Sapphire: Was this a good purchase?

[LUNAJEWELS]

So I got bit by a sapphire bug. Not sure if I am going to keep or re-cut for my mother in law and set in ring.

What do you think? the price was outstanding!

GEM TYPE Natural Sapphire
SHAPE Oval
WEIGHT 10.88 Ct.
SIZE 15.3 X 13.7 X 5 Mm.
QUANTITY :
1 Piece
COLOR Top Cornflower Blue
CLARITY Transparent
LUSTER Attractive
ORIGIN Mozambique, Africa
TREATMENT indications Of Moderate Clarity Modification. Lead Glass Has Been Identified As The Filler.
HARDNESS 9

the have a .gif video that shows it moving around. It looks lovely..

 

[LoversKites]

So I got bit by a sapphire bug. Not sure if I am going to keep or re-cut for my mother in law and set in ring.

What do you think? the price was outstanding!

GEM TYPE Natural Sapphire
SHAPE Oval
WEIGHT 10.88 Ct.
SIZE 15.3 X 13.7 X 5 Mm.
QUANTITY :
1 Piece
COLOR Top Cornflower Blue
CLARITY Transparent
LUSTER Attractive
ORIGIN Mozambique, Africa
TREATMENT indications Of Moderate Clarity Modification. Lead Glass Has Been Identified As The Filler.
HARDNESS 9

the have a .gif video that shows it moving around. It looks lovely..

A few concerns:

1) Treatment is lead glass filling. This means a low quality sapphire or ruby with fissures and cracks is filled with quite a bit of glass to fill said fissures and cracks. I don't have a problem with diffusion if the buyer knows what they're getting and are paying a fair price but I don't like lead glass filling because...
2) This treatment compromises the durability of the gem and is therefore NOT a good candidate for a recut at all. It also will not survive though an ultrasonic cleaner (if I remember correctly).

Lead glass filling is absolutely not 'moderate clarity modification' imo.

I'm glad the seller was honest about treatment.

I hope you never expected high quality from ebay and for the price you paid. If not that's great, and you can enjoy it for what it is -- just be careful with it and no recuts. If you want a higher quality sapphire you'll have to spend more but they can still be affordable if only diffused.

Let us know what you decide

 

[LUNAJEWELS]

Such a shame

Is it possible to buff it a bit and set it into a pendant?

 

[LoversKites]

Such a shame

Is it possible to buff it a bit and set it into a pendant?

What do you mean by 'buff'?

 

[LUNAJEWELS]

loose a bit of the "scratches"..

I am planning on bezel setting it

 

[Acinom]

Such a shame

Is it possible to buff it a bit and set it into a pendant?

What do you mean by 'buff'?

Do you mean polishing the surface? I think the stone will be heated during that process and that might be a risk for a fracture filled stone?

 

[LoversKites]

loose a bit of the "scratches"..

I am planning on bezel setting it

Hm, I'm not sure. My guess: I think those are cracks (filled with lead glass) that run deep through the stone meaning that polishing, whether possible or not, will not eliminate them.

Btw, I'm not sure by how much sapphire becomes more fragile when lead glass filled but I'm fairly certain it's enough to be significant enough to mention.

 

[dk168]

Apology for being blunt in advance, however, based on just one photo, it looks too dark, too dull and too opaque for my liking, and the cut is not great, not to mention the less than shiny surface, sorry.

However, each to their own, etc. etc...

DK

 

[LoversKites]

Apology for being blunt in advance, however, based on just one photo, it looks too dark, too dull and too opaque for my liking, and the cut is not great, not to mention the less than shiny surface, sorry.

However, each to their own, etc. etc...

DK

It's pretty dark, but it's shallow (15x13x5). Where this would usually be a bad thing (window) I think in this case light coming through could wash out the darkness. Notice in the pic the centre area is lighter than the ends. But that's a speculation.

 

[T L]

I don't know what you paid, but I would honestly get a diffused sapphire for her instead if you're looking for a budget friendly natural sapphire (the color won't be natural, but it will be a "natural from the earth" sapphire). It will be more durable and not have the clarity enhancement issues that LoverKites mentioned.

It also costs money to have a lapidary polish out a stone, and this particular one might not be worth it.

 

[LUNAJEWELS]

Thanks everyone I am going to look into a diffused stone and update the thread.

I am going to find a nice sterling silver setting and keep this one as a necklace since it is still a natural sapphire.

btw, I paid $12.00 w/shipping.