Sapphires - help me decide!

[Niel]

I wouldn't call the LT sapphire light, just better saturated (more neon pop). The inspiration picture shows a gray blue sapphire. The oval has good saturation, but very dark tone.

Chrono is infinitely better at the terminology than I am.

I do think the oval isnt enough like a the inspiration photos

 

[Niel]

In case these terrible photoshop images might help any. I just put that stone in that setting,sense you said you felt the darker stone looks better, I wanted to make sure its not just becuase that's how the setting already is.

 

[Eagle2015]

That second photo is what I'm worried about...am I crazy thinking that's too light? Some violet tones as well in some of the pictures (like these two), which I'm not crazy about:
https://www.pricescope.com/files/images/2_outdoor_overcast_2.jpg
https://www.pricescope.com/files/images/2_outdoor_overcast.jpg

To me, neither of these stones exactly match her pinned pictures (which is fine, I want something incredible, not exact). And Chrono's explanation makes sense, the pinned pics are of less saturated sapphires, but to my eye the LT stone is lighter with hints of violet, my sister's is darker with more of a royal blue.

EDIT: and I do want to mention that the pictures of the oval were indoors; I have to drive 4 hrs round-trip to my sisters shop and have to do it on the down-low; it was nighttime so I only got indoor shots, in soft lighting, with a phone camera...so I do wonder, in better lighting with a 'perfect' shot of the sapphire if it might show a tone closer to the inspiration pictures. Just a thought. Either way I'm now leaning in that direction, the other one is incredible and vivid, but I worry it'll show up too light, especially outdoors.

 

[Niel]

That second photo is what I'm worried about...am I crazy thinking that's too light? Some violet tones as well in some of the pictures (like these two), which I'm not crazy about:
https://www.pricescope.com/files/images/2_outdoor_overcast_2.jpg
https://www.pricescope.com/files/images/2_outdoor_overcast.jpg

To me, neither of these stones exactly match her pinned pictures (which is fine, I want something incredible, not exact). And Chrono's explanation makes sense, the pinned pics are of less saturated sapphires, but to my eye the LT stone is lighter with hints of violet, my sister's is darker with more of a royal blue.

I dont want to "sell" this stone to you. So I don't want to make it sound like I care one way or the other.

I do think, though, that this is closer to her pins. Yeah it does have some violet undertones, but at its "worst" still seems blue to my eye. Not violet.

As for the lightness, like color, sapphires will change in different lighting. And being at his lightest, in my mind, is better than that oval at its darkest, which in its photos, seems to black out almost.


Also you don't have to buy either.

 

[Vidalia]

Congratulations on your impending proposal. Like others said, it's wonderful that you are putting such thought into trying to select something your intended will love.

The photos you posted that your GF had pinned makes me think (as you've also mentioned) that she likes classic, antique settings. To help you decide whether a cushion center-stone will get you that look, I suggest you check out antiqueengagementrings.com. They have both antique and reproduction settings, and when I used their search tool to find "cushion", lots of pretty examples of rings with cushion-shaped center stones (or at least cushion-y OECs and OMCs) popped up.

Here are a couple of examples:
and


You, of course, don't need to buy from this vendor, just thought it might help you visualize using a cushion-cut sapphire as your center stone.

Good luck!

 

[Vidalia]

Also, if you're really liking the idea of an oval sapphire, I've drooled over this one for sale at Finewatergems more than once:

 

[lovedogs]

IMHO the color of the LT stone is incredible--and I love the way it looks in the photoshop example that Neil made. I prefer it to the darker one, but that is just my thought. I do not see the color as too light, and I think the violet shades add visual interest and a unique element. But this has to be something you love also--just wanted to give you my 2 cents

 

[FightGravity]

I would do the LT cushion in a vintage setting exactly like the square cut one she pinned (top row left in your collage). It would be a beautiful, beautiful ring!

 

[Niel]

Any updates?

 

[Eagle2015]

Any updates?

Thanks for checking in! I made a decision but forgot to post here, been crazy busy.

So I went with the stone from my sisters shop. I know some (most) on here preferred the LT stone, and that's fine, I just think it showed up a little too light/violet for me, and timing-wise I was concerned with getting the stone, having it appraised, the slight chance of having to return it and start over again--all while my proposal date is fast approaching (as in, a few weeks from now!).

I got more pics and videos for the one at my sisters shop--mostly outdoors, in sun and shade--and it settled the debate for me, it's an incredible stone. Yes, the color is darker than my GF's pinned sapphires, but no darker than the other is lighter imo. It's unheated, untreated, clean and beautiful and the sparkle and color outdoors is incredible.

All that said, things moved fast from there: Per all your helpful advice I'm setting it with two .5ct diamonds, similar to one of my GF's pins, and a platinum setting/band. It's a few weeks into the process of being set/polished/engraved, sounds like it'll be done next weekend. I'll absolutely be sharing some pics and a video once it's done, I can't WAIT!

And thank you to all who've helped. Your patience and advice have been incredible! I know I went against some of that advice but certainly not haloing the sapphire, simple 3-stone design, etc, I've taken much of it to heart and I think it'll turn out beautiful. Will update with the finished product in a while!

 

[chrono]

Glad you've made the right choice for you. Just to watch out for you, you mentioned the sapphire is untreated. Did it come with a GIA lab report supporting that claim?

 

[Eagle2015]

Glad you've made the right choice for you. Just to watch out for you, you mentioned the sapphire is untreated. Did it come with a GIA lab report supporting that claim?

GRS lab report, which in doing some research on their lab they appear to be a highly respected colored gemstone lab (though I'm sure many on here know a lot more about them than I do).

 

[chrono]

GRS isn't my first choice of lab but they do good work, so no worries there.

 

[Eagle2015]

GRS isn't my first choice of lab but they do good work, so no worries there.

Thanks! I did research them, as I said, and one thing that popped out is their color grading, which seems arbitrary/suspect. But I was less concerned with the color grade, since I saw it in person and in numerous videos, and more concerned with any treatment, which in that regard it sounds like they're reputable.

 

[Niel]

Can't wait to see the finished product!

 

[Niel]

Any updates?