Help finding round sapphire in San Diego area

[phoenixrising33]

I have always loved sapphires (it helps that they are my birthstone), and for my birthday/10 year wedding anniversary, my husband is buying me a sapphire and diamond ring of my design. I want a medium to dark blue round cut around 2 carat sapphire for my center stone. We went to a local jeweler and he showed me six to seven mostly oval sapphires. I picked out one 1.75 carat round (he only had two) that was sparkly and pretty and we put a deposit down today while he designs my ring. However after viewing this site for hours, I think the sapphire I picked has multiple spots of extinction? I will go back tomorrow and look at it again, but I was wondering if anyone knew of a reputable dealer/jeweler who might have some nice round sapphires? We are looking to spend around $5-$8000 on the ring total including 2 smaller side diamonds.

Of the two round sapphires I saw, they were approximately the same diameter, but one was noticeably deeper cut and that was 2 carat, however that one was darker. From what I've read depth doesn't matter as much for sapphires right?

I prefer round but would consider oval, and need/want a larger stone since I have BIG fingers (size 10). I want this to be the ring I wear the rest of my life and pass down, so I would like it to be a good quality sapphire

 

[0-0-0]

http://www.gemfix.com/contact.html

Gemfix is reputable and Andrew is very nice to deal with. He has a nice selection of stones, although his sapphires generally aren't as nice as some of his other stones IMO. But it never hurts to see more stones in person for comparison. In my experience depth doesn't matter much for colored stones as long as it is suitable for the cut. I have seen nice stones with as low as 60% depth and as high as 90% depth.

 

[Arkteia]

Vendors do not post all their stones online. When I visited Gemfix in San Diego, we browsed through his tray of stones, and to my surprise, I selected a stone a shade lighter than I would usually choose, but it was a saturated blue. He is a very good cutter, and the stone sparkles. He is also an honest vendor, I really liked him much, and I love the sapphire that I bought from him, Good luck!

 

[chrono]

I agree that most vendors do not post everything online but I think Gemfix is close by to you? It might be worth setting up an appointment to see what he has. Nothing beats seeing multiple stones at once, in person.

 

[bluebirrrd]

I've been wanting to plan a trip to Gemfix but it would be a very long drive. You're lucky to be so close. The accuracy of their on-line photography seems to be debatable, but I know they have a fantastic inventory and I wouldn't hesitate to visit in person if I could. If you do, please come back to share about the experience.

 

[thekid98]

I would definitely check out Gemfix. Here's their contact info:
GEMFIX INC
861 6th Ave., Ste 608
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 696-0596

[email protected]
Their site says to call for an appointment if you want to see them in person.

I'd actually considered a trip to San Diego to see them; they have some great looking stones on their site, and prices look pretty fair too.

Good luck!

 

[Arkteia]

BTW, long before I visited Gemfix, I was interested in.a spessartite they had and they sent me a photo of a sports jacket of a similar color. I think it is sports team but I forgot which one. Mb ask for a pantone?

 

[phoenixrising33]

So I ended up staying with the jeweler we originally went to because we put down a deposit and I felt obligated, especially since he was custom designing my ring. I probably could have found a ring with a little less extinction, but it is a beautiful blue color. Here are the pictures of my custom ring. It has the 1.75 carat sapphire in the middle, 2 heart shaped diamonds on the side, and 3 smaller channel set diamonds on the side. Keep in mind these were taken indoor with my crappy camera phone.

 

[imagardener2]

Very pretty ring. I especially like the hearts flanking the sapphire as accents. Is this an original idea of yours? I haven't seen it in my online travels so far.

 

[phoenixrising33]

I didn't want a halo setting, it seemed a little too much like a copy of the royal ring and it's a little too blingy for me. I always wanted a three stone ring with a sapphire in the middle. I originally wanted them to all be round, like Tiffany's three stone ring, but I liked the look of the tapered side stones better. I was looking at pear or trillion shape, but the jeweler showed me some settings with heart shaped stones on the side and I liked it and the fact that hearts symbolize love and my ring was my wedding anniversary ring, that's why I had the eternity symbols on the side as well. Thanks for liking my ring. It is the perfect color for me and it seems to glow a pretty blue even in low light.

 

[minousbijoux]

You know what I love besides your ring? That from your conception to completion, it has taken you less than three months. Amazingly efficient and I hope you love it! Oh, and Happy Anniversary.