Heated or Unheated

[mellowyellowgirl]

As per the poll what would you pick?

For the purpose of this exercise let’s assume both sapphires have this colour and a similar level of clarity and inclusions. Just the bigger one is heated.

I have the opportunity to upgrade but I’m not sure……because at the end of the day will all I have is one massive heated sapphire and no unheated (save for Bulbasaur)?

That said I love the size the Bulbasaur. He’s just super fun to wear. I was heading out with the kid and he was all: Mummy that ring is so big it looks like a giant fun fake gem.

Haha I like giant fun fake gems.

 

[missy]

Oh my goodness, gorgeous!!!! I am not a colored stone expert at all so cannot answer your question but what makes your heart sing? From my understanding heated sapphires are not a big deal but I could be wrong. I know this. Unheated sapphires are considered more valuable by experts, because they are more rare. But I think heated sapphires are just as beautiful and I think it comes down to quality more than anything. So if they are equal quality and color and beauty the question comes down to what do you prefer wearing? The larger size might cancel out the fact that it is heated. But of course I could be entirely wrong

If this were for me personally (since I am not buying to sell) I would choose the 16 carat all other things being equal. Since I have man hands.

I don't think you can go wrong either way. Choose the one you love the most

 

[maryjane04]

Hahaha I love a poll so had to pick something. Disclaimer: I know nothing about CS. But in saying that my thoughts are.. unheated because it's more rare (and maybe a mind clean issue). Lol and what would I be doing with a 16ct anyway (I know right haha what kind of PS'er am I?).

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Oh my goodness, gorgeous!!!! I am not a colored stone expert at all so cannot answer your question but what makes your heart sing? From my understanding heated sapphires are not a big deal but I could be wrong. I know this. Unheated sapphires are considered more valuable by experts, because they are more rare. But I think heated sapphires are just as beautiful and I think it comes down to quality more than anything. So if they are equal quality and color and beauty the question comes down to what do you prefer wearing? The larger size might cancel out the fact that it is heated. But of course I could be entirely wrong

I’ve been told they have their own market (heated) and they move along with the market so it’s not like you buy a gem and in 5 years it will cost $50. They do keep their value, they just start off at a different value if that makes sense.

I do love Gengar and there’s no funny business in terms of what he looks like. He looks like what he looks like. The other stone I can send to Lotus to gauge colour but I feel it’s possibly a tiny touch less vivid than Gengar, although it’s still very very very beautiful and obviously oh so so so big.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I buy gems to wear and I like them big and quite honestly, it’s not like I’m going to walk around exclaiming it’s “unheated” or “heated” so… I’d do the 16ct for sure!

 

[dk168]

Personally, I believe heated vs. unheated in CS is one of those "mind-clean" considerations that is unique to an individual.

It would not bother me if a CS is heated if it ticks all the boxes for colour, size, clarity, cut, polish and price.

I am going to be a and suggest getting the heated bigger Sapphire and keep the smaller unheated one if budget allows, as you came across as being very fond of that ring, and you might regret parting with it.

DK

 

[Avondale]

In this particular choice I'd prefer to stay with the smaller unheated stone.

However.

I don't put nearly as much importance on size as you do. In fact, I doubt I would wear such a big stone even if it were gifted to me. So I'll amend the premise a little bit and will change the dilemma to heating vs another quality that would be of great importance to me, such as colour saturation or a good cut. If things were put this way, I'd go for the heated stone on any given day.

I guess, you need to decide which matters to you more - treatment or size. And then choose accordingly. But also consider - you already have such a lovely ring. And it's definitely not too small for you! Heating aside, is the bigger one more beautiful and worth owning over the smaller one?

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

@dk168 I do love Gengar so very much! But I definitely don’t have scope for one biggish and one huge sapphire. They’d tread on each other’s turf too much I think.

@Avondale the 16ct is definitely a smidge less vivid. I can see it and especially since videos are often at their most flattering, I can confidently conclude the colour is close to Gengar but a tad less vivid. My iPhone actually butchers Gengar’s colour (auto corrects it to a greyer tone about 2 secs after the pic is taken) so I’m running around with this super bright unheated stone and I’m really wondering if taking a hit on heat and colour (ever so slightly) is worth it. Practically twice the measurements though. But Gengar, in real life, you just stand around and she’s super bright and noticeable.

But at double the measurements….. that would be noticeable too……although I’m unsure the 16ct will get a “cornflower” from Lotus…..I don’t think it will.

It’s especially hard because I’m so size oriented and I’m ok with compromises sometimes…..

What to do, what to do………

 

[dk168]

Given the two choices, and size is an important factor if not THE most important factor, I would opt for the larger unheated Sapphire.

DK

 

[Crimson]

Would it be a ring @mellowyellowgirl? If so, would 16 ct be unwieldy? I know someone who has an approx. 20 ct royal blue sapphire ring. It is so large that it’s quite heavy for her finger. Sometimes I see her supporting it with her other hand. So if you go with the 16 ct you might need to so some finger training ! Anyway, I still like unheated stones. I have a twinge of delight thinking they were that colour when extracted .[This made me think of your thread!

 

[higanbanya]

Would it be a ring @mellowyellowgirl? If so, would 16 ct be unwieldy? I know someone who has an approx. 20 ct royal blue sapphire ring. It is so large that it’s quite heavy for her finger. Sometimes I see her supporting it with her other hand. So if you go with the 16 ct you might need to so some finger training ! Anyway, I still like unheated stones. I have a twinge of delight thinking they were that colour when extracted .[This made me think of your thread!

+1 to that, I have an 18ct zircon which is way bigger than I’ve imagined for a ring, and still hasn’t set it cos of that.. are the measurements of the 16ct something you’re excited about? Added some pics of mine for scale, in case it’s anywhere close to the measurements for the 16ct!

The gold setting price quoted was also high as a bigger gem requires more support if that’s any consideration point for ya!

 

[Mreader]

If the one On your hand in the picture is the one that you would have to give up and that one is unheated – I would definitely keep the unheated one.

 

[CBianco]

Your unheated one looks perfect on your hand, the perfect size (to me at least)!! I know you love huge rocks, but imo there is such a thing as too big and being impractical lol. Plus it'd be a shame to go down in saturation

 

[LilAlex]

Practically twice the measurements though. But Gengar, in real life, you just stand around and she’s super bright and noticeable.

But at double the measurements….. that would be noticeable too……although I’m unsure the 16ct will get a “cornflower” from Lotus…..I don’t think it will.

Double the ct-weight, with similarly appealing proportions (are those the "measurements" you suggest are nearly double?), should "only" be bigger in each dimension by the cube-root of 2 or 26%, or with a face-up size that is 59% larger (and, of course, a volume that is 100% larger). So I'm a little suspicious that the 16 has a mammoth face-up size at the expense of some depth. As you know, depth is not essential for color saturation so maybe it is just a more balanced cut than the potentially overdeep 8...? I do not know those details.

Only you know the marginal utility of a bigger size for you. For me, 8 ct in a well-proportioned, fine faceted sapphire is big enough to be a "forever" stone. I might have a different opinion if it were 2 ct -> 4 ct, etc. That said, I don't actually know what size is "too big to wear." Whereas I may not seek out a 20ct sapphire, if one landed in my lap I'm pretty sure we'd find a way to rock it, ostentation be damned.

Would I do this? No. Is it a reasonable thing to do? Of course -- as reasonable as anything else on this forum.

The question posed to forum members is a slightly different one -- which would you pick if you were starting from zero? And in that case I would still prefer the unheated 8. Although if I could afford an unheated, very fine 8ct, I could probably afford pretty much whatever I wanted so I'm not sure how hung up I'd get over the decision .

The thing I'd be least hung up on is the lab color grade, assuming you have seen both with your own eyes and in your environments that matter (be that cooking in the kitchen, under the fluorescents at work, or in dim club-like lighting). If this were sight-unseen then, yeah, you'd probably need the Lotus imprimatur, imo.

 

[Avondale]

@Avondale the 16ct is definitely a smidge less vivid. I can see it and especially since videos are often at their most flattering, I can confidently conclude the colour is close to Gengar but a tad less vivid. My iPhone actually butchers Gengar’s colour (auto corrects it to a greyer tone about 2 secs after the pic is taken) so I’m running around with this super bright unheated stone and I’m really wondering if taking a hit on heat and colour (ever so slightly) is worth it. Practically twice the measurements though. But Gengar, in real life, you just stand around and she’s super bright and noticeable.

But at double the measurements….. that would be noticeable too……although I’m unsure the 16ct will get a “cornflower” from Lotus…..I don’t think it will.

It’s especially hard because I’m so size oriented and I’m ok with compromises sometimes…..

What to do, what to do………

So, you're not compromising just on treatment, but also on colour? In that case this becomes a firm no from me.

The thing is, your current ring isn’t lacking in any regard. It has the colour, and at 8cts it also has the size. In order to give it up, the new one needs to have something really special going for it, and it doesn’t sound like it. The one and only thing it has over yours is the size.

Are you in any way, shape or form unhappy with Gengar?

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

I say this in love...

You have a truly spectacular blue on your hand.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

@Avondale I love love love Gengar! And I wasn’t looking to replace or change her. The 16ct just happened to cross paths with me.

@LilAlex 16ct is 15 by 12, Gengar is 12 by 9. Haha so not double in measurements but definitely looks bigger

I think the idea of crossing into double digits for both measurements makes it feel much bigger. Definitely not a window to be seen in the 16ct.

@higanbanya thank you so much for posting your stone! Yes those are the proportions I’d be playing with.

My only other experience with that size is Bulbasaur at 13.5 by 11.5

@Crimson Size really doesn’t bother me! I have chubby, robust fingers! Bulbasaur has a double halo, thin band and I actually really enjoy the “oh this huge casual ring is just for fun” vibes associated with it.

That said, I had to make a rummage ring for Gengar (was not good for reaching into fridges and freezers at the shops etc) so I guess the take away is “size doesn’t bother me but yes it’s inconvenient when it’s too big but can be supported by a rummage ring”

Re what you said about unheated: Gengar is the same colour as this bright blue jumper I have and it thrills me that she came out of the earth with colour matching a dyed acrylic jumper.

@Mreader yes I’d have to give Gengar up. Heated is cheaper but not by any means cheap at 16ct I have learnt. I worry that I will chase an “unheated” again one day if I give up Gengar. I mean it’s not definite but I fear that I might.

@CBianco I’ve never felt Gengar is small but it’s more “Omg now I can rock a ring like the ones on IG”

@ItsMainelyYou I totally deserve that! In my defence I was not looking!!!

Bulbasaur at 13.5 by 11.5

 

[Saphir]

1000000% unheated

 

[CMN]

I wouldn’t give up Gengar. You are not just giving up the stone but the ring which has been designed to fit her.

 

[Dr_Diesel]

In this particular choice I'd prefer to stay with the smaller unheated stone.

However.

I don't put nearly as much importance on size as you do. In fact, I doubt I would wear such a big stone even if it were gifted to me. So I'll amend the premise a little bit and will change the dilemma to heating vs another quality that would be of great importance to me, such as colour saturation or a good cut. If things were put this way, I'd go for the heated stone on any given day.

I guess, you need to decide which matters to you more - treatment or size. And then choose accordingly. But also consider - you already have such a lovely ring. And it's definitely not too small for you! Heating aside, is the bigger one more beautiful and worth owning over the smaller one?

I concur.

For me, it's all about the attributes of the individual stone.

If it moves me, I don't care whether it's heated or not. Do I prefer unheted stones? Yes, but only IF they have that special unheated glow IN ADDITION to being otherwise spectacular.

I think that what's most important about any gem is the emotional impact that cannot be measures in terms of size, treatment, color grade, etc.

Recently I saw a "matched pair" of unheated Mogok sapphires. One moved me, the other made me feel nothing. They were very similar in every respect (hence "matched pair"), but one instantly filled me with intense desire, while the other was remarkably easy to let go of emotionally. The one I fell in love with has some kind of etherial, mysterious quality that I can't really put my finger on.

THAT would be the stone I would buy in an instant... provided the owner would have been willing to split up the pair and if I could have afforded it.

Different stones are like different people. Each is an individual. While one may have this or that desirable trait, those individual traits are not what determines whether or not you fall in love. That "special something" is far more ephemeral than anything that could find its way into words on a lab certificate.

I say use your eyes and your heart.