Looking for a Peach-Champagne or Padparadscha Sapphire

[sapphiregal]

Hi everyone! I'm a 1 year lurker but first time poster. I'm hoping I can get your expert opinions and advice. I've done a lot of research on my own, but I'm still feeling a little lost.

My boyfriend and I have been together for 13 years, and finally decided to get married this August. I spent all last year trying to find a diamond ring that I loved, and when I finally decided on the size of stone and setting I wanted, the ring came to about $25k, which was way over our current budget (hopefully I'll get my dream diamond on our one year anniversary). If I can't get the diamond I truly want, I'd rather have no diamond at all than settle for something that isn't exactly what I want.

I've since set my heart on a peach champagne sapphire. I would love a padparadscha sapphire, but I think it might be out of my budget. I would like a cushion cut stone in a rose gold halo setting. I want it to look like this, but a sapphire instead of morganite. https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/228950932/rectangular-cushion-cut-morganite?ref=shop_home_active_8

Here's what I'm looking for:

- light peach/pink/champagne color, similar to morganite in color
- padparadscha if possible
- cushion rectangular cut
- minimum of 9mm in length, but preferably 10mm to 11mm
- eye clean, no window if possible
- only heat treated (no fillers, etc)
- a beautiful stone with sparkle, and excellent cut
- max budget of $5k for the stone

I can easily get the setting made at a local jeweller, but I'm having a hard time finding the stone. I found these online, but my jeweller said the prices are too low for the stone, and there must be something wrong with them. I would love your opinions.

1. https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/207799787/certified-pink-sapphire-natural?ref=shop_home_active_17
2. https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/207...hire-natural-sapphire?ref=shop_home_active_21
3. https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/207...hire-unheated-natural?ref=shop_home_active_23

Do you think these are nice stones? Is my budget realistic for what I want? Are there any other stones you would recommend?

Also, the jeweller I'm working with said that setting I'm looking at will cost about $3K to $3.5K. Just wondering if that's a reasonable price, or if it seems a bit high.

Lastly, my jeweller said he can get in 2 stones free of charge for me to look at, but after that I would have to pay the shipping fees of $200 for every stone after the first two that I would want to see (his cost to get the stones sent to him). Is it common practice to make the customer pay to ship in stones to see?

I can't thank you enough for your help!

 

[chocolatepudding]

Welcome and congratulations on your engagement!

I'm a newbie too so I'll let the experts comment on the stones you were looking at.

this one is smaller than you wanted but well within your price range and a really lovely color. Maybe its something you can consider?
http://www.deliqagems.com/products/1-carat-unheated-peach-pinkish-yellow-sapphire.html

good luck with the search

 

[Marlow]

The first one is not bad - price compared with size o.k. and an AGL tested stone.

I would like a stronger orange hue. Padparadscha is difficult - a stone with a perfect balance of orange and pink is really rare.

"Dirty pink" = brownish pink is not padparadscha!! I don't like the second and third - I would go for a light but better saturated pink.

An orangepink spinel would be a good choice too.

 

[gingercurls]

Hi SapphireGal,

I won't comment on the Sapphires because there are other people on this forum who are far more well-versed in pads than I. I like the setting from the first link that you showed but I do believe that the price that the jeweler quoted you is high if you are planning on using diamonds that are comparable to the setting from the link that you provided.

 

[gingercurls]

Also, you might want to consider this Sapphire
http://loupetroop.com/listings/loos...-cts-magnificent-agl-report-padparascha-sapph

It is heat only, had a precision recut, has a very nice color, comes with an AGL certification, and meets your size requirements. You might be able to negotiate with the seller on the price.

 

[digdeep]

Sapphiregal...........did you purchase the first one? I hope so, because it apparently is now sold............

 

[minousbijoux]

How much was the first one? We can see the stone, but not the price now that its sold. The first one is the only true padparadscha of the three you posted. I assume you bought it. You hopefully got it for a great price.

 

[sapphiregal]

Hi Everyone!

Sorry for the confusion. Yes, I just purchased the 1st stone. I was too scared of it selling out before I purchased it. I've been looking for the perfect stone for so long now, that I didn't want to take the chance. It's refundable, so if I get it and it's not perfect, I will return it. Here are the specs:

Natural Padparadscha Sapphire, $3,485
Cushion Cut, 3.45 carats, 9.80x7.80x4.70mm
Only heat enhanced, eye clean, AGL certified

Ideally, I would like a larger stone. I do prefer the lighter shade of orange-pink, instead of the more vibrant color, and I'm also dead set on a sapphire, because it's my birthstone and has a special meaning to me.

Thank you ChocolatePudding!

Thanks Gingercurls! I do feel that the price for the setting is a bit high, so I think I will find a different jeweler to work with. Thanks for showing me that stone too. It's a little darker than I would like, and also a little smaller, but I do know it's very difficult to capture the accurate color.

 

[Marlow]

1000 pct is a very good price - it is a large stone - please post pictures!!!

 

[Niel]

For a halo setting, I cannot say at all if the price you were quoted was too high. Ive seen 1500 halos and 5000 halos, and they looked their price. If they are charging 3-3.5 k, I would expect it too look like a brilliantly engaged halo (I'd go google image search that) if it doesn't, then yes its probably overpriced. Its important to look at the previous work of the setting vendor you're considering. A "halo" is as generic a term ad "solitaire" and can come well made and not well made.

 

[minousbijoux]

Hi Everyone!

Sorry for the confusion. Yes, I just purchased the 1st stone. I was too scared of it selling out before I purchased it. I've been looking for the perfect stone for so long now, that I didn't want to take the chance. It's refundable, so if I get it and it's not perfect, I will return it. Here are the specs:

Natural Padparadscha Sapphire, $3,485
Cushion Cut, 3.45 carats, 9.80x7.80x4.70mm
Only heat enhanced, eye clean, AGL certified

Ideally, I would like a larger stone. I do prefer the lighter shade of orange-pink, instead of the more vibrant color, and I'm also dead set on a sapphire, because it's my birthstone and has a special meaning to me.

Thank you ChocolatePudding!

Thanks Gingercurls! I do feel that the price for the setting is a bit high, so I think I will find a different jeweler to work with. Thanks for showing me that stone too. It's a little darker than I would like, and also a little smaller, but I do know it's very difficult to capture the accurate color.

I think that is a very good price for an AGL-certed padparadscha. I wonder about its cutting, but you absolutely did a smart thing by getting it in hand to take a look! I hope this stone works for you and I will be staying tuned.

 

[chrono]

I hope the stone works out for you. I noticed the stone is almost all pavilion and almost no crown, then did the calculation and determined the sapphire to be on the shallow end. Look out to see how windowed it might be and observe how easily it tilt windows, if such things bother you.

 

[sapphiregal]

I hope the stone works out for you. I noticed the stone is almost all pavilion and almost no crown, then did the calculation and determined the sapphire to be on the shallow end. Look out to see how windowed it might be and observe how easily it tilt windows, if such things bother you.

Thank you so much for this information, Chrono! Hopefully I'll receive the stone by Friday, and can look for this. The jeweler I was working with told me that in light colored stones, windowing is much more common, especially at my price point. Do you agree? If the window is very noticeable, does this take away from the beauty of the stone? I'm sure this is probably personal opinion, but I'd love to know what makes for a beautiful stone. I've never seen a sapphire like this in person, so I don't really have a reference for comparison.

 

[Marlow]

padparadscha rough is very expensive - so they try to get the highest weight possible. So the cut a windowed ( flat) stones with 1,2 ct instead of a not windowed 0,7-0,8 ct.

The shape of the rough is responsible - not a light(er) color.

 

[chrono]

The function of the cut is not only to enhance colour but to make it sparkle. A windowed stone allows light to pass through it, instead of bouncing back to the viewer's eye. The result of this is that the center of the gem is dead (you can see your finger through it and it has zero sparkle) whilst only the edges will sparkle. A flat crown also results in diminished brilliance/sparkle.
http://www.palagems.com/quality_4cs.htm#cut

Windowing is a function of cut and has nothing to do with the light tone or light hue of a gem. If large enough, it does take away from the beauty of the stone as explained above. Some lapidaries will try to preserve as much weight as possible (pricing is usually based on ct weight, so there is strong incentive to retain as much weight as possible, sometimes even sacrificing beauty), especially so on expensive material and if the shape of the rough is not good. That said, I'd rather have a balance of cut and size.

 

[kenny]

Chrono, excellent pic.
I've never seen a better example for teaching about windowing.

 

[LD]

To add to Chrono's post, I suspect your stone may be windowed also. However just to make sure that you check it correctly, you need to look at the stone head on - not tilted to any side. If you can see a window, head on, then I'm afraid that can only be "cured" by recutting. If the stone is too shallow that may not be possible (and I suspect it won't take a recut). However, a clever setting can help to mask/minimise the window.