Post by docone31 on Sept 23, 2006 21:25:59 GMT -5
Hey campers. I just ran into a stone today. Zandrite. It is offered on the gem shows on the shopping network.
I am a pretty good stone setter. This stone was an 8mm. princess cut. Easy stone to set. The setting matched, piece of cake.
Wrong!
Zandrite is glass! Mohs 5 to 5.5. Alexandrite, a chrysoberyl, mohs 8-8.5 is way different. I had suspected it was synthetic. I cut the vertex on the prongs, set the stone, CRACK! One whole corner cleaved off. Oiy.
Did a little research on the stone, glass, and all I can say is watch out for those specials. I will say, though, their settings are top quality. Good casting, excellent metal quality. Yes, there are differences in quality from one 14K to another 14K. Their settings were really good.
Zandrite is glass. Not a synthetic stone. There is also a glass Amythyst being sold as synthetic. They do the same thing.
After I set the stone, polished the prongs, the stone shattered on the wearers finger. You could even hear the crack! It just turned into chips and dust.
If you want to experiment with gemstone setting. Go to Thaigem.com . You get what you pay for.
Sometimes, bargains are not really bargains.
I am a pretty good stone setter. This stone was an 8mm. princess cut. Easy stone to set. The setting matched, piece of cake.
Wrong!
Zandrite is glass! Mohs 5 to 5.5. Alexandrite, a chrysoberyl, mohs 8-8.5 is way different. I had suspected it was synthetic. I cut the vertex on the prongs, set the stone, CRACK! One whole corner cleaved off. Oiy.
Did a little research on the stone, glass, and all I can say is watch out for those specials. I will say, though, their settings are top quality. Good casting, excellent metal quality. Yes, there are differences in quality from one 14K to another 14K. Their settings were really good.
Zandrite is glass. Not a synthetic stone. There is also a glass Amythyst being sold as synthetic. They do the same thing.
After I set the stone, polished the prongs, the stone shattered on the wearers finger. You could even hear the crack! It just turned into chips and dust.
If you want to experiment with gemstone setting. Go to Thaigem.com . You get what you pay for.
Sometimes, bargains are not really bargains.
