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Help me find sapphire for engagement ring

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sapphirekitty

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 12, 2018
Messages
7
Hi Everyone,

I'm new here! Please forgive me for any rookie mistakes. I was hoping you guys would have some advice about buying a sapphire for an engagement ring. I don't have the money to buy both the gem and the setting right now, so I was thinking about just buying a sapphire. My budget is <$1500. I would prefer an unheated sapphire, but I'm not sure if my budget will allow that. The reason I want to buy the sapphire right now is that I'm afraid unheated sapphires will only get rarer and more expensive with time, although I have no idea if this fear is reasonable.

Originally I was looking at B9999 on The Natural Sapphire Company, but after reading reviews and various posts on PS, I was turned off of the idea of buying from them. Also, I was afraid that a .78 carat sapphire would be hard to resell if it came to that. I do like the color of it though:
https://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/0.78ct-ceylon-round-blue-sapphire-b9999-/

Attributes I'm looking for:
  • 1-1.5 ct (no larger than 7 mm in any direction)
  • <$1500
  • blue sapphire (preferably Ceylon)
  • natural
  • round shape, but could be convinced otherwise by a particularly spectacular specimen
  • no treatments beyond heating
  • eye clean
My current favorite is this from Gemfix:
https://gemfix.com/gems/sapphire-blue-11-1237
Is it worth the money?

Other heated options include:
http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/gemstones/?sku=G89774

http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/gemstones/?sku=G88226

https://www.mastercutgems.com/Produ...-GemMedia.php?FromPage=1&ProductMediaID=26974

https://www.mastercutgems.com/Produ...-GemMedia.php?FromPage=1&ProductMediaID=38815

Are any of these good choices? Does anybody know of other places that sell unheated loose blue sapphires at reasonable prices?

Thanks for reading!
 
Would you consider this one?

https://gemfix.com/gems/sapphire-blue-11-1298

Otherwise you have some beautiful picks there (I think that colour preference is a personal thing, but I like this one best).

Just remember that they will actually get darker when you set them, as the setting partially blocks the light. So if your ideal colour is medium dark blue then by all means go for it =)2, but also aim to see and compare against some options that appear a little lighter. If you get to order any of these options, then you can always try wrapping the bottom half of the stone in tin foil to get an idea of what it may look like once it is set.
 
This one (https://gemfix.com/gems/sapphire-blue-11-1298) is pretty but the fact that it's $100 more than the unheated one gives me a bit of pause.

I do like that medium dark blue, but I'll keep an eye out for lighter options from now on. Thanks for the suggestion!

I found a couple on Ebay, should I be suspicious of these because the sellers don't have very many reviews?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/GIA-Certif...918779?hash=item23a835453b:g:MBEAAOSwL~hbR2CH

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-61-Cts-V...060383?hash=item1cb8e4661f:g:iWcAAOSwdkZbEVmf
 
sapphirekitty said:
This one (https://gemfix.com/gems/sapphire-blue-11-1298) is pretty but the fact that it's $100 more than the unheated one gives me a bit of pause.
Click to expand...

It is hard to compare them on those grounds, as they have different colour and that changes price and value considerably. I would stop worrying about percieved rarity and value and buy what you love.

Caveat -- i think id pass on the ebay stones, the first looks fine but the pictures arent really good enough to make an informed decision, the gia report makes it seem very dark. Seccond has a bad window.
 
I’ll just add that in relation to “unheated” make sure your sapphire is coming with an appropriate certification ie GIA or AGL, you can’t rely necessarily on “in house” reports - they have a vested interest (so to speak) and as you’re paying a premium for unheated you want to be sure you are getting that.
Sapphires have been subject to heat treatment for probably centuries. Sapphires often contain rutile needles (a type of natural inclusion) and it can make the sapphire look sleepy or sort of opaque. Heat treatment dissolves this “silk” making a clearer gem.
However, in more recent times, more “aggressive” treatments such as Beryllium diffusion (improves colour) and flux filling (repairs and hides any crack inclusions) are being used. These are undesirable and unfortunately not always disclosed, hence the need for proper lab reports / reputable vendors to avoid these unfavorable treatments.
Obviously an unheated sapphire can’t have any of these “extra” treatments because heat is also required to implement them.
Sapphires are reasonably plentiful, they are still actively mined in many countries so the “supply” isn’t going to “run out” any time soon.
And of course, buy from a reputable vendor who allows you to examine the sapphire in person for a few days and if it isn’t as you expected, you can return it for a full refund.
In relation to buying a sapphire first and a setting later, remember that not all jewellers want to “set” gems they didn’t supply. And if wanting to “cost save” by buying a semi mount (that’s a pre made one) you need to have a suitable sized gem ie 6mm round, 8mm round, 6 x 4 oval, 7 x 5 oval. Other sizes or shapes will mean extra expense to modify a setting or you having to go the “made to measure” route.
No need to rush into any purchase, take your time to find the one that’s just right for you and your wife to be.
 
voce said:
My pick would be https://mastercutgems.com/Products-...e_Blue_Sapphire_1_49_carat-Gem.php?FromPage=1, but it appears you've already browsed Mastercut Gems and want something darker blue. I second @qubitasaurus in suggesting you consider the fact that a dark blue stone will appear even darker in a setting. I personally own a 1.38ct unheated dark blue sapphire that only looks good outdoors and under very bright fluorescent lighting, not very good otherwise.
Click to expand...

Sadly, this sapphire is no longer available. This is the one I feel in love with. It was priced at $888 during the sale but sold (quickly!) while I waffled.
 
Oh no @voce and @natasha-cupcake I really liked the 1.49 ct sapphire that you guys like! Thanks for your input guys, I think I'll wait to buy the entire ring then. Your advice was really valuable @Bron357.
 
sapphirekitty said:
Alas, I'm still looking at sapphires even though it's probably a bad idea for my bank account. What do you guys think of this one?

https://www.etsy.com/listing/627773177/ceylon-sapphire-round-ceylon-sapphire?ref=shop_home_feat_3
Click to expand...

I love that one, even though it's somewhat multicolored and therefore not as expensive or "desired" in the trade as pure blue/one color. But I think it's gorgeous. Plus Yvonne makes amazing rings, so you could do everything with one vendor!
 
edit:
Have you looked at the diamonds by lauren website? He has some darker colored sapphires, some of which are already set. I know these are over budget, but I wonder if you could do a small payment plan or layaway (sorry, I don't want to offend by assuming anything about finances--just wanted to put these out as a potential option). Alternatively, you could ask David if he'd discount slightly--that's sometimes possible if something has been for sale for a while.

http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/index.php/jewelry/81ct-blue-round-sapphire-ring-r6645

http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/ind...hion-cut-sapphire-and-diamond-halo-ring-r6658

http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/index.php/jewelry/109ct-blue-oval-sapphire-ring-r8264
 
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