Another gemstone to love

[MissMagpie]

...Lavender quartz.

I can't believe I haven't bought any until now - it's absolutely beautiful! It has a kind of opalescent sheen, combined with a beautiful lilac colour that is really exceptional, and it's quite unlike any other gemstone (and nothing at all like amethyst, in case anyone was wondering).

I was hoping that it would become more widespread in the market, but, apart from a couple of loose stones under the (better) name 'lavender moon quartz' on the American channel Jewelry Television, it seems that it is still exclusive to Rocks & Co (and their German sister channel juwelo.tv).

As we alll know Rocks & Co tend to be pricey, but this is one of their more moderately priced gemstones, and they have a few pieces on their website at the moment. I hope they will be getting some more in so that I can add to my collection!

P.S. Happy New Year everyone! I don't come on here very often these days because the rest of life gets in the way, but I wish everyone a blinging 2011.

 

[Meeshoo]

Miss M - TJC have a lot of this set into silver. You can pick some up in their rising auctions for under £10 so might be worth having a look there - no need to overpay if you don't have to!

 

[MissMagpie]

Thanks, Meesh. I noticed that they have something called 'lavender crystal quartz' on TJC, but that is a coated gem, and the lavender quartz on Rocks & Co is NOT coated (and it looks very different too - the Rocks & Co lavender quartz is a much paler colour and has internal opalescence, like blue moon quartz, rather than surface shimmer).

Do they have non-coated lavender quartz on TJC and, if so, what do they call it?

 

[nannieA]

Hi Miss M,I bought a piece of this back in the summer and love it,I hadn't bought from them in a long time but this stone is really pretty.
Since then I bought myself for my birthday a Uruguan amethyst £349 ,how disappointing was that ignore the hype and it had a really poor saturation of colour.
I do love my birthday presents so I returned that and ordered an Estrellita quartz,well if I thought the amethyst was disappointing my son said this looked like a lump of silicone left over from sealing the bath.
I've probably seen silicone with a better colour,and the non existant star,well to be fair,if I stood above it with a torch there was a faint one.
Asked them for my p&p to be returned,they said if I sent a receipt from the PO.
Never got it,just gave up.
Nothing really changes there.

 

[MissMagpie]

Hmmm, I'd long suspected that the Uruguayan amethyst was just amethyst - it ought to be possible to get reasonably saturated amethyst for a very modest price - and the Estrellita quartz was bascially just white quartz.

BUT the lavender quartz is special and different, and their rainbow moonstone (which they have had back again recently) continues to be spectacular - much better than anywhere else. They do also have some very pretty designs (if, like me, you like the more ornate pieces).

You just have to be choosy!

 

[nannieA]

Hi Miss M
Have just bought a lavender quartz from GTV,wasn't expecting much but was pleasantly surprised,it isn't quite as nice as my Rocks one but at £22 off the web site it's one I can wear shopping.
Just pop in lavender quartz in the ring search box if you are interested.

 

[MissMagpie]

Hi Miss M
Have just bought a lavender quartz from GTV,wasn't expecting much but was pleasantly surprised,it isn't quite as nice as my Rocks one but at £22 off the web site it's one I can wear shopping.
Just pop in lavender quartz in the ring search box if you are interested.

Thanks NannieA - I spotted that the other day, and have been thinking about it! (It looks like 'proper' lavender quartz, too, not the coated kind which looks quite different.)

If I bought it I'd have to have it reset though, because the GTV setting is pretty horrid... but, as you say, it's only £22... I wonder if GTV have had/will have lavender quartz in any other designs?