Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heated?

[CherryBlossom]

Alright, I am venturing into unknown waters and I need pricescope to be my life preserver so I do not sink and get eaten by piranhas.

While I know a bit about diamonds, the world of colored gemstones is literally like a foreign language to me. I know NOTHING. I have no idea if they can be certified, know nothing about the cut, or even the name of colors which I recently found out are called the names of locations where they originate... but that's sometimes a trick that's used in order to rip customers off??

I know this. I like the more royal blue shades that have a hint of purple and green but are still relatively light enough to have light shine through them. I don't like the super matted look, prefer something with a tiny bit of brilliance.

I have no idea what "windowing" even means. Is that the same thing as a bowtie in an oval cut diamond? or am I way of?

If I don't even know what color to start with, how can I go about purchasing one. My max budget for the stone is about $1,500 -2,000 because I am spending about $2,700 on the setting of my dreams. I still want to get the most beautiful stone for my budget, so please help me. I love how when it comes to diamonds I can just go to GOG or WF and be satisfied w/ most of the products that I get. Are there similar when it comes to this field?

I am totally open to lab created sapphires, supposedly I hear that they look just as good, is that true? are there credible vendors for this? is there a difference between lab created and synthetic and heated/treated stones? these categories mix me up a bit. How do I know what is what?

Oh and did I mention that this is for my engagement ring? and did I also mention that I will most likely be purchasing the stone without seeing it in person. yes it's true, that's why I am counting on all of you!! didn't mean to make that rhyme

Most important things to me in this order

1) Must be at least 1.5 ct

2) Quality of the stone is super important, the cut must be relative equal to a very good/excellent + cut round brilliant diamond. What is the ideal cut/proportions for an oval/cushion sapphire???

3) color I would like something that's not super dark but nothing close to being very light, a deep royal blue with some level of sparkle/brilliance please (what is that even called?)

4) Inclusions: don't really care as long as it's eye clean from 6 inches

5) shape: oval or elongated cushion

6) Should my stone be certified? by who?

love you guys and gals. help plz

 

[Aoife]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

I'm not a fan of synthetics, so I'll leave that to someone more knowledgeable, but here are a few answers.

If you are serious about buying a blue sapphire, you need to spend some time educating yourself. Sapphires are routinely subjected to a variety of treatments, including beryllium diffusion and heating. Many CS lovers have strong feelings about treatments, and before you buy anything you need to figure out how you feel about them. If you check out the threads by "Steve needs a ring," you will find extensive discussion of the pros and cons, as well as recommendations for vendors. It's a good starting place, and then you could come back here with more specific questions.
https://www.pricescope.com/communit...ng-a-sapphire-e-ring-so-i-can-propose.146843/

https://www.pricescope.com/communit...apphire-lets-find-the-perfect-setting.151890/

If you want to know what a window is, there is a recent thread by a Pricesoper who just bought a pair of aquamarines that were very windowed. Windows can occur when a stone is too shallow, or cut incorrectly. Bowties are not the same thing.

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-new-pair-of-aqua-and-windows.155789/

You can send a colored stone to several labs, but AGL and GIA are the only two in the US that have the equipment to test for Be diffusion. AGL is recommended most frequently because they offer information on the stone that GIA does not.

I'm sure other CS'ers will jump in to answer your other questions, or correct me if I am way off base.

 

[T L]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

Just know that you should NOT be paying a lot of money for a diffused or synthetic sapphire. Both kinds are worth very little, but some unscrupulous sellers will only call diffused sapphires, "heated" or not disclose synthetics.

There are heated sapphires, which are worth much more than diffused ones. All diffused sapphires are heated, but not all heated sapphires are diffused. Therefore, when shelling out any significant amount of money on a sapphire, not only should you get a lab report from a reputable lab, but the lab should test for a foreign element (a sign of diffusion), which is an expensive test. Not all labs have the high tech machinery to do this test.

Therefore, if you're seriously considering corundum, (that goes for ruby or sapphire), it is essentially important to KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GETTING as far as all treatment is concerned. I often recommend people look for unheated sapphires, while the most expensive, you don't have to worry about all the issues with heated stones.

If you want a synthetic, they are extremely cheap, and should not be more than $25 for a calibrated machine cut piece. You can find them all over QVC and HSN, and the various shopping channels for very little.

 

[maebelle]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

http://www.gemfix.com/sapphire_montana.html Top of the page has a Heat only Oval that might be slightly too light for you

http://www.gemfix.com/sapphire_blue.html also a couple you might like in your price range.


I know that Micheal E. will cut both natural and synthetic sapphires (and price them accordingly). http://www.gemshoppe.com/

There are so many more vendors, definitely check out the SteveNeedsARing thread that Aoife posted, as well as dig into the forum a bit more. I've been here for 6 months going through vendor websites, and have bought a couple of cheaper stones in the mean time.

(I'm also waiting patiently for my boyfriend to say we can purchase an engagement sapphire for myself, good luck! I)

 

[LD]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

Just building on what everybody else has said, here's a quick synopsis or you:-

1. Natural untreated sapphires - will always be the most expensive.

2. Natural, heated only sapphires - will also command good prices and are usually heated to improve their colour. Some collectors accept heating, others don't!

3. Natural sapphires but BE diffused - heated with Beryllium to improve colour and clarity. Usually a yucky looking sapphire is at the start of the process and you end up with a very bright/highly coloured gemstone. Collectors typically won't touch these. There are lots of these on the market (Ebay, shopping television outlets etc). The colouring process is stable and goes right through the gemstone. There are many vendors who sell these but don't disclose the treatment. Typically if a stone looks too good to be true and the price is low, then it probably is BE diffused (a bit of a generalisation but I hope it helps).

4. Locations - sapphires come from a number of locations and unscrupulous vendors will use the name "Ceylon" sapphire as a marketing ploy. Yes, the stone may well be from Ceylon but there are good and bad sapphire from there. So, as you're not familiar with coloured gemstones, I would find one you like rather than limiting yourself to a locality.

5. Colour - all important but critically it must be a colour you love. Some love inky blue sapphires, others like lighter blues. You must buy what you like NOT what others tell you you should!

6. Cut - a window is a stone that looks like you can see right through the middle of it. This is caused by the cut of the gemstone and you lose colour in the centre as a result (not like a bow tie where you get a darker area). A small window can sometimes be masked with a clever setting but bigger ones are more of a challenge.

7. Synthetics - man made. Very pretty, usually clean and vibrantly coloured but I, personally, wouldn't want one. I want something created by nature, not man!

Have a look at www.simplysapphires.com because this is a good place to see lots of sapphires in one place and get an idea of colour and cost.

 

[Pandora II]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

1) Must be at least 1.5 ct

You are better to go by mm sizes as gemstones have different specific gravities - a 1ct sapphire will be a fair bit smaller than a 1ct diamond. Sapphires are rarely cut to calibrated sizes so you are better to buy the stone before finding the setting.

2) Quality of the stone is super important, the cut must be relative equal to a very good/excellent + cut round brilliant diamond. What is the ideal cut/proportions for an oval/cushion sapphire???

There aren't cut grades for coloured stones in the way that there are for diamonds. Colour is king in the cs world and stones with fine colour will be cut to maximise the size of the stone and keep the colour. You can however buy precision cut stones but this will hugely reduce the choice of stones or you will need to find someone to cut the stone for you. This is always a bit risky as you can't always determine the final colour from the colour of the rough. The best angles etc for cutting coloured stones will depend on the material (different species have different RI's), the shape of the rough, the style of cut and whether a stone is being cut for colour or a balance of all criteria.

5) shape: oval or elongated cushion

This is good as it is a common shape for corundum and will increase the number of stones that may fit your criteria.

6) Should my stone be certified? by who?

AGL would be my lab of choice. Laboratories issue 'reports' not 'certificates' - they state the best opinion of the gemmologist and are not a guarantee. This goes for diamonds as well but is more important to bear in mind in coloured stones IMHO.

I personally don't have an issue with low heat treatment - but bear in mind that a heated stone may have been heated up to SEVEN times before it's finally finished - but nothing else. I especially dislike things like Be treatment. I don't want a piece of fish-gravel that has been cooked up to look like great. The gem-treaters are always discovering new techniques and the labs try to keep pace.

Detecting treated stones is an expensive lab test but I wouldn't buy sapphires at the moment without sending them for a full report, especially if I was spending a decent amount on them.

Synthetics (same as lab-created) - the top quality ones aren't as cheap as you might think, but you can pick others up for $5 a carat or even less. I wouldn't want one as an e-ring personally. You also can't discuss them on PS.

There are a number of great dealers around, but unlike diamonds there aren't necessarily that many stones around that fit within a certain criteria. You can't buy them off the shelf if that makes sense! If you lose an F VS2 rb with EX/EX/EX, you can go out tomorrow and buy a near identical stone. If you buy a sapphire in a particular size, cut, shade and you lose it you could search for months and still not find a near identical stone.

Personally I have had great stones (not all sapphires) from Palagems, Rick Martin at Art Cut Gems and Wink at Winfields. Pala's site is well worth a look just because they have fabulous stones - word of warning, it's trade only and prices aren't visible and some of their sapphires cost $ 6 figures!

 

[CherryBlossom]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

You guys and gals are honestly amazing. If I could hug you I would. I have not read everything, but will spend the day doing so and let you know if I have any questions.

I am also looking for some reputable natural and synthetic vendors online and also possibly on Ebay. Any suggestions on a list to get me started? you don't have to link me if it's any trouble, you can just post a list and I'll look it up myself

 

[colorluvr]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

You guys and gals are honestly amazing. If I could hug you I would. I have not read everything, but will spend the day doing so and let you know if I have any questions.

I am also looking for some reputable natural and synthetic vendors online and also possibly on Ebay. Any suggestions on a list to get me started? you don't have to link me if it's any trouble, you can just post a list and I'll look it up myself

I don't think we are allowed to discuss synthetic stones on PS. If I'm wrong, please correct me and I will give my opinion on two good sellers.

 

[Largosmom]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

I have a heated sapphire from Jeff White. I've been through what you are going through now. I looked at a handful of stones brought in by my local jewelers. Don't make my mistake...get the stone first! I got the setting first then tried to find a stone to fit it and that made my choices far more difficult and actually reduced the possible stone size for a bit. I love my setting, but I wish I had done more reading and learning before I started looking and fell in love with a setting. Colored stones are cut for color first, then weight..and as pointed out, their density differs from diamonds, so the same carat weight in a colored stone may face up smaller than a diamond because the cutter left more depth under the girdle of the stone either to improve the color or the weight...or both. If you get a stone from a precision cutter, there is no reason to sacrifice brilliance, but they aren't diamonds, so a sapphire performs differently.

You should be aware that what you see on your screen versus what someone else sees on their computer screen can vary, sometimes quite a bit, so be sure to be as clear as you can in working on the desired color with your vendor or cutter. Some of the precision cutters recut largish, native cut stones in order to get decent cutting material. The resulting color can be a tad unpredictable because you remove some of the material that causes the color so they are often a bit lighter than what they started with...but the results can also be stunning! I'm very happy with my stone. It's a color-changer, from blue to purple. Sapphire can have a mild color shift in different lighting anyway, as can other colored gemstones.

Relax and enjoy the hunt. In the end, you will find that each stone is unique, and the tradespace for colored stones is slightly different than diamonds. From reading on rocky talky, it seems most people will give a bit on color in order to obtain a larger stone. In colored gemstones, the reverse is often true...to get the color we want, we'll give on either size, or treatment, or cut. You have to figure out for yourself which you want and which you are willing to trade. It's up to you if you want to get a lab report on the gem...actually a great idea. Others know more about that than I do.

Do not be afraid to contact the cutters, they are used to working on custom jobs and will tell you if they have something appropriate or not. I think next week is the Tucson gem show, so some may not be quickly reachable if they are traveling to purchase rough. This is a very large show in the US. Be sure to check out deposit requirements for them.

Some good cutters you may wish to check out:
Jeff White--award winning cutter (well known here for his sapphires)--www.whitesgems.com
Dan Stair..often has montana sapphires on his site, which can have more of that greenish tint or a steely blue color, less often the darker blues--www.customgemstones.com
Peter Torraca...www.torraca.net (and his flickr photos are awesome)...has natural stones and other options available and some awesome unusual cuts
Barry Bridgestock...www.acstones.com, has a few sapphires
Dana from www.mastercutgems.com,, has a few as well and is a good guy to email to see if he has something not yet posted...look everywhere on his site because sometimes things aren't where you think they might be.
Other vendors with good sapphires...www.precisiongem.com, and Gary Braun at www.finewatergems.com.. They often don't have a large inventory on their web site...but do cut awesome sapphires and are worth contacting to see if they have rough appropriate.

Laura

 

[Pandora II]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

Just wanted to add that it's probably pointless trying to contact anyone till after February 13th as most people will be at Tucson - probably the No.1 trade gemshow world-wide (and which I would quite possibly sell my first-born child to go to )

 

[minousbijoux]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

Between Tucson and Chinese New Year, its going to be quiet few weeks

<crickets chirping>

 

[CherryBlossom]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

You guys and gals are honestly amazing. If I could hug you I would. I have not read everything, but will spend the day doing so and let you know if I have any questions.

I am also looking for some reputable natural and synthetic vendors online and also possibly on Ebay. Any suggestions on a list to get me started? you don't have to link me if it's any trouble, you can just post a list and I'll look it up myself

I don't think we are allowed to discuss synthetic stones on PS. If I'm wrong, please correct me and I will give my opinion on two good sellers.

Oh by synthetic I mean the heated/lab created ones. Not simulates. Isn't there a difference?

 

[chrono]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

A heated corundum is still a natural sapphire.
A lab created sapphire is still a sapphire, only that it is man made, also known as a synthetic.

 

[PrecisionGem]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

You guys and gals are honestly amazing. If I could hug you I would. I have not read everything, but will spend the day doing so and let you know if I have any questions.

I am also looking for some reputable natural and synthetic vendors online and also possibly on Ebay. Any suggestions on a list to get me started? you don't have to link me if it's any trouble, you can just post a list and I'll look it up myself

I don't think we are allowed to discuss synthetic stones on PS. If I'm wrong, please correct me and I will give my opinion on two good sellers.

Oh by synthetic I mean the heated/lab created ones. Not simulates. Isn't there a difference?

Also, a lab created sapphire is not the same as a simulate. A simulate could be basically any material that looks like a the stone it is trying to imitate, in this case blue. Good quality lab created sapphire can cost over $100 per ct., a simulate could be blue glass, and sell for $1 per ct or less.

 

[CherryBlossom]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

You guys and gals are honestly amazing. If I could hug you I would. I have not read everything, but will spend the day doing so and let you know if I have any questions.

I am also looking for some reputable natural and synthetic vendors online and also possibly on Ebay. Any suggestions on a list to get me started? you don't have to link me if it's any trouble, you can just post a list and I'll look it up myself

I don't think we are allowed to discuss synthetic stones on PS. If I'm wrong, please correct me and I will give my opinion on two good sellers.

Oh by synthetic I mean the heated/lab created ones. Not simulates. Isn't there a difference?

Also, a lab created sapphire is not the same as a simulate. A simulate could be basically any material that looks like a the stone it is trying to imitate, in this case blue. Good quality lab created sapphire can cost over $100 per ct., a simulate could be blue glass, and sell for $1 per ct or less.

Ok I am totally clueless about those terms with gemstones. I am not interested in the simulate's, just trying to learn the difference between lab created and natural sapphire. Are they similar to lab created diamonds made by Gemesis, etc? or would they be considered like CZ and more brittle, etc.?? I figured that it's ok to talk about because there's a whole forum on this site dedicated to lab created diamonds.

So in order to get the terminology straight is it
Synthetic = lab created = same chemical structure

Simulate = totally different chemical structure but is only similar in terms of aesthetics, like moissanite and CZ?

correct? or is it the other way around? basically I want to know the correct term to use for lab created sapphires that have the exact same chemical structure of natural sapphires.

On another note, does GIA certify gemstones like sapphires or is there another institute that certifies? who is the most reputable?

 

[PrecisionGem]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

You have the terms right. Lab created is actually sapphire, just grown in a lab. A simulate is not chemically the same, it just looks similar.

 

[Largosmom]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

Man-made, synthetic, lab-created are all equivalent terms for gems grown in controlled conditions by a couple of different methods in a lab. In the US, they cannot be called "natural", though they are chemically the same as natural sapphire (also called corundum).

Simulants need not be "fakes". For example, spinel has been used as a sapphire simulant...but it is still a "real" stone, and may be or may not be "natural". Spinel can be made by nature or in a lab. Simulants may be imitation stones, which in the past have been called "paste", or may be things like glass with foil behind them, or several types of man-made crystal materials.

Chatham is a lab that makes several types of synthetic gemstones, including opal, sapphire, emeralds and more.

In the US, the terms are covered in law or regulations by the FCC. Natural means the stone was created by mother nature.

What happens after that is usually called a treatment. Others may call it "enhancement" but that is a term that is, I think not supposed to be used but you see it in sales or marketing materials a lot.

Heating is a type of gem treatment and there are different types that have been described. Simple heating means that the stone or a batch of stones is heated to temperatures which may melt inclusions or cause changes in color, resulting in a stone of higher clarity or a more desirable color. The stone can be heated with other chemicals, in which case the chemicals can coat or enter the structure of the stone, causing changes which again make the stone more desirable.

If a stone is of equivalent color, size, clarity and cut, differences in prices probably indicate differences in treatment. Since good gem quality stones are quite rare and therefore expensive, treatments can take stones that look like fish gravel, and turn them into something that can be sold for a profit. Treatments are all about making more money than would be obtained for the original stone.

In addition to heating, other treatments include filling cracks with substances to improve clarity or make the crack disappear (oil, glass or other substances).

An educated gemstone shopper should be familiar with treatments, and arm themselves with information on how to identify the obvious ones, and how to get a stone that is what they expect it to be.

 

[VapidLapid]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

If you get a genuine lab created sapphire you dont need an agl or gia lab report.

 

[CherryBlossom]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

Okay! great! tons of awesome info. I think we're going to go ahead and go with the Natural sapphire, just because I want something that was made by nature. What type of certifications do I need to ask for in order to make sure that it's a quality stone/cut, etc. ??

Yesterday I tried on this amazing ring, I LOVE It but it's a bit too big for me at about 4ct. I am thinking of sticking to 1.5ct - 2.0 ct.

We have decided to go ahead and increase our budget to whatever amount we need to go to in order to get a very nice, rich colored, natural stone. I had no idea the cost, but I quickly realized that we might need to double or even triple it. So yeah... but it's ok, we'll deal

Here are some pictures of the ring I tried on, what color is this? It looked very very brilliant, almost like a colored diamond... but again I have not seen that many colored diamonds or great sapphires. So I don't know what I am looking at or what to ask for if I want a stone similar to this tone. The stone in the pictures is a round, but I am leaning towards either an oval or a cushion cut. Could you guys tell by the picture what color it is and what kind of cut that makes it look brilliant? that way I can go about searching for something similar in an oval/cushion cut at around 1.5-2.0 ct??

the pictures were taken on my phone, so they are bad, but hopefully you get the idea of what type of color I'm looking for

 

[CherryBlossom]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

Ok here is my last question of the day, what is this precision cut that you all speak of? I am only used to diamonds so the idea of taking a diamond and having it recut terrifies me and I doubt that I would ever attempt it. But it seems like that is not the case w/ sapphires. Could someone break that down for me? thanks!

 

[maebelle]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

You can buy gems that are already precision cut, which means that a gem cutter has taken either rough (uncut stone) or a a cut gem that isn't symetrical, or maybe doesn't have the right angles for light return, and has cut it so the stone is perfectly symetrical, and has been cut for the best light return. A good example is SteveNeedsARing gem he bought from Jeff White.

It was a native cut stone that Jeff had on hand...


that Jeff re-cut to look like this...



See the difference?

Some you might like color wise, longer shapes...

http://www.simplysapphires.com/html/imagesblue2006/bluecns376b-sm.html
http://www.simplysapphires.com/html/imagesblue2006/bluecns670a-sm.html
http://www.simplysapphires.com/html/imagesblue2006/bluecns492b-sm.html

They have a lot of rectangle/longer shapes...

You also have to have more of an idea of size in millemeters instead of carats. Gemstones don't have ideal depths/cuts like diamonds, so they can have vastly different sizes for the same carats. For example, I want between a 6.5 to 7 mm round, which could be different carat weights because of the depth, but still be a great cut.

 

[minousbijoux]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

Okay, you ask a lot of good questions and really, the best answer is to say "it depends."

I would say that the sapphire in your photos is a medium tone, slightly violet, blue. In terms of cut, there is no magic formula or cut that you can go in and request that will mimic what you see...unfortunately with sapphires, it seems that that they are all so individual that you search until you find one that you fall in love with - you can't really order one of a certain color and cut, unless you have a lot of money to spend. The one in the pics may be portuguese cut, but I'll leave that to the experts

[Brief interruption for Superbowl halftime]

In terms of treatments, the most expensive sapphires you'll encounter will be unheated. Then next will be heat treatment only. After that, there are various treatments where they heat the sapphire to such high heats that the sapphire accepts dyes and other substances that improve its appearance both in terms of color and inclusions. I personally don't know a lot about these, because I try to avoid them, but this is personal preference; you can get a lot more sapphire for the money this way.

In terms of certification - this is only necessary if you care about getting one with little or no treatment. Since they cost more, most people want to know they are getting what they pay for. If I am paying for an unheated or heat only sapphire, I want it certified by a reputable lab. As to labs, there are many, especially if you buy from Asia, but in the US, the two biggest and considered the best are AGL, and GIA. Oh, and I should hasten to add that there are very few that have the equipment to test for treatments, and AGL and GIA can.

As for size, you probably want to get a sense of what mm size you like on your finger, rather than go for carat weight. This is because the face up size of the stone depends on how deep the stone is cut - that is, the deeper the stone, the less width it will have relative to a wider stone of similar weight.

Given your revised budget, you should be able to find a high quality stone; in fact, I think you'll have some good choices to choose from.

 

[CherryBlossom]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

You can buy gems that are already precision cut, which means that a gem cutter has taken either rough (uncut stone) or a a cut gem that isn't symetrical, or maybe doesn't have the right angles for light return, and has cut it so the stone is perfectly symetrical, and has been cut for the best light return. A good example is SteveNeedsARing gem he bought from Jeff White.

It was a native cut stone that Jeff had on hand...


that Jeff re-cut to look like this...



See the difference?

Some you might like color wise, longer shapes...

http://www.simplysapphires.com/html/imagesblue2006/bluecns376b-sm.html
http://www.simplysapphires.com/html/imagesblue2006/bluecns670a-sm.html
http://www.simplysapphires.com/html/imagesblue2006/bluecns492b-sm.html

They have a lot of rectangle/longer shapes...

You also have to have more of an idea of size in millemeters instead of carats. Gemstones don't have ideal depths/cuts like diamonds, so they can have vastly different sizes for the same carats. For example, I want between a 6.5 to 7 mm round, which could be different carat weights because of the depth, but still be a great cut.

Alright, I think I am getting it. I am pretty sure that I want something around 7.0 - 7.5 mm

I like the look of some of the ones you posted, but those prices seem almost toooo cheap. Are those treated? I don't want to get one that has been heated or treated in any way. I now also want to make sure it's certified.

BTW, what color do you guys/gals think this amazing one: http://www.bluenile.com/sapphire-diamond-ring-platinum_18721




how about this one

 

[Harriet]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

Colour preferences are subjective, so please try to see the gem before buying it.

Also, colour (in the gem world) has 3 components: hue, saturation and tone. Let me find a good explanation of the 3.

 

[chrono]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

Harriet,
The Pala guide is quite easy to understand.
http://www.palagems.com/quality_4cs.htm

 

[Harriet]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

See the section titled "The GIA Colored Stone Grading System." The subsection on clarity is useful too.

http://www.preciousgemstones.com/gffallparttwo.html

 

[Harriet]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

Harriet,
The Pala guide is quite easy to understand.
http://www.palagems.com/quality_4cs.htm

Oops. Forgot.

 

[Pandora II]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

[quote="CherryBlossom|1297050757|2845326
Alright, I think I am getting it. I am pretty sure that I want something around 7.0 - 7.5 mm

I like the look of some of the ones you posted, but those prices seem almost toooo cheap. Are those treated? I don't want to get one that has been heated or treated in any way. I now also want to make sure it's certified.

BTW, what color do you guys/gals think this amazing one: http://www.bluenile.com/sapphire-diamond-ring-platinum_18721




how about this one[/quote]

Please bear in mind:

- Untreated/unheated stones can carry up to a 40% premium in price and greatly reduces the available stones. You need to be very careful if you are recutting a stone that can be expensive to start with and consider whether you would be happy if you lose colour/substantial weight.

- 7 to 7.5mm is likely to be a good deal over 2cts and as much as 4cts.

- as I mentioned above, labs don't issue 'certificates', they issue 'reports'. These are not guarantees, they are merely the best opinion of the gemmologist and the results of the lab-tests. These lab-tests are not always 100% accurate. Some used for Be testing are only 80% accurate. I would want a report on any expensive stone, but I bear in mind that in the future with better technology it might be proved to be something that isn't obvious today or that is a treatment not yet detectable.

 

[Harriet]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

I second Pandora. Look at stones that don't need tweaking.

P, thanks for stressing the report vs. cert. distinction.

 

[Harriet]

Re: Blue Sapph. confused, lab created?synthetic?natural?heat

P, I don't like contradicting you, but a 7.0-7.5mm will be in the 1.5-2 ct range.