Amazing Jeff White sapphire!

[anemone]

Under a flash it is sometimes this color blue, like diamondseeker2006''s finger pics. Amazing.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I think that it is a color change stone, which only makes it more desirable. It did have a violet color in some light, but I never thought it looked like the picture you just posted. That stone is pretty but much lighter.

For posting pictures, you have to have them on your computer (I just use My Pictures) and upload them with the attach flie button. They need to be sized to about 5 x 7 or smaller to post here.

 

[anemone]

And indoors it looks like this. Does this mean it''s a color changer?
Sorry for the dusty pics. I''m working my digicam and microscope without the correct mount.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I just posted while you were posting, and I do think it is a color change stone. It didn''t ever look that dark unless it was lying against another surface. It looked much better sitting in the mounting where it could get some light.

 

[anemone]

It does indeed sparkle wonderfully. I''m going to let the intended recipient make the final decision on whether to keep it.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Ah-ha, so it is a gift! Let us know what you decide so we know whether it is taken or not!

 

[cinnamon013]

Date: 3/27/2008 7:33:20 PM
Author: anemone

It does indeed sparkle wonderfully. I''m going to let the intended recipient make the final decision on whether to keep it.

What is your feeling about it? I''m not in the market for it, just wondering.

 

[anemone]

Date: 3/27/2008 8:18:45 PM
Author: cinnamon013

Date: 3/27/2008 7:33:20 PM

Author: anemone


It does indeed sparkle wonderfully. I''m going to let the intended recipient make the final decision on whether to keep it.

What is your feeling about it? I''m not in the market for it, just wondering.

Well it was not as I had expected given the few photos I had seen, but someone more experienced with sapphires might have understood or expected that. It doesn''t look blue like the 3 stones I looked at before this one, but those were more expensive. I would also rather that this stone were eye clean, which it is not (wouldn''t we all).

I''ve almost been caught in my office several times today sneaking a peak at this stone it''s so interesting, however. I will let the recipient decide this weekend. She''s seen enough sapphires that I will know instantly if this is the right one for her.

 

[Catmom]

It sounds like it is a color change sapphire. I also have one that changes between blue to almost a royal purple depending upon the light. I absolutely love it! Not only is it fun to play with but outside of my ER it catches the eye of almost everyone I meet. I do hope the intended recipient decides to keep it. It looks like a wonderful stone.

 

[anemone]

Well I showed the sapphire to the lucky recipient and she really likes it. She did pick out the inclusions immediately, however.

I''m considering getting the stone appraised. I just don''t know enough about how the inclusions affect the durability and value of the stone to feel confident in it.

Hopefully Jeff will agree to let me have it appraised before making a final decision.

I''ve heard the names RW Wise and Richard Sherwood tossed around here with regard to colored stone appraisals.
Any advice you might have for me or experiences you would like to share with regard to colored stone appraisal?

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 3/31/2008 3:19:27 PM
Author: anemone


Well I showed the sapphire to the lucky recipient and she really likes it. She did pick out the inclusions immediately, however.


I'm considering getting the stone appraised. I just don't know enough about how the inclusions affect the durability and value of the stone to feel confident in it.


Hopefully Jeff will agree to let me have it appraised before making a final decision.


I've heard the names RW Wise and Richard Sherwood tossed around here with regard to colored stone appraisals.

Any advice you might have for me or experiences you would like to share with regard to colored stone appraisal?

I had my sapphire appraised by RW Wise, and while he was very nice, it is obvious that he would rather be doing something other than appraisals. So I personally would send it to Richard Sherwood. I did RW Wise because he happens to be local to my parents' house and I was visiting and stopped in. Otherwise, I'd send it to Richard.

 

[anemone]

Well I got a quote of $115+$42 insured 2nd day air return shipping from a gemstone appraiser. Is that in the ballpark of what you were charged neatfreak? This adds up to $200 total for an appraisal, which is more than 5% of the price of the stone.

I've examined the stone in great detail under 40x magnification with my Leica scope and various strong back/top lighting. The way the facets meet to within 5 microns is SO good. I'll post pics of some of the cuts this week that really impressed me. Though this stone is high temp heated you can see the remnants of silk everywhere.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 4/2/2008 12:43:39 AM
Author: anemone
Well I got a quote of $115+$42 insured 2nd day air return shipping from a gemstone appraiser. Is that in the ballpark of what you were charged neatfreak? This adds up to $200 total for an appraisal, which is more than 5% of the price of the stone.

I''ve examined the stone in great detail under 40x magnification with my Leica scope and various strong back/top lighting. The way the facets meet to within 5 microns is SO good. I''ll post pics of some of the cuts this week that really impressed me. Though this stone is high temp heated you can see the remnants of silk everywhere.

I personally don''t see how those tiny crystals would have an effect on durability. And I think the price on the stone is fine, so I personally wouldn''t have thought it necessary to send it to an appraiser. But why do you say it was "high temp" heat treated?

 

[anemone]

Well at 40x the inclusions look to my eye like discoid stress fractures resulting from heating and cooling. They occur along the lines of the silk that used to be present, and at the angles I''d expect. They also aren''t small. I can see the inclusions from 3 feet away in bright light because they reflect incident light very strongly back to the viewer given that two of them are parallel to the table. There are 4 of these lily-pad shaped thingies near where prongs will hold the stone.

The beauty of the stone and the cutting makes these flaws acceptable to the recipient if a qualified appraisal results in an appropriate replacement valuation for insurance purposes. The stone is en route to an appraiser. I''ll report back in two weeks. I would really like to keep this stone.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I know next to nothing about heat treatment and you obviously know more than I do, but my understand was that low heat was acceptable and high heat was not. But I surely can't look at a stone and tell. Are you a gemologist? I'll be very interested to hear about the appraisal. But I thought you had 7 days to view the stone. Has he given you an extra 2 weeks?

 

[anemone]

Date: 4/2/2008 8:48:03 PM
Author: diamondseeker2006
I know next to nothing about heat treatment and you obviously know more than I do, but my understand was that low heat was acceptable and high heat was not. But I surely can''t look at a stone and tell. Are you a gemologist? I''ll be very interested to hear about the appraisal. But I thought you had 7 days to view the stone. Has he given you an extra 2 weeks?

My understanding of heat treatment in sapphires suggested that standard Sri Lankan burning would eliminate the silk in the stone and improve clarity, but wouldn''t result in disc-shaped stress fractures, which may not be correct. After all, what one website calls "low temp" treatment may be "high temp roasting" on another site when both are talking about a 1500F fire. I DO see faint remnants of the silk. My inexperience with the particulars of sapphire and stress fractures in general is what led me to the appraisal stage.

Jeff is on vacation this week, and we haven''t had a chance to discuss an extension of the inspection period to include appraisal. I suspect both of us will be satisfied with whatever happens in the end.