Pad Sapphire Help!

[w11]

Hello, I am looking to purchase a pad sapphire for an engagement ring. I need help deciding on a stone as I am new to pad sapphires. Any and all comments or suggestions are welcomed! Below are pictures and prices for the stones I am considering.


2.02 carats Price $3500.00


2.09 carats Price $6400.00

Video of both side by side:

The 2.09 is left and 2.02 on the right


Thanks for the help!!

 

[GliderPoss]

I can't get pass the huge windows in both but that's a personal preference, it may close slightly in the setting. The colour/tone is nice. I'd ask for more pics & videos before making a decision....

 

[Musia]

I am not a specialist in Pads, I personally don't like the colors of both. Are they both certified by a reputable lab as being Pad sapphires? Here is a Pad of my dream (I only need it to be under 0.5ct so I can afford but I want same color).

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

Sorry, can't help.

 

[w11]

Any suggestions on where to purchase a nice 2-2.5 carat pad sapphire?

 

[Rfisher]

This vendor is good about providing you pictures on the back of a hand in multiple lighting environments, if asked.
I suggest you do.

 

[Musia]

Here is an article I would trust. http://www.palagems.com/padparadscha-buying-guide

 

[scouty]

Any suggestions on where to purchase a nice 2-2.5 carat pad sapphire?

I got my pad from Gary at Finewater Gems. Not sure what his inventory is like with Covid impacts though.

 

[lovedogs]

I woudln't choose either of those becuase of the giant windows. a pad that large is going to be extremely expensive if well cut. What is your budget?

 

[lovedogs]

Love these 2 (again, no idea what your budget is, so I apologize if these don't fit). Or maybe you are much wealthier than I am, and these don't seem extremely expensive to you haha

Natural Padparadscha Sapphire Unheated Orangy Pink Oval Portuguese Cut | 2.06cts | #13-532 - Gemfix

Unheated Padparadscha Orange Pink Sapphire Oval Portuguese Cut, GIA Report Untreated Pad

gemfix.com

Padparadscha Sapphire Unheated Pinkish Orange Radiant Cut | 1.96cts | #13-530 - Gemfix

Unheated Padparadscha Orange Pink Sapphire Radiant Cut, GIA Report Untreated Pad

gemfix.com

Both certified as Pad sapphires and have excellent videos that show what they will perform like IRL.

 

[lovedogs]

smaller than you want, but the color is glorious: https://www.finewatergems.com/store/p585/1.59ctPadparadschaSapphire.html

Also smaller than you want, but the color: https://www.africagems.com/sapphire-oval-1-28-201812198.html

Over 2cts and nice color, but price goes up a ton: https://www.africagems.com/sapphire-oval-2-08-201811037.html

 

[Musia]

smaller than you want, but the color is glorious: https://www.finewatergems.com/store/p585/1.59ctPadparadschaSapphire.html

Love this one. Thank you for sharing a link (I don't have money to buy it, just love seeing beautiful stones).

 

[lovedogs]

Love this one. Thank you for sharing a link (I don't have money to buy it, just love seeing beautiful stones).

haha I often "visit" that stone to admire it. I also can't afford it.

 

[LilAlex]

Skin tone matters more for pads than for a lot of other stones -- especially those washed-out-looking ones (stones, not skin tones!). Make sure you know what it looks like on your (or her) hand -- I can't tell if you are the giver or the recipient

 

[PieAreSquared]

Skin tone matters more for pads than for a lot of other stones -- especially those washed-out-looking ones (stones, not skin tones!). Make sure you know what it looks like on your (or her) hand -- I can't tell if you are the giver or the recipient

Agreed, I would even venture to say that on a lot of skintones they will look best in a bezel or halo so they don't "disappear".

 

[w11]

Thank you for the suggestions so far! I like all the suggestions just hard set on 2-3 carats and eye-clean. Budget under 8k. Let me know if you guys find anything I would be interested in. Thanks so much!!

 

[w11]

Love these 2 (again, no idea what your budget is, so I apologize if these don't fit). Or maybe you are much wealthier than I am, and these don't seem extremely expensive to you haha

Natural Padparadscha Sapphire Unheated Orangy Pink Oval Portuguese Cut | 2.06cts | #13-532 - Gemfix

Unheated Padparadscha Orange Pink Sapphire Oval Portuguese Cut, GIA Report Untreated Pad

gemfix.com

Padparadscha Sapphire Unheated Pinkish Orange Radiant Cut | 1.96cts | #13-530 - Gemfix

Unheated Padparadscha Orange Pink Sapphire Radiant Cut, GIA Report Untreated Pad

gemfix.com

Both certified as Pad sapphires and have excellent videos that show what they will perform like IRL.

I like the color of these stones but I am really looking for something that is eye-clean.

 

[ShinyPink]

You want eye clean, 2-3 cts,, heat doesn't matter, correct? I've seen several in beautiful colors, but not eye clean. There is a vendor on Instagram you could look at, House of Padparadscha that has some nice stones. They have a website too. I've never purchased from them, but it's worth a try:

Pads

Edited because I can't type.

 

[lovedogs]

I like the color of these stones but I am really looking for something that is eye-clean.

The 1.96 will be eye clean (it says VS/VVS clarity). The image you see on the website is hugely zooomed in.

The 2ct one might be eye clean in-hand, but not sure.

 

[w11]

I like the 1.96, with the darker color tones does the rice tend to go up?

 

[w11]

Price*

 

[ShinyPink]

Do you really want eye clean or are you talking about internally flawless? As lovedogs said, you won't see the inclusions on these VVS stones. When I said the stones are included, they are very visible and your eye can clearly see the inclusions. The one on the right is visible, vs the VVS on the left.

 

[w11]

I prefer internally flawless given the choice. I may be asking for too much haha. New to sapphires so I am not sure what

 

[w11]

Thoughts on this stone even though it is not a pad. Thanks!!

 

[Rfisher]

Is it a pink sapphire via GIA report, but vendor is calling it a peach sapphire?

if so - I think it’s pink and vendor thinks it shifts to peachy pink in certain lighting. But doesn’t qualify for Padparadscha name.

mastercut Gems has one that the report put brown on. I’d love to see it in person to evaluate if it were ‘close enough’ to a pad lookalike for my eyes.

 

[w11]

Is it a pink sapphire via GIA report, but vendor is calling it a peach sapphire?

if so - I think it’s pink and vendor thinks it shifts to peachy pink in certain lighting. But doesn’t qualify for Padparadscha name.

mastercut Gems has one that the report put brown on. I’d love to see it in person to evaluate if it were ‘close enough’ to a pad lookalike for my eyes.

Yes I believe they are calling it a peach sapphire. As far as the stone cut is there a window in your opinion?

 

[Rfisher]

I don’t know if it’s a tilt/window or it looks like that just due to the photograph

 

[LilAlex]

Thoughts on this stone even though it is not a pad. Thanks!!

Excessively wonky cut, imo.

And factoring in the "appearance-inflation factor" for a vendor that would sell a stone like this, I think it will be disappointing in person.

 

[JackTrick]

I think most everyone prefers internally flawless, but it's going to severely limit what sapphires you can see especially in rare colors like pad.

 

[minousbijoux]

I think most everyone prefers internally flawless, but it's going to severely limit what sapphires you can see especially in rare colors like pad.

Definitely not my preference - I would prefer an eye clean stone with inclusions. I like louping them and seeing an interesting world which I otherwise would not know existed!

 

[voce]

Like @minousbijoux I prefer eye-clean with inclusions. I'd be paranoid about paying top dollar for a lab stone if it actually was internally flawless!