Is this possible?
- Thread starter YSQueen
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2008
- Messages
- 437
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2008
- Messages
- 25,226
Do a nice yellow chrysoberyl. They're very durable, have better luster and sparkle, are MUCH more affordable, and are untreated. I really believe that a fine yellow chrysoberyl is one of the most underrated of gems. Sapphires have a more important marketing name, hence the pricetag. I have never seen a yellow sapphire that was supposedly natural in color that I went ga ga for. The more saturated ones are diffused (artificially enhanced in color) it seems. If you do a chrysoberyl, it will knock a lot off the pricetag, and it will look better than most yellow sapphires if it's a well cut stone. Just try to find ones that aren't too grey or brown.
Here's my 3 carat greenish yellow chrysoberyl cushion, and if you like, they sometimes come a golden yellow as well. I have never seen a sapphire this saturated in natural color. It was very affordable, and chrysoberyl is the third hardest gem.
Here's my 3 carat greenish yellow chrysoberyl cushion, and if you like, they sometimes come a golden yellow as well. I have never seen a sapphire this saturated in natural color. It was very affordable, and chrysoberyl is the third hardest gem.
icekid
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2004
- Messages
- 7,476
To be honest, no you cannot buy a sapphire AND an ornate pave ring for $1500. If I were to guess, I''d say you''ll need more like $3500 to buy a decent quality setting and decent sapphire at that size. Of course, if you are not bothered by certain treatments or prefer a very light color yellow this would help your budget.
brandy_z28
Brilliant_Rock
- Joined
- May 23, 2008
- Messages
- 1,934
brazen_irish_hussy
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2006
- Messages
- 2,044
I suggest you try Tan (on ebay he is odysseygem and gemburionline) or Barry (acsstones.com). For that size, They have stones, both sapphires and chrysoberyl, in yellow at that size that are a few hundred dollars.
If you go with 14 k white gold and possibly zicrons as the side stones, you could probably do the ring in your budget.
If you go with 14 k white gold and possibly zicrons as the side stones, you could probably do the ring in your budget.
Indylady
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2008
- Messages
- 5,777
Seconded. You''ll have to tweak your design some so that the inner halo is not yellow diamonds, but either white or yellow sapphires. Look into Lord of the Gems Rings on Ebay; I think you should be able to do it in 14k with white diamonds. Here''s a very similar design for about $365. The split shank isn''t quite as split, but in general its really pretty similar, and even has the double prongs of your inspiration pic.
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2009
- Messages
- 13,268
I think the biggest problem would be the setting and not the colored stone in terms of budget.
A high quality diamond pave setting for a 6-7mm stone would probably cost around 2k?
That being said, if you aren't a stickler for details in workmanship, LOGR has really affordable mass produced settings that will look very close from a few feet away. Up close, the workmanship isn't comparable to say Whiteflash, but they look great on the hand and are very affordable. Personally, I would love an LOGR setting for a "temporary" setting for a few years until I had the funds to reset it into something more meticulously done. But I don't know if I would want it to be my "forever" setting, I think if I only got to buy this once, then I might save for a little longer to get a setting that I thought was perfectly made. Just my personal feelings towards the matter.
A high quality diamond pave setting for a 6-7mm stone would probably cost around 2k?
That being said, if you aren't a stickler for details in workmanship, LOGR has really affordable mass produced settings that will look very close from a few feet away. Up close, the workmanship isn't comparable to say Whiteflash, but they look great on the hand and are very affordable. Personally, I would love an LOGR setting for a "temporary" setting for a few years until I had the funds to reset it into something more meticulously done. But I don't know if I would want it to be my "forever" setting, I think if I only got to buy this once, then I might save for a little longer to get a setting that I thought was perfectly made. Just my personal feelings towards the matter.
Thanks everyone for their input.
@ Joshua - we''re were wanting to do 14K white gold and we would want the side stones to be diamonds.
@ Tourmaline - I never thought about a chrysoberyl and your stone is GORGEOUS! I can definitely say one of the reasons I was drawn to a yellow sapphire is because of the hardness, but if the hardness of a chrysoberyl is an 8, that might not be too bad.
@ Brandy - our budget is for the stone AND setting
@ Brazen, IndyLady, MakingtheGrade - thanks for the recommendations. My boyfriend really wants to be able to source the stone and the setting from the same place and not separately. He''s a real stickler for quality so I''m not sure if LOGR would work.
I guess we''ll have to up our budget if we really want a yellow sapphire. What do you think an ideal budget would be and who could we use to source the stone and setting from the same place?
@ Joshua - we''re were wanting to do 14K white gold and we would want the side stones to be diamonds.
@ Tourmaline - I never thought about a chrysoberyl and your stone is GORGEOUS! I can definitely say one of the reasons I was drawn to a yellow sapphire is because of the hardness, but if the hardness of a chrysoberyl is an 8, that might not be too bad.
@ Brandy - our budget is for the stone AND setting
@ Brazen, IndyLady, MakingtheGrade - thanks for the recommendations. My boyfriend really wants to be able to source the stone and the setting from the same place and not separately. He''s a real stickler for quality so I''m not sure if LOGR would work.
I guess we''ll have to up our budget if we really want a yellow sapphire. What do you think an ideal budget would be and who could we use to source the stone and setting from the same place?
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2008
- Messages
- 25,226
Thank you!
Actually the hardness of chrysoberyl is 8.5. It's pretty durable.
ETA: Does anyone remember the ETSY seller that does mounts like the one above with different colored melees? I think PinkAsscher's ring is from that seller. She's pretty reasonable and has decent work. I would source the stone separately though, and if you do go with a yellow sapphire, please please please make sure it's certified by the GIA, GRS, AGL or GIT labs where they can test for diffusion color enhancement. I don't know about you, but I would prefer a natural untreated gem for an e-ring. A diffused one will cost peanuts though. I suspect the ETSY seller has diffused melees, but I would rather the center stone be untreated.
Actually the hardness of chrysoberyl is 8.5. It's pretty durable.
ETA: Does anyone remember the ETSY seller that does mounts like the one above with different colored melees? I think PinkAsscher's ring is from that seller. She's pretty reasonable and has decent work. I would source the stone separately though, and if you do go with a yellow sapphire, please please please make sure it's certified by the GIA, GRS, AGL or GIT labs where they can test for diffusion color enhancement. I don't know about you, but I would prefer a natural untreated gem for an e-ring. A diffused one will cost peanuts though. I suspect the ETSY seller has diffused melees, but I would rather the center stone be untreated.
brandy_z28
Brilliant_Rock
- Joined
- May 23, 2008
- Messages
- 1,934
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2009
- Messages
- 13,268
pocadot
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- May 27, 2010
- Messages
- 65
Hey YSQueen. I bought a setting for my alexandrite from Nataly and Alex at natalia-diamonds.com, and am pretty sure that it would be possible for them to acquire all of your stones. They have several settings that fit what you''re looking for, but they can always do custom work. Their workmanship and detail is meticulous, their prices reasonable for the quality you get, and their side diamonds are backed by a lifetime guarantee, which is something that I never see:
"But in the event that the side diamonds in your ring should become loose or missing we replace them free of charge for the life that you own your ring. We offer to replace any missing round brilliant diamonds up to .03 ct. in size twice within a one year period."
They even give you the option to haggle online! Or you can go to their office in NY and do it in person. Feel free to message me for details. I''d highly recommend them!
"But in the event that the side diamonds in your ring should become loose or missing we replace them free of charge for the life that you own your ring. We offer to replace any missing round brilliant diamonds up to .03 ct. in size twice within a one year period."
They even give you the option to haggle online! Or you can go to their office in NY and do it in person. Feel free to message me for details. I''d highly recommend them!
pocadot
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- May 27, 2010
- Messages
- 65
I''d definitely take a look at Laurie Sarah on Etsy as well. I had considered using her for my setting, but preferred to check out various settings in person. She has a store selling loose gems on etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LaurieSarahGems?section_id=5692180
She even made this custom e-ring, which is very similar to the design you''re looking to recreate (please note that the center stone is yellow topaz, and that it is the 1st halo that is composed of yellow sapphires): http://www.etsy.com/listing/48532438/yellow-sapphire-and-diamond-two-tone
Hope this helps
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2008
- Messages
- 25,226
Date: 6/2/2010 7:31:14 PM
Author: pocadot
I''d definitely take a look at Laurie Sarah on Etsy as well. I had considered using her for my setting, but preferred to check out various settings in person. She has a store selling loose gems on etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LaurieSarahGems?section_id=5692180
She even made this custom e-ring, which is very similar to the design you''re looking to recreate (please note that the center stone is yellow topaz, and that it is the 1st halo that is composed of yellow sapphires): http://www.etsy.com/listing/48532438/yellow-sapphire-and-diamond-two-tone
Hope this helps
Yes, I was thinking of Laura Sarah. Please don''t buy a center stone without a lab certificate indicating full treatment. If you want a diffused gem, they''re about twenty times less money than an untreated one.
Indylady
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2008
- Messages
- 5,777
I think a few PS''ers have considered her, though I can''t recall anyone specifically who has used her. Here''s a link to a previous thread on Laurie Sarah.
@ IndyLady - Very interesting thread. Some of those that responded on that thread seemed to think that she was overpriced. I saw something similar on her etsy shop to the picture I posted earlier and it was priced at $1749, which is a couple hundred more than my budget.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/48532438/yellow-sapphire-and-diamond-two-tone
Granted, it's on a semi mount, but I don't mind that at all. If she's overpriced, then how much should I expect to spend on that type of ring?
http://www.etsy.com/listing/48532438/yellow-sapphire-and-diamond-two-tone
Granted, it's on a semi mount, but I don't mind that at all. If she's overpriced, then how much should I expect to spend on that type of ring?
pocadot
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- May 27, 2010
- Messages
- 65
Hey YSQueen - just wanted to remind you that center stone of the ring in that listing is yellow topaz, not yellow sapphire (it''s the halo around the center stone that is comprised of yellow sapphire). So the ring with a yellow sapphire center stone should be significantly more expensive. You should email Laurie Sarah and ask her for a quote on a similar ring with a yellow sapphire center instead of topaz. Or you could just go with the yellow topaz to stick to your budget - that ring looks gorgeous!
Date: 6/3/2010 8:52:01 PM
Author: pocadot
Hey YSQueen - just wanted to remind you that center stone of the ring in that listing is yellow topaz, not yellow sapphire (it''s the halo around the center stone that is comprised of yellow sapphire). So the ring with a yellow sapphire center stone should be significantly more expensive. You should email Laurie Sarah and ask her for a quote on a similar ring with a yellow sapphire center instead of topaz. Or you could just go with the yellow topaz to stick to your budget - that ring looks gorgeous!
If you read the description, it says the price is for a yellow sapphire.
pocadot
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- May 27, 2010
- Messages
- 65
TL: As for the saturated yellows not occuring naturally... this is not quite the case.
There are two naturally occuring sources of yellow coloration in Sapphire that are known. They are:
Fe+++, which produces a very light/low saturation yellow which is described often as 'straw yellow' (as opposed to Fe++ which forms conjugates with Ti++++ to cause the blue Sapphire`s famous for). This colour NEVER becomes vivid, regardless of the Fe+++ concentration in the stone (likely because the colour is imparted by Fe-Fe pairs, and the majority of it actually forms triplets, quads, etc... esepcially as the concentration increases); and
Mg++, which at even very low concentrations, is able to produce an extremely intense 'eye-popping' yellow colour. At higher concentrations it provides that very bright orange colour that often will get immediately dismissed as Be++ diffused). Now you don't see this colour as often because unlike Fe+++ (which is isovalent to corundums Al+++), the Mg++ needs something to make up charge difference from Al+++. That means, if there is significant Ti++++, Si++++, or many transition metals, the Mg++ pairs up with those, 'blocking' Mg++ from acting as a colorant. Not only that, the Mg++ must associate with electron holes to form 'Mg++ trapped-hole pairs', instead of balancing with O- or Al++++ (radicals)... and even more, the Mg++ trapped-hole pairs have to be the right distance apart.
So you can see why you would need a very specific set of conditions during formation to get that eye-popping yellow (or orange, depending on conc). Even still, many Mg++ rich stones can actually achieve this colouration with 'simple' heat and environmental control of oxygen-richness. A great example of this is Rock Creek Montana stones.
It has been well established that not only does Be++ impart the same colour as Mg++ (at least to the uber-pro's eyes... I have no spectral data on that), but it actually does so by the exact same mechanism as Mg++. Be++ only imparts colour when it forms Be++ trapped-hole pairs. That also means that they can use the right heat-environment to 'fine-tune' the strength of the colour Be++ imparts (by making sure the Be++ doesn't form trapped hole pairs).
---
Now the thing I find so neat about all this, is that Tone is a completely separate beast in these cases. It really doesn't matter how high the saturation of chromophore gets (for Fe-Fe pairs, or Mg/Be++ trapped hole pairs)... these never seem to become become dark. It's like with Ruby... low conc of Cr+++ and you get 'pink' (it's actually more purple... the expensive 'pink' sapphire from Tan people said was more purpley... thats the pure low conc Cr+++ colour, and prolly why labs call it pink). As the concentrations increases you get low, then med, then vivid saturation of that pinky-purple... and then it just becomes a nice toned red, without the purple ever going dark, with the red taking on the purple saturation.
There are two naturally occuring sources of yellow coloration in Sapphire that are known. They are:
Fe+++, which produces a very light/low saturation yellow which is described often as 'straw yellow' (as opposed to Fe++ which forms conjugates with Ti++++ to cause the blue Sapphire`s famous for). This colour NEVER becomes vivid, regardless of the Fe+++ concentration in the stone (likely because the colour is imparted by Fe-Fe pairs, and the majority of it actually forms triplets, quads, etc... esepcially as the concentration increases); and
Mg++, which at even very low concentrations, is able to produce an extremely intense 'eye-popping' yellow colour. At higher concentrations it provides that very bright orange colour that often will get immediately dismissed as Be++ diffused). Now you don't see this colour as often because unlike Fe+++ (which is isovalent to corundums Al+++), the Mg++ needs something to make up charge difference from Al+++. That means, if there is significant Ti++++, Si++++, or many transition metals, the Mg++ pairs up with those, 'blocking' Mg++ from acting as a colorant. Not only that, the Mg++ must associate with electron holes to form 'Mg++ trapped-hole pairs', instead of balancing with O- or Al++++ (radicals)... and even more, the Mg++ trapped-hole pairs have to be the right distance apart.
So you can see why you would need a very specific set of conditions during formation to get that eye-popping yellow (or orange, depending on conc). Even still, many Mg++ rich stones can actually achieve this colouration with 'simple' heat and environmental control of oxygen-richness. A great example of this is Rock Creek Montana stones.
It has been well established that not only does Be++ impart the same colour as Mg++ (at least to the uber-pro's eyes... I have no spectral data on that), but it actually does so by the exact same mechanism as Mg++. Be++ only imparts colour when it forms Be++ trapped-hole pairs. That also means that they can use the right heat-environment to 'fine-tune' the strength of the colour Be++ imparts (by making sure the Be++ doesn't form trapped hole pairs).
---
Now the thing I find so neat about all this, is that Tone is a completely separate beast in these cases. It really doesn't matter how high the saturation of chromophore gets (for Fe-Fe pairs, or Mg/Be++ trapped hole pairs)... these never seem to become become dark. It's like with Ruby... low conc of Cr+++ and you get 'pink' (it's actually more purple... the expensive 'pink' sapphire from Tan people said was more purpley... thats the pure low conc Cr+++ colour, and prolly why labs call it pink). As the concentrations increases you get low, then med, then vivid saturation of that pinky-purple... and then it just becomes a nice toned red, without the purple ever going dark, with the red taking on the purple saturation.
Indylady
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2008
- Messages
- 5,777
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2008
- Messages
- 25,226
Featured Topics
Engagement Ring Trends 2025: Styles Set to Shine
Engagement Ring Trends 2025: Styles Set to Shine - 01/15
300x240.png)