Is this chip on the sapphire a deal breaker?

[aussie1234]

Hi all,

Opinions welcomes! I’m totally new to coloured stones and found this one online. The problem is I noticed the corner is chipped on the crown. I have emailed a cutter for an estimate of the cost of repolishing, but then it’s questionable if it’s worth it as I’d say the sapphire would be lucky to be much bigger than 5.5mm. The vendor will measure and investigate the chip, but in the mean time, what do you think? TIA!

 

[aussie1234]

Hi all,

Opinions welcomes! I’m totally new to coloured stones and found this one online. The problem is I noticed the corner is chipped on the crown. I have emailed a cutter for an estimate of the cost of repolishing, but then it’s questionable if it’s worth it as I’d say the sapphire would be lucky to be much bigger than 5.5mm. The vendor will measure and investigate the chip, but in the mean time, what do you think? TIA!

Help mods! I’m definitely not in the trade

 

[ShinyPink]

Welcome! I am horrible at analyzing photos. It doesn't look very polished to me. Could you provide the specs?

 

[Bron357]

Hmmm.
I’d pass depending on price.
Yes, the sapphire can be recut to remove the chip and repolished to remove the facet abrasions but that costs money AND will make the sapphire smaller.
Looking at the setting, in particular at the prongs, most look totally mangled. That ring and sapphire have had a hard life and it shows.
Again, rehabbing the prongs will cost more money and in any regard if youve had the sapphire fixed up it’s likely to then be too small for the mount. Yes the prongs can be probably be altered, repositioned to fit the new size but that also costs money ?
Is the sapphire certified?
Without a certificate you can’t know for sure if it’s natural and just heat treatment. It’s certainly not worth recutting / repolishing if it is a lab, flux filled or BE treated Sapphire. Only a lab certificate can confirm this.
If there is no lab certificate, unless the ring is basically being sold for gold melt value plus a few extra dollars for the sapphire I wouldn’t buy it.

 

[ShinyPink]

That ring and sapphire have had a hard life and it shows.

That's what I meant by "not polished." I just couldn't think of how to say it. It almost looks pitted.

 

[Bron357]

ok dok.
found the ring.
The starting price is basically melt value plus seller fees.
And it’s Palladium not Platinum btw!
I would think the sapphire is under 5mm x 5 mm and I hate it when there’s no “on the hand shot” for size referencing.
I would presume you are buying it just for the sapphire? That setting is, in all honesty, damaged, out dated and dare I say very ugly!
Sapphire is obviously not certified.
Though a vintage ring, there is a likelihood that the sapphire is lab grown. High carat gold settings arent a guarantee that natural was used.
If the sapphire was in better condition and bigger, I’d say it’s worth a punt but as a sapphire that you will have to spend more money on to rehabilitate, no.
And let me stress, there is nothing “wrong” with lab grown sapphires. They wear as well as and can look a better colour than natural sapphires BUT you want to be paying the lab sapphire price. If you are wanting earth mined sapphire you don’t want to end up with lab grown by mistake or in ignorance.

 

[aussie1234]

Thanks very much everyone for their input. The vendor got back to me and said it was 7.5mm! He must have meant for something else because it doesn’t look 7.5mm! He also said the chip was a non eye visible abrasion. You are correct in thinking I was just looking to buy it for the sapphire.

It was uncertified - I was planning on having it sent to GSL after I received it to be sure. I had hoped that being the higher quality materials it might be genuine. The seller was unsure.

In conclusion I feel it will be too costly to proceed in this project unfortunately, and the risk too high that it is synthetic. I will just keep looking I suppose!

Thank you all for your detailed advice. It has been very helpful

 

[aussie1234]

Welcome! I am horrible at analyzing photos. It doesn't look very polished to me. Could you provide the specs?

Sorry but there are no specs to share lol

 

[aussie1234]

Also, how do I get the trade thing off my profile?! Lol

 

[kenny]

Sorry but there are no specs to share lol

Why would anyone consider buying a gem without specs?

 

[fredflintstone]

If you cannot see it without magnification, keep it. If you can see it with the unaided eye, return it.

Problem with hugely magnified pictures is they make every chip and inclusion look catastrophic when you cannot see them at all.

 

[Polyhex]

Why would anyone consider buying a gem without specs?

If you are bargain hunting in the secondary market and willing to lose a (hopefully small) amount of money, or buying the piece for the scrap value and getting bonus unknown stone, then you may buy a gem without specs or without reliable ones.

 

[Kevin Bryant]

The pictures are not clear enough to see, as someone who facets, that's an ease repair, and wont affect the size, maybe a few points lost, the cost for someone to get that repaired through a jewelry store will probably range around 300

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Also, how do I get the trade thing off my profile?! Lol

Contact admit
I think there is a bug in the system that defaults new accounts to trade
i think you use the report button bottom LH cnr

If you want tell finding a sapgire there are plenty of peeps here to help
what specks are you looking for ?

 

[aussie1234]

Thank you!

I’m really just keeping my eyes peeled for a starter coloured stone. So quite small. My only requirement is low end of the budget spectrum and high end of beauty.