2.5mm white topaz

[wheely]

I don't really know many other places for sourcing stones - I've always got everything here at cookies before. A friend wants a ring of blue topaz and white stones which she wanted to be diamonds till I told her the price! I suggested white topaz, rather stupid really as I hadn't actually got any, and now I can't find any the size I need. Anyone got any ideas?

[Goldsmith]

Not sure if they have white Topaz but it is worth registering with Hilton Bros./Manchester Minerals as they are a useful stone stockist. You will need to register to see their stock and prices. See; http://www.manchesterminerals.co.uk/trade/index.html
James

[Dennis]

Hi Wheely, good to see you here.

A very professional place for gemstones is A.E. Ward & Son. They have plenty of stock and their prices are fair. http://www.aewgems.co.uk/

If you are looking for faceted stones, you might also consider CZs which are very cheap but glamorous. If you can consider cabs, then moonstones go well with blue. They have plenty of stock and their prices are fair.

Forgive me if you already know this, but blue topaz comes in three shades. The middle one which I use mostly, is called Swiss blue. The darkest one is called London blue. The depth of colour also varies with the size of stone, as the little ones can be quite pale.

Regards, Dennis.

[wheely]

I have to confess I didn't know of Swiss blue, I only knew of london and sky. It's london she wants, and I've got them. She wants a stone that sparkles, but as white topaz dosn't have the ''fire' that diamonds have, would she be better going down the CZ route? I've never worked with white topaz so don't know what they're like.
Cheers for the links boys! :Y:

[mizgeorge]

I'm with Dennis - I love the Swiss blue. And I think I'd also go with CZs rather than white topaz, which can be a bit murky by comparison. White sapphires could be another option if you want to stay with gemstones.

[Lucy]

Just be careful setting topaz thats all - doesnt take knocks too well :)

[Julian]

I would defiantly secon white sapphire over topaz, harder, more durable, and brighter.

Julian

[Melanie De Castro Pugh]

Can't go wrong with a sparkly CZ if you're on a budget ;-) I do like working with sapphires though, being so hard they can withstand most of my hamfistedness!


Melanie

http://www.spinysharklythings.com

[Kwant]

I am currently waiting on a batch of white zircon, which I bought for an intended necklace of peridot and white. Having read a bit about them, nice fire and relatively hard, plus getting them for a very good price, I am hoping they will make a nice alternative white stone, though I too am a fan of CZ.

the pic below is what I think I am getting :0) at least it is what I bid for.



http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7039/6917887486_51f8c9d75b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12340604@N02/6917887486/)
zircon (http://www.flickr.com/photos/12340604@N02/6917887486/) by kwant (http://www.flickr.com/people/12340604@N02/), on Flickr

[wheely]

Oooh an old thread of mine...hello I'm back!
Dennis, I did end up going to A.E. Ward & Son for the stones, I remember it quite well cos it turned out quite weird, in the 2.5mm stones I ordered were too big to fit the 2.5mm setting strip from cookies, so I had to go down to 2mm ones even though the blue topaz was 2.5mm. Meh. Anyways after much swearing I had set the pesky things - blu-tak was my saviour!
It's not perfect but she likes it.

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