Hey, no one responded to the first post? Well, there are some nice discussions happening above this one, but I figured I'd come down and say hi. And THANK YOU for getting this neighborhood going! Man, I'm so sick of jewelry groups, always trying to stick stones in settings like butterfly collectors killing butterflies to pin them in boxes. I like butterflies alive and stones unhindered by settings!
Oh well I am sure that I wasnt the only one who requested this forum. Usually they don't answer us unless we keep buggin. and yeah I like butterflies alive better too......... no comment to the jewelry comment. LOL
Heh, I'm not anti-jewelry, I wear a lot of it. Perhaps I'm just bitter because I stink at making it! And some of my gem collection is never going to get set, I don't want to bang my demantoid garnet around in a ring and break it. That baby's staying under glass!
LOL! Completely understandable. I bought a 5 carat faceted amethyst a couple weeks ago because it was there and I could and it was shiney. I am tossing around the idea of getting a setting for it but most likely it will stay in the display box for most of my life LOL!!! I have pounds and pounds of amethyst too. what was I thinking?
One thing you might want to think about is if you do have a stone you want set, think about it and what hardness it is, what would it be most secure in? A ring, which has a lot of wear and tear, getting bumped all the time, a necklace which is usually quite safe even for softer stones, or a bracelet which will probably get hit a bunch too....then maybe you would actually enjoy having some of your wonderful collection set into things to adorn and be admired. If not, continue to look at them and enjoy them that way, show them off when people come over. I always enjoy seeing someone else's collection of beauties. I'm new to the group today, I'm enjoying reading the posts and hope to be a regular and contribute often...I think we are a good breed of people! Shelley
When we bought our house, it had a 'formal' living room. We weren't 'formal' people. So it basically remained un-used until it became a 'gallery' for our display cases of rocks, minerals, fossils and artwork.
It's so much fun to have your treasures visible but safe from inquiring hands and childish reactions. We have had a girl scout troop visit our home and earn their merit badge for minerals from the visit and viewing of our specimens.
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