Help with evaluating purple sapphires

[Cheesewhiz]

Hello

Thanks everyone for helping me with my search for a purple sapphire for an engagement ring. There are two that I like, is anyone able to give me their opinion on the stones so i avoid purchasing a dud? Hopefully these pictures work, its my first time trying to post images.

Not 100% on the design yet but this will be the centre, with some diamonds on the side, white gold most likely.

The first one - 1.57 cw, unheated, cushion cut. The vendor says the final image is the one that is most true-to-life. He also says no windows or extinction, the dark areas are a result of the angle of the stone/light.

 

[Cheesewhiz]

Option number 2:

1.38 carat, oval cut. Unheated with certificate. Also a fair bit less expensive than the first stone.

Any an all comments on both stones greatly appreciated. I'm located overseas so its difficult to return something that I'm not happy with.

Thanks in advance!

 

[chrono]

The 1.57 ct sapphire looks to potentially have better saturation. I would request a hand shot.

 

[pregcurious]

In the 3rd picture for the 1st stone, it looks like it's blacking out. Have you asked under what light conditions it does that? Indoors? Outside? It's good to ask how the stone performs in different lighting conditions.

 

[Cheesewhiz]

In the 3rd picture for the 1st stone, it looks like it's blacking out. Have you asked under what light conditions it does that? Indoors? Outside? It's good to ask how the stone performs in different lighting conditions.

Hi Preg,

Yes I was a bit concerned with this and asked about the dark areas. The vendor indicated that the dark spots are from the lighting, not extinction. He said that he thinks the stone will stay medium color and vibrant even set in a bezel, which is good because I was concerned it was a little too dark. The colour on that last shot is really nice though. I've asked for a handshot as per Chrono's advice.

I have an outdoor hand shot of the second one, photo is a little distorted in size but the colour is nice.

 

[chrono]

Are you all right with the shadowing of the second sapphire in the hand shot? Shadowing to that extent bothers me too much to enjoy the stone completely. One side is very bright with the other side seemingly in a shadow.

 

[Cheesewhiz]

Are you all right with the shadowing of the second sapphire in the hand shot? Shadowing to that extent bothers me too much to enjoy the stone completely. One side is very bright with the other side seemingly in a shadow.

Hi Chrono,

I'm not overly stoked with the shadowing, but as it wasnt doing it in the other photos I'm not really sure what to make of it. If that is what it does in direct outside light, then I wouldnt get it.

Here are a couple hand shots for the first stone. Similar thing unfortunately, looks dark on one side... (and it looks a lot more blue here, which isnt necessarily a bad thing, I think the colour is still lovely).

 

[pregcurious]

I've never bought from the first vendor, and I'm not sure who the other vendor is (perhaps the same person). I bring it up because some vendors are very accurate with their photos and/or their verbal descriptions.

I would ask a lot of questions about the cut/extinction, and it's performance in different lighting conditions. I usually don't use the photos as an indication of color, unless it's confirmed. You can check out the vendor photo threads to see how accurate the photos are to real life for these vendors.

 

[Ilovegemsstones]

After seeing the second set of pics of the first stone I think its a color changing stone.
Why not try the second vendor

 

[pregcurious]

I think if you want purple, that first one is too blue.

What color are you looking for? What do you think of this purple?

 

[chrono]

I would follow up with both vendors to find out if the hand shots match up to their verbal description of the sapphires. I would also inquire about indoor vs outdoor colour shifting.

Sapphire 1 looks a lot darker in the hand shots, grayish and predominantly blue rather than purple. The stone is also tilted (picture taken at an angle instead of straight down) which makes it impossible to evaluate any cut issues.

Sapphire 2 looks much nicer in the hand shot than the original pictures.