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rebelliousstories · 3 months

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Tidal Wave

Relationship: Nick Burkhardt x Reader (Platonic), Monroe x Reader (Platonic)

Fandom: Grimm

Request: No

Warnings: Brief Strong Language, Fluff, Angst

Word Count: 5,743

Main Masterlist: Here

Grimm Masterlist: Here

Part 2: Hearts of Sea Stone

Summary: When a series of suspicious drowning show up in Portland, Nick Burkhardt is called in to investigate a naiad. He quickly finds out there is more to his tale than he knows.

“But they hurt me so,” said the little mermaid.

“Pride must suffer pain,” replied the old lady.”

“Vic’s name was Jason Aquati. Water made it difficult to get his wallet out safely without damaging the contents but we made it happen.” Sergeant Wu passed the wallet over to the two detectives that had just arrived. Nick Burkhardt and Hank Griffin made their way from the car to where the CSU were busy processing the scene.

“Another drowning victim in the Willamette in the last week? Seems like this guy is just getting started.” Hank commented on the scene, dropping himself into a crouch in front of the body. He was utterly puzzled by this string of murders they had gotten.

“Well, lets see who next of kin is, business, the works. There’s gotta be something that connects him to the last one. This is just too specific.” Nick added on, pausing to observe the pale watery body that was left there. Something odd caught his eye. Something in his hand. Grabbing a glove, not bothering to put it on properly, Nick gently moved the hand around till he caught a clear look of what he was hold.

“Can I get a baggie please?” The detective called to no one in particular. His eyes followed the object that was now resting on his glove. Nick felt his partner come to look over his shoulder and hand him the evidence bag.

“What is that?” Griffin questioned, watching his partner drop the small object into the bag and seal it up. Burkhardt stood to match the other man, and their eyes were both trained on the bag.

“I have no clue.” A small stone rested amongst the plastic. To the untrained eye, it looked like a regular stone, but one of these men had the eyes to see the unimaginable. He saw the swirl of blue inside, a pale brilliant blue, that quickly died out. Nick’s eyes went back from the stone, to the man before them, trying desperately to find out how these two were connected.

The precinct was as busy and bustling as ever. There was so much excess noise and chatter that threatened to pulled Nick away from his screen; he was almost about to tell the entire building to be quiet just so that he could work. But that would not happen, and he knew that.

“Hey Nick, check this out.” The excess noise was cut out and Hank’s voice came to him sharply. Getting up from his chair, the detective walked over and peered at the screen before him. After being here for so long, the bright screen and small dark letters blurred together.

“Alright. What am I looking at?” His hands rested on the table and back of his partner’s chair, trying desperately to make sense of what was on the screen.

“That stone we found in the guys hand today? Well, I thought since the guy last week also had a similar looking stone in his possession that I would have them tested. Listen to this: it is aquamarine. A type of sea blue to greenish stone.” Hank rattled off happily.

“Okay. So we know what type of stone it is. How does this help us?” A headache was starting to worm its way into Burkhardt’s head, and he could do without the small talk.

“Well, here’s the thing. Inside the stone, there was a foreign substance. Initial results were inconclusive because they were quote, ‘fish scales with human DNA.’ That’s weird right?” Nick was trying to rack his brain for knowledge that would explain the foreign substance in the gemstone.

“Very weird. Listen,” he cleared his throat, “I’m gonna head home. I don’t think I can look at another screen tonight. Goodnight Hank. Go get some sleep.” Nick patted his friend on the shoulder, and collected his coat before leaving.

On the drive home, many thoughts plagued his mind. Was there a type of wesen that preferred to have those kinds of gems? Or a particular type of water wesen that he should be looking for? Dinner and Juliette would have to wait. First, Nick needed to make a detour.

His car pulled into the driveway of Monroe’s humble abode, shutting off the engine and sitting there for a moment. Nick searched his car for a drink and some painkillers but found none. This headache was getting worse. Maybe his friend had some inside? Hopefully he did, otherwise his drive home was going to be a lot worse. The detective did not realize that he was already at the door and knocked before he heard a muffled voice calling out for, “just a moment.”

“Nick, hey buddy. What brings you by at this time of night? Shouldn’t you be home?” The taller blutbad moved out of the way to allow the Grimm into his home, but was confused at Nick’s uncharacteristic quietness.

“You okay, Nick?” Monroe asked, starting to be concerned.

“Do you have any painkillers? I’m sorry. Just got this nasty headache and I don’t have anything.” Nick scrubbed his hand over his face, pinched his eyes shut, and let out the deepest breath he could to try and muster through the pain.

“Yeah. Yeah, I got some. Come here.” Going into the kitchen, the detective smelt and saw the remains of dinner. It reminded him of his girlfriend that was at home right now, waiting up for him so that she could make him a hot plate.

“Thanks Monroe. I’m sorry to impose like this on you.” The wesen waved off the concerns as he was shaking his head, still rummaging through the cabinets for something to ease his friend’s pain.

“Don’t worry about it man. I don’t have anything traditional. Well, no. It is traditional, but it’s not modern medicine. Ah! Here it is.” Monroe pulled a jar from his cupboards, with something in German written on the label. Taking a teaspoon, he put a single spoonful of the contents of the jar in a mug. It was then that Nick noticed the kettle heating up on the stove, and watched as his friend poured scalding water over the mystery powder. Was it even a powder? It looked more like tea.

“Give it just a few minutes to steep and cool down. After that, bottoms up.” Monroe looked pleased with himself, but Nick was just confused.

“What is it?” He questioned, looking between the other man and mug with uncertainty.

“Alles Heilen. It’s a type of ‘cure all.’ My grandmother used to make me that anytime I had any sort of internal ailment. Headaches, flu, stomach aches. She even made me drink it one time to help flush out some poisonous berries I had accidentally eaten. It’s really good stuff.” Nick sniffed the mug, and took a small test sip to test temperature and taste before he took a more proper drink.

“So I’m assuming you didn’t just pop over here for a German style medicine for your headache?” Monroe asked, watching the man before him he appeared to finally have some sort of relief as he rubbed his temples.

“No.” Nick stated plainly. “What kind of wesen are part fish, or really love water?”

“Whoa. Okay. Not what I was expecting. Um, I’m not sure. The only ones that are coming up are naiades but they’re only fish in the sense that I am a wolf. It’s not enough to classify or anything like that. Why do you ask?” Now, he was confused.

“There’s a series of homicides I’m investigating. Both bodies were holding an aquamarine stone that held fish and human DNA inside. It sounds like something weird enough to be wesen.” Nick stared off into a blank spot of the kitchen as he let the tea, if that is what you could call it, take effect.

“Aquamarine and weird DNA? Have you consulted your books?” Leaning against the counter, Monroe watched Burkhardt closely. However, the man just shook his head.

“No, I haven’t. I thought you might point me in the right direction.” They sat in silence for a moment, just letting the day take its toll.

“Hey,” Monroe gained Nick’s attention yet again, “maybe Rosalee knows what you should be looking for. Why don’t you give her a call in the morning?” A nod was given by the Grimm, who finished the contents of his cup, and made to leave the home of the blutbad.

“Yeah. I think I will. Thanks for your help, Monroe.” The gentlemen shook hands, and went to go for the door.

“Anytime, Nick.” Watching from his front door, Monroe could not help but feel like this was just going to get worse for Nick if he could not find out what it was that he was looking for. Nothing can cause insanity quite like searching for something that you do not know where to start.

Rosalee flitted around the shop, pulling volumes upon volumes of knowledge from her shelves. Her face looked upset, which did not bode well with Grimm in her shop.

“I’m sorry, Nick. I can’t find anything that would explain what you found in that stone. Do you know what kind of wesen was holding it?” Her face scrunched up in confusion and worry.

“No,” the detective shook his head and threw his hands up in the air, “I don’t even know if the guy was wesen.” He was getting more and more frustrated as time went on. His gut told him that this was a wesen case, but Nick could not find anything to prove it.

“Okay. What were the victims names? Maybe I can find out for you.” A pad of paper and pen appeared in the Fuchsbau’s hands as she prepared to jot down the names.

“First vic was Stacie Wesser. She was a spa owner downtown, and the second was Jason Aquati. He was studying to be a marine biologist at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biologist.” After she wrote down those names, Rosalee took a pause. She let out a shaky breath, and her expressive face revealed pain.

“Are you sure it was them?” Her whisper came.

“Positive ID on both. Did you know them?” Nick was concerned and approached the woman in front of him. A tear managed to escape her eye that she rubbed away fiercely.

“Yeah. I knew them. Stacie came to me for specialty items for her shop, and James for a specific cream to use.” Burkhardt got out his pen and paper to jot some of this down.

“What else could you tell me? Is there any way that these two knew each other?” While he was busy writing the information, Rosalee tried to rack her brain.

“It’s possible that they may have interacted in her spa, but now that I think about it, they both mentioned going to see a show recently. The same one even though they weren’t in here at the same time.” Nick’s head perked up immediately at this information.

“What show was this?” She looked nervous now. Rosalee wrote a name on the piece of paper and tore it off.

“Take Monroe with you. It’s not exactly a place you would be welcome in.” The man nodded and graciously accepted the piece of paper. However, just then, Nick’s phone rang. Pulling it out, he barely had time to check caller ID before answering.

“Yeah, Burkhardt. Okay. Alright. I’m there in ten.” He hung up the phone as quickly as he answered it. Turning back to the woman, he stashed the paper in his pocket and gave her a nod of thanks, before exiting underneath the chiming bell.

“Another body. This guys cooling off period is shrinking drastically.” Hank met up with Nick once he arrived on scene.

“What have we got?” He asked his friend, and was brought over to the body.

“Name was Stephen Matthews. Forty-four, never married, no children. Works at the Portland animal facility. This now makes the third body. This guys has gone serial.” Griffin walked near his parter towards the victim, and pulled a baggie from another officers hands.

“Found another stone in his hands. If I had to guess, it’s the same one as the

others.” Everyone was puzzled in this case.

“You know, drowning is not the easiest way to kill someone. Guns, knives, even bare knuckles work better than drowning. So why has he chosen this method?” Nick posed the question that no one answered. The sound of a car approaching, and subsequent opening and closing of the door caught the attention of everyone there. Their captain had just arrived on scene.

“This the same killer?” He asked, hands resting on his hips as he looked at the scene.

“We believe so, Captain.” Nick informed him, walking up and standing close by. A second set of eyes locked onto the bag in the young detective’s hands.

“What’s that?” He questioned, holding out his hands to accept the item.

“It’s a stone. Two similar ones were found on the other two bodies. It’s aquamarine but the forensic report shows human and fish DNA inside it. So we have no clue what we’re looking at.” Sean’s eyes stayed locked intensely on the stone in the bag that was no bigger than a quarter. He could hear Nick talking but his mine traveled back in time. Back to when he was young and had just arrived in Oregon. Back to when he had met her and-

“Captain?” The hand on his shoulder startled Renard out of his thoughts. He cleared his throat and handed the evidence bag back to his detective.

“Good job, Nick. Keep it up. I want this guy found before he can kill anyone else.” And with that, he left. No more words spoken, no more updates needed. Burkhardt turned back to the stone in hand. What was it about this stone?

That night, Nick called up Monroe and asked if he would accompany him to the place that Rosalee had written down on the piece of paper in his pocket. The blutbad was more than willing to tag along and made sure to tell Nick about it on the way there. They made sure to park nearby, and on the walk over to the front door, Monroe would not shut up about the place.

“Dude, this is like an amazing club. Well, not really a club as in you know techno and partying. More like a supper club or a lounge. There is just this energy in there. It’s wonderful. Really takes you back in time to a much simpler life.” The nondescript black door with the name on the front would be able to be overlooked by a normal person, unless you knew what you were looking for.

“So this is, what? A speakeasy?” Nick continued to walked forward as Monroe seemed to have a revelation in the middle of the street.

“Yeah. Yeah it is. I never thought of it like that.” The closer they got to the door, the more Nick’s nerves were lighting up. He hoped that whatever he needed to solve this case was in this place.

Getting inside was no issue. Just a check for ID, pay a cover fee, and they were there. The lights of the stage were dark, while the ambient lighting was brighter. A poster caught Nick’s eyes that was plaster on just about every surface in the building.

Hometown Performances by the Portland Princess, Sirena!

The picture of the woman caused him to pause. She was obviously gorgeous, but there was a certain, almost mythical, quality to her appearance. Burkhardt felt someone come up behind him, and a hand laid itself on his shoulder.

“Oh yes! Sirena is in town. She’s amazing. Kind of a legend in our world.” Monroe gushed. Just then, the lights in the room dimmed, and the lights on stage went completely black. Whoops and cheers came from all around, and Nick saw many different kinds of wesen woge throughout the room.

A singular spotlight lit up the stage, and the woman from the poster stood in front of the microphone. Monroe was right; this really felt like a portal to a different time. Old timey microphone, and the woman was decked out in old Hollywood fashion. Listening to her sing, it felt like a trance. She interacted with the crowd and seemed to make up songs on the spot, or at least it seemed improvised.

She worked her way through the front row and had everyone hanging off of her every word. It was unlike anything Nick had seen, even in human clubs. This was totally different. Probably like most thing in the wesen world, this seemed to be steeped in tradition. Unlike, however, the last time he was in a club like this, the woman in stage paid no attention to him, and never realized that there was a Grimm in the audience watching her.

Singing her final note, Nick did not realize that she was signing off and saying goodnight until the spotlight died and the lights returned to how they were before.

“Monroe, what is she?” He asked his friend who seemed to be in a daze from the performance.

“She’s perfect.” Nick shook the blutbad from his thoughts. “Oh, right sorry. She’s a naiad. She might know who to look for.” Monroe was hauled to his feet and dragged through the club towards the back.

“Sorry. Sirena is not doing a meet and greet at the moment.” A tall, brunette man stopped the duo before they got too far into the back. Nick hated to do it, but he whipped out his badge for the man to see.

“I need to speak with her. She might have insight on an investigation.” The man scrutinized the badge he held, but eventually let him pass through with Monroe. A door with “Sirena” plastered across the front was the third door on the left side of the hallway the traveled down. Nick knocked loudly, and waited for a response.

“Just a second.” A soft and sweet voice called out from behind the door. Just a moment later, the door opened a little bit, and the same woman from the stage appeared a little bit more relaxed. As soon as she saw Monroe’s face, though, her weariness faded away.

“Roe! I didn’t know you’d be coming. I hope you have brought Rosalee.” Her voice did not lose any of the dreaminess as it picked up in volume.

“Can we come in? Please?” He asked, looking behind him at the Grimm. she nodded and moved out of the way to allow the pair into the room. Only, she did not realize that it was not Rosalee behind Monroe. Once the men stepped in, it was exactly 3.5 seconds for her entire demeanor to change. She squeaked and pressed herself as close to the door as she could. Monroe pushed Nick to the other side of the room as he tried to calm the woman down.

“You… you brought a Grimm here. You sold me, Monroe! How could you? What did I do?” She wailed and wailed, trying to keep the blutbad just as far away from her as the Grimm was, but he ignored the shoves and hitting.

“No. No, Si. He’s not like that. This is Detective Nick Burkhardt with the Portland Police Department. He’s not like the other one. He just wants to ask some questions. Please. I wouldn’t sell you like that.” Her panicked eyes shifted from the man in front of her to the man behind him, and back again. She finally started getting her breathing under control to where she could talk again.

“Just ask some questions?” It almost sounded like a whimper as she stared Nick down. He kept his hands out of his pockets so as to try and make her realize that he meant her no harm.

“Just some questions. If that’s okay. Monroe can stay the whole time.” Unshed tears collected amongst her lash line while she nodded her agreement. Her hands went to her eyes in pain and she bent over a basin of water in the room. What came out as a tear drop, landed in the water as a fully formed stone. Taking a moment to collect herself, she fixed her eye makeup, dabbed her eyes and turned back to the men.

“My apologizes. I try not to cry on land for that reason.” Her voice was soft and sweet, just as before, but her eyes stayed trained on the Grimm.

“It’s okay. Are those aquamarine?” He was instantly curious at the glittering bowl.

“Yes, they are. How did you know that?” Now, the singer was curious. She had yet to lose the edge that she was trembling on.

“We found three identical stones at three separate homicide scenes. Now, I’m not asking as a cop. What are you?” That Grimm stare scared the young woman. The pitch blackness of his eyes made her tremble and lose her facade for a second. In an instant, a silky sheen encompassed her entire body. Blueish-green scales shone in the lights of the vanity, and gills appeared at the side of her neck. Vibrant, electric blue eyes pierced his, and the almost doe-eyed quality she had taken was interesting to him.

“I’m not a normal naiad. I’m what they refer to as a Tödlicheslied.” Her woge state stayed as she explain.

“Are you serious?” Monroe piped up for the first time in a while. His eyes looked like he was a kid in a candy store.

“You’re- you’re a, a Tödlicheslied? I’ve only heard stories about you. I didn’t think you guys existed anymore.” The blutbad continued to look at the young lady, not as if he was judging her, but in disbelief.

“Tödlicheslied? What does that mean?” Nick asked, allowing his eyes to stray from the woman for a moment to turn to his friend.

“Literally translate to, ‘Deadly Song.’ They were the original sirens. An ancient breed of naiads. You Grimms might be a boogeyman tale to us wesen, but these guys? These are pure legend. They’re believed to be extinct. How are you out of the water?” Monroe explained, finally letting the information process. Burkhardt turned back to the woman and looked confused.

“My people usually don’t leave the water. We’re a rare, ancient breed of wesen like Roe said. Leaving the water for us is painful and can sometimes cause death where we literally suffocate. In our aquatic state, we behave like any other marine life. Oxygen in the water passes over our gills,” she motioned to her own with a webbed hand, “and that’s how we breath. But coming out of the water, we have difficulty turning back to our human form because we completely change our organs and structure.” Well, this was surprising to Nick. Just when he thought that his life could not get any weirder.

“We drink a tonic that helps, but it’s super specific. Only a few people know how to make it.” This was going to make for an interesting new addition to his book.

“Do you have an alibi for the past two nights and for last Friday?” Her body returned to normal, the half woge leaving her and allowing her to appear perfectly normal.

“The past two nights I’ve been here and haven’t been anywhere other than my hotel. Last Friday, I believe I found a late night bookstore to go to after the show. I’m unsure if that place has cameras, but I know my hotel does.” The detective took in her words and allowed himself to look around. There was a picture on the vanity, with a necklace draped atop it. The pictures were in black and white, but he knew that face. There was no way he could forget that face. Standing, Nick went to the vanity and attempted to grab the photo to get a better look when a hand slapped his. Rubbing the now stinging hand, he looked and saw pain and fury in the woman’s eyes.

“Apologies. I just don’t like people touching my stuff.” She did not look the least bit sorry, but that was neither here nor there.

“Would you be willing to come down to the station while we confirm your alibi? Just as a precaution, plus it makes it easier for us to get information.” Nick turned his full body to the young lady before him. She was only dressed in a silk robe, long hair flowing down in waves. However, she nodded.

“Would you allow me to get changed into something presentable? I’d much rather not be out there in just my robe.” Shifting from foot to foot, her hands wrung themselves together in front.

“Of course. Take however long you need.” Nick turned his body away from the young woman and stared at the wall, while he encouraged Monroe to do the same. And by encourage, he means that he slapped the man on the arm and made him turn away from the dressing window in the corner of the room. She disappeared behind the makeshift wall that was set up, and tried to put herself in normal clothing as quickly as possible. There was some rustling, and a couple of knocks as she finagled her way around. However, she was soon on her way out with her shoes in hand.

“You can turn back now. I appreciate you doing that.” It was almost a whisper as she sat down on the stool in front of her vanity to take care of her shoes. The men followed her request and waited patiently for her to be done.

Once the shoes were on, her attention was turned to the jewelry on the table and in the dishes before her. Rings found their place on her delicate fingers. Much less flashy and large than what she wore on stage, but none the less high quality. Nick had a sneaking suspicion that everything she wore was pure silver and built to last. However the one piece of gold that was present on the table, was the necklace draped across the picture frame. There was a pause as her hands faltered to reach for the object, but eventually, she was able to grasp it. Her expression was sullen, as if relieving a specific memory that she wish she could have forgotten. But, that necklace, with a heart shaped locket and several rings found its way to her neck. The one piece of gold clashing against the silver, including a secondary silver necklace that looked identical to the gold one.

“Ready to go.” The wesen took a deep breath and spun around. Grabbing a long, wool coat, she headed for the door and allowed the men to leave first before she locked the door to her dressing room. Leading them out of the building, Ashe stopped only for a moment to chat with her security guards and owner of the venue to let them know where she was going and that she would be back late.

Nick held the backseat door open for her, and offered a hand to help her up into the vehicle. He tucked her coat in to make sure it would not be caught in the door, and made his way to the driver’s door. Checking that everyone was buckled in and secure, he began the journey away from the club.

“Just gonna drop Monroe off first and then we’ll head to the station. Is that okay?” Burkhardt kept an eye on the siren in his back seat. She nodded, yet said nothing. It was silent. Eerily silent the entire drive back to the spice shop. Thankfully, it was not that long of a car ride so Nick was just hoping that maybe he could get some answers at some point tonight. It seemed the spice shop was even closer than he realized, or maybe it was the zoning out and trying to pass the time faster with no noise. But he shook hands with Monroe, and unlocked the car to let him out.

“Stay safe, Si. Okay?” The blutbad tried to comfort the tödlicheslied in the backseat. She smiled genuinely at her friend and nodded.

“I will try. Come out to the show soon with Rosalee please? I’ll get you guys in for free. We can go have dinner.” Her offer made the man smile.

“You got a deal. See ya kids.” And then there were two. Wesen and Grimm just driving down to the police station. Nothing weird about this on a Friday evening. No one made a move to speak, leaving the care in the same eerie silence from before.

“Can I ask about the picture and locket?” Nick broke it. Her startled expression almost made the detective retract his statement, but she relaxed soon after.

“What do you want to know about it?” Her gaze turned out the window, like she could not look at the Grimm while discussing this.

“Who’s the man that is in them?” He was curious about the answer she was going to give him.

“He’s dead.” The red light ahead had excellent timing, allowing for Nick to turn his head around in shock to stare directly at her face. She tried to reign in her emotions, but Nick could see tears threatening to fall. He handed her a set of tissues that were still in the car, and turned back to the now green light.

“How?” His choked whisper came. There was a deep sigh that was released from the backseat.

“For me to tell you this, there’s a lot you need to know first.” A beat of silence.

“Tödlicheslieden don’t come on to the surface ever. Well, almost never. The last time someone lived to tell about us was Christopher Columbus. Although we were swimming with the manatees so who knows what those stories were inspired by.’

‘Our family never allowed the children near the surface alone. They would only take us near there when we needed to eat. Unfortunately, that part of siren lore is true. However, one day I was near the surface and was caught in a rip current. It pulled me so far away, I didn’t know where I was going or even what direction I came from. When I came to, I was washed up on shore along the Willamette trying desperately to breathe.” A small smile appeared on her face as the story continued.

“There was a young man along the shore who found me. He helped me through the change to a human like state. I was so scared,” she chuckled, “but, he just draped his coat over me, and spoke soft and slowly.” Her hands now fiddled with the necklaces.

“Come to find out he was a zauberbiest. Imagine my shock. But he proved to care about me and my well being so I trusted him. He used to take me out, every night, to the river to see if my family was close. After a full lunar cycle though, we stuck to once a month. On the full moon, when the tide is highest and light is brightest. He did everything he could to make sure that I was taken care of. Gave me clothing, showed me a human store to shop in, what tonics to take and when. He was the first person to find out about my tears.” Nick stayed silent throughout the entire story.

“After twelve lunar cycles, I begun to accept my surface life and the possibility that I would never see my family again. And we fell in love. That was a big no-no, even back then. But we didn’t care. It was us against the world it seemed. He made us these necklaces so we would never be apart.” The locket open underneath her delicate touch, and she was lost in a trance.

“But, nothing lasts forever. My family did eventually find me, and they tried to convince me to come back to our pod. But I couldn’t leave my lover behind. When I asked for time on my decision, they came after us as we sat near the water. They dragged me underneath, and made me,” her voice choked, “they made me listen.”

“Listen to what, Sirena?” Nick questioned with profound empathy for the woman who could not have been much older than him.

“Please, Sirena is a stage name. It’s easier to hide in plain sight when no one knows your true name.” She chuckled out, trying desperately to not cry.

“They made me listen as they beat him to death.” Her statement jarred Nick a bit in his seat. They were not too much further from the precinct, but he hoped the story would have something for him to work with.

“I had to listen to his grunts, groans, and cries. It was too silent after. They brought me this as proof,” her hand held up the gold chain with a matching locket on it, “I knew he would have never let them take it off of him had he been alive. It was another twenty-four lunar cycles before I managed to get away for good. I came back to the Willamette, back to Portland. I tried so hard to find an obituary or anything that would tell me where he was buried or something, but I have yet to find anything in almost twenty years.” Nick parked his truck, and jump out to help the lady out of the car. With her hand in his, he stayed at the vehicle for a moment more.

“What was his name?” She was confused, but her eyes appeared haunted. “What’s his name? If I have a name, I can look him up in our database and give you a definitive answer.”

There was a deep sigh, allowing for a lengthy pause. A Grimm and a wesen stood out in the cold Portland air. Her head moved side to side in a negative motion, and her eyes suddenly found the ground much more interesting to look at than the man in front of her. She was trying to reign in her emotions and keep from crying out in the freezing air. After whaat seemed to be an eternity, her misty eyes went to Nick’s as she had her internal struggle.

“His name was Sean. Sean Renard.”

#rebelliousstories #writing #grimm #Grimm imagine #nick burkhardt imagine #nick burkhardt #nick burkhardt x reader #monroe grimm #Monroe x reader #Sean Renard x reader #Sean Renard #Sean Renard imagine

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gemsbuild · 16 days

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So, if you ever have the chance to lay eyes on a Painite gemstone, consider yourself incredibly fortunate. Its rarity, captivating beauty, and intriguing history solidify its place as the undisputed king of the gemstone world.

#crystals #gemstones #minerals #gems #geology #gemology #geode #painite

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tiaramania · 1 year

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Queen Camilla's Consort Crown

It has been announced that Queen Camilla will wear Queen Mary's Crown for the coronation on May 6th. I was expecting her to wear Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother's Crown so this was a surprise.

The crown was made by Garrard in 1911 using brilliant and rose cut diamonds set in silver and gold. You can see in the picture at the top that the three largest diamonds have been replaced with rock crystal/quartz replicas. The original diamonds were removed so that they could be worn in other jewelry which is normal for British consort crowns.

For Queen Camilla the Cullinan III and IV are being put back in the crown but not the Koh-i-Noor. I let you read about the Koh-i-Noor diamond on your own. I think this is a very smart choice and it's not the first time the center of this crown has been set with another diamond.

For the coronation of King George VI in 1937, Queen Mary wore the the crown without the arches or the cap and with the Cullinan V in the center since the Koh-i-Noor was being used in Queen Elizabeth's crown. These are the clearest photos I could find but you can see that the whole brooch is used because the diamond does not take up the full space of the center cross and there are smaller diamonds on the sides. I'm not sure which stone she is wearing in the center of the band since she's wearing the Cullinan IV as a brooch. Edit: @gloriouszipperskeletonshoe has the answer. They temporarily put one of the diamonds from Queen Victoria's Regal Circlet in the band. The Regal Circlet was being dismantled anyway so the diamonds could be used in Queen Elizabeth's crown.

The eight arches are detachable and only four of them will be used this time. I'm guessing it's so that the crown is more in line with St. Edward's Crown and the Imperial State Crown which both only have four. All of the changes being made are options already available for the crown, it just hasn't been worn in this exact configuration before.

Above are the crowns of Queen Alexandra, Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Mary. The only usable options are Elizabeth's and Mary's because all previous consort crowns (Mary of Modena, Adelaide, and Alexandra) have had all of the gemstones removed and some of them have been reset with rock crystal or glass stones. The last four queens consort have had new crowns made for them and this is the first time a consort crown has been reused since 1727. The Crown Jewels by Anna Keay is the best book on the subject if you are interested.

#Queen Camilla #British Coronation #United Kingdom #British Royal Family #Tiara Talk #crown #Queen Mary #diamond #Garrard #non tiara #crowns #crown jewels #cullinan diamond #gloriouszipperskeletonshoe

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thesimcommunity · 2 months

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#the sims 4 #crystal creations #gemstones

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bi-bard · 1 year

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Taylor Swift Songs That Would Describe a Relationship with General Kirigan - General Kirigan Imagine [Shadow & Bone]

Title: Taylor Swift Songs That Would Describe a Relationship with General Kirigan

Pairing: General Kirigan X Reader

Word Count: 1,921 words

Warning(s): manipulation, mention of death

Author's Note: I need it known that I am writing this will all the self-awareness in the world.

**Not intentionally written in chronological order**

--------------------

illicit affairs

Look at this idiotic fool that you made me You taught me a secret language I can't speak with anyone else And you know damn well For you I would ruin myself ...a million little times

At some point, being with Kirigan made me feel like I was invincible to the sick stomach and troubling thoughts that I had faced for years before him.

There was something about having him want me that brought me some peace. He offered me something that I had convinced myself that I was never going to experience. I felt like I owed him everything. My trust, my love... everything. I needed to hold onto that. No matter how hidden I was, how much time I spent keeping myself quiet... I needed him. I needed to be loved by him.

And then, Alina arrived at the Little Palace.

She was more than a beautiful girl.

She was a miracle. A walking gift from the saints. The sun summoner. The one that was destined to save everyone from the impact of the fold.

I should be thankful that she was found at all.

But I couldn't help the gross feeling that stabbed at my heart. Anger or sadness or something else entirely. I couldn't put a name to it. Not at the time.

The more I watched Aleksander with her, the more that the answer seemed to present itself.

I never wanted to express that feeling to her. It was truly no business of hers.

I never truly wanted to express it to Aleksander either. I would have been much happier to never disclose those feelings to them. They came with shame and guilt that were enough to seal my mouth shut.

Instead, that feeling manifested in different ways. Avoidance, misplaced anger... all things that I would go without noticing until later.

Aleksander didn't seem to have much to say for a while. I assumed that he was too focused on his saint to pay me any mind.

Until he confronted me.

I took a deep breath as I walked into his room.

"You asked to see me," I said as the doors closed behind me.

Aleksander stood on the other side of the large table. He looked at me with his annoyingly charming grin and his hands behind my back. His chin was raised slightly.

He believed he was royalty.

"I did," he confirmed.

I almost scoffed. "Please, share the reason for this meeting whenever you would like."

He raised an eyebrow at me as if I had proved his point before he had said it. "You're upset with me."

"Brilliant, truly."

He walked around the table, slowly walking over to me. "I assume that this has to do with Alina."

"Never assume that you know my feelings."

"Darling-"

"Please, don't use sweet names to distract me," I cut him off. "I... I have spent years listening to you soothe me with those names that are beginning to mean nothing to me."

Aleksander didn't have a response at first.

"I have no interest in being a secret or hidden property. Some little gemstone you place in a little box until you find value in me. You either see me as more than that or go hide away with your little saint and leave me be."

I looked away from him as the age-old guilt and sadness ate at my stomach.

He stepped even closer. His hand reached up and cupped my cheek, guiding me to look at him again. His eyes were always more intense than they deserved to be. Dark enough to blend into his pupil, giving me the feeling that my attention would be pulled to him. Fighting to pull my eyes from his would be like fighting the pull of the planet holding me to the ground.

"I never intended to keep you hidden," he said softly. "I have neglected you. That is not fair, but it was never my intention. I am so sorry, my love. Please... allow me to do better."

I took another deep breath.

"Please."

I wanted to believe him. I didn't want to pull myself away from the man that actually loved me. I just... couldn't let that go.

I reached my hand up and touched his. His grin only grew.

"I have every intention to hold you to your promise," I mumbled.

A chuckle escaped him. "I would hope so."

And all it took for him to keep me perfectly in place was to lean in and press his lips to mine.

I would have taken unhealthy love over no love at all.

it's time to go

I gave it my all, he gave me nothing at all Then wondered why I left Now he sits on his throne in his palace of bones Praying to his greed He's got my past frozen behind glass But I've got me

I don't know when my embarrassing jealousy of Alina began to turn into this strange sense of sympathy and worry.

I could see the look on her face. One that I had seen in the mirror for years upon years.

This softness that so carefully masked the feeling of longing and yearning that Aleksander seemed to so easily command. The same feeling that had become all-consuming and ate at the very walls of m heart.

I wish I had learned to discern longing from anxiety. My fearful tuition from lovesick butterflies. Maybe I would have saved myself from some pain.

All I could do now was try to save Alina in the way that I should have been saved years ago.

Her escape path crossed right by me.

I could have stopped her. Tried to fight her. Yelled for Kirigan. Yelled for anyone.

But I didn't.

I would never be able to bring myself to do that.

"Go," I said simply.

Alina stopped, furrowing her eyebrows at me. That was the first time that I wonder how she saw me. I wondered if I had seemed so tied to the general's side that the idea of me turning my back on him seemed impossible. Like I was a pet.

"I will never get back the parts of my past that Aleksander holds," I explained. "But I will not let him take another ounce of my future. Or anyone else's. Go. Please."

She paused for a moment longer before stepping forward to hug me.

Every selfish, jealous thought that had crossed my mind while I had known her felt so heartless now. She was so much more than I could ever truly accept.

"Thank you," she whispered before stepping back and taking off down the path.

I knew that the chances were that I would not live long beyond the moment I let Alina go. I would never give Aleksander the answers he wanted. I was not going to be useful enough to warrant keeping.

And I was okay with that.

I would rather die by my own choice than live following the choices he made for me.

This was my end.

And I was happy to see it.

The Archer

I've been the archer I've been the prey Who could ever leave me darling... But who could stay?

I never realized how far I had run. I had no interest in knowing.

All I knew was that I was panting when I finally stopped. I looked around for a moment. I had found myself next to a fountain with intricate art carved into the base. The story of the Black Heretic. I was familiar with it. There were plants beginning to grow over the rest of the fountain.

I took a deep breath as I let myself fall. I sat with my back against the fountain's base, letting my head rest against the stone. I closed my eyes, taking even breaths for the first time in what felt like hours.

"What are you doing out here?"

I jumped at the sound of a voice. I looked over to see General Kirigan standing nearby.

"I didn't mean to frighten you," he held his hands up for me to see his palms clearly.

"No, no, I was simply in my mind," I replied as I stood up quickly. "Distracted."

He nodded, taking a few steps closer to me. "May I ask what you have on your mind?"

"It is ridiculous, really," I tried to wave it all off.

I thought that it was best to hold onto whatever strength and composure I had. At the time, I only knew him as General Kirigan. He was powerful. So powerful that he was on a different level than the other Grisha.

"If you made your way all the way out here, then I have doubts about that," he said.

I took a deep breath. "Next week will be the anniversary of my coming to the Little Palace."

He furrowed his eyebrows.

"I am grateful for all that I've been offered here," I explained, hoping to not upset him too much. "However, my mom was the one who offered me to the Grisha so they could test me. She was... all too prepared to get rid of me. I... have trouble not feeling somewhat..."

"Abandoned?" Kirigan suggested.

I nodded. "Yes."

"Surely in all your time here, you have made some connections," he said, continuing to walk forward until he stood next to me by the fountain.

I shrugged. "Not truly. Many seemed to turn their noses up at me. Even those I did connect with would eventually walk away. I assume boredom."

"I'm sorry."

"Not really your fault, is it?"

He looked down for a moment. "It is the fault of my bloodline. The very reason the Fold exists. The reason that you were tested at all."

"I don't blame you. Not at all."

He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Being blamed for our ancestor's mistakes does nothing but cause pain."

He nodded. "I could still hope to offer some comfort. Community to help make up for the lost time."

I scoffed. "And when you get bored of me?"

"I can't imagine that happening."

I didn't have a response. Not because of his statement, but because of his eyes. It was like they stopped me in my tracks. I wanted to say it looked sincere, but there was something more to it. Something just below the surface that I was unable to name, but I could see.

Kirigan seemed as transfixed as I was. His eyes jumped around to every detail of my face. He moved a little closer.

"May I," he asked.

I didn't know what he was asking, but I still nodded at him.

His hand cupped my face. I felt frozen. Entranced by the mere sight of him.

He leaned in slowly, carefully. As if he were waiting for me to run away from him.

When I didn't, that seemed to comfort him. It gave him enough of a push to press his lips to mine. I took in a sharp breath through my nose. I kissed him back, trying to follow his movements.

It was a short moment. One that I would have been content with playing over and over in my mind.

When Kirigan pulled away, I watched a grin slowly grow along his face. I grinned back at him.

I would later consider that my point of no return.

But at the time, I couldn't think of anything wrong with what had happened.

Being wanted was enough for me.

For the time being, at least.

--------------------

Navigation Guide

What I Write For

Some Original Characters

#the darkling x reader #the darkling imagine #the darkling fanfiction #aleksander morozova imagine #aleksander morozova fanfiction #aleksander morozove x reader #general kirigan imagine #general kirigan fanfiction #general kirigan x reader #shadow and bone imagine #shadow and bone fanfiction #shadow and bone x reader #imagine #fanfiction #x reader #ben barnes imagine #ben barnes fanfiction #ben barnes x reader

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sixminutestoriesblog · 4 months

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garnet

Unlike most of the other months, January babies only have one birth stone. But oh - what a birthstone it is!

Garnets come in a variety of colors, including the ultra rare blue ones, but the most well known and well loved is the deep rich red. Red garnets are one of the oldest recorded gems for humanity and one that stretched across continents. Garnets can be found in jewelry as far back as the Bronze Age and ancient Romans and Greeks were fond of it as well. The carbuncle gemstone on the High Priest's breastplate in the Old Testament might have been a garnet. They were often found on the jewelry of ancient pharaohs. In fact, archeologists have used garnets to trace historic trade routes, with the 7th century Staffordshire Hoard and the Winfarthing pendant of England both containing garnets from as far away as ancient Sri Lanka. Garnets featured frequently in Migration Period art, a style that arose across Europe and Britain after the collapse of Rome, during the 3rd century, that relied on small, intricate interlocking patterns like the above sword hilt piece.

In modern times, garnets are more than just a pretty face. With a hardness on the Mohs scale from 6 to 7.5, they are often used for their abrasive properties. Garnet grains added to a jet of water can cut through steel!

Just remember, January babies, you're made of tough stuff!

Having such a long history across so much of the world, garnets have netted their fair share of superstitions over the centuries.

In Persia, the garnet was good for protection from natural dangers, like storms and their lightning. In some stories, while there was no light from the moon or the sun during the storm that brought the flood, Noah's ark was lit with the light from a brilliant garnet. Many cultures saw garnets as protection against physical harm and wore them into battle. In fact, during the Crusades, both Christian and Muslim soldiers wore garnets for the exact same reason. Garnets were good at signalling danger since they would grow pale as it approached. They were also supposed to help protect travelers going on long journeys to ensure they came safely home and parting friends would exchange garnets in the belief that the stones would ensure they would meet again. In ancient Egypt, garnets could ward off depression and bad dreams.

The garnet's red color associates it naturally with blood and the stone was supposed to be a cure against inflammation. Too much blood could make you hot-headed, and the garnet was supposed to soothe anger and help with mental clarity and peace of mind. It was also associated with love and friendship. Many older engagement rings were set with garnet as it was supposed to represent loyalty and unchanging affection.

In Medieval Europe, dragon's eyes were sometimes said to be made of garnets. Garnets were also associated with the deep red pomegranate seeds Persephone ate while trapped in the underworld.

Garnets were popular through the Victorian times and are starting to return to popularity as different colored garnets are coming into vogue. Demantoid garnets are a beautiful green color while mandarin garnets are a brilliant golden orange. The iridescent garnet changes color, from red to purple under different lighting. And, as already mentioned, the blue garnet is a deep teal color and was only official in 2017. Garnet lovers have more choices than ever -

but there's something to be said for the classic red garnets that have entranced humanity down through the centuries.

#garnet #january #birth stone #superstition #folklore #birth month #birthstone #january birthstone

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enteringdullsville · 5 months

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Underrated Real Time Fandub Lines: Sonic Adventure 2

“Za Warudo!”

“I’ll make you eat those words!”

Sonic trades barbs faster than his mind can process them.

“THAT’S RIGHT, SONIC! I’M TAKING IT FROM THE oh wait, Sonic isn’t here. Knuckles, I’m taking your emerald.”

Eggman fails to account for the Master Emerald’s guardian.

“SHADOW.”

“Thanks, I forgot who this was! Did we ever establish our names? Hi, I’m Sonic!”

All said in the same angry tone of voice.

“F*** you, moon! You never had the cheese I wanted!”

Doctor Ivo Robotnik, IQ of 300.

“I’m sorry, did you not consent to me saving your life? I’ll put you back down, I’m sorry!”

Knuckles knows not to push his boundaries.

“And now I will control the universe! AND EVERYONE WILL BE ABLE TO WATCH splatoon2letsplays BY EGGMAN! NOW GET IN THE F***ING ROOM!”

I feel like it would’ve been easier to put it on the news while you were taking everyone’s Best Buys, but you do you, buddy.

“THANKS, JESUS!”

Knuckles and the big man upstairs go way back.

“You know I’ve seen my fair share of piss rocks~”

“…You said that really sensually!”

I quote Sonic’s response constantly.

“What you see is what you get! Just a guy who loves piss rocks…and adventure. I’m gonna run now.”

“What the f***.”

From Shadow, that kinda hurts.

“It’s been seventeen days…”

Cut to later…

“THREE YEARS! I’VE BEEN IN HERE FOR THREE YEARS!”

How much time passed between those fades?

“Please stop, Ivo.”

“Uh…HOW DID YOU KNOW MY MIDDLE NAME?”

This can go one of three ways. Either Eggman’s lying to cover his tracks, his full name is Ivo Ivo Robotnik (his actual name is pronounced “Eee-Voh”), or he’s just named “Doctor”.

“I put hot sauce on everything-”

“No.”

Alfred immediately catches on to what Ryan’s going for.

“WOOP! WOOP! THAT’S THE SOUND OF THE POLICE!”

“That rap! It reminds me of her!”

I really want to know what the heck crimes Maria committed.

“I’m here to show you what Ninten can do…and what Za WaruDON’T!”

“That doesn’t even make any sense.”

Shadow as he prepares his epic Earthbound Beginnings/Jojo crossover fanfiction.

“My follower base!”

“And yet they still can’t figure out how to get nazis off their site.”

In which Shadow utterly scorches the entire platform.

“As long as I get my weed back, I don’t really care.”

“I don’t have a character motive.”

The best part is that since Shadow’s been shot down to Earth for reasons completely unrelated to G.U.N., he really doesn’t have a character motive other than being a troll.

“Are you my mom?”

“No? What? The f***?”

Amy the Hedgehog to Tails, who is a boy, a fox, and far younger than her.

“Yes, Rouge. Thank you for listening to my insane ramblings about peeing in a Hot Topic.”

You can just hear the realization hit him.

“NOW GET OUT OF MY F***ING FACE! BEFORE I PISS ON YOU TOO.”

Odd as it may be to put a line from the moon rant in an “underrated lines” compilation, nobody talks about how brilliant a conclusion this is.

“I can’t believe he came to his intervention drunk.”

Really? Because it sounds just like him.

“Here comes the WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED!”

DJ Inexplicable Talking Gemstone’s new hit rock song.

“Wait, I know you! I saw your dick on Twitter!”

That’s one heck of a way to introduce yourself, Amy.

“When I see you, it is ON SIGHT! IT IS ON! SIGHT-”

“Yeah, piss off.”

The Ultimate Life Form cares not for your threats.

“What the f***, you Hot Topic hot sauce motherf***er, why would you even say anything!?”

“There’s nothing hotter than hot sauce, Rouge.”

That’s not even remotely an answer to the question she asked you!

“But I wanted the last thing I breathe to be pot!”

I always used to mishear it as “pie”.

“I NEVER LEARNED HOW TO REEEAD!”

“That’s not really a surprise!”

Amy’s line was golden as is. Tails’ barely audible snapback is just icing.

“And that is why I! Am the true owner of the world! That’s right! All that you see before you? Everything the piss touches? That is your kingdom! And you, my son, shall go forth and inherit it!”

…what?

“MAN, THOSE BALLS SURE ARE SHAKING.”

Yes, thank you, Knuckles.

“Ah gave birth.”

Another great throwaway line.

“As we know, my dick is on my hand.”

This guy’s about to jack off…

“If I gave Shadow fifteen apples…and then Amy gave Shadow another sixTEEEN…and then Tails took away three…my question is…what is the total mass of the sun?”

“As Obama told me, it’s THREE!”

“YOU FIGURED IT OOOOUUUUUUUUuuuuuuu…ah.”

“Why does it sound like he’s getting further away-this is stupid.”

I think this is the beginning of a beautiful binge watch.

“Wait, that’s no moon, that’s a space station!”

“Nice reference. I also love Star Trek.”

Oh, Shadow.

“Shadow didn’t deserve to die for his piss-”

“Yeah he did!”

“-but here we are.”

She’s not wrong.

“My shoes-my shoes in my reflection are opaque, bye!”

Again, she’s not wrong.

“I’m not understanding any of this, but here’s a gloog.”

We all need a gloog in our life.

“So if we were to all drink piss, does that make you or me?”

“It makes us both avid piss drinkers.”

This explains so much.

“Can I ask you, um-”

“No. Make sure to like, comment and subs-”

No is one of the greatest words in the English language.

“This is a Big McIntosh…”

“Eeyup.”

It took me years to catch that reference.

“This is wagyu steak. Named after the dog, because wagyu tail?”

“WHAT?”

…I got hit by a “deez nuts” joke.

“I’m gonna get a paper towel.” (Grabs a jar of pickles)

Eh, close enough.

“Don’t worry, this one literally has gold on it, so you will die if you eat it.”

“Good, that was the goal.”

Talk about a rich flavor.

“You hit me in my nose! That’s the spot where I don’t like being hit!”

“Well then that’s where I’ll hit you on repeated instances!”

Sonic being a menace to society.

“Hey, that’s some good bars man, y’know I’m coming to kill you right now.”

“…Can you not do that?”

“Uhhh, for how long?”

“Give me at least…y’know fifteen, sixteen…years.”

Followed shortly by Eggman trying to gaslight Sonic into thinking he destroyed the world.

“If they did make a prune juice cocktail, like half prune juice, half vodka, that would be called the ‘factory reset’.”

I have no idea how they started talking about prune juice, but whatever.

“I HAVE…REEFER MADNESS!”

The Dark Story version of Rouge and Knuckles’ encounter is…strange to say the least.

“Hey that’s…”

“Hey, that’s…”

“Hey, that’s!”

I think Shadow’s the fake hedgehog around here.

“I’m gonna kill you, and I’m sober now, ‘cause I went to my own intervention!”

Sometimes it just be like that.

“That was completely unnecessary. My back hurts now.”

Screaming for three consecutive years finally caught up with him.

“I diagnose you with DEAD, Wazowski!”

The entire Roz sequence came out of nowhere, and I love it for that.

“IS THIS WHAT HOT TOPIC IS NOW?!”

Not pictured: the epilogue to the Piss Saga.

#real time fandub #rtf #sonic adventure 2 #snapcube

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binenbaumaj · 5 months

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Aquamarine Diamond 18k Entourage Ring 14995-8458

Indulge in the serene beauty of our 18k White Gold Aquamarine Ring. The centerpiece, a 1.70ct oval aquamarine, is beautifully adorned with 0.15ct of H SI1 brilliant-cut diamonds, offering a delicate yet striking appearance. 🌟💍

Details: ±1.70ct aquamarine, ±0.15ct (H SI1) Brilliant-cut diamonds, 18k Ring *.

Design Era: Contemporary.

Size: 16.71 NL / 52.5 FR / 6¼ US / M UK, sizeable (Within reason. Contact seller for information).

Weight in grams: 3.4.

Condition: New.

Shipping and Pickup: This delicate piece ships from our store located in the center of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. We offer both registered shipping and local pickup at our store. In the case of local pickup, any applicable shipping costs will be refunded.

About Us: Add some sparkle to your style with Binenbaum.com. We offer a stunning selection of antique and vintage jewelry that you won't find anywhere else. From timeless rings and dazzling necklaces to unique brooches, we have something for every taste and occasion. Visit our website today and treat yourself to a piece of history.

#1.70ct Oval Aquamarine #Brilliant-Cut Diamond Accents #Contemporary Aquamarine Ring #Fine Jewelry Design #H SI1 Diamonds #Luxury Gemstone Rings #Modern Aquamarine and Diamond Ring #White 18k Gold Jewelry

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ewrthings-race-repair-repeat · 7 months

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The Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis Private Collection is a limited edition (25 world wide) that has been inspired by the seldom-seen wonder of a solar eclipse (the awe-inspiring moment when the Moon completely obscures the Sun).

EXTERIOR: GOLDEN DARKNESS The mysterious, ethereal light cast by a total solar eclipse is captured in the Lyrical Copper exterior colour of the motor car. This stunning Bespoke finish incorporates powdered copper pigment, which appears darker until it catches the light when it produces a rich and dramatic iridescence. Mandarin adorns the inserts below the Pantheon Grille and brake callipers, recalling the intense pulses of sunlight witnessed as the eclipse progresses. The same Mandarin hue is used for the hand-painted coachline, which includes a delicate abstract representation of the transition from sunlight to darkness as the Moon approaches to cover the Sun.

ANIMATED STARLIGHT HEADLINER The Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis features a fully Bespoke Starlight Headliner with a special animation that, like the eclipse that inspires it, gives those inside a true sense of awe and wonder. As the coach doors close and the engine is started, the ‘stars’ in the Starlight Headliner darken and a mesmerising sequence begins, replicating the totality of the solar eclipse, when the dark silhouette of the Moon completely obscures the bright light of the Sun. A circle of 940 ‘stars’ is formed, representing the bright corona of light around the lunar silhouette. This is surrounded by a further 192 illuminating ‘stars’, recreating the otherworldly spectacle of stars visible in the sky during daylight, which occurs only during a total solar eclipse.

The animation remains visible for precisely seven minutes and 31 seconds – the longest possible duration of a total solar eclipse. Once this time has elapsed, the full constellation of ‘stars’ in the night sky is restored. This highly technical feature required a year of painstaking development, in which the Bespoke Collective produced three complete prototypes to perfect the design and sequencing of the ‘stars’.

ILLUMINATED FASCIA AND ‘DIAMOND RING’ TIMEPIECE The illuminated fascia of Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis is adorned with 1,846 laser-etched ‘stars’ in a symbolic timeline of a total eclipse. A single Bespoke designer had sole responsibility for adjusting the individual size and position of each ‘star’ to create the mesmeric effect; a delicate and exacting process that took over 100 hours to complete.

The composition culminates in a Bespoke timepiece, which incorporates a brilliant-cut 0.5-carat diamond, recalling the ‘Diamond Ring’ effect, when a single, dazzling point of light can be seen on the Moon’s outline in the split seconds just before and immediately after it obscures the Sun. The bezel geometry has been modified to accommodate the precious gem, as this is the first time in Rolls-Royce history that a gemstone has been integrated into the clock’s bezel. The assembly underwent rigorous adhesion tests, which included climatic cell cycling from -30°C to +90°C, to ensure the diamond is robustly secured. The timepiece is finished with an etching on its dark aluminium surround, revealing the bright metal underneath. This beautiful piece of contemporary craftsmanship is the result of over 14 design iterations.

PANORAMIC SUNSET INTERIOR At totality of a solar eclipse, there is a moment when a golden twilight surrounds those viewing the eclipse, giving the illusion of a 360-degree sunset. In Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis, the beauty of this rarely observed phenomenon is captured in bi-coloured seats with a unique perforated artwork, made of over 200,000 individual perforations.

The bold Mandarin leather is tinted in a black shade that is then perforated to reveal the brighter contrasting colour beneath, creating a visual effect with extraordinary depth and subtlety. Using computational design tools, the Bespoke Collective developed a unique pattern, which was then manually refined over seven trials and iterations.

Bespoke finishing touches include illuminated treadplates, umbrellas with Mandarin piping concealed in the coach doors, and a unique indoor motor car cover bearing the Private Collection’s wordmark.

All 25 examples of the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost Ékleipsis Private Collection have been allocated to clients around the world.

#Rolls-Royce #Ékleipsis #ghost #eclipse #brexit #stance

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gemville · 9 months

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Where are the best ethical sources for gemstone jewelry?

These days a huge source of ethical diamonds and gemstones are lab grown stones which are chemically identical to their natural counterparts. Brilliant Earth is one well known company who produces lab grown stones. Lab grown stones are also usually more cost effective than a natural stone.

There are countless companies and jewelers who claim to source 'ethically' mined natural gemstones, but it is very difficult to guarantee that a stone you are interested in purchasing is 100% ethically derived from the time it is actually mined to the time it is cut and processed into it's final result and mounted into jewelry.

Personally, if I were in the market for gemstone or diamond jewelry I would select a lab grown stone or an antique, vintage or heirloom piece vs. a 'brand new' piece from a jeweler.

#ethical jewelry #recycled jewelry #natural gemstone #natural diamond #lab diamond #lab gemstone #fairmined gold #recycled gold #high jewelry #luxury jewelry #fine jewelry #fine jewellery pieces #gemville

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mischief-and-tea-by-the-sea · 10 months

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Ruby and Sapphire

Ruby, Sapphire, and Fancy Sapphire Most people don't realize that ruby and sapphire are both gems of the mineral corundum. Both of these gemstones have the same chemical composition and the same mineral structure. Trace amounts of impurities determine if a gem corundum will be a brilliant red ruby or a beautiful blue sapphire. It is surprising that "impurities" can produce such wonderful results!

Red and blue are just two of the many colors found in gem corundums. Trace amounts of other elements can produce brilliant yellow, orange, green, and purple gems. Red corundums are known as "rubies," blue corundums are known as "sapphires," and corundums of any other color are known as "fancy sapphires." Impurities cause corundum to occur in a spectrum of colors, and when it is completely free of color-causing impurities, it is a colorless gem known as "white sapphire."

Ruby and Sapphire Birthstones Ruby and sapphire both serve as modern birthstones. Ruby is the birthstone for the month of July. Sapphire is the birthstone for the month of September. They are excellent choices for birthstones because they are well know gems and because many people love red and blue gemstones.

Ruby and sapphire are not inexpensive gems and that causes a challenge when they are used as birthstones. Many people want to give a birthstone gift to a child and hesitate to give a child a gift that is costly. Or the shopper would like to give a birthstone gift, but has a limited budget. To accommodate these shoppers, the use of synthetic birthstones in low carat gold or sterling silver mountings provides a lower cost option. Synthetic corundum and synthetic spinel are often used.

What Makes a Ruby? Rubies are gem corundums with a dominant red color. The color can range from orangy red to purplish red or brownish red. The most desirable color range is a pure vibrant red to a slightly purplish red.

The red color of ruby is produced by the presence of chromium in the gem. A small trace of chromium will produce a pink color. To be considered a ruby, there must be enough chromium to give the gem a distinctly red color.

Finally, rubies must have a combination of color and clarity that makes them an attractive gem. Opaque pieces of corundum with just a hint of red color are not rubies - they are common corundum.

Ruby Treatments Very few specimens of corundum have a natural color within the range required for a ruby. Very few also have the clarity required to produce a nice faceted stone. Long ago, people who prepared gem materials for cutting began experimenting with ways to improve their color and clarity.

Heating Heating corundum crystals under controlled conditions can improve or intensify their color. Heating can also remove inclusions by causing them to dissolve, making them less visible and improving the clarity of a gem.

Most rubies in the market today have been heated to improve their color and clarity. This heat treatment is normal and expected in the gem trade, but a seller should disclose the treatment to a buyer in advance of a sale.

Fracture Filling One of the early treatments was to fill surface-reaching fractures with oils, waxes, or resins. These treatments filled pits and fractures on the surface of the gem and improved their appearance. However, these treatments are not permanent because the oils can be washed out, and the waxes and resins can crack and fall out with age - even with special care. They produce a temporary improvement in the appearance of the stone and are mainly done to produce a quick and profitable sale.

A more permanent type of fracture treatment is to fill the fractures with minor amounts of flux, glass, or another durable material. These enter the fractures during the heat treatment process. When the stone cools, a permanent filling of the fracture was accomplished. These treatments reduce the visibility of the fractures and improve the clarity of the gems. They also might improve the durability of some stones. This type of treatment is generally acceptable but should be disclosed to the buyer.

A much more aggressive treatment is to heat the gem to a very high temperature and inject glass or flux into the fractures. The temperature of this treatment can be high enough that some of the ruby melts and mixes with the fracture-filling materials. The result of this treatment is an altered stone with an improved appearance. But the stone now contains an unknown and possibly significant amount of non-ruby material. If these gems are sold “by the carat,” the buyer might pay a significant portion of the price for non-ruby material. Many people believe that these treatments produce man-made composite materials that should not be called “ruby.”

What Makes a Sapphire? Trace amounts of iron and titanium can produce a blue color in corundum. Blue corundums are known as "sapphires." The name "sapphire" is used for corundums that range from a very light blue to a very dark blue color. The blue can range from a greenish blue to violetish blue. Gems with a rich blue to violetish blue color are the most desirable.

Gem-quality corundum occurs in a wide range of other colors, including pink, purple, orange, yellow, and green. These gems are known as "fancy sapphires." It is surprising that a single mineral can produce gemstones of so many different colors.

When the color of a sapphire is any color other than blue, the color should be used as a preceding adjective to describe the stone. For example, pink sapphire, yellow sapphire, or green sapphire. Used alone, the word "sapphire" refers only to blue corundum.

Sapphire Treatments Just like ruby, sapphires are subjected to a wide variety of heat and fracture-filling treatments. And, just like ruby, any heat, fracture-filling or other type of treatment should be disclosed to buyers.

Fancy Sapphires: A collection of sapphires. Clockwise from top left: a reddish orange beryllium-heat-treated sapphire weighing 0.62 carats from Tanzania; a pinkish purple heated sapphire weighing 0.62 carats from Tanzania; a mandarin orange beryllium-heat-treated sapphire weighing 0.66 carats from Tanzania; a green heat-treated sapphire weighing 0.87 carats from Australia; an orangy yellow beryllium-heat-treated sapphire weighing 0.77 carats from Tanzania; and, a purplish pink heated sapphire weighing 0.66 carats from Madagascar. Almost all fancy sapphires have received heat or beryllium-heat treatment to improve their color.

Spectacular Heat Treatment Results Some rough materials that have no trace of blue color can be heated to produce a spectacular blue. Some milky to yellowish, cloudy to translucent corundum can be heated to yield stones that are transparent and bright blue. If such treatments have been used, sellers should disclose the types of treatments to potential buyers when the stone is presented for sale.

Heat-treated Sapphires: This photo shows about 49 carats of rough Montana sapphire from the El Dorado Bar that have received heat treatment.

Lattice Diffusion Some sapphires are treated by a process known as "lattice diffusion." In lattice diffusion, the sapphire is heated in the presence of a material that will release tiny metal ions. When the corundum is heated, its lattice expands enough that these tiny ions can diffuse into the gem and become trapped within the lattice when the corundum is allowed to cool. The trapped ions prevent the corundum from contracting to its normal dimensions, producing a defect that alters the color of light passing through the gem.

Beryllium diffusion can produce orange, yellow and pink colors. Titanium diffusion can produce blue. Lattice diffusion treatment is considered to be a severe treatment that is sometimes hard to detect. Some people believe that corundum which has a color produced by lattice diffusion should not be called "sapphire."

Mining Rubies and Sapphires Most gem-grade corundum forms in metamorphic rocks, such as schist or gneiss; or in igneous rocks such as basalt or syenite. However, gem corundums are rarely mined from the rocks in which they form. Mining small gems from hard rock is possible, but it is very expensive, and many of the gems are broken during the mining process. Fortunately, corundum is very hard and resistant to weathering. In many areas, natural weathering and erosion have liberated the stones from their host rock, and carried them into streams over long periods of geologic time.

Today, the gems are mined from these stream sediments. Their high specific gravity relative to other sediment particles often causes currents to concentrate them in small placer deposits. Most rubies and sapphires are produced by washing the gravels of these stream deposits. This work is often done by hand because the deposits are small and irregular in shape and character. These deposits are often located in countries when wages are very low and artisanal mining is prevalent.

Noteworthy locations where gem-quality corundums have been produced include Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, China, Australia, Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, and Malawi.