Best vendor to source pad sapphire?

[roadtonowhere]

My dream of having an antique cushion doesn't seem to materialize. It is too difficult to buy remotely. So I am thinking to get a padparadscha sapphire instead. I am thinking it is easier to judge color than cut remotely.
Can anyone recommend a good vendor to source untreated pad?

Thanks

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Unfortunately, I'd have to say that I think color is actually harder to judge remotely than cut. Between different cameras, editing tricks, different lighting etc, trying to understand color without seeing it in person is a lot of work. Add in the fact that you are looking for a padparadscha sapphire, a color that is already in hot contention, it gets even harder.


But for what it's worth, when I was searching, the only place I came across that had them in reliable and decent supply was the Natural Sapphire Company in NYC, I went in person because their photographs are misleading and people have suspected them of photoediting in the past.

 

[roadtonowhere]

Thanks... I will check them out.
Any other suggestions?

 

[minousbijoux]

There is a reputable vendor sticky at the top of this page that lists many vendors that PS members have bought from and been satisfied. All of them carry colored stones, some more corundum than others. I would start by looking at this pinned thread and reaching out to them. I notice that Africagems and AJSgems seem to have them.

 

[pregcurious]

I agree to check all the vendors in the stickied list. Just because a vendor has made it on the list, does not mean that you do not have to verify that the stone what what it is claimed to be. There is a thread about a pad that was bought from a very reputable vendor that ended up being synthetic, and the vendor did the right thing and found a real pad. (The vendor did not know himself until he sent it to be verified by AGTA.) For a high ticket item, I would have it checked.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/update-on-my-amelia-stone-well-its-not-my-amelia-stone-please-read-if-you-like-expensive-gems.108407/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/update-on-my-amelia-stone-well-its-not-my-amelia-stone-please-read-if-you-like-expensive-gems.108407/[/URL]

 

[roadtonowhere]

I have checked out a couple on the list. But the list is too long, and some of them don't even have enough sapphires listed. Thus, I am asking if there are particular vendors who might be able to source this.

I am only considering certified stone from reputable lab. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[LD]

Very few will have a good supply because a true Padparadscha doesn't come around too often. The only one is NSC but many of us won't buy from them because of their dubious selling practices. I'm afraid you'll need to establish contacts with the sticky list and see if they can source one or if they have one.

 

[pregcurious]

I agree with LD. Pads are truly rare unlike white diamonds. It will take effort to find a nice one.

There was recently a thread about the color range of pads. I can't seem to find it right now. Can someone post it?

I would start by doing a search for pads on the PS search engine and see what vendors have been able to supply good stones. The search engine is partially broken right now. After you search for "padparadscha" using the search window in the top right, if it says nothing was found, enter "padparadscha" again in the new window and it should work.

 

[chrono]

It is going to take you at least twice as long and probably cost as much as your antique cushion diamond. Although most coloured stones can be inexpensive, fine quality gems are difficult to source and are very expensive.

 

[minousbijoux]

Road: did you check out the two sources I recommended along with the list? Africagems currently has 18 in its inventory and AJS has three pages of them. It seems to me that if you have your heart really set on a pad, then those are good places to start, as they have a fair number to offer.

 

[roadtonowhere]

Thanks everyone for the reply.
I checked out africagems, but nothing jumps out.
As far as aja, I am a little concern buying from outside the US for the reason of shipping. It seems like too much of a hassle to ship things back should something is unsatisfactory.

 

[minousbijoux]

Well, you will have a very hard time sourcing one if you put limitations like those on it. If that is the case though, you might as well pay top dollar and go through either Pala (you'll need a jeweler as they are trade only) or RWWise. I personally would not want to buy from
Wise as I find him arrogant, but others who have worked with him love him and his stones. You will, however pay a huge premium for his stones. For sure those are two domestic sources where you will find a stone you like.

 

[roadtonowhere]

Thanks for the insights.
Do ajs usually have other things besides the ones on their website?

 

[LD]

Thanks for the insights.
Do ajs usually have other things besides the ones on their website?

No they don't. True Padparadschas are quite rare and when you find one, you'll need to make sure it has a proper lab report (preferably from AGL) and don't expect it to be cheap. There are tons on the market but not many that meet the LMHO brief of what one should be:
http://www.lmhc-gemology.org/pdfs/IS4_18012010.pdf

I agree 100% with Minou's post above.

Buying diamonds is easy peasie. Buying coloured stones (especially if looking for a rare one) takes time and patience I'm afraid.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Very few good pads are going to be listed in vendors' website and, often, they are going to be in the hands of trade only dealers. You should find a vendor you are comfortable with and have them pull in stones on memo for you. This is a good way to have access to a wider range of stones.

 

[roadtonowhere]

lady_disdain,
thanks for the insights.... One more question. Can any jeweler pull in stones? Or is it usually only for colored stones vendor only?

 

[roadtonowhere]

ok... i lied... i have one more question. is AGl better than GRS?
thanks

 

[Lady_Disdain]

lady_disdain,
thanks for the insights.... One more question. Can any jeweler pull in stones? Or is it usually only for colored stones vendor only?

It all boils down to the jeweler's contacts. Some will have excellent contacts to pull in stones, others, not so much.

 

[chrono]

Most local jewellers are only able to access the more common blue sapphires, and even then, only one or two which are usually of lower quality and extremely high pricing. Occasionally, with higher end jewellery stores, they have better contacts and are able to pull rarer stones such as a padparadscha but again, pricing will be extremely marked up.

Both GRS and AGL are good labs. If you are concerned and/or curious as to the colour quality, AGL offers their analysis in their full Prestige Report. GRS does not have as a reputable standing as AGL, Gubelin, SSEF and GIA though. Many Thai sellers seem to prefer GRS and I am not fond of their "pigeon's blood" and "kashmir blue" descriptors.

 

[roadtonowhere]

Thank you lady_disdain and crono.
Any of the reputable vendors on the list has better contacts than others? My local b&m will probably charge a premium. As far as online, I have only used whiteflash, idj and erd for diamonds. I don't know if they can source pad?

Thanks again for the help. I really appreciate it.

 

[pregcurious]

You're going to have to do some research about the vendors. If you want minimum work, I agree that RWWise would be a good person to go with, but there will be a high premium on his stones, and any stones he pulls for you on memo. For a pad, I would want to see it person before purchasing, so I would pick a vendor that is within driving distance of my house. I would also try to see as many stones in person as possible before even pulling any on memo.

For an expensive stone, I have used an independent appraiser (with expertise in colored stones) during the memo period (usually 10 days) to help me assess the stone because I do not consider myself a colored stone expert. I did not want the person selling me the stone to be the sole person assessing the stone (besides myself) because of conflict of interest.

Here is a thread about some pads from PS users. You can look up the threads under each user's name to find out how they sourced their pad. Art Nouveau's pad is one of my favorites (she is referred to as AN in the thread):
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-padparadscha-sapphire.161182/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-me-your-padparadscha-sapphire.161182/[/URL]

You can see more in a thread I started here (AN reset her stone into the updated ring on this thread):
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/padparadscha-ring-setting-ideas.162394/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/padparadscha-ring-setting-ideas.162394/[/URL]

There is another thread discussing the actual color of pads, and that they are not always delicate. I still can't find the thread, which is unfortunate.

EDIT: Here is the pad color thread: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/excellent-article-on-padparadscha.186029/#post-3389186?hilit=pads#p3389186']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/excellent-article-on-padparadscha.186029/#post-3389186?hilit=pads#p3389186[/URL]
Even the experts do not agree on what color a pad should be.

 

[roadtonowhere]

pregqurious....
thanks a lot for the reply. I will check out these threads.

 

[soberguy]

I'm sorry but I think calling Richard Wise arrogant was out of line. Have you ever purchased from him? Spoken to him? I found him engaging knowledgeable helpful and patient. Wish we still had his knowledge here as I would strongly prefer his expertise to some of the less experienced opinions looked upon as expert...

 

[minousbijoux]

SG: Thanks for pointing that out. I didn't have to say it, but I am speaking from my own experience and did preface it that way, fwiw. I'll try and work on my diplomacy skills.

Edited for typo

 

[chrono]

I am unsure of most vendors' sources / contacts. Whiteflash is likely to get their stones from Pala and other sources. I don't know about IDJ and ERD but all three are strongly diamond based. My dealings with RWise has not been satisfactory in the past so I would not purchase from him. I do know that others like MZ had a great experience though.