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#493928 - 05/21/09 11:11 AM
Re: What's your "recipie" for cooking CZs?
[Re: blingergrrrl]
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maryl
Connoisseur
Registered: 04/13/08
Posts: 2017
Loc: FL
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Butane gas stove.
Hold the ring/stone/etc. with bent nose pliers. Wave the stone in and out of the flame for the first 30 seconds to warm it up. Then I hold the stone in the flame for about 15 seconds. Take the stone out of the flame for about 15-30 seconds. Repeat the process about 10 times or so.
After it completely cools. I soak it in Gemcare and give it a good scrub.
I usually do this multiple times over a period of a few weeks. It usually takes multiple tries to really see a difference in color.
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#493940 - 05/21/09 11:38 AM
Re: What's your "recipie" for cooking CZs?
[Re: blingergrrrl]
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MissAurora
Craving
Registered: 10/05/07
Posts: 93
Loc: Near Baltimore, Hon!
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After seeing all the discussion about cooking stones, I decided to give it a try with a really cheapo RB 1/2 carat cz I got who knows where years ago.
This stone was really white and glassy and totally fake looking. I was wary of it shattering from sudden and extreme changes in temperature. I set it on a dish towel inside a glass loaf pan, and put it in the oven. THEN I set the oven for 200 degrees and let it cook for 25 minutes, then turned the oven off and left the stone in the oven until the whole shebang was cool. I checked the color of the stone and there was no change. I repeated the whole process again, and still no change.
I intended to repeat the process again for the same amount of time, but I got anline and started surfing gem sites and totally forgot about the stone in the oven !! 
It was in there cooking along at 200 for 2.5 hours before I remembered and turned the oven off. I left it in there until the next morning before I even looked at it.
The longer bake time did the trick. It is now a very steely, richer looking stone. It just looks deeper and more real. I'm sorry but I don't have any pictures. I would not hesitate to do this with a better stone as I like the results so much. It really makes a difference.
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#493942 - 05/21/09 11:50 AM
Re: What's your "recipie" for cooking CZs?
[Re: Mom2Four]
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Mom2Four
Omniscient
Registered: 10/17/05
Posts: 3110
Loc: New York State
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Ok, cooking the CZ!
My feeling is that anything but fire will not be hot enough, because even in the flame, it takes several times to get it to darken and you even have to hold it in the flame for several seconds. The stone and setting get very hot. Hot enough that you need tweezers or something that can hold it because it will burn your fingers. I don't think any household appliance would get it hot enough. That having been said, I wouldn't use a butane torch, although some have had success.
You need a towel, blanket, or thick washcloth, a lighter, tweezers, and some patience for good measure.
START SLOWLY AND HEAT UP THE STONE GRADUALLY. This is very important. It is not so much the heat that could crack it, but sudden temperature changes. So, the key is heating and cooling gradually (thus, the patience). Try on a cheap CZ first (if you have one). I have never had anything bad happen....YET.
I hold the band of the ring with tweezers and start by just passing the stone back and forth through the flame quickly just to heat it up gradually. Once it starts heating, begin to leave it for longer periods of time in the flame. Work up to 10 or more (BUT not more than 15 or so seconds). Once you work up to 10 or more seconds, everytime you take it out of the flame, wrap it in the towel to allow to cool gradually (VERY IMPORTANT). Don't expose it to the cold air until mostly cooled. Setting will get very hot so be careful. Keep repeating: Flame, towel, inspect for color until you get the results you want.
What I have found: Some stones will lighten up again once completely cooled. Actually, of all the stones I have done, the Asha retained its warmth the best. You may find yourself doing it again the next day. Results are very gradual, because we are not leaving in the flame for an extended period of time.
Good luck!! 
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#493998 - 05/21/09 04:01 PM
Re: What's your "recipie" for cooking CZs?
[Re: sparklee]
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MrsGotRocks
Connoisseur
Registered: 03/27/09
Posts: 2172
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This was from a past post of mine and edited for here...
Here's my recipe:
I put each ring (4 rings total) in a separate glass ramekin on a cookie sheet. Placed sheet in a cold oven and set the temp for 200F for a total time of 20 min. When the timer rang, I left the sheet in but opened the oven door to let the oven cool for about 10 min. Then I took out the sheet and placed 2 kitchen towels over all the ramekins, kind of wrapping them. I left it like that for another 20 min until everything was cool to the touch - sheet, ramekins and rings.
All the my rings/stones were absolutely fine and definitely had more depth. I repeated the process one more time when the oven was cold EXCEPT this time, I set the total time for 15 min.
Results:
1. The 1895 Cartier Repro ring w/ F color Asha in palladium came out the best! It is noticably less white and has a lot more depth. Much more of that liquid silver look. Still not quite a good as my 2ct H asha in the BTD Tiff Cathedral but that's prob due to the double amorphous coating the H has.
2. The Van Graff 3 stone ring in WG came out nicely, too. The czs were a "D" color to start, very white and somewhat glassy and now it's got that silvery look, deeper and less glassy.
3. The Chic Jewelry 3 stone in plat kind of stayed the same. The stones already had a nice silvery look to it and I thought maybe if cooked, it would get less glassy. Still the same.
4. The Chic Jewelry e-ring in plat did get a deeper color but for some reason does not look so pretty. I think the cut was lousy and now it's just a deeper lousy!
None of metals or prongs were altered in any way. Now as far a long-term durability, I'll have to speak to that over time as I wear the rings.
I'll tell you what, my kids thought I was nuts. They got excited seeing the ramekins and thought I was making chocolate lava cakes, which is what I usually use them for! Nope, mom's cooking her rings.
_________________________
"Lucky I'm In Love With My Best Friend" - 16 wonderful years on 11/13/09! I love my kids!
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#494017 - 05/21/09 05:43 PM
Re: What's your "recipie" for cooking CZs?
[Re: poppyseed]
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MissDymonds666
The Imperial Diamond
Registered: 09/03/07
Posts: 6956
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I can't cook. That goes double for CZs. 
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#494058 - 05/22/09 06:45 AM
Re: What's your "recipie" for cooking CZs?
[Re: MissDymonds666]
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Jenny
Connoisseur
Registered: 04/19/08
Posts: 1689
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I've been doing some "cooking" as well. Recently I've cooked the pendant I received from sparklee for the Mother's Day giveaway- It was beautiful, but a pretty white for my taste. Here's before and after shots- the Winfield's cz is in yg, the wg is my natural diamond pendant:
first before, second after:
 
Attachments
pendant before.JPG (44 downloads)
Description:
pendant after2.JPG (38 downloads)
Description:
Edited by Jenny (05/22/09 06:46 AM)
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Moderator: MsT, BondAngel, deb, sparklee, maliasmom, tricksi, gemcat, Casey
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. I hope someone could post their positive results, and then I can trial and post my own colour changes!
