Help me choose stones from these choices

[diablo2man]

Hi,

Very appreciate the suggestions you gave in another thread

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/need-help-on-sapphire-engagement-ring.189503/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/need-help-on-sapphire-engagement-ring.189503/[/URL]

I'm now going to do the stone only or stone with simplest setting route. Please help me choose one stone from these choices or suggest other ones currently available:

http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/c-5-blue-sapphires/p-51312-round-blue-sapphire-b5386/
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/c-5-blue-sapphires/p-48697-cushion-blue-sapphire-b4671/
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/c-5-blue-sapphires/p-47381-cushion-blue-sapphire-b4655/
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/c-5-blue-sapphires/p-31739-oval-blue-sapphire-b4329/
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/sapphire-jewelry/c-28-sapphire-rings/p-51777-blue-sapphire-ring-j4099/
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/sapphire-jewelry/c-28-sapphire-rings/p-51741-blue-sapphire-ring-j4118/

http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/index.php/jewelry/loose-sapphire-precision-cut-258ct-blue-sapphire-cushion-cut-gorgeous-color-r4191

http://mastercutgems.com/preview.php?cat=301&id=6948
http://mastercutgems.com/preview.php?cat=301&id=6953
http://mastercutgems.com/preview.php?cat=301&id=6944

thanks a lot!

 

[pregcurious]

Can I suggest that you edit your post to get rid of all the links? Lurkers will take the good stones, especially if we comment on them and say how great they are. If you post pictures and the dimensions (face up in mm and carat weight), we will be able to find most of them and comment on them without putting your purchase at risk. Most of the vendors have a signature "look" to their gem photographs that frequent posters here will recognize without a link.

 

[Niel]

this might not be the cut for you but i remember in your other thread you were concerned about getting a good one

im no sapphire expert so not a recommendation necessarily, just think its lovely
about 10k
about 16k but i remember you said in the other one 10k give or take, and your original budget was very flexible

 

[pregcurious]

I would ask to see that stone on a white background. Black backgrounds always make stones pop, and look less gray/brown than they are in real life.

 

[Niel]

I would ask to see that stone on a white background. Black backgrounds always make stones pop, and look less gray/brown than they are in real life.

very true. I believe he will do hand shots if you ask.

 

[pregcurious]

That's better yet!

 

[carmen1]

I wouldn't recommend going the concave cut route unless you know that she will like it.

You are in NYC so it would be easy enough to see the NSC and Diamonds by Lauren sapphires in person, you have nothing to lose by scheduling an appointment and taking a look. Diamonds by Lauren gives a discount for PSers, and since you aren't sure whether this will be the permanent setting you could ask whether he'd let you trade it in for a custom setting down the road.

 

[diablo2man]

I would ask to see that stone on a white background. Black backgrounds always make stones pop, and look less gray/brown than they are in real life.

very true. I believe he will do hand shots if you ask.

thanks. i will ask him for the white background. is this vendor credible?

 

[diablo2man]

I wouldn't recommend going the concave cut route unless you know that she will like it.

You are in NYC so it would be easy enough to see the NSC and Diamonds by Lauren sapphires in person, you have nothing to lose by scheduling an appointment and taking a look. Diamonds by Lauren gives a discount for PSers, and since you aren't sure whether this will be the permanent setting you could ask whether he'd let you trade it in for a custom setting down the road.

excellent advices. i already make an appointment with them but want to get a general feedback about those stones b/c last time i posted a stone I thought very good while PSers pointed big flaw

 

[diablo2man]

I wouldn't recommend going the concave cut route unless you know that she will like it.

Actually I didn't know concave cut is a different route before you mentioned it...I thought it is his store name

you can see how well I know these things, lol

does it look very different than normal cut? just google it, many says it is innovative but i still don't get what the difference is

 

[diablo2man]

Can I suggest that you edit your post to get rid of all the links? Lurkers will take the good stones, especially if we comment on them and say how great they are. If you post pictures and the dimensions (face up in mm and carat weight), we will be able to find most of them and comment on them without putting your purchase at risk. Most of the vendors have a signature "look" to their gem photographs that frequent posters here will recognize without a link.

thanks. but i can't edit it now no button for me to edit it.

can u point out the stones with problems and give some general advices instead? maybe I can learn to distinguish them by myself after some education.

 

[Niel]

I would ask to see that stone on a white background. Black backgrounds always make stones pop, and look less gray/brown than they are in real life.

very true. I believe he will do hand shots if you ask.

thanks. i will ask him for the white background. is this vendor credible?

Ask him for hand shots. That would probably be better.

Yes he is very reputable. He also said he doesnt update his website all that much, so he might even have something else that might work for you.

I do believe she is saying she wouldnt recommend that cut because it is a slightly different look than most sapphires have, and some people dont like them. Its suppose to make the stone very bright and its suppose to be a very nice cut. I always just thought it made it look more like a diamond cut, particularly for ovals. But to each their own.

heres an example of one that DS had put into a ring

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/beaudry-ring-with-richard-homer-sapphire-from-pearlmans.174460/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/beaudry-ring-with-richard-homer-sapphire-from-pearlmans.174460/[/URL]

 

[movie zombie]

some of the stones have lopsided pavilions and in one case the vendor calls attention to it.
given the experience here of some with natural sapphire, I'd be hesitant.
and while I am not a concave cut person...usually...I do like the one that is posted above.
anyone remember Mine's concave cut very orange spessartite e-ring?!
certainly is a mind changer re concave cut as an e-ring!

 

[NKOTB]

If I had a 10k budget, this one would be a contender: http://www.spectralgems.net/2013/12/13/4-11ct-ceylon-sapphire-oval/

 

[Niel]

i saw this. Again not a recommendation, necessarily. Can a seasoned vet comment on the reliability of Africa gems photos?

http://www.africagems.com/cushion-blue-sapphire-g2k-855449.html

 

[pregcurious]

Regarding the Africa Gems photo, if you look at the photo of the stone in the GRS report, it is slightly darker. Hopefully someone will chime in who has bought stones from them.

Does Africa Gems go to gem shows?

 

[katharath]

Hi,

Very appreciate the suggestions you gave in another thread

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/need-help-on-sapphire-engagement-ring.189503/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/need-help-on-sapphire-engagement-ring.189503/[/URL]

I'm now going to do the stone only or stone with simplest setting route. Please help me choose one stone from these choices or suggest other ones currently available:

http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/c-5-blue-sapphires/p-51312-round-blue-sapphire-b5386/
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/c-5-blue-sapphires/p-48697-cushion-blue-sapphire-b4671/
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/c-5-blue-sapphires/p-47381-cushion-blue-sapphire-b4655/
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/c-5-blue-sapphires/p-31739-oval-blue-sapphire-b4329/
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/sapphire-jewelry/c-28-sapphire-rings/p-51777-blue-sapphire-ring-j4099/
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/sapphire-jewelry/c-28-sapphire-rings/p-51741-blue-sapphire-ring-j4118/

http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/index.php/jewelry/loose-sapphire-precision-cut-258ct-blue-sapphire-cushion-cut-gorgeous-color-r4191

http://mastercutgems.com/preview.php?cat=301&id=6948
http://mastercutgems.com/preview.php?cat=301&id=6953
http://mastercutgems.com/preview.php?cat=301&id=6944

thanks a lot!

I am by no means an "expert", but I do love sapphires . I looked through your list above, and the only one I would personally be interested in is the very last one, from Dana at Mastercut. I think that the others have cuts which are too distracting or wonky; are overpriced for what they are; or just aren't a good enough color.

The two concave Richard Homer gems posted by Niel and the Roger Dery by NKOTB are very nice IMO. If I were making a list of the sapphires in this thread that I liked best, it would be those three plus the one I mentioned above from Dana. But as was pointed out, some people don't like concave cuts - it seems to be kind of a love it or hate it type of cut (at least IMO). I would take that into consideration before buying. Good luck!

 

[corundum_conundrum]

Regarding the Africa Gems photo, if you look at the photo of the stone in the GRS report, it is slightly darker. Hopefully someone will chime in who has bought stones from them.

Does Africa Gems go to gem shows?

I bought a stone from them that I returned right away. It was a good deal darker than pictured. Return was super easy. They employed traditional sales techniques with me. Seems like a nice guy, despite the sales style--there are so many ps vendors that don't sell to you that way that it can take you off guard when you hear it.

 

[chrono]

Is it just me or does the lighting NSC uses for the videos look strong?

http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/c-5-blue-sapphires/p-51312-round-blue-sapphire-b5386/
Offset culet, off looking window (fortunately it is small) but most of all, the intensity of colour is only medium.

http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/c-5-blue-sapphires/p-48697-cushion-blue-sapphire-b4671/
I truly dislike this one; uneven colouration, completely wonky cut and for your budget, you need not accept eye visible inclusions on the pavilion for an e-ring stone.

http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/c-5-blue-sapphires/p-47381-cushion-blue-sapphire-b4655/
If the price were less, I can accept its faults (slight uneven colour, funky cutting and strong, not intense saturation). Basically, it is a mediocre blue sapphire. Nice but I think you can do much better.

http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/c-5-blue-sapphires/p-31739-oval-blue-sapphire-b4329/
I really like the colour of this one but....it is not symmetrical and there's a natural right at or under the girdle.

http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/sapphire-jewelry/c-28-sapphire-rings/p-51777-blue-sapphire-ring-j4099/
Forget this one. Dark and windowed.

http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/sapphires/sapphire-jewelry/c-28-sapphire-rings/p-51741-blue-sapphire-ring-j4118/
Forget this one too; huge window that cannot be minimized even after it is set.

 

[chrono]

http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/index.php/jewelry/loose-sapphire-precision-cut-258ct-blue-sapphire-cushion-cut-gorgeous-color-r4191
I'm sorry but in my book, this sapphire is NOT precision cut. It was probably faceted by a precision lapidary but he did not cut this sapphire up to the usual precision cut standards. There is a teeny tiny window but that's not a big deal. I don't know if the bow-tie will bother you though; it looks very dark and prominent in a few pictures. What bothers me the most is the strong lighting used. Look at the tweezers and bright reflection coming off the setting. They are blinding! This means the stone isn't as bright and light as shown. Expect it to look as dark as the pictures towards the middle of the page with the more natural looking coloured tweezers.

http://mastercutgems.com/preview.php?cat=301&id=6948
Where on earth does AGL say this sapphire is excellent? Perhaps it looks better in person, but it is lacking the WOW factor for me. Depending on the price, you might consider following up on this one.

http://mastercutgems.com/preview.php?cat=301&id=6953
Gorgeous colour. The side view made me stop and stare for a long while though so I'm not sure if you are okay with this.

http://mastercutgems.com/preview.php?cat=301&id=6944
Not intense in saturation but the face up cut looks fine. The side view is a bit off but not as scary as the one above this.

Note that the nicer and brighter looking pictures from Mastercut will be the best side of the sapphire you will ever see. You will not see this often, only when under very specific lighting conditions. The true colouration will be somewhere in between the light and darker pictures.

 

[chrono]

To follow up on Richard Homer's sapphires; those look far better than all the other options you presented. That said, I would also want hand shots because trying to gauge colour against a dark or black background isn't accurate. He also has traditional flat faceted stones if you inquire.

Flat faceted - the usual type of cutting you've looked at so far. Brilliant crown with step cut pavilion for the most part. Larger facets so you get big bold colour flashes with a medium on/off scintillation.

Concave cut - pinfire flash that has super quick on/off scintillation to the point some people call it "static". More shimmery in effect. Not all concave cut stones are cut to the same level either. I've seen concave cut stones cut in China that are nowhere near the skill shown by RH.

 

[chrono]

If I had a 10k budget, this one would be a contender: http://www.spectralgems.net/2013/12/13/4-11ct-ceylon-sapphire-oval/

This is a nice one! Better call to find out how much. THIS one is what I consider precision cut and the colour, whilst not top, is still very pretty.

 

[diablo2man]

If I had a 10k budget, this one would be a contender: http://www.spectralgems.net/2013/12/13/4-11ct-ceylon-sapphire-oval/

This is a nice one! Better call to find out how much. THIS one is what I consider precision cut and the colour, whilst not top, is still very pretty.

Thanks so much for all the replies! It is really useful and give me better education on gems. I already called this one and price is in the range (around 10K) but it is not available until next week but I already planned to propose late this week All my female friends told me it is not acceptable to propose without something so I guess I need to stick to something available now.

According to your comments, RH's concave cut or possible normal cut are my best bet if available, right? or do you know any other available ones?

Thanks a lot!

 

[chrono]

Seriously, I would wait for this one. It has the potential to be IT. DH proposed without a ring, token or anything. I accepted and we went shopping for rings later. When buying something this important and forever, one should never rush. It is all too easy to overpay, buy something not as nice or both. Good gems are not a dime a dozen, as you've realized. By the time RH gets back to you with additional pictures, shipping and etc, you are likely looking to be within the same time frame as Roger's sapphire, so I wouldn't cross it out yet.

 

[JewelFreak]

I agree with Chrono on the sapphires. Also, almost anything from Roger Dery is worth waiting for. As for waiting, for heaven's sake, a proposal is not a tea party where you must hand out party favors. If you know her well enough to ask her to marry you, certainly you can do it without offering a ring at the very moment -- after all, she will marry you, not the jewelry. I think your female friends read too many magazines. A lifetime commitment of love should not need baubles. That will also give her a chance for input on a stone she likes -- you can choose it together. Congratulations in advance!

--- Laurie

 

[Niel]

Also I don't think you'd be able to get it set all that fast.

And why does it need to be next week? You can make any moment special, if you feel like it needs a ring to complete the moment.

 

[diablo2man]

To follow up on Richard Homer's sapphires; those look far better than all the other options you presented. That said, I would also want hand shots because trying to gauge colour against a dark or black background isn't accurate. He also has traditional flat faceted stones if you inquire.

Flat faceted - the usual type of cutting you've looked at so far. Brilliant crown with step cut pavilion for the most part. Larger facets so you get big bold colour flashes with a medium on/off scintillation.

Concave cut - pinfire flash that has super quick on/off scintillation to the point some people call it "static". More shimmery in effect. Not all concave cut stones are cut to the same level either. I've seen concave cut stones cut in China that are nowhere near the skill shown by RH.

I have RH gem photos in white background now. will get hand background today too. Please help me judge whether it is good choice (I like the sharp feeling of concave cut, and it is more "unique" than most other stones I see.

the first one is around 10K, the second is 4K more, the third is 4K less.

 

[Niel]

I like the middle one. I like the size and the color. But I also think the cut is such that it's different, but not all that different, so it seems like a safer bet.

How were you going to set it again?

 

[diablo2man]

also stones side by side and comments by Richard

From Richard:

each of the three gems is shot individually to show you the representative color of each. Then lastly I shot an image with all 3 gems side by side so you can see the relative size of each to the others and get a feeling for the quality of color in comparison to one another. Now, just as with the white background, when you try to shoot more than one gem at a time (without post production Photoshop enhancement) the camera wants to go with the foreground average color…which is the Round gem in this case. This in turn has made the oval on the right seem too light and pale by comparison to the Round. THe oval is not as truly light as it may appear on your computer monitor. It IS lighter in tone but not as light as the image implies….so go with the individual images to see a proper representation of color of each, but you can use the image with all 3 gems side by side to judge relative size and RELATIVE tone and saturation, but not the exact tone and saturation because of that averaging of the camera.

The last image was taken as a group shot with the tables down…bottom up…so you can see the perfectly centered culet, diamond-like proportions, and radiating concave facet pattern that is so perfectly responsible for the maximizing the gem's brilliance, saturation, and holding power.

By the way, these images are not color enhanced. THey are as the camera sees them…which is in natural white light of an average composition….not strong light to make a dark gems seem lighter nor poor light to make a light stone seem darker….they are shot in average white daylight of a normal, true to life, intensity.

 

[diablo2man]

I like the middle one. I like the size and the color. But I also think the cut is such that it's different, but not all that different, so it seems like a safer bet.

How were you going to set it again?

haha, middle one is also the most expensive one

I will let me fiance to be decide the setting so I'm not sure now