Sapphire question

[angel_nieves]

I am helping a friend pick a sapphire for an e ring. Here are the final choices. What are you opinions?

1.67cts
8.4x5.4x4.5
vvs

 

[angel_nieves]

Or this

2.35 CT
9.3x7.2x4.2 mm
VS

 

[valeria101]

The pictures are very artistic, but the look and color zoning in the sapphires strongly remind me of the inky, yellow and green stained sapphires typical for basaltic deposits (Australia, China and others). These are not even close to the nicer stuff that comes from said locations.

Anything can be well-loved for what it is. And there is a right price for these as for any. What I mostly do not like on the type of sapphires I am trying to describe (and guess it may be also represented in the pictures - although that's not the greatest medium to describe gemstones... etc.) is the lack of saturation - even in strong light these look grayish, even loose they need very strong light to show some semblance of color. And once set, the stones may never be lit enough to look decent.

What I like in them - is the funky color zoning, sometimes following crystal growth. But that makes some of these stones a cute exhibit and conversation piece rather than classic sapphire choice.

My 2c


If there were no other sapphires in the world, the first would win for me, because the shape looks nicer - a more 'classic' pear than the squat second. It may be that the color is also lighter (a greenish aqua blue perhaps? - wishful thinking here).

 

[valeria101]

You may find this interesting... and somewhat related: what types of stones do come out of similar deposits (where the inky greenish-grayish stones come from).

IMO, these stones are not done justice - the better colors end up sold with no reference to origin or as something else (''Ceylon'', ''Burma'' ... or whatever popular commercial name out there).

This is the picture stash of a miner of Chinese Sapphire

 

[movie zombie]

interesting to see this thread as just this afternoon i pulled our richard wise's book and was researching sapphires. that Australian greenish tinge is considered undesireable......but i like it! go figure. perhaps its because my husband is Australian.

for me, crystal is really important. given that i'm not willing to spend $$$$ for a sapphire but am willing to spend $$, i'll take a high crystal blue/green sapphire over an excellent color but poor crystal and/or cut sapphire. but that's just me.

if there is a good return policy, why not have a look at both? computer monitors just are not reliable for assessing gems.

movie zombie

eta: i like the first one best. also, i'm told that what we see on the monitor is lighter than what the actual stone will be.

 

[firebirdgold]

Just from the pics, I find the first sapphire to be more appealing. I do feel that the gems are both a little aqua colored (on my monitor at anyrate) for my tastes. But color is such a personal choice. For instance, in addition to classically colored blue sapphires I also love sea-green sapphires. Although, admittedly I haven''t ever seen a slightly bluish-green sea.

Keep us apprised of which one your friend chooses!

 

[valeria101]

Date: 2/4/2006 4:27:55 AM
Author: Wren

I do feel that the gems are both a little aqua colored ...

Hm... Are they Angel_nieves?

Or close to THIS only more towards blue - look for the '1.75ct Greenish Sapphire' the webpage doesn't let me insert links.



That would be lovely - deep aqua.

The second doesn't look anything like that to me. With a very optimistic look at the first picture ... it sort of does.

I can't say that I love aquamarine and hate something like the thing below - surely in sapphire it would look even better than most beautiful aquamarine could dream of (allot said, for me).

 

[movie zombie]

ana, is that blue an aquamarine? and you don''t like it? i think it is actually headed in the right direction for aquas.

i think the sea green sapphire would perhaps be a bit more teal in look. but i''m just guessing. if so, i would love it.

movie zombie

 

[firebirdgold]

Date: 2/4/2006 1:55:53 PM
Author: movie zombie
ana, is that blue an aquamarine? and you don''t like it? i think it is actually headed in the right direction for aquas.


i think the sea green sapphire would perhaps be a bit more teal in look. but i''m just guessing. if so, i would love it.


movie zombie

Teal''s a great color. Would a teal sapphire be considered a blue sapphire or a green sapphire? In my mind''s eye teal falls right smack between blue and green. That''s the thing about how subjective color is and how personal. I just love green sapphires particularly with a bluish cast to them, whearas most people are not terribly fond of green sapphires. I was assuming that because the gems were similar in color and shape, that s/he really wants something in that greenish blue hue.

That''s a pretty steel blue sapphire Valeria.

Angel_nieves, do you mind my asking where those sapphires come from? It''d be helpful if we could see shots of the two gems from different angles. I like how NSC does it with pics from the side and back.

 

[valeria101]

Date: 2/4/2006 1:55:53 PM
Author: movie zombie

ana, is that blue an aquamarine? and you don''t like it?

It is sapphire... and I am crazy about it!

 

[valeria101]

Am I wrong to believe that This Stone is awfully similar to those in the pictures? 1.8cts, Untreated (I bet it isn''t, because this type doesn''t respond to treatment much), $277

 

[movie zombie]

thanks for the clarification, ana, re that sapphire. it certainly is not the ''ideal'' but then i don''t always like the ''ideal''!!!! it is lovely. and would hold its own against most but the very expensive aquas for color, imo.

my reading re sapphires indicates that many dealers list it as 100% natural even if its been heat treated. i don''t think i object to heat treatment: its the other treatments that i would not want.

movie zombie