Opinions on a sapphire? (Yes, another thread)

[T L]

You have to ask about the tone, the saturation, the hue (violetish blue or blue, color shift??), zoning and extinction.

 

[LD]

A word of caution ............

I have bought a fairly large number of gems from AJS and have always been happy with the quality BUT I don't think their photos are true to life. The photos look far more saturated and vivid than the gem will be in real life. So, what you need to do is assume that the colours will be much less "in yer face" than they look in the photos. On that basis, do you still think they may be candidates?

 

[minousbijoux]

So knowing that LD, how do you compensate? Do you ask them to provide the info regarding the color based on some scale, like vB 6/5 kind of thing? Do you get them to provide hand shots, or do you just wing it and hope for the best? It seems if their pictures are off, then their descriptions might be as well...just wondering.

 

[chrono]

The last I've heard, AJS no longer provides additional pictures. Does anyone know if that remains true?

 

[minousbijoux]

Then you just go by their verbal description?

 

[LD]

Unfortunately they won't provide additional photos

The way I compensate Minous is literally by assuming that I will get a less vibrant version which takes some imagination. So, for me, because I like incredibly strongly saturated and vibrant gemstones, in AJS's photos the colour has to scream off the page. That way IRL it MAY meet my expectations!

 

[LD]

I hope this illustrates it! Top photo is AJS's. Bottom photo is mine - apologies for the fingerprints on the stone. It's not quite as bad as this photo makes it look!

 

[minousbijoux]

That would irritate me no end! I am so tired of vendors amping up color Then I feel guilty when I return it if its not up to snuff, when in fact they should be so apologetic themselves!

 

[Upgradable]

Well, seeing that #4 is just outside my budget, and they'd have to take my offer, I think I'll skip that one. Even though the picture is so pretty!

 

[chel180]

A word of caution ............

I have bought a fairly large number of gems from AJS and have always been happy with the quality BUT I don't think their photos are true to life. The photos look far more saturated and vivid than the gem will be in real life. So, what you need to do is assume that the colours will be much less "in yer face" than they look in the photos. On that basis, do you still think they may be candidates?

+1, thats my experience with AJS too.

 

[T L]

So knowing that LD, how do you compensate? Do you ask them to provide the info regarding the color based on some scale, like vB 6/5 kind of thing? Do you get them to provide hand shots, or do you just wing it and hope for the best? It seems if their pictures are off, then their descriptions might be as well...just wondering.

Since there's only like 6 grades of saturation on the GIA scale for medium tones, many vendors are very generous with their opinion of saturation. I would not even trust using the GIA scale, as it is subjective and some vendors give much better saturation grades, and even hues, than the stone deserves.

 

[LD]

So knowing that LD, how do you compensate? Do you ask them to provide the info regarding the color based on some scale, like vB 6/5 kind of thing? Do you get them to provide hand shots, or do you just wing it and hope for the best? It seems if their pictures are off, then their descriptions might be as well...just wondering.

Since there's only like 6 grades of saturation on the GIA scale for medium tones, many vendors are very generous with their opinion of saturation. I would not even trust using the GIA scale, as it is subjective and some vendors give much better saturation grades, and even hues, than the stone deserves.

That's my experience also. I have a number of Vendors who's photos I trust (Gene for example) and then others who's opinion/description I trust (Dana, David from Multicolour, David from DBL etc) but for the majority of vendors, I expect the worst and then hope I'm going to be pleasantly surprised! An offer of a good return policy is also something I look for ..... just in case!

 

[T L]

So knowing that LD, how do you compensate? Do you ask them to provide the info regarding the color based on some scale, like vB 6/5 kind of thing? Do you get them to provide hand shots, or do you just wing it and hope for the best? It seems if their pictures are off, then their descriptions might be as well...just wondering.

Since there's only like 6 grades of saturation on the GIA scale for medium tones, many vendors are very generous with their opinion of saturation. I would not even trust using the GIA scale, as it is subjective and some vendors give much better saturation grades, and even hues, than the stone deserves.

That's my experience also. I have a number of Vendors who's photos I trust (Gene for example) and then others who's opinion/description I trust (Dana, David from Multicolour, David from DBL etc) but for the majority of vendors, I expect the worst and then hope I'm going to be pleasantly surprised! An offer of a good return policy is also something I look for ..... just in case!

I once bought a spess that was described to me as O 5/6, and I got excited, when I got it, it was more like a yO 3/4

 

[minousbijoux]

Don't get me wrong, I've had plenty of experience returning stones because they weren't as they seemed, but its just gotten old and I'll do anything not to have to return a stone, particularly one back to Thailand or other far off exotic locale. Somehow, I excuse it with ebay as you get what you pay for, but not with the tried and true vendors

 

[LD]

I don't know if TL would agree but years ago, I hardly returned anything. My "keep" rate was much much higher than now. Ok, some of that will be that I have become more picky but I generally knew what I was getting. In the past 5 or so years (maybe longer), photos seem to be manipulated now as the norm. Interestingly, I buy far less now. I only buy if I something REALLY jumps out at me. I don't know if you're the same?

 

[T L]

I don't know if TL would agree but years ago, I hardly returned anything. My "keep" rate was much much higher than now. Ok, some of that will be that I have become more picky but I generally knew what I was getting. In the past 5 or so years (maybe longer), photos seem to be manipulated now as the norm. Interestingly, I buy far less now. I only buy if I something REALLY jumps out at me. I don't know if you're the same?

Hmmmm, I don't remember, but I think some vendors (who shall remain nameless) are amping up the photoshop more than they used to. Of course some also have made every effort to take more accurate photos as well, and cudos to those who have!!

My keep rate was pretty dismal for a while, but I now have stuck with vendors for whom I can read their photos well, and I buy at gem shows as well.

 

[Upgradable]

I sh we had access ability to g shows in central Oklahoma, but sadly, the stone palate here is about as exotic ad the cuisine.

 

[T L]

I sh we had access ability to g shows in central Oklahoma, but sadly, the stone palate here is about as exotic ad the cuisine.

That's a shame. One really should see a wide variety of sapphire quality before buying one IMHO. It helps to know what the best stones look like vs the lesser qualities. It's not that everyone can afford the best of the best, but it does help in eyeing fine color/quality so that you better know what you're getting, and how to evaluate extinction, saturation, hue, color shift, zoning, etc. . . .

 

[iLander]

i like the cushion, because he's showing it on his fingers, with no light coming through the back. It still looks good.

For all you know, the other three are being hit with light from all sides, even through the back, and these little sparkles are all they can muster. They might be very dark.