perceived size of diamond vs perceived size of sapphire?

[Lobster]

Hi,

I am trying to put together an engagement ring. There is a the possibility that I will be able to use a family diamond that's a round between 1ct and 1.5cts. I'm not exactly sure of the size or weight, but as I understand it, it's between about 6.5mm and 7.5mm. I would say around 7mm. It is perfect size for our purposes, but up or down a little bit would be fine.

Anyway, if I can't use the family stone, I want to use a sapphire. I know that sapphires smaller than diamonds of the same weight, so you have to go by mm.

But my question is this:
If there are two well-cut, quality stones of the SAME mm, will the sapphire LOOK smaller in a ring and on the hand than the diamond because it is darker and now as sparkly as the diamond?

If I do go the sapphire route, should I be looking for one of about 7mm give or take if I know that's the preferred size in diamond, or something a little bigger (or smaller)?

 

[FrekeChild]

You'll probably want to go bigger in a sapphire because they do look smaller because they aren't white, BUT, what color sapphire are you thinking of?

 

[FrekeChild]

You'll probably want to go bigger in a sapphire because they do look smaller because they aren't white, BUT, what color sapphire are you thinking of?

 

[Lobster]

Thanks, Freke. Probably blue? Maybe a lighter shade. I'll think about it more when I find out about the diamond.

 

[FrekeChild]

Oops. Sorry for the double post. Not sure what's up with that.

When do you find out about the diamond? If you have to go with a sapphire, do you have a budget in mind?

 

[kenny]

Sounds like you like diamond, but are considering a sapphire for the body color.

Have you considered a fancy colored diamond in a lighter shade?
Lighter yellows are one of the most affordable of the hues that colored diamonds come in, while I've heard a nice pure clean yellow sapphire is not common.
A yellow diamond will have the optical properties of a diamond, which no sapphire will ever have.

Here's an example.


http://www.fancydiamonds.net/view_diamonds/8421.htm

 

[kenny]

This is tricky because we are dealing with two separate things that influence perceived size.
1. Two materials that have different density.
2. Cut matters too. Deep stones face up small for their weight, and shallow ones face up large for their weight.

Diamond has a specific gravity of 3.52 and sapphire has a specific gravity of 4.00.
Sapphire is more dense so it will weigh more for the same volume.
IOW if you want a 7 mm stone the sapphire will have to be heavier than the diamond.

BUT depth and proportions can vary a great deal too, which affect face up size for the weight.

 

[FrekeChild]

I'll admit Kenny, I'm LOLing over here. He said family diamond or sapphire (light blue perhaps), and you went straight to colored diamonds?

 

[distracts]

Honestly, I think colored stones appear bigger usually if they are the same size, because it is more unusual and people's minds will kind of emphasize it. Although my sapphire is a 7mm square cushion and many people I know have 2.5-4 ct diamonds, everyone is always all "omg your ring is soooooooo huge!" which I see recently-engaged-with-diamond friends not getting.

I also think some of it has to do with contrast between skin color and stone color - I am sheet-white, so there is significantly less contrast between a white(ish) diamond than there is between a blue sapphire and my skin color.

I can see the difference myself when I wear CZ rings - "clear" really does not pop as much as blue does. Even rings with much larger stones are just not as obvious as my engagement ring is. I would post comparison pics except I only have big clear stones in cz, haha.

Anyway. I've given this a lot of though. And have done some experimentation. I never, ever get compliments on my rings if I'm wearing a CZ set or my half-carat oec. I get at least one compliment a week on my engagement ring, and plenty of compliments on my other colored stone rings, many of which mention the size.

 

[kenny]

I'll admit Kenny, I'm LOLing over here. He said family diamond or sapphire (light blue perhaps), and you went straight to colored diamonds?

Oh GMAB. I don't barge into sapphire-only threads and scream 'GET AN FCD!".
What I posted was reasonable given his post.

Read the OP again.
He said he had only a family diamond, no sapphire.
He said if he goes with a sapphire he'd have to look for one.
He also mentioned his concern that a sapphire will not be as sparkly as a diamond.
That is why I found it reasonable to assume he likes the sparkle of diamond, which he'll never get out of a sapphire.

He wants the sparkle of a diamond but wants color ... hmmm ... let's see ... which stone can do that?

Many people do not know colored diamonds exist, or that some hues and saturations are affordable and sometimes cheaper than a white diamond.

I love FCDs and suggest them often.
You noticed this because you are a regular but this thread is about the person who started the thread with 2 posts, not you with over 17,000 posts.
I'm not going to stop sharing my passion for FCDs because it makes you laugh.

 

[marcy]

Hi.

 

[marcy]

Oops. Here is a photo with 3 sapphires and a diamond. The green and blue sapphire are 6mm. The lighter blue is 6.5mm. The diamond is 6.5mm. The diamond is ideal cut. The other stones are well cut and very lively. They do appear different with the darker stones appearing smaller but it is also a matter of what you like.

 

[FrekeChild]

Oh, Kenny.

He's concerned about size. Not sparkliness. If you read back through it, he's concerned that the sapphire will look smaller because it's darker and it's not as sparkly.

Typically when someone comes around looking for a sapphire as a substitute for a diamond for an engagement ring, it's for one of 4 reasons:
1. Birthstone. September baby.
2. Color. Blue, most people don't know that sapphires come in all different colors. They love blue and want a blue ering. That's how I ended up here on the Colored Stones forum of PS.
3. Hardness. They've done some research, found out that diamond is the hardest substance, and corumdum comes in second, lending it to be the second best possibility for a ring that will be worn every day.
4. Princess Kate/Diana's ring. If it's good enough for royalty, it's good enough for a normal person. Since this ring was brought into the public eye, sapphires have exploded in popularity for erings.

As I saw it in opening the thread, there were two choices for this gentleman's engagement ring: family diamond or sapphire. If the idea of fancy diamonds came into it gradually, and he was interested in learning more, sure.

But, he says:

Anyway, if I can't use the family stone, I want to use a sapphire. I know that sapphires smaller than diamonds of the same weight, so you have to go by mm.

I happen to know that you love fancy diamonds, you probably know I love spinels. But I don't jump into threads and push them on people. "Hey, dude, you want an emerald ring? Why don't you get a spinel instead!" Which is why I laughed. I thought it was CUTE. YOUR ENTHUSIASM FOR COLORED DIAMONDS IS CUTE, KENNY.

CHILL OUT.

Sorry for the interruption Lobster. My apologies. So, a sapphire. If you'd like, I can post a picture of a 1.5ct square princess cut diamond (it's about 6.5mm) next to a sapphire that's 7.9mm and round, or a blue spinel (I have 6.5mm, and 8.3mm). I also have a white tourmaline cushion that's about 7.5mm I think, so you can see how the sizes/colors look. I think Marcy's does that too though.

I think a light or bright blue sapphire can be plenty eye catching - more so than diamonds because they are so unusual when used as erings.

This is exciting! I love helping with erings!

 

[Niel]

I think a FCD is a nice idea sense he did mention that be though colored stones don't sparkle like diamonds.

The thing about pricescope I like is that you get introduced to new things. I wish my eyes were more wide open when I first bought my ring. I didn't know every option out there. I ended up going with something before I was fully informed on every option. And I ended up making the wrong choice for me.

For colored diamonds in particular, I thought they were far and away more expensive than normal white diamonds. But when you look at yellow ones they are close to the same price as white now seems like.....

 

[Lobster]

Hi everyone:

Thanks for the information.

Kenny and Niel: Colored diamonds sound and look pretty awesome! But size is important (~7mm is perfect), so my guess is that a colored diamond is well out of my price range. I'm not Puff Daddy or whatever!

To clarify: If not the family diamond, I was planning on going with a sapphire for a couple of reasons. First off all, if we don't get the family diamond now, we will eventually. I believe that she is also inheriting a diamond from her family. So I figured (and got signals that it was okay) to go for something different. In addition, I have heard that sapphires are actually more rare than diamonds, and that the diamond market is heavily inflated and controlled by a cartel. The wearer of the ring is very fashionable, but not in a materialistic way, and likes to be unique or at least different. I hadn't put a lot in other colors or gems because (in my and perhaps popular perception) sapphires seem to be thought of as "precious" and "as good as diamonds." I think that the royal engagement rings probably help this, but I don't think the wear of this ring will enjoy being compared to anyone in the tabloids, even if they are a princess, so I'll to think about that. Her eyes are blue and I know she likes that color, though, so that is also part of it.

At this time, however, I think the family stone is going to work out. I will certainly come back if we decide to go the sapphire route!

Thank you Marcy especially for showing the different stones next to each other, and to Distracts for sharing her personal experience. My guess is that a ~7mm sapphire, if we wind up going that route, will be just right, but that I shouldn't go too much smaller, if at all.

Thank you also to FrekeChild for all the information. If you feel like posting your stones, by all means! Like I said, I'm not even sure I'm going to buy a sapphire at all, but maybe it will be useful in the future or for others.

 

[Niel]

Has to be a 7mm round? Or were you looking at other shapes too. Oval, whatnot.

 

[marcy]

You are welcome. I will be anxious to see what you get.