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Xun posted:I've been struggling with this stupid quartz for ages. Spent 30 minutes trying to polish one facet only for it to scratch at the very end. gently caress this I'm buying a new 1200 lap for quartzes I don't cut quartz for this reason, tried it once and was like "nope, never again!"
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Mar 10, 2021 19:36
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Xun posted:It's a random piece of synthetic "sky blue" quartz I got that actually looks just white in person. My 1200 lap scratches the poo poo out of it and tbh its pretty scratchy on harder stones too. Sometimes the facets barely look better than my 600 lap, I thought it just wasn't broken in but I've used it on multiple stones at this point and it still sucks Point is some quartz, and especially some synthetic quartz, is just that way inherently. Your time is really too valuable to fight with uncooperative material anyway. Or with synthetic quartz in general. If you want to do some quartz richly colored natural amethyst is still inexpensive but the end result with precision cutting has a great multiplier on value. Or if you want something weirder, some nice lavender quartz with that opalescent translucency also rarely fails to hit.
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Mar 10, 2021 23:19
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Scarodactyl posted:Ever hear of 'shitrine'? It's a particular batch if synthetic citrine that went around the market for a bit which was famous for being almost impossible to polish. You could identify it because heating it turned it blue (due to cobalt doping for...some reason?) Yeah, but this particular 1200 does that on like CZ and corundums too  I'd actually love to get my hands on some rose de France amethyst or a pretty rose quartz, but since I've moved to europe I haven't really looked at what online rough vendors are around. Was hoping to hit up a gemshow or two at least but yay covid
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Mar 10, 2021 23:31
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What's a reasonable price for a 16" 3mm domed omega sterling silver necklace? The one I got back in the 90s finally broke, and I need a replacement. I see prices from $30-$90 on Amazon. I would prefer to shop at an actual jewelry store, but the good local one just closed so I'll need to drive a while or order online. I would also prefer not to buy from Amazon but I'm not sure where to look online either. Any ideas?
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Mar 26, 2021 02:01
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effika posted:What's a reasonable price for a 16" 3mm domed omega sterling silver necklace? The one I got back in the 90s finally broke, and I need a replacement. Have a picture?
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Mar 26, 2021 18:43
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Claes Oldenburger posted:Have a picture? It's not in great shape and I think multiple links are near failure, but here!  
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Mar 26, 2021 20:44
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Sun was shining so I took a photo of the rutilated quartz and gold pendant I got for my wife from a local jeweller a couple of years ago. It's about an inch and a half long but I need to get the mounts adjusted as it tends to hang to the side when worn.
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Apr 12, 2021 23:23
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Rutilated quartz is amazing stuff.
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Apr 12, 2021 23:47
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Lovely picture! And +1 to rutilated quartz being beautiful stuff.
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Apr 15, 2021 03:35
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effika posted:It's not in great shape and I think multiple links are near failure, but here! Sorry I totally spaced on this! I'd say amazon is an okay bet. If you can get to a local place that's great, but they'll be ordering it in from somewhere else.
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Apr 15, 2021 18:17
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I wound up with the $27 Amazon option just to see, and it's probably OK? At least for now, for what I use it for. I do wish I knew what was actually going on with the huge price spread, though!
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Apr 19, 2021 00:29
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 Got a new 1200 lap and I'm about to start polishing attempt #3 on this lovely loving quartz. I don't think I could give it a better starting point so if this doesn't work I'm gona give up lol
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Apr 19, 2021 19:36
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effika posted:I wound up with the $27 Amazon option just to see, and it's probably OK? At least for now, for what I use it for. I do wish I knew what was actually going on with the huge price spread, though! My guess is just different companies having different profit margins, you'll probably be fine! Xun posted:
Quartz can die in a fire! What kind of lap? 
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Apr 19, 2021 20:19
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Claes Oldenburger posted:Quartz can die in a fire! What kind of lap? I got a 1200 lightning lap topper, it's definitely leaving a much smoother finish than my metal 1200 so fingers crossed lol
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Apr 19, 2021 20:36
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Remember that lovely quartz? I finally loving finished it!!    I think my 1200 topper was going, replaced it and all those scratches went away
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Jun 20, 2021 17:10
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Oh yeah, 1200 toppers have a reputation for that. Looks like it came out great!
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Jun 21, 2021 02:51
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Xun posted:Remember that lovely quartz? I finally loving finished it!! It looks like a flower! So pretty 
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Jun 21, 2021 02:59
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Xun posted:Remember that lovely quartz? I finally loving finished it!! Beautifully done!!
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Jun 21, 2021 06:32
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Nice job
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Jun 21, 2021 14:33
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EMERALD TIME. Let's look inside an emerald. Original rough.  Now cut (not by me). Note the inclusion on the upper left. We'll visit that soon.   Now, INTO ITS GUTS.   And finally...after it was set, and now being much harder to photomicrograph. 
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Aug 14, 2021 00:22
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Seluin posted:
looks like a heart
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Aug 14, 2021 20:51
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Seluin posted:EMERALD TIME. Pretty
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Aug 14, 2021 23:15
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Sorry to necro the thread, but someone suggested in Stupid/Small Question that I might try here. Crosspostin' myself:JacquelineDempsey posted:Hoping one of you folks could tell me what this carved pig is made out of?
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Dec 7, 2021 21:12
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Unfortunately it'a very hard to identify most stones from photos. It has a bit of a marble-like look though maybe?
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Dec 7, 2021 21:19
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Could be nephrite/jadeite, I've seen it that color before (search for white or pink jade or nephrite to see examples). Whatever it is, it has very very fine grain, which makes it harder to identify from a photo. Some variety of marble is definitely possible. this is jade, for example: 
Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 21:49 on Dec 7, 2021 |
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Dec 7, 2021 21:42
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Leperflesh posted:Could be nephrite/jadeite, I've seen it that color before (search for white or pink jade or nephrite to see examples). Whatever it is, it has very very fine grain, which makes it harder to identify from a photo. Some variety of marble is definitely possible. Ah, see, that's what I was told by the friend who gave it to me, but then searching for more info on jadeite/nephrite kept giving me the classic dark green color. I used to casually collect gems and minerals, but I needed a refresher on how luster is defined. After a crash internet course, I would definitely say Mr. Pig is greasy luster, which matches those minerals. My pics suck; Leperflesh's is more accurate to what a well-lit pic of this fella would look like, including the luster.
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Dec 7, 2021 22:08
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There's also plenty of fake stuff masquerading as jade out there, but the weight you reported implies this probably isn't plastic or resin. If you feel like making sure, you can try a scratch test on maybe the underside of a pig foot or something, and you can check the exact density by discovering its volume (use a measuring cup and water, and check the water volume with and without the pig fully immersed). Should be in the range of 2.9-3.3, which covers both nephrite and jadeite.
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Dec 7, 2021 22:55
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Leperflesh posted:There's also plenty of fake stuff masquerading as jade out there, but the weight you reported implies this probably isn't plastic or resin. If you feel like making sure, you can try a scratch test on maybe the underside of a pig foot or something, and you can check the exact density by discovering its volume (use a measuring cup and water, and check the water volume with and without the pig fully immersed). Should be in the range of 2.9-3.3, which covers both nephrite and jadeite. Does the pig have to pretend to pull her hair back before the water weighing?
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Dec 7, 2021 23:55
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Yeah, Mr. Pig is definitely stone, I already gave a little scratch test in his armpit for that.. Appreciate the heads up, though, and I might still do the water weigh if that'll tell me if it's jade/jadeite/nephrite? Were those ranges you gave specific to jade, or just "it's a rock and not Bakelite"?
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Dec 8, 2021 00:01
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Jadeite has a density of 3.20-3.33 g/cc, while nephrite has a density of 2.98 - 3.33 g/cc, I combined them and rounded off to allow for a bit of slop in measurement. If you're in exactly that range, there's not much else it could be that would look like that. Marble is about 2.6 to 2.7. e. for a scratch test, it should scratch (but not be scratched by) mild steel. Jadeite/nephrite hardness: 6-7 (on the Moh's scale), mild steel: 4-4.5. Take care not to go at it with hardened or heat-treated carbon steel etc., which can be considerably harder... 6.3 at the high end, which could scratch jade. Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 01:02 on Dec 8, 2021 |
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Dec 8, 2021 00:57
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I would generally not recommend a hardness test on a finished piece. Inexperienced people often misread the results and there is a real chance of causing damage. Specific gravity is a lot better on both fronts though more involved to set up. Wish you were nearby since I could just zap it with my raman spectrometer. Scarodactyl fucked around with this message at 01:22 on Dec 8, 2021 |
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Dec 8, 2021 01:20
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Yeah I only mentioned it since JD said she'd already given it a go. I agree it can be fraught.
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Dec 8, 2021 01:26
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Anyone know of a good place to find loose natural (not lab created) Alexandrite? My wife and I went through a really traumatic childbirth with our daughter (she was a 1lb micro preemie and spent 4 months in the NICU, plus my wife’s c-section wound opened up and became horribly infected resulting in her having to walk around with a wound vacuum for six weeks). With her first birthday coming up I was thinking about buying a loose Alexandrite stone (baby’s birthstone) and have it set in a necklace as a (very late) push present for my wife. I know natural Alexandrite is stupid expensive and am prepared to spend a couple grand. Bouillon Rube fucked around with this message at 16:54 on Jan 21, 2022 |
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Jan 21, 2022 16:49
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I don't buy stone much but just randomly, you wouldn't happen to live near Tucson, Arizona would you? They have an enormous annual gem show where lots of people go to buy wholesale (my sister is going, she works for a jeweler who is bringing her to learn more about gem grading) and it's happening in a couple of weeks.
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Jan 21, 2022 18:42
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Nope, Houston here. I guess I’m looking for something like Blue Nile, but for weird gemstones?
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Jan 21, 2022 23:44
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Oof, wish I were going to tucson so I could help but it's just too risky atm. I did recently get one with a bunch of mixed stones but I suspect it may be a flux grown synthetic (the type that's less trivial to identify). I'll need to send it off to agta or whoever to confirm. I do have some crystals which are much more affordable too.
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Jan 22, 2022 00:07
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I asked around and it sounds like you could try talking to this guy? https://www.instagram.com/p/CPGvvRjhfMS/?utm_medium=copy_link
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Jan 22, 2022 01:18
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Bouillon Rube posted:I know natural Alexandrite is stupid expensive and am prepared to spend a couple grand. Sadly, a couple grand's only going to get you a stone with limited color change that's a quarter to a third of a carat (3-4mm) at best. If that doesn't bother you, you can try looking at multicolour or africa gems, both of which have larger than average alexandrite inventories. Multicolour's inventory is especially large, but the quality is all over the map, whereas Africa's inventory is smaller but more curated. Depending upon the size/quality you're looking for, you may be able to find something that fits your budget. Best of luck!
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Jan 22, 2022 02:16
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Yeah  When people say that Alexandrites are expensive, they really mean it. The prices get wild for a good colour change in what would be considered standard jewellery sizes.
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Jan 22, 2022 03:36
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Claes Oldenburger posted:Yeah Would you consider a lab stone? I have lab alexandrite and lab aquamarine in my wedding band and they're really lovely!
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Jan 22, 2022 04:19
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