Looking for Round Blue Sapphire

[Sabrina31]

If you're open to other shapes, have you seen the one Jeff White has currently availble?
http://www.whitesgems.com/availablegems.html

 

[goldie_locks]

I'm not a good person to ask about oval's as I kept the first one I bought simply to remind me not to fall for pretty stone pic's---that's also when I learned about extinction/shadows and my aversion! LOL!
Have you heard from Michael at Gemline? He might have something else that isn't online right now. Honestly, I'd give that round he has a look as it seems pretty nice at a reasonable price point........

I had not heard back from Michael after reaching out to him. I went back to the gem line website and noticed they had a note about having trouble with their email, so I sent a new email. That does look like a lovely stone, though slightly smaller than I want.

 

[goldie_locks]

I LOVE the smaller stone by PrecisionGem and you can always reach out to him with your color inspiration and budget and he may have suitable rough.

That smaller one sold within an hour of him posting . I did reach out to him and didn't get a response. Several of the cutters I've emailed just don't have suitable rough right now. I might have to settle in for the long game!

 

[goldie_locks]

@Sabrina31 - yes, I've eyed that lovely gem several times. Unfortunately, it's just out of my budget and I think the color is more cornflower than royal.

 

[rockysalamander]

@rockysalamander - would be great to see pics of your sapphire.

Here's my darker blue sapphires. My grandfather had them removed from one of his rings and reset for me into a bezel (one of those raised bezels that puff over the finger). My granddad decided they matched my eyes, so I needed to have them. Those bezels did their job, but it really darkened the stones. I had them removed from that setting to re-imagine what my adult self would like. The larger is 6x8 mm. My grandad said they are Ceylon and are unheated. I see no inclusions under the loupe. But, if I turn them nearly vertical, you can see bars of silk.

 

[digdeep]

the email I used earlier this year for Gemline: [email protected]

 

[goldie_locks]

@rockysalamander - gorgeous!! And in the color I'm hunting for, lucky you (and thanks grandpa!) .

@digdeep - thanks, yes, this is where I sent my most recent email. Hopefully will hear back today.

 

[goldie_locks]

Lovely blue ust popped up on instagram.I know was not the shape you like. https://www.instagram.com/p/BXIwk1MHQ5C/

I went and looked at this one again and am actually quite liking it the more I see it. I've contacted Brume and the price is quite good. Have you purchased from him before?

 

[Arkteia]

If you're open to other shapes, have you seen the one Jeff White has currently availble?
http://www.whitesgems.com/availablegems.html

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(I really like the fact that Jeff posts prices next to the stones. Very professional. When you have to chase the prices - it is such a major turn off...)

And also, I saw a lavender round cut sapphire of Jeff on Instagram today. Too small for me, but gorgeous-looking. I know that you are looking for a blue one, but everything has been shown here already, ovals, deep blues, stones from afar with no guarantee, etc... maybe look at a nicely cut round lavender?

 

[goldie_locks]

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(I really like the fact that Jeff posts prices next to the stones. Very professional. When you have to chase the prices - it is such a major turn off...)

And also, I saw a lavender round cut sapphire of Jeff on Instagram today. Too small for me, but gorgeous-looking. I know that you are looking for a blue one, but everything has been shown here already, ovals, deep blues, stones from afar with no guarantee, etc... maybe look at a nicely cut round lavender?

I do love Jeff's stones - that one is gorgeous, and if in my budget could be a potential. Most of the vendors that I have contacted (and found through the vendor list posted on this forum) all provide the prices up front. It is a major turn off to have to ask, and iirc, some folks have posted issues with vendors providing different prices to different people.

When I contact Jeff Hapeman about returning the two sapphires he sent that I posted pics of earlier, he offered to help me source a sapphire. Based on feedback from several vendors, I'm realizing how difficult it is to find what I'm asking for and so I'm hoping that by enlisting Jeff's help I will have more success as he will have contacts/sources that I wouldn't be able to find myself. He was already having one shipped to him and was hoping to get a few more so that he could do some comparison shots/analysis for me. I'm very pleased with the level of customer service I have been getting from him.

I did hear back from AJS on their that I posted a video of and I was quite pleased/impressed with their thorough analysis after they looked at it themselves. Could be a potential if Jeff's search is unsuccessful. That one nearly fits my criteria exactly, especially since it does have quite a large face up size for the size, and is unheated. However, I'm not crazy about having something shipped from across the world.

@digdeep - I did hear back form gem line also. They noted that it is quite bright and lively with nice color and saturation, though a bit darker in person. They also noted that because of the increase in the price of sapphires in the last few years, they just don't really purchase very many anymore. This particular stone is currently on memo to a local jewelry store, but they were willing to call it back just to take video. Again, I think I will wait to see what Jeff finds for me.

 

[Sabrina31]

I also really appreciated Jeff Hapeman's customer service, i ended up returning a sapphire i bought from him, but he was really helpful and approachable, I bet he finds you something you really love.

 

[rockysalamander]

Just saw this on the LT.
$5000
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXQtCuXhN6W/
https://loupetroop.com/listings/loose-stones-colored-gemstone/agl-burma-no-heat-2-dot-54-ct-sapphire

 

[minousbijoux]

That one looks to0 good to be true! If you are interested, I'd check very carefully on the clarity and inclusions and make sure you like "glowy" rather than sparkly.

 

[rockysalamander]

That one looks to0 good to be true! If you are interested, I'd check very carefully on the clarity and inclusions and make sure you like "glowy" rather than sparkly.

Totally agree. I should have said that I don't know the seller....

 

[mochiko42]

You could try Yvonne Raley to see if she can source a stone for you. I got a nice ring with a 5.5mm sapphire from her. It's smaller than what you're looking for but the color is gorgeous even in a bezel and Yvonne might be able to find something that meets your requirements.

Here's mine:

 

[goldie_locks]

@minousbijoux - I definitely prefer sparkly over glowy, and this one appears to be the latter rather than the former

@mochiko42 - gorgeous color!!

Here are two stones that Jeff found from Roger Dery (which is a little frustrating because I had sent him an email about what he had available in my size, color, and shape range and he never got back to me). To me, the cushion has slightly better color, but I prefer the cut and size of the oval. Jeff noted a small amount of extinction on the oval, which (according to him and many others), is normal for this cut. I'm not sure how noticeable it would be in person.

 

[minousbijoux]

Roger and Ginger Dery are awesome to work with, and have one of the deepest inventories of stones, especially sapphires, of any of the precision lapidaries. I'm sorry that Roger didn't respond directly to you.

 

[Sabrina31]

I think that one on the left is just gorgeous.

 

[mochiko42]

The cushion would definitely be my pick

 

[minousbijoux]

I've seen but a small portion of his stock, but I would say Roger might have others in contention. The oval would not be in the running for me, as the saturation is lacking.

 

[goldie_locks]

I've seen but a small portion of his stock, but I would say Roger might have others in contention. The oval would not be in the running for me, as the saturation is lacking.

I see what you're saying about the oval and was my first concern about it, but It's such an ideal size and shape, I'm really hoping that it's just an effect of the photography and in person it won't look like that?? Since Jeff and Roger are friends, I'm feel confident that he's pulled the only options in my color and price range.

Jeff mentioned that the cushion has an inclusion in the center, but he's going to check when he has the stones in hand. It really is just smaller than I was going for and I feel like I probably turned down a number of good options in this size range because I did want slightly bigger.

He also sent pics of these two rounds as options. I've seen the glowy ones a few times and have stayed away in favor of the crisp, sparkly ones, but I haven't actually seen one in person so it might be worth it. The cripser one on the bottom has a bit of a window. These pics are not great and difficult to judge in my opinion.

 

[minousbijoux]

I find those photos particularly unhelpful. Ask for photos on the back of the hand, as that will give you far more info about the relative size, color and clarity of the stone in real life.

 

[goldie_locks]

I find those photos particularly unhelpful. Ask for photos on the back of the hand, as that will give you far more info about the relative size, color and clarity of the stone in real life.

I believe Jeff's intent is to have them sent to him so he can take a closer look. I assume he will take back of the hand shots for me, as that is a standard pic he takes of his own stones.

 

[goldie_locks]

Roger and Ginger Dery are awesome to work with, and have one of the deepest inventories of stones, especially sapphires, of any of the precision lapidaries. I'm sorry that Roger didn't respond directly to you.

BTW, while someone noted earlier in the thread that Roger sells directly to private buyers, when you click the "inquire" button for any stones on his page, there is this note: Ask us about viewing this gemstone in person at a Gemstone Roundtable or through your local jeweler.

This, coupled with the face that he didn't respond to my email, makes me think that maybe he's moving away from dealing directly with private buyers?

 

[qubitasaurus]

BTW, while someone noted earlier in the thread that Roger sells directly to private buyers, when you click the "inquire" button for any stones on his page, there is this note: Ask us about viewing this gemstone in person at a Gemstone Roundtable or through your local jeweler.

This, coupled with the face that he didn't respond to my email, makes me think that maybe he's moving away from dealing directly with private buyers?

Yes he definitely sells to the public, and is one of the nicest and most honest vendors you could hope to deal with.

I think if you were to attend a round table event then a lot of the stones would be simultaneously available to view, and you wouldn't have to pay anything. Obviously if you chose to ship the stone directly to your house, then you will have to buy it first (and even if you return it there will still be a shipping cost).

 

[goldie_locks]

A quick update on my search for those of you following along ... Jeff found me this last option below. I am loving the saturation (did I get that right @minousbijoux? i saw your great post on saturation in another thread ). It's larger than I had hoped to get - 1.96 cts, 8 (!) mm and just at the top of my budget. Again, the pic isn't great so I'm eagerly awaiting Jeff to get it in hand for comparison shots between this one and the two Roger Dery stones. But to me the color looks glorious. Also, for this size and color, I think I would definitely just go with a prong setting. No need for a bezel.

 

[valeria101]

to me the color looks glorious. ... No need for a bezel.

Yes !

 

[Sabrina31]

OHH exciting! Cant wait to see more pictures.

 

[Arkteia]

Beautiful!

 

[goldie_locks]

So, I went out shopping for sapphires in some local stores today, and impressed myself (and some salespeople) at how much more critical my eye is now looking at colored gems - thanks a bunch to this community for that!!

I was surprised again to find some stores with several sapphire options in stock (and the one store that didn't have any loose stones available had a ton of very beautiful, highly saturated, colored stones set in various pieces - it was glorious to look at and try them all on). The first store I visited today was able to show me at least 5 options in my color, size and price range. Unfortunately, the one that blew me away had been put in the wrong box and instead of being a ~$4500 stone, it was a $10,000 stone! Whoopsie! Because of their mistake though, they offered to give me a lower price on the runner up so that I could get the setting and stone within my $5000 budget. The retails price on it was $4650, specs: 2.03 ct, 7.02mm, heated.

Here are the pics I remembered to snap just before I left the store. They pics aren't great, but I was quite satisfied with the saturation and brilliance. i think the oval I saw earlier was more brilliant, but had that huge window. This one had a small tilt window that you could only see if you looked almost parallel to the table (which you will likely never do). Also appeared to be loupe clean. The store is going to hold this stone for me for a few days while I wait to see the stones Jeff is bringing in for me.



BTW - at another store with several sapphires in stock, I found that they were all quite shallow with big face up sizes for their weigh and I spotted the windows immediately - something I don't think I would have done just a month ago. Thanks again to the regulars on this site that have really helped me out!