Save me from myself - purple sapphire

[CaseyLouLou]

So here’s the story….I found a really good deal on an 18k Suna Brothers sapphire diamond ring on eBay and purchased a few months ago. The blue sapphire is small and a little darker than I like but very high quality and the diamonds are amazing. Now that I have my silky blue sapphire ring (need to make a thread on it), I’m content and don’t need another blue sapphire ring so I figured I would just find a different stone.

I reached out to the vendor where I purchased the silky blue to see if he could find me a little, vivid purple or hot pink sapphire and he came through except that it’s a little too big and would need to be cut to fit the setting but I LOVE it. And I don’t want to cut it because it’s perfect as it is but a little too big for the setting. It’s 1.3ct, unheated and $600.

The size I need for the setting is under a carat around 6.5x5.3mm and I was hoping to spend maybe $300-400 but I did want something nice like sapphire or spinel.

I really, Really want the vivid purple sapphire but then I will have a setting still needing a stone and a purple sapphire needing a setting. And so many unset stones in my collection already (but no purple sapphires).

Hence my dilemma.

Unheated purple sapphire



Ring

 

[voce]

I love that unheated purple sapphire, so I'm no help. But gosh, I really hope you mean the sapphire ring gold is 18k and not that you spent $18k.

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

Ooh, it's really saturated and sleepy. I love the color on that one. Usually, I pass on the purples because they aren't the right shade or too grey toned, but this one is nice.
How many fingers on the edge are you?

 

[CaseyLouLou]

I love that unheated purple sapphire, so I'm no help. But gosh, I really hope you mean the sapphire ring gold is 18k and not that you spent $18k.

No!!!! it is 18k gold. I paid less than $1k.

 

[CaseyLouLou]

Ooh, it's really saturated and sleepy. I love the color on that one. Usually, I pass on the purples because they aren't the right shade or too grey toned, but this one is nice.
How many fingers on the edge are you?

Does it look sleepy to you? I didn’t notice but it does seem to have that glow.

I’m leaning way over the edge…

 

[CaseyLouLou]

I meant to crop those photos but I was a little excited.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Nono no to cutting it to fit the setting. That would be really silly. You'll incur costs and lose value in terms of carat size.

Just buy the purple and sell it blue ring? Or hold onto it and I'm sure you'll find another stone that you love to put into it. Maybe a Jedi spinel, padparadscha or paraiba?

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

Does it look sleepy to you? I didn’t notice but it does seem to have that glow.

I’m leaning way over the edge…

Mildly sleepy, which I happen to love, that way the glow is there with no dullness.

 

[CaseyLouLou]

Mildly sleepy, which I happen to love, that way the glow is there with no dullness.

I love that too so I’m glad you pointed it out. Another reason to splurge. But I really need to curb my spending. I’m just getting too good at finding things to buy.

 

[CaseyLouLou]

Nono no to cutting it to fit the setting. That would be really silly. You'll incur costs and lose value in terms of carat size.

Just buy the purple and sell it blue ring? Or hold onto it and I'm sure you'll find another stone that you love to put into it. Maybe a Jedi spinel, padparadscha or paraiba?

That’s what I’m thinking. I can always sell the blue ring eventually but it is really nice and deserves an upgraded stone so I will keep looking. The sapphire that’s in there is actually a really nice royal blue but I prefer lighter blue shades.

I have been looking for a small neon spinel but they are crazy expensive so not sure that’s going to happen.

The purple sapphire is just under 7x6 which is close to a standard size so I should be able to find (another) preowned setting for it.

 

[Mrsz1ppy]

The purple is such a regal color. I think it’s a find! Agree to not cutting it. You are a great shopper. You will find a pre-loved setting and rock that purple!

 

[pokerface]

Is it just the photos you provided or is the purple sapphire really darker on the bottom half? If so, to me, that would be a dealbreaker. I'm also worried about how dark or gray it would appear in other lighting. Hopefully you have more pics!

 

[Redwoods-hiker-girl]

@CaseyLouLou! I have a 1.15 unheated oval purple sapphire that I bought from a fellow PS'er a few months ago, and I was thinking of selling it because I have no fewer than 5 purple sapphires in line to be set. It measures 6.6 x 5.5 mm and is a gorgeous shade of purple -- not too light, not too dark. Happy to send more photos/videos if you'd like!

 

[CaseyLouLou]

@CaseyLouLou! I have a 1.15 unheated oval purple sapphire that I bought from a fellow PS'er a few months ago, and I was thinking of selling it because I have no fewer than 5 purple sapphires in line to be set. It measures 6.6 x 5.5 mm and is a gorgeous shade of purple -- not too light, not too dark. Happy to send more photos/videos if you'd like!

It looks nice and the dimensions are close. It might be a tad wide but very close. I think you have my email or you can find me on LT. Thanks.

 

[Redwoods-hiker-girl]

Sounds good!

 

[shelovesinclusions]

Oh no! Don't recut the purple if you get it. It's so pretty. That slight silkiness always looks so nice irl.

I've got to say- when I change stones from settings, sapphires are always the fussiest. In my experience (which is pretty limited to putting stones in old gold settings from eBay or replacing CZ in JTV sterling stuff), I have had to dramatically modify the seat or go up in head size because sapphires seem to have big booties or thick girdles compared to other types of stones I've played around with. All that to say, I wouldn't even try to change out the blue stone *for another sapphire.

Not to encourage a purchase you shouldn't make, but blue and purple are different colors. If you like the purple one and love the blue ring you already have, maybe there's a way you could just do both? Or (to not enable purchasing) there's that saying they have for relationships- the right person at the wrong time is still the wrong person.

 

[Mreader]

The photos are blurry so I am unable to really see the stone. I do love Redwoods' stone though! And I wouldn't recut and probably would just buy two stones lol.

 

[CaseyLouLou]

The photos are blurry so I am unable to really see the stone. I do love Redwoods' stone though! And I wouldn't recut and probably would just buy two stones lol.

The photos are snapshots from a couple of videos and I think they look blurry partly due to the silk. It looks better on the video. It appears to be super saturated without being dark.

Still deciding.

 

[Avondale]

I’m going to be of even less help in the “save me from myself” department. The purple sapphire is already too big for this setting. If you get it, it will be a separate ring. Sooo why not go even bigger?

Sold - 1.57ct 8x6.4mm oval Ilakaka purplish pink sapphire

I purchased this sapphire from Desert Rose last July. This is a beautiful stone, very lively and with a lovely purplish-pink color. It is an oval, 8.0mm x 6.4mm and 1.57ct per DR. I purchased this sapphire for $876, including shipping. I am only selling her because I need to pay some bills...

www.pricescope.com

 

[CaseyLouLou]

I’m going to be of even less help in the “save me from myself” department. The purple sapphire is already too big for this setting. If you get it, it will be a separate ring. Sooo why not go even bigger?

Sold - 1.57ct 8x6.4mm oval Ilakaka purplish pink sapphire

I purchased this sapphire from Desert Rose last July. This is a beautiful stone, very lively and with a lovely purplish-pink color. It is an oval, 8.0mm x 6.4mm and 1.57ct per DR. I purchased this sapphire for $876, including shipping. I am only selling her because I need to pay some bills...

www.pricescope.com

It’s not like that didn’t occur to me!

If only cost was not an issue. That one is a bit more pink than I wanted.

 

[Avondale]

If only cost was not an issue.

Okay okay okay. Let me try to help for real.

First of all, we’re adults with responsibilities (blah!) and if we’re dealing with a limited budget then that’s that. The money is needed elsewhere. Pretty colourful pebbles are a luxury, not a need.

On the other hand, you wouldn’t be going grossly over budget. 200 is manageable unless the circumstances are dire. So here you have a different consideration - just how important is that purple sapphire? Is it something you’ll regret not getting down the line?

If the answer is no, you can just walk away and wait to find the perfect stone for this setting.

If the answer is yes… well, prices are constantly rising as is. This sapphire will be worth god knows how much in a couple of years. Yeah, you’ll need to wait a bit in order to get two rings finished instead of one. There are worse things than that in the world.

 

[ShinyPink]

That purple is beautiful, and should not be cut. Buy it and enjoy the smile it puts on your face. I'm here to push you over that edge!

 

[Autumn in New England]

Oh dear... I'm the world's worst enabler, so of course I'm going to say:

Buy the purple, DON'T recut it, and then worry about a new setting (and new stone for the existing setting) later.

 

[Autumn in New England]

What do you think of the price? It’s 6.93x5.46x4.49mm, 1.33ct and $600

For an unheated purple? Excellent price. How's the clarity?

 

[Autumn in New England]

That purple is beautiful, and should not be cut. Buy it and enjoy the smile it puts on your face. I'm here to push you over that edge!

On an unrelated note, your profile pic always makes me smile...

 

[CaseyLouLou]

For an unheated purple? Excellent price. How's the clarity?

He is double checking for me now that there is nothing of note. He said definitely nothing surface reaching. It’s silky which is fine obviously. As long as there are no cracks it sounds like a winner.

 

[Autumn in New England]

He is double checking for me now that there is nothing of note. He said definitely nothing surface reaching. It’s silky which is fine obviously. As long as there are no cracks it sounds like a winner.

If it's eye clean (aside from the silk), I think it's a no-brainer!

 

[Venti25]

Love to be able to save you...but can't if it checks out!

 

[Garnetgirl]

I love your purple sapphire @CaseyLouLou. It’s beautiful. Of course, it helps that my favourite colour is purple…

…and I love the title of your thread too. It gave me a chuckle.

Please don’t get the stone cut. Get a setting to fit the stone, even if it means waiting till budget, custom setting or preloved setting conditions align.

 

[CaseyLouLou]

@Autumn in New England and anyone who wants to offer a last minute opinion.

Here are some photos showing the inclusions. Nothing surface reaching. It’s mostly pinpricks. There seems to be some ‘chunky’ areas but it should be eye clean.

Also some more photos in different lighting. It does have some half and half shadowing.