I think I found my dream blue!

[MakingTheGrade]

Date: 12/17/2009 3:32:29 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
A yummy Sapphire! I would definitely prong set and get as much light as possible into the gem to really show it off. It''s a beautiful blue isn''t it?


I have a zircon (cut by Gene) in exactly the same shape.

I was planning to prong set it. Gene said that in daylight the stone comes alive, and indoors it is a bit darker. The photo he took was supposed to represent it in most lighting, so I suspect in daylight it will look brighter than the photo may suggest (which was the case with the tanzanite I bought from him earlier). Still, I agree that prongs are the way to go!

Do you have a photo of that zircon in an LOGR? I thought about halos, but I think this sapphire would get lost in a halo. I also tend to just like sleeker looks in a ring, halos look kind of funny on my chubby little hands, lol.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Date: 12/17/2009 1:41:00 PM
Author: ma re
HERE's what I was thinking by '4 tapered baguettes on each side'. Not sure if there's eight of them in this pic, but I'm sure you can now imagine how they'd sit against your sapphire (two pointing towards the upper half of the sapphire's side, two towards the lower half...).

Like this? You don't think it'll dwarf the center stone a little?

 

[haagen_dazs]

do post real life photos when you get the sapphire.
looking forward to seeing it

 

[Largosmom]

Wonderful stone! Congratulations!

 

[jstarfireb]

It''s lovely! I''m not usually a big fan of sapphires, but you picked a very nice one!

 

[ma re]

Date: 12/17/2009 5:11:22 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade

Date: 12/17/2009 1:41:00 PM
Author: ma re
HERE''s what I was thinking by ''4 tapered baguettes on each side''. Not sure if there''s eight of them in this pic, but I''m sure you can now imagine how they''d sit against your sapphire (two pointing towards the upper half of the sapphire''s side, two towards the lower half...).

Like this? You don''t think it''ll dwarf the center stone a little?

No, because if you get 4 of those on each side, they''ll have to be 1.5 mm in width at most, so they wouldn''t be more than 3 mm in lenght, which is about a half of your sapph''s width. In the photo above, sides are about 3/4 of the center''s width, which I think is too much for this style (that''s why I suggested 4 smaller ones, instead of two larger baguettes on each side).

 

[LD]

Date: 12/17/2009 4:44:07 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade

Date: 12/17/2009 3:32:29 PM
Author: LovingDiamonds
A yummy Sapphire! I would definitely prong set and get as much light as possible into the gem to really show it off. It''s a beautiful blue isn''t it?


I have a zircon (cut by Gene) in exactly the same shape.

I was planning to prong set it. Gene said that in daylight the stone comes alive, and indoors it is a bit darker. The photo he took was supposed to represent it in most lighting, so I suspect in daylight it will look brighter than the photo may suggest (which was the case with the tanzanite I bought from him earlier). Still, I agree that prongs are the way to go!

Do you have a photo of that zircon in an LOGR? I thought about halos, but I think this sapphire would get lost in a halo. I also tend to just like sleeker looks in a ring, halos look kind of funny on my chubby little hands, lol.

I''m a fellow of the chubster hand brigade! Here''s the link, see what you think ...........

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/genes-blue-zircon-set-in-logr-setting.124550/

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Thanks so much LD! That is a beautiful ring, I totally remember it now that I see it again, haha. Could you tell me how big that stone was and what dimension of setting you got from LOGR for it?

You have got to have one of the largest and most complete jewelery collections I''ve ever seen!

 

[LD]

The Zircon measures 6.31 x 5.20 mm and I''m guessing I got the 7x5mm setting from LOGR. I''m afraid I don''t have the details now and as it''s longer than 3 months it''s fallen off my Ebay history. I''m pretty sure that''s the size I would have gone for though.

Hope that helps.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Date: 12/17/2009 9:38:00 AM
Author:MakingTheGrade
Finally, my obsessive stalking of gem sites pays off. Last night I bought this lovely sapphire from Gene (precisiongem.com), and I won''t see it until January when I return from my trip, but I''m easily excitable and I can''t tell you how much I look forward to seeing it when I get back!

Congrats on your lovely new stone!!

This and your information on the PASSION of gems is just perfect information.

 

[brandy_z28]

That is a gorgeous blue!!

Congrats on getting that stone MTG!

 

[cushioncutnut]

That is just yummy!! It looks to match your tanzanite pendant shape wise!! Gorgeous!!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Date: 12/18/2009 10:59:33 AM
Author: brandy_z28
That is a gorgeous blue!!

Congrats on getting that stone MTG!

Thanks. I think I just got really lucky in that I saw it maybe 5 minutes after it was posted, just because I stalk his site, lol. And they say stalking is a bad thing

Who knows though, it is quite small by PS standards, maybe it would have still been around even if I hadn''t jumped on it. But I didn''t want to risk it!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Date: 12/18/2009 11:01:28 AM
Author: cushioncutnut
That is just yummy!! It looks to match your tanzanite pendant shape wise!! Gorgeous!!

The shapes are close, though not exact. Both pretty much just look like cushions from afar. But this one is MUCH smaller, hehe.

I'm still trying to brainstorm settings that will maximize the size impact of the sapphire. Aside from halos and bezels, is there anything else that can play up the size of a stone?

It's a little smaller than my tsav, but a little lighter in saturation I think. So perhaps the visual impact will be similar. I think it's a good size for me, but I"d like to play it up as best I can.

 

[ma re]

Date: 12/18/2009 12:19:12 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade

Aside from halos and bezels, is there anything else that can play up the size of a stone?

Bezels can work, but only if the color of the stone is close to that of the metal (diamonds in white, citrines in yellow, morganites in rose gold...), so I'm not sure you could benefit from that. With halos it's pretty much the same - if colors of the setting and the stone are close enough, a halo could make the stone seem larger. But it could also make it seem smaller, if the diamonds you use in the halo are too large in proportion to the sapphire. Browsing photos I came to a conclusion that getting side stones that are too close in size to the center stone, makes the center look smaller - that's probably why you don't often see such arrangements in men's rings. But since you don't have the space for sides of the similar sizes even if you'd want to have them, that's a good thing. Also in general, the less metal there is right next to the stone, the larger the stone would seem (except in those rare bezel situations), so something with tiny prongs, rather small sides and a thin shank would probably be best. I'd also think about a solitaire setting if you'd like to play up the size. But you can't really know for sure until you see the stone.

 

[T L]

MTG,
If the color is very saturated, just because it is small, doesn''t mean it won''t have a lot of visual impact. I personally think you should let the stone shine and try a simple setting like the tapered baguettes. If the color is as nice as it is in Gene''s photo, there''s no reason to play it up with lots of metal and diamonds, in particular if you''re not that kind of person, and I know you like more delicate handcrafted work.

That being said, since I like ornate settings, I think it would look great in an antique style art deco setting, but that''s probably not your taste from what I''ve seen. Definitely white metal for this one!!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Date: 12/18/2009 1:14:07 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
MTG,
I personally think you should let the stone shine and try a simple setting like the tapered baguettes.
That being said, since I like ornate settings, I think it would look great in an antique style art deco setting, but that's probably not your taste from what I've seen. Definitely white metal for this one!!

I like the tapered baguettes as well

I actually really admire art deco settings, I just haven't the foggiest about where to find one or design one. I enjoy browsing sites like Fay Cullen though, and some of Green Lakes "artistic" jewelery is really lovely.

Hehe, you mean you don't think yellow gold would look nice for a sapphire? Aw shucks.

 

[Lovinggems]

MTG a nice find! Can''t wait to see what you decide to do with it. I wonder if it''ll look good in high carat yellow gold, I like the ring Gene made for his wife by Richard Wise''s team, but your stone has more pointy bits.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Date: 12/18/2009 7:36:18 PM
Author: Lovinggems
but your stone has more pointy bits.

Haha, that phrase makes me smile.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I love the idea of really thin delicate bullets and pave on the band

Or bullets: http://www.artofplatinum.com/4images/details.php?image_id=452

I wouldn''t worry about the shape of the stone having points. It is a smaller stone and I think when set it will look like a cushion more than anything. The prongs would prbbaly cover four of the corners anyways, wouldn''t you think?

 

[yanaazul]

I may be biased, but I think sapphires look beautiful in 18K yellow gold:
(Though I think the shape of yours would be better featured in prongs, not a bezel.)

 

[ma re]

Choice of metal is a personal preference. And while most jewellers would set a stone of that color in white metal (to make it look more classic and to make it more sellable - is that a word?), if you prefer yellow gold there''s no reason not to go for what you like. I''ve seen good and bad designs in both metals with stones of this color, so it''s more than just a color to consider. Some designs are more suited to white, some more to yellow. White and blue are more of a formal color combo, while yellow and blue are not as much, but with the right design (and the use of some diamonds) you can still make it very elegant. If you like rings where stone is the star (and you don''t notice much of anything else), then white would probably be best, but if you''re drawn to more ornated settings where it''s not all just about the stone, then you might consider yellow. Also, since your stone is of a more unusual shape and facet pattern, you might not achieve a very classic look even if you go with white gold, but you''ll sure create a stronger color contrast and make the blue pop. Two tone is also something to consider.

P. S. I didn''t even realize that shape is another issue to consider when choosing setting styles, cause bezeling something like this could be tricky.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Mmm...I AM a big fan of two tone...

Hey Dreamer, did you ever find a sapphire you liked?

 

[LD]

It''s interesting talking about metal colour because years ago, yellow gold was all the rage and you saw much more of that than anything else. In the past 10 years or so, white gold, platinum and now palladium has taken over. Rose gold in the past few years (especially in the US - less so in the UK) has re-emerged as a metal of choice. I still think it''s a matter of personal preference and more importantly skin tone. I''m lucky in that I can wear both (and have a wedding ring of each colour so I can mix and match)! I''ve just commissioned a two tone metal ring and really had to think hard because I don''t want to have a dated piece!

As an owner of the same cut as your beauty MTG, bezelling would not only be a task for a master benchman but would, I think, take much skill and patience and I''m not convinced that it will get the best out of the Sapphire as there''s every chance it would darken it a little too much. For me, it would be prongs all the way with this one.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Date: 12/19/2009 4:16:59 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
Mmm...I AM a big fan of two tone...

Hey Dreamer, did you ever find a sapphire you liked?

hahha.. no. I found an upgrade on my diamond

Actually I ended up getting a half eternity band for my baby present. I want a sapphire for sure one day, but I want a big one cut by JW and need to prioritize my budget so it will be a while. Right now I am working on my diamond and then when it is done I will work on other things!

I really like sapphire in yg too, the contrast is really striking.

 

[jstarfireb]

I''m sure Julia Kay Taylor could handle bezeling that stone and would create something fabulous for it. But I think I''d prefer it in prongs. It already seems to be a pretty dark blue, and I wouldn''t want it to turn near-black.

 

[Arkteia]

Beautiful color. I think it can hold changes in lighting pretty well. Re. setting: I have noticed that white gold often "kills" blue hues, making them cold. I''d opt for yellow or red gold. I have read somewhere that white gold became popular in the US after WWII, but in Europe yellow gold is more popular. I think 6 or 8 prongs formung a "flower" basket around the stone could be interesting.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Date: 12/20/2009 4:23:11 PM
Author: crasru
Beautiful color. I think it can hold changes in lighting pretty well. Re. setting: I have noticed that white gold often ''kills'' blue hues, making them cold. I''d opt for yellow or red gold. I have read somewhere that white gold became popular in the US after WWII, but in Europe yellow gold is more popular. I think 6 or 8 prongs formung a ''flower'' basket around the stone could be interesting.

Thanks! I''m hopeful the color holds too, Gene mentioned that it didn''t shift or grey out, but just got a bit darker in doors, but lit up nicely outdoors. Anyways, will post photos in 2 weeks when I get it. I''m actually warming up to yellow gold, I''m currently in China and thinking of picking up some high carat gold settings if I can find some.