Gray sapphire -- ever seen a nice one?

[LilAlex]

Was having no luck looking for a lighter-toned gray spinel and stumbled across a gray sapphire. Decent size and eye-clean (I think) and with nice cut and proportions. Light tone but obviously gray and virtually colorless. Even had a legit report. Premium pricetag, imo, but not on par with a blue or a pad or probably even a yellow.

It was a first for me. I've seen inexpensive colorless ("white") sapphires and plenty of opaque gray star sapphires but never a nice, even, colorless, transparent gray sapphire.

I had a hard time finding price comparisons on the web.

Anyone ever seen one or have one? Are they rare or just tossed aside because it's assumed no one would buy them...?

 

[voce]

According to Yvonne Raley, gray spinel is plentiful, and setters use it as practice material when they start out. So, my guess would be that gray spinel gets cut into little pieces rather than sold in big ones. Because the market isn't there for big gray gems. I don't think gray is anybody's favorite color.

 

[whitewave]

Gary has a beautiful, large grey blue sapphire that is decently priced:

3.12 ct Grayish-Blue Sapphire

3.12 ct Grayish-Blue Sapphire

www.finewatergems.com

 

[whitewave]

I’m not sure what you mean about colorless grey sapphire though...

 

[voce]

Oops, I only now noticed you said gray sapphire, not spinel.

I have two sapphires that are gray, but which are probably not in line with what you have? These sapphires of mine, from Tanzania and Montana, are unheated and silky with a blue tint. Maybe if you heat them they'll become more colorless like what you're talking about.

The ones I have, were bought from the cutters Dana Reynolds and Dan Stair, Jr. They're both between 1.5 and 2 carats and priced at $250-300 per carat.

Edit: this is what I'm thinking of when I hear virtually colorless but clearly gray. I think it's fairly common in untreated Montanas.

 

[elizat]

Gary has a beautiful, large grey blue sapphire that is decently priced:

3.12 ct Grayish-Blue Sapphire

3.12 ct Grayish-Blue Sapphire

www.finewatergems.com

That's pretty. Blue grey. I quite like it!

 

[Rfisher]

I’m not sure what you mean about colorless grey sapphire though...

I took it to mean a very gemmy transparent grey.
As opposed to a grey star sapphire /cheap rose cut grey that’s more readily found and opaque/translucent.

 

[LilAlex]

I’m not sure what you mean about colorless grey sapphire though...

Sorry for the confusion. Gray is not a hue (color). Gray is a tone. So it's usually a modifier -- like grayish-blue above.

I mean a pure gray with no hue (color) modifier. Not grayish-purple or grayish-violet, etc., etc. I dislike a grayish modifier. But this was the first no-color pure gray sapphire I've seen.

 

[LilAlex]

According to Yvonne Raley, gray spinel is plentiful, and setters use it as practice material when they start out. So, my guess would be that gray spinel gets cut into little pieces rather than sold in big ones. Because the market isn't there for big gray gems. I don't think gray is anybody's favorite color.

I see -- good to know. Thank you. There are a lot of dark gray spinels that look pretty ugly to my eye. It's the more "silvery" gray that is really pretty, imo, and maybe depending upon your gender.

I don't "love" gray things like the ubiquitous gray walls -- this was just a pretty stone.

I don't think "white" or "colorless" are anyone's favorite colors, either -- but they sure sell a lot of diamonds in that "color"

 

[voce]

I think this "near colorless" sapphire is technically gray. I maintain my opinion that gray sapphires are common, and light toned gray ones are marketed as "white". It's just not common to market a gray sapphire as gray, but I'm sure plenty exist.

 

[whitewave]

Well, I learned something today. OP, I hope you find what you are looking for.

 

[Rfisher]

I bet finding one, just like grey spinel, that doesn’t shift to blue, green or purple is just as hard.

I’d love to see this one in person, but am still curious what color is really goes to in different lighting.
And I could have swore I’ve seen Yavorskyy post a lovely light, seemingly no modifier grey sapphire some time back but can’t find it now.

A *Plus* aspect of living in the Midwest USA! Environmental lighting here accents grey above all other colors from vendors closer to the equator!

 

[reirei]

This is beautiful! I love the icy look of the gray sapphire @whitewave found. I picked up a tiny icy blue sapphire today from Kosnar Gem Company because they're having a 10-50% off sale right now, but it has blue hints and is not strictly gray.

KosnarGemCo - Etsy

Shop Custom Gemstone and Jewelry Creations by KosnarGemCo located in Arvada, Colorado. Rave reviews! Average review rating is 4.8 or higher

www.etsy.com

I didn't see any gray ones although their white sapphire could technically be classified as icy gray?

Brilliant White Sapphire Gemstone From Sri Lanka, 0.87 Cts., 6.4 X 5.3 Mm., Oval Shape. - Etsy

This Gemstones item by KosnarGemCo has 20 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Arvada, CO. Listed on Mar 18, 2024

www.etsy.com

 

[LilAlex]

Well, I know all the cheap whites are "prized" for diffusion -- sort of a blank canvas

 

[LilAlex]

I’d love to see this one in person, but am still curious what color is really goes to in different lighting.

Oh that's pretty! Can you share the vendor name?

 

[Rfisher]

Mayer and watt.

 

[LilAlex]

Oh that's pretty! Can you share the vendor name?

Oh, I found it. Yeah, that's pretty spendy!

But definitely the closest to what I'm talking about!

 

[Rfisher]

Oh, I found it. Yeah, that's pretty spendy!

But definitely the closest to what I'm talking about!

From what I understand - as they don’t sell to the public, their posted msrp is pretty inflated. I don’t know by how much tho.

 

[reirei]

Found this old thread about gray sapphire: very helpful!

Grey Sapphire

Hi everyone, I've been on the hunt for the perfect stone for my e-ring and I'm starting to worry that it may actually just not exist so any leads any of you could potentially pass on would be so, so appreciated. I've been searching for a sparkly grey sapphire, preferably pear or oval shaped...

www.pricescope.com

Forgive my hairsplitting, but I think it is important to consider that 'grey' is not a color by itself, but the lack of color mixed with a certain amount of black (also no color). So, the only the gem that you may be searching for is one with very low saturation (of any color) and not too dark in tone (not to much black). Grey is kind of a dirty word for a gem, which is why you rarely see a gem advertised as 'beautiful grey'. The upside is, that it should not be very costly and you can invest in a good cut, like the one above.

@LilAlex this purple gray one from gemfix is gorgeous

Untreated Montana Sapphire Round Brilliant - Gemfix

Untreated Montana Sapphire Round Brilliant

gemfix.com

This gray Montana cushion is pretty too

Unheated Montana Sapphire Cushion Brilliant Cut - Gemfix

Unheated Montana Sapphire Cushion Brilliant Cut

gemfix.com

 

[LilAlex]

This gray Montana cushion is pretty too

Agreed -- that is really pretty and similar to what I saw. That silvery quality. Similar price point, too, so that helps clarify things for me. The "nice" ones do command a premium even though it is not on par with a "top" color. Suits my budget!

 

[reirei]

@LilAlex this is classified as a "Silver" sapphire by Yvonne from Cecile Raley Designs but it looks very gray with no color hues to me (and quite lovely)! She had a 20% off sale a a few weeks ago, but right now it's $1,053.00 for 1.62 carat (6.8mm round) Madagascar sapphire.

Silver Sapphire Round, Unheated Platinum Sapphire, Madagascar Sapphire, 1.62 Carats 6.8mm Round Sapphire, September Birthstone. - Etsy

Providing high-quality gemstones on Etsy since 2009! Cecile Raley Designs is a proud member of the American Gem Trade Association. This lovely platinum - silvery almost white sapphire is unheated, the origin is Madagascar, portuguese cut (not native cut) and would look great as a stacking ring,

www.etsy.com

```
This lovely platinum - silvery almost white sapphire is unheated, the origin is Madagascar, portuguese cut (not native cut)
```

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Smitten.

 

[Lexililac]

Grey spinel and a almost white chameleon sapphire. Ive never saw a pure grey sapphire, at least never that pure grey as spinels can be.

 

[LilAlex]

Grey spinel and a almost white chameleon sapphire. Ive never saw a pure grey sapphire, at least never that pure grey as spinels can be.

Nice comparison -- thank you! Love that spinel -- not overly dark.

 

[Lexililac]

Here Ive a strange colored sapphire, its kind of a beige color with some grey. Have to watch that one in different lights that I can say more about the grey.

 

[Hivona]

I have one that is very silvery and bright. It was cut by Troy Richardson and sold by Missouri River Sapphire Co. I love it!!!! It has a slight lavender shift in certain artificial light but over all it is platinum-like in color. Someday I’d like to set it in a ring.