Please help me find a sapphire! I'm lost...

[sparklypoodle]

Hello there, I really need help. I have decided to venture into the lovely world of colored gems, and boy am I lost. I would love to find a 2-2.5 ct blue sapphire in a pear shape. After doing lots of reading, I have decided that I would prefer something totally untreated and unheated. I don't like dark stones, and would love one in that dreamy cornflower blue without any dark spots. I understand nothing about 'windows' however, and all that makes one sapphire so much more desirable over another. I don't want to buy a dud, so would love some help.
Can you lovely ladies make some suggestions for me? In terms of a budget, I have no idea what something like this goes for, so I will adjust my budget to the market value, if that makes sense. I really need help, I don't know where to start. I would consider something from ebay (I love a deal) if it's from a reputable vendor, as if I buy blue glass, I may not know the difference sadly...

 

[T L]

What is your budget?

 

[chrono]

Why a pear shape? It's an uncommon shape in sapphires (mostly cushions, ovals and some rounds).

 

[Pandora II]

2.5 carats in cornflower blue and unheated is likely to be upwards of $4-5k.

To give you an idea, 2 years ago I bought a square cushion, just under 2.30cts in a shade a bit paler than cornflower - more of a periwinkle - and less saturated than premium colour with one eye-visible veil inclusion (prongable), great traditional faceting and heated and it cost $3.2k.

Since then prices have gone up between 40 and 60%.

Is there a reason you don't want heated stones? It makes no difference to how it looks and would give you far more choice since 95% of sapphires are heated.

Pear shape is not an easy one to find so you may be in for a long hunt!

Hope that is helpful!

 

[T L]

Here's my sapphire, it's 2.7 carats and I had it independently verified as heated only (no diffusion) by AGL. I obtained it from odysseygem on ebay, since you said you didn't want to rule out ebay. I paid around $300 for it, but I think I was just lucky with that price, but he has some well priced sapphires. He provides lab reports, but I would get them independently verified if its an amount you don't mind risking. For me, if it did come back as be-treated, I know I didn't spend too much to worry about it. It's a light violet blue, but not sure if this is the color you're looking for. He has some more saturated stones and some that are unheated. His stores are odysseygem, gemburionline and vvs1gem.

In this market, with everyone wanting a sapphire because of the resurgance of the Diana e-ring, I think his prices are very fair. Most vendors have upped their prices on sapphries substantially.

 

[Aoife]

How about this one?

http://www.ajsgem.com/sapphire/blue-sapphire/blue-sapphire-5.35-carats.html

Actually, I know that's about double the size you are considering, but I love that stone!

AJS does have some lovely sapphires, although they tend to be heated, and they also have some pears, if that is what you are thinking about.

 

[pregcurious]

TL. or anyone who has bought from Tan (Odysseygems etc.), have you ever bought the GIA or Swiss GRS lab reports that he offers? Do you do this and send the stone to AGL (or the previously available AGTA lab) to have it verified? Or, do you just not buy the lab report through Tan and go straight to AGL?

 

[sparklypoodle]

Thanks everyone for the responses! You are an amazing group!!!

I just love the shape of a pear, and think it would look amazing for a sapphire. I imagine it in a plain 18k yellow gold setting...

I guess I should consider heated as well, 4.5k is more than I want to spend, I'd like to go about as high as 2k. I really want something that is nice though, I want to think of this as an heirloom piece. I am unlikely to buy many pieces, so want one nice one that I can be proud of.

I was looking at Odysseygems following your suggestions and found this, a little smaller than what I wanted, but what do you all think? Too dark?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-93ct-UNHEATED-Stunning-Pear-Top-Intense-Blue-Sapphire-/330434573374?pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item4cef6f743e

Can you suggest some that are heated so that I can see what you all mean?
Also, I'm seeing different countries of origin for these, does provenance make a big difference?

 

[T L]

Thanks everyone for the responses! You are an amazing group!!!

I just love the shape of a pear, and think it would look amazing for a sapphire. I imagine it in a plain 18k yellow gold setting...

I guess I should consider heated as well, 4.5k is more than I want to spend, I'd like to go about as high as 2k. I really want something that is nice though, I want to think of this as an heirloom piece. I am unlikely to buy many pieces, so want one nice one that I can be proud of.

I was looking at Odysseygems following your suggestions and found this, a little smaller than what I wanted, but what do you all think? Too dark?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-93ct-UNHEATED-Stunning-Pear-Top-Intense-Blue-Sapphire-/330434573374?pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item4cef6f743e

Can you suggest some that are heated so that I can see what you all mean?
Also, I'm seeing different countries of origin for these, does provenance make a big difference?

I think that sapphire will be too dark.

Provenance only makes a difference when the stone is Burmese or Kashmir origin. I think fine Ceylons are on par with fine African stones (there's some really beautiful stones coming out of Tanzania and Madagascar these days).

 

[Arkteia]

I would contact Gary Braun because he often has nice sapphires. Jeff White, of course, cut stunning sapphires for our PS-ers. And while I never bought from Ed Bristol, I saw some nice sapphires on his site.

 

[T L]

TL. or anyone who has bought from Tan (Odysseygems etc.), have you ever bought the GIA or Swiss GRS lab reports that he offers? Do you do this and send the stone to AGL (or the previously available AGTA lab) to have it verified? Or, do you just not buy the lab report through Tan and go straight to AGL?

I would not bother with AIGS or GIT with corundum. I had a bad experience with AIGS, and I heard from a gemologist friend that he sent stones to GIT for diffusion testing, and they came back to him with obvious signs of diffusion, but the memo didn't indicate this. This was a long time ago though. I'm not sure how they are today. I think the Swiss GRS lab report should be okay though. Not sure about the GIA lab in Thailand though. I would think that's okay, but I don't know the reputation of that lab over there.

 

[chel180]

I'm struggling to find you a pear, would you consider an oval?
I recently bought a yellow oval from Bill Kent http://sapphires.ca/bluesapphiresw.html and couldn't be happier with it. They are all untreated, certified and imho, well priced. Beware crappy photos on the website but he will take hand shots for you if you ask.

 

[chrono]

I'm concerned the stone might end up rather dark in person. Country of origin will not make much of a difference within your budget range, moreso if within the heated range.

 

[T L]

Tan (odysseygem) will take hand shots if you ask as well.

He has this pear available, but I don't think it's the color you want, but its in the size range, and it has decent cutting.

http://odysseygem.com/Gem_Shop/product_info.php?products_id=1811