Blue sapphire question

[arkieb1]

Dug this up from 2011. I that blue! Didn't enhance the color, just cropped the screen shot.



PBS video

Except the valuer or person on the Antiques road show claims they are transitional diamonds, in fact if you look closely they look more like rose cut or possibly off shaped single cuts to me (but I think they look more like Rose cuts) and date wise transitional cuts as melee typically are a bit later than what she was saying, so I dunno - I can't see the ring and diamonds well enough to judge or if that person just gets it wrong.

I do agree with the valuer that a recut of that sapphire would probably improve/liven up the colour of it, having said that if it's old Burma or Kashmir then the stone is worth too much to recut and both can be that colour, so I'm not sure giving that woman advise to recut it was the first thing I'd do either.

 

[arkieb1]

Another gorgeous sapphire.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzihivCFGcD/?igshid=uuhjvj0sftmo

Yes that IS perfect. Probably comes with a perfect price tag too, that's the problem now with near perfect mid blues they are becoming increasingly unaffordable in decent sizes.

 

[T L]

Yes that IS perfect. Probably comes with a perfect price tag too, that's the problem now with near perfect mid blues they are becoming increasingly unaffordable in decent sizes.

Yes, I just posted it as what I consider a benchmark for a near perfect sapphire. It’s obviously not attainable to mere mortals, but even a sapphire that color in a one carat to sub carat size would probably make an impact. At least with sapphire, you don’t have to obtain top quality to have a beautiful stone. I would just avoid gems that are too dark and gray. I personally don’t mind a little gray in sapphire as long as it’s not a dark tone.

 

[T L]

Except the valuer or person on the Antiques road show claims they are transitional diamonds, in fact if you look closely they look more like rose cut or possibly off shaped single cuts to me (but I think they look more like Rose cuts) and date wise transitional cuts as melee typically are a bit later than what she was saying, so I dunno - I can't see the ring and diamonds well enough to judge or if that person just gets it wrong.

I do agree with the valuer that a recut of that sapphire would probably improve/liven up the colour of it, having said that if it's old Burma or Kashmir then the stone is worth too much to recut and both can be that colour, so I'm not sure giving that woman advise to recut it was the first thing I'd do either.

Their jewelry appraisers are not very good. That ring is really undervalued, even at 2001 prices. I once saw a set of diamond pieces that the appraiser undervalued by thousands on that show. Crazy!!! I would never recut that stone, and taking it out of that setting would ruin the setting. Terrible advice!!

 

[Rad_Fan]

@arkieb1 I do agree with you about the diamond cut. Here is the still image of the ring before the start of the video clip. They do look like wonky rose cut.

When Gloria tilted the ring about 45 degree, I saw that 1/2 and 1/2 extinction. I thought EW setting even out the color.



@T L Gloria said that if the owner would have sold it at auction, that is the price she would get at 2011. I often find the pricing on RS confusing because they don't specify if it's resell, retail, or insurance value. I guess when a person sells something, he/she will make the least, right? But 10-12K does sound low since that Royal wedding also took place that year. Maybe Gloria thought it's treated?

I still love the color no matter what. It looks good to me under low light.

I that Austy Lee one but wish they showed it away from that spotlight. I am not a pro so I am skeptical when seeing something that is overly glamorized.

 

[T L]

All I remember was that was a huge stone and highly saturated. Too low a price imo.

 

[voce]

Another gorgeous sapphire.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzihivCFGcD/?igshid=uuhjvj0sftmo

Beautiful stone, but why is Burma in the parenthesis after Kashmir? The misinformation hurts my eyes!

 

[Rad_Fan]

I think the House of Windsor prefers this shade of blue for their sapphires.

 

[T L]

Hence the reason darkish sapphires are coined “Royal Blue” perhaps????

 

[arkieb1]

It's almost a British tradition to like "royal" blue sapphires, that's probably why, and if you get decent ones which they can afford the ones that look black most of the time but flash a really vivid blue I get it, I saw some of the jewels on display at various places in Britain - the ones that were not our concept of ideal in colour were big totally open clean clear stones (yes even the dark ones) making them way more expensive than what the average person could ever afford to ones that again might have been dark but flashed really vivid colours in strong lighting so either way they are still in possession of quality stones.

 

[arkieb1]

Hence the reason darkish sapphires are coined “Royal Blue” perhaps????

I wonder if it's because historically they were wearing them for centuries before heat treatments, and they probably prefer non treated stones so therefore many of them were and are naturally darker.

 

[ordinaryrainbow]

GOG compared four different blue sapphires of different tone and saturation but similar size and cut in an old YouTube video, and asked people to respond with their favourite. It’s so interesting to see that the responses varied so much:

 

[Rad_Fan]

... big totally open clean clear stones (yes even the dark ones) making them way more expensive than what the average person could ever afford to ones that again might have been dark but flashed really vivid colours in strong lighting so either way they are still in possession of quality stones.

The 206.82 carat Sapphire Pendant of Duchess of Windsor looks clean too, but more in "watered down" blue.

 

[Rad_Fan]

It's almost a British tradition to like "royal" blue sapphires, that's probably why, and if you get decent ones which they can afford the ones that look black most of the time but flash a really vivid blue I get it,...

Another Royal Blue for another royal, Queen Marie of Romania's Sapphire

This shot is "better".



If this portrait is actual, the blue on the lost Vladimir Sapphire Kokoshnik looks less deep.

 

[T L]

To the untrained eye, some people don’t know how to tell fine saturation. My own taste has changed 180 degrees since I started collecting. That’s why they’re called “learning stones.”

Besides, even to the trained eye, some people just don’t care for the trade ideal in certain gems and colors.

 

[arkieb1]

We assume that some of these stones are blaah, but when we see badly cut gems, the reality is, they are Antique cut. I have some antique cut, flattish cut stones with lots of windows of different types, and the untreated Burma pear sapphire I own was a 11+ carat fairly flat Antique that came out of a jewelled necklace that was pulled apart for the stones, owned by someone rich or important in Burma. It's now just over 7 carats which did make me cry but the recut improved the colour a decent amount, and it's still got a window, I'd lose way too much to get rid of it. Most of the Antique stones I own I can appreciate how old they are ie not recut them.

We have to keep in mind how old some of the various Royal jewels are both for cut and for colour. The Kashmir mine was only discovered 1880 to around 1920 and many of the stones they basically couldn't give away (you could give me a few).... and the deposit with the really nice stuff at Madagascar was very recent.

 

[Rad_Fan]

To the untrained eye, some people don’t know how to tell fine saturation. My own taste has changed 180 degrees since I started collecting. That’s why they’re called “learning stones.”

Besides, even to the trained eye, some people just don’t care for the trade ideal in certain gems and colors.

That's why I want to see as many as possible before buying. Trying to save $ from buying "learning stones".

 

[T L]

That's why I want to see as many as possible before buying. Trying to save $ from buying "learning stones".

Like my learning stones???

 

[Rad_Fan]

Like my learning stones???

I think I have gone beyond that point! Reminds me of hip new Nordic cuisine showcased burnt trees, hay and ashes a few years back. A few dishes were pretty awesome.

 

[Rad_Fan]

@arkieb1, what a cool story for that pear.

 

[T L]

I think I have gone beyond that point! Reminds me of hip new Nordic cuisine showcased burnt trees, hay and ashes a few years back. A few dishes were pretty awesome.

Newbies are lucky these days, there was no internet when I started collecting. I had to learn the hard ($$$$) way!!

 

[Rad_Fan]

Newbies are lucky these days, there was no internet when I started collecting. I had to learn the hard ($$$$) way!!

Other newcomers and I thank you and many other pser's for the educations.

 

[T L]

Other newcomers and I thank you and many other pser's for the educations.

Awwww, thanks to you and everyone for making this such an awesome and fun forum!

 

[T L]

The 206.82 carat Sapphire Pendant of Duchess of Windsor looks clean too, but more in "watered down" blue.

By the way, this is not trade ideal all, but I actually love this color Sapphire. It’s such a soothing color, and I really admire the luster on this gem as well.

 

[pwsg07]

Another Royal Blue for another royal, Queen Marie of Romania's Sapphire

This shot is "better".



If this portrait is actual, the blue on the lost Vladimir Sapphire Kokoshnik looks less deep.

I have actually seen this sapphire. Beautiful colour with lots of inclusions

 

[Rad_Fan]

I have actually seen this sapphire. Beautiful colour with lots of inclusions

Did you take any pictures?

 

[Rad_Fan]

By the way, this is not trade ideal all, but I actually love this color Sapphire. It’s such a soothing color, and I really admire the luster on this gem as well.

I think I like the blue to be a bit more vibrant myself. That is one clean looking gigantic stone.

You ever wonder why the models from those big auction houses seem have slightly olive skin tone? I hope that I am not offending anyone by asking this question. I just wonder if jewels show better on slightly warmer skin tone.

 

[pwsg07]

Did you take any pictures?

That was more than 15 years ago. No photos. Bad light return but has a classic sapphire blue. Rich blue but not too dark

 

[T L]

I think I like the blue to be a bit more vibrant myself. That is one clean looking gigantic stone.

You ever wonder why the models from those big auction houses seem have slightly olive skin tone? I hope that I am not offending anyone by asking this question. I just wonder if jewels show better on slightly warmer skin tone.

I think it’s the same reason why gems look better against a darker background. Skin color is just a background to gems, and I agree, I think darker skin tones make gems look nicer. Sorry if I offend as well!!!

I have a pink spinel that I adore, and I can’t wear it because it “dies” on my skin tone

 

[voce]

I think it’s the same reason why gems look better against a darker background. Skin color is just a background to gems, and I agree, I think darker skin tones make gems look nicer. Sorry if I offend as well!!!

I have a pink spinel that I adore, and I can’t wear it because it “dies” on my skin tone

I would heavily qualify your and @Rad_Fan's observations. I think that SOME medium tone and vivid gems look nicer on a darker background (i.e. darker skin tones). However, this is decidedly not the case with pastel tone gems.

I personally think my hand is a medium dark skin tone, and my lavender spinel just seems to disappear against my skin tone in a hand shot, hence why I could never wear it without a halo!