#JOTW 5.58 ct Blue Sapphire (Gemsthailand)

[T L]

Justin,
Congratulations on your pending engagement.
I didn't read all the responses, but I find it extremely disconcerting that AIGS deemed the stone as no heat treatment and GIA found heat treatment. Can you post a photo of your GIA report for this stone? I would like to bring this to the attention to some people for educational purposes if you don't mind. I am really worried about AIGS since they shift management so often, and the fact they couldn't find heat treatment in a sapphire is very disconcerting to me.

 

[fussykiki]

Congratulations!!! Your gf is indeed one very lucky girl! All the efforts in searching the right stone and setting are really something. I tell you, I picked the stone and the setting of my e-ring alone, and there was no proposal.

 

[Laila619]

That's going to be one amazing ring! The sapph is incredible. Your search really paid off!!

 

[sweet_pea]

Oh my goodness that stone and setting is beautiful!

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Justin,
Congratulations on your pending engagement.
I didn't read all the responses, but I find it extremely disconcerting that AIGS deemed the stone as no heat treatment and GIA found heat treatment. Can you post a photo of your GIA report for this stone? I would like to bring this to the attention to some people for educational purposes if you don't mind. I am really worried about AIGS since they shift management so often, and the fact they couldn't find heat treatment in a sapphire is very disconcerting to me.

Absolutely! No problem. I was lucky that once GIA proved that the sapphire was heat treated the company I purchased it from refunded my money for the stone and report. Just to clarify to other readers. The sapphire in question is NOT the one at the top of my thread. The sapphire we are talking about is the 1st out of 3 stones that I have purchased on this journey to find a natural unheated stone.










I hope this helps.

~Justin

 

[pregcurious]

That is disturbing that the 2 certs came back differently.

 

[Justin_Cutter]

I know! Not only was the treatment different but GIA also found the size to be a little different too.

When it comes to Sapphires I question everything and I am glad I did.... 3 times ha ha.

~Justin

 

[T L]

I know! Not only was the treatment different but GIA also found the size to be a little different too.

When it comes to Sapphires I question everything and I am glad I did.... 3 times ha ha.

~Justin

A smart man!!

Thanks for sharing the GIA report. Very very disconcerting.

 

[chrono]

The difference in measurement is extremely slight and the carat weight remains identical, so I'm not too fussed on that. It's only 0.01 mm off. It's the different result of detecting heat treatment that bothers me most.

 

[erinl]

Justin Cutter: That sapphire is just gorgeous! I love the setting, but I want to give you a heads up settings with micropave on three sides with the diamonds fully encircling the ring. I have an engagement ring setting from a high-end jeweler here in Chicago. I was insistent on having it be eternity pave, no band showing at all. Even though i love the look of my ring and cannot imagine having a different one now, I nhave a number of issues with my ring:

1) The only way you can size the setting is to place metal sizing beads in the inside, and fingers can change sizes.
2) If i were to do it again, i would get a ring with a more comfortable band--the edges on the squared off sides kind of cut into the sides of my fingers and it has never been incredibly comfortable.
3) My ring is very difficult to match with a wedding band--it just doesn't look great--it may be how my diamond is set, but bands don't sit flush with my engagement ring. I opted to wear mine on the right hand, and i have a blingy eternity from Fred Leighton for my wedding ring. Now, I wish I could wear them both on my left and use my right hand for blingy right hand rings!
4) the back of my hand takes a lot of dings--opening doors, carrying a baby car seat, even using a steering wheel. the first summer after I got married (in April) I chipped three of the tiny diamonds and had to have them replaced--they did a good job but if you look really closely you can tell they were reset. Now I only wear my ring when I am dressed up or going to a special event. Don't even get me started about sun screen in the pave ( I have two kids and I am constantly applying sunscreen in the summer!)


If I had to do it over again I would set my engagement ring on a platinum band that was very comfortable, have diamonds accenting the center stone on the front of the ring, and have a complimenting or matching wedding band so I could wear them together. I would then wear a micropave ring on my right hand, and put those on for more dress up and special occasions.

Obviously, this is up to you and I love that setting that you chose!

 

[erinl]

Here are shots of my engagement ring. The center stone is a rectangular cushion, 1.8 carats. Ring is platinum.
Sorry about the quality of the shots--I don't have a macro lens for my DSLR. Also, apologies on my manicure

I have also included a shot of my engagement ring with a very thin (couple mm thick) Helen Ficalora rose gold band-- I wear that band as my everyday band without anything else. I have also included a shot of my ring with my wide eternity band. I wear that on my wedding finger and my engagement ring on my right hand. A band might look better with your sapphire since the center stone is so much bigger and such a larger profile though.....

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Justin Cutter: That sapphire is just gorgeous! I love the setting, but I want to give you a heads up settings with micropave on three sides with the diamonds fully encircling the ring. I have an engagement ring setting from a high-end jeweler here in Chicago. I was insistent on having it be eternity pave, no band showing at all. Even though i love the look of my ring and cannot imagine having a different one now, I nhave a number of issues with my ring:

1) The only way you can size the setting is to place metal sizing beads in the inside, and fingers can change sizes.
2) If i were to do it again, i would get a ring with a more comfortable band--the edges on the squared off sides kind of cut into the sides of my fingers and it has never been incredibly comfortable.
3) My ring is very difficult to match with a wedding band--it just doesn't look great--it may be how my diamond is set, but bands don't sit flush with my engagement ring. I opted to wear mine on the right hand, and i have a blingy eternity from Fred Leighton for my wedding ring. Now, I wish I could wear them both on my left and use my right hand for blingy right hand rings!
4) the back of my hand takes a lot of dings--opening doors, carrying a baby car seat, even using a steering wheel. the first summer after I got married (in April) I chipped three of the tiny diamonds and had to have them replaced--they did a good job but if you look really closely you can tell they were reset. Now I only wear my ring when I am dressed up or going to a special event. Don't even get me started about sun screen in the pave ( I have two kids and I am constantly applying sunscreen in the summer!)


If I had to do it over again I would set my engagement ring on a platinum band that was very comfortable, have diamonds accenting the center stone on the front of the ring, and have a complimenting or matching wedding band so I could wear them together. I would then wear a micropave ring on my right hand, and put those on for more dress up and special occasions.

Obviously, this is up to you and I love that setting that you chose!

Thank you for your input! Nothing beats real world experience. You have a beautiful ring by the way!

I will definitely consider this. Perhaps I should have her try on some other pave settings and see what she thinks comfort wise just to be safe.

 

[Justin_Cutter]

The difference in measurement is extremely slight and the carat weight remains identical, so I'm not too fussed on that. It's only 0.01 mm off. It's the different result of detecting heat treatment that bothers me most.

Your right it really isn't that big of a deal regarding the small measurement differences. How AIGS vs. GIA calibrate there instruments could account for this discrepancy.

Now my current sapphire which this thread is about was also deemed natural and unheated by AIGS. AGL has confirmed that for me. I guess no lab can be perfect but it definitely makes you wonder about trusting them. But then again GIA has been wrong before as well
http://online.barrons.com/article_e...IwMzEyNDMyWj.html#articleTabs_panel_article=1

Kind of makes me feel like I should always get a second opinion. Not the cheapest approach, but perhaps the safest.

~Justin

 

[LD]

Erin - great real life experience. I've also suffered from a ring not matching a wedding band. I see the sense in trying on two together and perhaps buying the w/ring in advance.

Justin - the difference in reports is really worrying. I doubt if the gems have been swapped because the measurements are too precise for that. I know it's a long shot but did you speak with the GIA to find out what indications they found that AIGS didn't? Well done for persevering!

On the subject of your ring - please forgive me because I can't recall if this has already been mentioned, but rings that are top heavy have a habit of spinning to the side. It drives me round the bend when mine do that. Having sizing beads on the inside of the shank help to stop it but the downside is that you need to get the size right and allow for movement. Unfortunately ladies hands don't stay the same size - for exanple when I go on holiday my rings are very tight in the heat. In the winter in the UK I can literally shake them off my finger!

 

[erinl]

Justin-- If you have her try on rings, while it is on the finger, angle the ring towards her fingertip as well as towards her wrist, if that makes any sense--kind of angle it "up" and "down" on her finger. With the style you have selected, the base of the setting (underneath the stone) appears to be a rounded square or oval that lies on the finger--my ring is similarly constructed. With my ring, when it tips up or down like I described, the base of the setting also kind of cuts into my finger. That base section of the ring--which rounds out from the band, is also the reason why wedding bands do not go incredibly well with my engagement ring.

Loving Diamonds, I agree, sizing is such a pain-- my hands swell up outside then shrink at least a quarter size in air conditioning!!

I feel like such a huge killjoy now!! Fingers crossed that the proportions on yours make it a winner though!

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Loving Diamonds and Erin

Thank you so much for your incite! I was talking to my girlfriend today about some of these everyday issues that can come from a setting like this. She told me that she is ok with not having a wedding band on the same finger as the engagement ring. She would be ok with wearing the engagement ring on her right hand or not having a wedding band at all.

Erin, I will definitely try the things you told me when we try on some more pave settings. Thank You.

Loving Diamonds and Erin, would you recommend having the setting sized a little bit bigger and then have sizing beads put in? If her finger gets a little bigger in the future can the sizing beads be removed?


Thanks
~Justin

 

[LD]

Justin

It's so difficult to give you a precise answer because everybody's fingers are different and react differently to heat/cold etc. For me, I would have my exact size (or quarter of a size bigger) with sizing beads. I most definitely wouldn't go one size bigger as that would not be anchored by sizing beads unless they were quite large.

Hope that helps.

 

[erinl]

Justin--

I would agree with Loving Diamonds-- it is really tough to say. I was a size six on my left and a little bigger on my right and my ring is 6.25. When I was sized and got the ring I had lost some weight for the wedding and thought that I should make sure my ring would still fit when I gained it back My ring is always a bit big on both my left and right hand, and I have definitely gained weight in the last 6 years. In the winter it is practically falling off and in the summer it fits, sometimes is snug.

The wider the band the more you have to worry about being able to get it on your finger, in my experience. Thinner ones can be worked off your finger more easily.

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Thank you for the advice!

I think what I am going to do is buy a ring sizer like this http://www.google.com/products/cata...a=X&ei=i7crTpndI42ltwfY2cnXAg&ved=0CHcQ8gIwAA

I live in Phoenix Arizona so between the cold AC in my house and the 120+ degree temperatures outside right now I think I can get a good idea of how much her finger size will change. I will take the measurements in the hot and cold and then decide what would be the best size overall. Once I find the best size I may go a 1/4 size bigger and add sizing beads to be safe. It will all depend on how much her finger changes in the extreme temperatures.

Loving Diamonds, I just realized I never answered your question about asking GIA to find out what indications of heating they found that AIGS didn't in my first Sapphire.

I never did ask them I honestly didn't feel that I would receive a answer but maybe they would have told me. I wonder if they would have it on file somewhere and if they could look up why they deemed it heated? I could give them a call and ask I guess.

~Justin

 

[Justin_Cutter]

UPDATE!!! My Sapphire returned from AGL today! I am so excited to have it back. As promised here are some pictures I took today. The pics don't do the stone justice, but at least you can get a better Idea of how it looks. These pics were taken on my sidewalk on a completely overcast day.

Camera: Canon XT Rebel
Lens: Canon 28-135mm with AF and Image Stabilizer

This isn't my normal camera setup. My girlfriend went on vacation with her Mom and Sister and took my usual setup with her.
When I get it back I may be able to get some better/clearer pictures.
~Justin

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Here is the AGL Report if anyone is curious how the stone graded. Overall I am very pleased with the results. AGL is very strict on there grading scales so for the stone to receive a total quality grade of very good to good makes me proud of my Thai Sapphire.



~Justin

 

[blithesome71]

Wow! it's beautiful, bold & UNTREATED! I envy your girlfriend
congrats btw

 

[bright ice]

Simply amazing! You got quite lucky with your find. Patience prevails.

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Wow! it's beautiful, bold & UNTREATED! I envy your girlfriend
congrats btw

Ha ha well thank you! I wish so badly that I could show everyone in person. The blue is so strong in this stone. Its like a "hot" blue if there ever was such a thing

~Justin

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Simply amazing! You got quite lucky with your find. Patience prevails.

Thank you. Yes It did! I can't thank Gemsthailand enough for providing me with this stone. My heart was set on a Natural Untreated Sapphire but after my first 2 failed attempts I was beginning to wonder if it just wasn't in the cards for me. Thankfully the search is over and I am overjoyed to own this stone.

~Justin

 

[pregcurious]

Congratulations! I can't wait to see it in a setting.

 

[kt]

That is just so beautiful! I just can't believe how brave you were to stand outside with it in your hand - I'd be terrified of dropping it!!! Congratulations, she is one lucky gal on many fronts!

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Thank you all so much! I will probably be sending the Sapphire off to be set next week.

~Justin

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Hey everyone I need some help.
My girlfriend really likes the "prong-less/bezel" look. What are your thoughts on me modifying the setting I have picked to be prong-less?

I have a couple concerns
1. How bad will this hinder the light gathering of my sapphire?
2. Will a prong-less design make it difficult to rhodium plate the ring? The ring is going to be white gold so rhodium plating is definitely in my future.

Any thoughts and experience is appreciated!

Thanks
Justin

 

[chrono]

Beautiful stone and thank you for all the close-ups on the report. It's not easy to get all the parameters lined up in a stone of this size, with the lack of treatment and a good price.

1. If you are aiming for a bezel setting, choose something collet set, meaning the bezel is covering only the girdle, leaving the pavilion totally open to allow light to get in from the sides.

2. Rhodium dipping will not affect the stone and is always done with the stones still set in place.