From rough to me - New Jim Rentfrow Montana Sapphire...

[colorluvr]

Shortly after I saw the garnet rough (see my previous thread) on that "friendly site", Jim posted a picture of some Montana sapphire rough that he'd acquired, and I have always wanted a pretty blue Montana Sapphire, so we were "off and running again" so to speak! (ok, off and cutting I guess is closer)... anyway, here is my other new pretty - a most gorgeous Deep Blue Montana Sapphire!!! The rough yielded a bit larger stone than Jim had anticipated, so I got a heck of a per ct price on this stone. Woo hoo.

He initially told me that he could get a better yield from an EC stone (than a round which we initially discussed), but after his post about the Gram Prince cut [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-article-by-jim-rentfrow-cushion-cutting-step-by-step.157999/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/new-article-by-jim-rentfrow-cushion-cutting-step-by-step.157999/[/URL] and discussing that with him - we decided to go that direction - once again, photos don't do justice.

7x5mm and is 1.65 ct

 

[colorluvr]

Jim's photo of the sapphire and the rough.

 

[VapidLapid]

Sweet! I have a special place in my heart for montana sapphire. I worked on a cattle ranch the summer before my senior year in Cameron MT, Madison river valley. Amazing time and amazing place.

 

[colorluvr]

Thanks VL. I spent two weeks at Christmastime (waaaaaay back in the late 80's) at Whitefish, MT. It was truly beautiful. I'd love to go back (but in the summer this time).

 

[VapidLapid]

Whitefish is amazing. Did you get to Glacier Park?
I have 2 montana sapphires both cut by Gary of Finewater Gems. Hmm, really should figure something out for them. So How are you going to set this unusually blue montana? Will it go in the semi mount you show it with?

 

[velouriaL]

I love Montana sapphires. Really pretty piece. Congratulations!

 

[colorluvr]

Whitefish is amazing. Did you get to Glacier Park?


I have 2 montana sapphires both cut by Gary of Finewater Gems. Hmm, really should figure something out for them. So How are you going to set this unusually blue montana? Will it go in the semi mount you show it with?

No, we went to Big Mountain a couple of times and I tried my hand at the bunny hill (first and last time snow skiing) but I was up there with my then BF and my son and we stayed with his family there, so we were somewhat limited in our travels.

I'm not sure yet... but not that mount... I'm considering a halo pendant. I have a blue sapphire pendant, but it a heavy thing, made to wear on a long heavy chain. I think this would look good as a more delicate pendant.

 

[colorluvr]

I love Montana sapphires. Really pretty piece. Congratulations!

thank you.

 

[JewelFreak]

That's a beauty, Colorluvr. Cheers for you for jumping on the rough when you saw it. I love Montana sapphires too -- and that one is so amazingly blue. Would look great in a halo.

--- Laurie

 

[Arcadian]

Thats really lovely! The setting looks perfect for it!


-A

 

[y2kitty]

That's really pretty.

Anyone know if a regular person can mine for sapphires in Montana?

 

[Jim Rentfrow]

There are quite a few places to mine in Montana for sapphires. You can also buy gravel from the mines and mine at home. Thanks for the kind words on the sapphire. It was one of the nicest blues I have cut from Montana. It has great color!

 

[Jim Rentfrow]

And by mine I mean basically going through gravel that the mine has brought in for the public to sluece. There is one place I know of where you can actually mine but I am not sure if it is open to the public. The cost to do that is $200 to $400 a day for the actual mining site. For sluecing the cost is usually $20 a pail of material.

 

[artdecogirl]

Wow!! What a unusual color for a montana sapphire and stunning! Can't wait to see what you do with it.

 

[maebelle]

The color on the Montana is amazing! Lucky you!

 

[colorluvr]

Thanks for the compliments... We got a bit of sun yesterday and I ran out with a few of my stones, but I didn't have time to set up for a full "photo shoot" so most of the photos came out a bit blurry, but this one did show the beautiful blue of this stone.