Is this sapphire ring worth it?

[MySapphireQuest]

Hi, I'm trying to get sapphire ring and am still very much learning to choose a good sapphire. This is the ring I'm thinking of:

2.17ct Blue Cushion Sapphire Ring

This is a lovely 2.17ct Blue Cushion Cut Sapphire. The color on this one is so vibrant and pure blue! Truly remarkable!

www.diamondsbylauren.com

I'd like to know whether the sapphire is nice and whether I'm overpaying. I'd like something that is vivid/royal blue if possible around 8mm in size. I'm not that particular about the type of cut so long as it is a nice cut (precision if possible).

They have another sapphire available that also looks pretty:

2.41ct Blue Oval Sapphire Ring

This is a fantastic 2.41ct Blue Oval Shape Sapphire Ring. The cut on this stone is great - so lively. The color is incredibly vibrant!

www.diamondsbylauren.com

I have been looking at Pearlman's (I can't easily link the gemstone from them but these are the item number: 1985, 13693, 16037.



If I get a loose stone, I will need to find a jeweler who would set it for me and I'm afraid the cost would add up. That's why I was looking at DBL. I'd love to hear which stone or any suggestions for stones that are nice that I could get a ring between 5-7k.

 

[LilAlex]

Hi and welcome!

Complex question, as you know. Sapphire price is determined by beauty and rarity. On this forum, the most important thing is a good return policy. If you are new to colored stones, almost anything you buy will impress you in person when you open the package. That does not mean that it's a good value -- or that you won't feel a pang of regret when you see it next to a knock-out sapphire.

Almost no one here would buy a sapphire without an independent report from a high-quality lab (GIA, AGL, GRS, Dunaigre, SSEF, Gubelin -- who am I forgetting?). The last two are two expensive for your price point so you would mostly be asking for GIA or AGL report in US. NY-based vendor can get this easily. You want to confirm "heat only" and not some other adulteration. Unheated is more desirable but you will not get a sizable unheated stone in an attractive blue hue for your budget (these days).

I think Diamonds by Lauren is very reputable, IIRC; others here will know more. They are not known here for sapphires (I do not see the name much on this sub-forum.) You are of course comparing an intricate ring to a loose stone. There is ~ few thousand dollars in the mounting in the first instance.

The first stone, to me, is a more attractive outline but may be shallow. Ask if there is any windowing. It is a classic shape. It is vivid enough but not vivid. If the photos are accurate and objective (they virtually never are), it is a pleasant cornflower hue. It could be light-medium or medium tone. It looks eye clean (I hope that is lint I am seeing in some of the images). It is a lovely, if somewhat fragile, ring design. Hard to imagine almost any recipient not being pleased with it! I think it's too fragile for an e-ring.

The second one is either darker in tone (less desirable) or more saturated (more desirable) and I just can not tell from the vendor materials. It has, to me, a less desirable shape.

Know that shot-on-the-fly newer-generation phone photos do glorious things to colored stones -- in stills and video and especially to blues. So if there are follow-up images provided to you by email, mentally subtract a bit of blue and know that the stone will be less impressive than it appears. NEVER buy a colored stone hoping that the photos "don't do it justice" and it will really bloom once you see it in person. There are a few vendors who will show you a stone at its worst (for reference), but it needs to be someone whom you have a working relationship with, imo.

I can't comment on the Pearlman stones. (I think their catalog links to an online wholesaler with, uh, generous-looking photos.) There is no depth measurement. A single glamour-shot photo is near meaningless. And they all look like the same blue hue -- which is a red flag to me. In contrast, take a look at Adamant International (they will not have what you need but you can see how every stone looks different -- as they would in the real world). You can't buy a sapphire like you buy a Honda Accord -- meaning you pretty much know what it will look like before it shows up.

Buying colored stones is much harder than buying diamonds. Yes, there are a zillion words here about buying the finest-cut diamonds in the world and, with expert assistance, you could see the difference. But to get a real-world "lovely" diamond is fairly commoditized and few could distinguish it from a same-sized world-class diamond with a casual glance, especially if it had not just been cleaned that morning. So all this to say, if this is your one bite at the apple, it may be best to see a few in person and it is crucial to have a reputable vendor.

You can work with a "broker" -- someone who knows the lay of the land and, for a premium, will scour NYC wholesalers' wares. Many of us have worked with Inken at Enhoerning. I'm not sure you need that at your price-point but she (or someone similar) will weed out all the windowed, undersaturated, sloppily-cut gems and say "These two look cool!" It is more economical for you to buy a pre-made ring than to make your own -- since you would be paying retail twice.

One of the most cost-effective is buying a vintage sapphire ring. If you are in US, you can look at Lang and sort on sapphire and reverse-sort on price to get an idea of what is out there. Their descriptions are spot-on and their jewelry authentication is first rate. Their photos are studio-shot (perfect lighting) but conservatively edited (they do not misrepresent the gem hue or saturation). They are not cheap but they do not "take advantage," imo.

EDIT: pretty much what @Autumn in New England said, above; she knows her stuff! Snowed in here so spending too much time on this...

 

[Autumn in New England]

Hello there and welcome to the forum! Here are my two cents...

The quality of the sapphire in the ring is what I'd call above average. Just going by the listing photos/video, I wouldn't say it's vivid, but it's certainly a nice intense blue. There is a small window, and I do also see a pretty good feather inclusion in the center of the stone. The vendor can advise you better as to whether it would be eye visible, which is really all that matters (structural integrity aside, and this feather clearly poses no threat in that regard).

The loose stone from DBL looks to have about the same color, but a much, much better cut. It does have a couple of goodies, clarity-wise, but I don't think they'd be eye visible.

As far as the 3 loose stones from Pearlman's, they seem to be closer to top color judging by the photos (definitely ask for vids). I like the cut of 1985 best, but it has some fine color zoning, which may or may not be apparent at eye level. It looks a little silky as well, and a hair darker than the other two. This would be my second choice.

13693 is slightly lighter in tone than the others, which I like, but it does have a moderate window (I'm sensitive to that; you may not be). I could not personally include this stone in my considerations.

16037 doesn't appear to have any windowing, but the pavilion is just a touch askew. I don't know how that will affect light play in person. It may not! If not, that would be my choice of all the stones you posted (if the listings are accurate, of course).

No stone is ever going to be wholly perfect, unless you have unlimited funds. We often have to decide on a trade-off. So I think it will come down to what factors are most important to you. But you've clearly done your homework and selected some lovely pieces to start! Good luck!!

 

[Autumn in New England]

Hi and welcome!

Complex question, as you know. Sapphire price is determined by beauty and rarity. On this forum, the most important thing is a good return policy. If you are new to colored stones, almost anything you buy will impress you in person when you open the package. That does not mean that it's a good value -- or that you won't feel a pang of regret when you see it next to a knock-out sapphire.

Almost no one here would buy a sapphire without an independent report from a high-quality lab (GIA, AGL, GRS, Dunaigre, SSEF, Gubelin -- who am I forgetting?). The last two are two expensive for your price point so you would mostly be asking for GIA or AGL report in US. NY-based vendor can get this easily. You want to confirm "heat only" and not some other adulteration. Unheated is more desirable but you will not get a sizable unheated stone in an attractive blue hue for your budget (these days).

I think Diamonds by Lauren is very reputable, IIRC; others here will know more. They are not known here for sapphires (I do not see the name much on this sub-forum.) You are of course comparing an intricate ring to a loose stone. There is ~ few thousand dollars in the mounting in the first instance.

The first stone, to me, is a more attractive outline but may be shallow. Ask if there is any windowing. It is a classic shape. It is vivid enough but not vivid. If the photos are accurate and objective (they virtually never are), it is a pleasant cornflower hue. It could be light-medium or medium tone. It looks eye clean (I hope that is lint I am seeing in some of the images). It is a lovely, if somewhat fragile, ring design. Hard to imagine almost any recipient not being pleased with it! I think it's too fragile for an e-ring.

The second one is either darker in tone (less desirable) or more saturated (more desirable) and I just can not tell from the vendor materials. It has, to me, a less desirable shape.

Know that shot-on-the-fly newer-generation phone photos do glorious things to colored stones -- in stills and video and especially to blues. So if there are follow-up images provided to you by email, mentally subtract a bit of blue and know that the stone will be less impressive than it appears. NEVER buy a colored stone hoping that the photos "don't do it justice" and it will really bloom once you see it in person. There are a few vendors who will show you a stone at its worst (for reference), but it needs to be someone whom you have a working relationship with, imo.

I can't comment on the Pearlman stones. (I think their catalog links to an online wholesaler with, uh, generous-looking photos.) There is no depth measurement. A single glamour-shot photo is near meaningless. And they all look like the same blue hue -- which is a red flag to me. In contrast, take a look at Adamant International (they will not have what you need but you can see how every stone looks different -- as they would in the real world). You can't buy a sapphire like you buy a Honda Accord -- meaning you pretty much know what it will look like before it shows up.

Buying colored stones is much harder than buying diamonds. Yes, there are a zillion words here about buying the finest-cut diamonds in the world and, with expert assistance, you could see the difference. But to get a real-world "lovely" diamond is fairly commoditized and few could distinguish it from a same-sized world-class diamond with a casual glance, especially if it had not just been cleaned that morning. So all this to say, if this is your one bite at the apple, it may be best to see a few in person and it is crucial to have a reputable vendor.

You can work with a "broker" -- someone who knows the lay of the land and, for a premium, will scour NYC wholesalers' wares. Many of us have worked with Inken at Enhoerning. I'm not sure you need that at your price-point but she (or someone similar) will weed out all the windowed, undersaturated, sloppily-cut gems and say "These two look cool!" It is more economical for you to buy a pre-made ring than to make your own -- since you would be paying retail twice.

One of the most cost-effective is buying a vintage sapphire ring. If you are in US, you can look at Lang and sort on sapphire and reverse-sort on price to get an idea of what is out there. Their descriptions are spot-on and their jewelry authentication is first rate. Their photos are studio-shot (perfect lighting) but conservatively edited (they do not misrepresent the gem hue or saturation). They are not cheap but they do not "take advantage," imo.

EDIT: pretty much what @Autumn in New England said, above; she knows her stuff! Snowed in here so spending too much time on this...

I think you bumped me! But I sort of like that yours posted first, because it is an excellent intro to CS and discussed a lot of aspects I didn't mention. And I agree with you about Pearlman's... the stones they share with Africa Gems (and JTV - all 3 carry some of the same stones now) always seem to have generous glamour shots. And JTV's gems used to be consistently better in person. Now with whomever this "new" supplier is, I just cannot rely on their media. In any event, I try to answer posters just considering what they've given me for specs/photos/videos/etc., because, naturally, I know nothing beyond that. But I also think you're wise to defer.

 

[LilAlex]

I think you bumped me! But I sort of like that yours posted first, because it is an excellent intro to CS and discussed a lot of aspects I didn't mention.

Yeah what happened there?! It must be my super-premium membership that bumps me to the front of the line.

You are a legit (non-trade) gemologist with a more critical eye; I'm more the buyers' guide version (as in "Don't repeat my mistakes.")

 

[Rfisher]

Hi, I'm trying to get sapphire ring and am still very much learning to choose a good sapphire. This is the ring I'm thinking of:

2.17ct Blue Cushion Sapphire Ring

This is a lovely 2.17ct Blue Cushion Cut Sapphire. The color on this one is so vibrant and pure blue! Truly remarkable!

www.diamondsbylauren.com

I'd like to know whether the sapphire is nice and whether I'm overpaying. I'd like something that is vivid/royal blue if possible around 8mm in size. I'm not that particular about the type of cut so long as it is a nice cut (precision if possible).

They have another sapphire available that also looks pretty:

2.41ct Blue Oval Sapphire Ring

This is a fantastic 2.41ct Blue Oval Shape Sapphire Ring. The cut on this stone is great - so lively. The color is incredibly vibrant!

www.diamondsbylauren.com

I have been looking at Pearlman's (I can't easily link the gemstone from them but these are the item number: 1985, 13693, 16037.



If I get a loose stone, I will need to find a jeweler who would set it for me and I'm afraid the cost would add up. That's why I was looking at DBL. I'd love to hear which stone or any suggestions for stones that are nice that I could get a ring between 5-7k.

Ask DBL to show you photos of the ring/stones you are interested in, on someone’s hand. And ask what lighting the photos they then give you are taken in.
Or maybe they already exist on their Instagram- worth checking.

DBL is pretty easy to work with, and the few settings I’ve had from them have been lovely.

 

[Autumn in New England]

Yeah what happened there?! It must be my super-premium membership that bumps me to the front of the line.

You are a legit (non-trade) gemologist with a more critical eye; I'm more the buyers' guide version (as in "Don't repeat my mistakes.")

I think you ordered the droogs to do it! (Let's see how many folks get the reference.)

P.S. Oh this critical eye has made plenty of mistakes, and most of them had to do with slight nuances in color early on. CS are wily, as you said. We must fine tune our eyes, and that only comes with experience. But you know when folks consult PS, they're on the right track.

 

[MySapphireQuest]

Thank you all for the speedy response. I really appreciate it. I've requested photos of the ring but I'm still waiting on them. There is another sapphire that he had sent me picture of and I'd like to your opinion on this vs http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/index.php/jewelry/217ct-blue-cushion-sapphire-r8832

This is a no heat sapphire that measure 7.9 x 6.75 x 4.47 that is a mixed cut. The stone alone plus the ring would be about 1.4k more than the r8832. I do like the clarity and the color seems pretty. Is this stone in terms of quality nicer than the other stone that warrant the extra cost? Is 6k a reasonable price for this stone?

Thanks again

 

[Autumn in New England]

Thank you all for the speedy response. I really appreciate it. I've requested photos of the ring but I'm still waiting on them. There is another sapphire that he had sent me picture of and I'd like to your opinion on this vs http://www.diamondsbylauren.com/index.php/jewelry/217ct-blue-cushion-sapphire-r8832

This is a no heat sapphire that measure 7.9 x 6.75 x 4.47 that is a mixed cut. The stone alone plus the ring would be about 1.4k more than the r8832. I do like the clarity and the color seems pretty. Is this stone in terms of quality nicer than the other stone that warrant the extra cost? Is 6k a reasonable price for this stone?

Thanks again

I certainly like that it's unheated. What is the weight?

 

[MySapphireQuest]

WEIGHT: 2.02ct

QUANTITY: 1

TYPE: Sapphire

SHAPE: Oval Mixed Cut

COLOR: blue

MEASUREMENTS: 7.92 x 6.75 x 4.47 mm

TOTAL DEPTH: 66.2%

Comes with a report from DUNAIGRE

 

[LilAlex]

Comes with a report from DUNAIGRE

If it's a Dunaigre "VERY GOOD," that's pretty good.

Adding unheated to the mix is apples and oranges and will have a big impact at your price point. Where there is a budget, most of us would prefer a better-looking heated stone over a worse-looking unheated. (By that I mean at a given price point, the heated stone should be much prettier; for stones of equivalent appearance, the unheated will be much more expensive.)

It looks dark to me with a lower saturation:tone ratio (i.e., the darkness is more from superimposed gray than from super-vivid blue like a top Burma).

 

[MySapphireQuest]

Thank you both for helping me look. I have a lot to think about. A local jeweler is able to set the stone for me if I can get the stone myself. I might go that route instead. If you do see any nice sapphire that is between 3-5k, please send them my way.

Thanks again

 

[dk168]

I have not read the details in the thread, however, with good quality CSs, one would normally get the stone first, then have a setting made to fit it, and not the other way round.

Good CSs are not usually in calibrated sizes to fit pre-fab settings.

For Sapphires to sparkle, they are cut quite deep and standard pre-fab settings may not suit.

So always check the depth of a stone and the intended setting to make sure the latter can accommodate the stone.

For a custom precision stone, the lapidary artists I would highly recommend are Jeff White and Gary Braun of Finewater Gems.

Jeff has a vast inventory of Sapphire roughs, and he may have something that would suit your requirement and budget.

Check out his Sold Gemstone galleries, find the colour and cutting that you like (don't not need to be Sapphires), and ask if he has anything suitable in Sapphire for you.

Both Jeff and Gary are great to work with.

DK