte tungsten rings as well. Shop around on those though since price varies a lot. Tunicate fucked around with this message at 17:38 on Oct 9, 2015 |
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Oct 9, 2015 17:35
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Tunicate posted:What price range are you looking for? 14k or 18k gold isn't really super expensive. I love the look of matte tungsten but read that it's very brittle. Is that true? I'd prefer to spend less than 300. I don't wear jewelry and want something subdued. Gold is too shiny for me and I don't want to spend the money on brushed matte gold.
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Oct 9, 2015 20:49
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It's not going to shatter under normal use. If you stick your hand in some industrial machinery it might get hosed up, shortly after all your finger bones. A matte finish shouldn't be dramatically more expensive than a high polish but on a gold ring it'll get scraped up easily; OTOH following some volunteer EMT horror stories I'm not real big on super-hard metals for rings.
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Oct 9, 2015 21:01
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