Search for e-ring sapphire (update)

[septemberbaby]

I mentioned in a previous post that we were looking at the Richard Wise 3.84ct color change sapphire. I also said that we were taking a trip down to Pala. Well, after visiting Pala we still aren't sure what to do, but here are some updates:

We saw some beautiful stones at Pala, and loved this one in particular: 4.06 ct Pala sapphire. This stone was pretty indoors, but positively glowed outside in the light! It was also priced accordingly, which is the reason we did not yet buy it.

We also looked at Pala's 2.28 ct Kashmir sapphire, and although it was pretty, it didn't have the same brilliancy or even the same amount of glow as the first.

Right now my boyfriend is in talks with Ed at Wildfish about a couple of his stones: 4.19 ct Mogok Sapphire, 2.0 ct Ceylon Sapphire

He's also contacted the people at Kashmir Blue. I think he'll talk to Richard Wise about other stone possibilities, and also try to get in touch with Cherry Picked. (By the way, the Cherry Picked webpage says that they're undergoing renovation. Are they still selling stones?)

Seeing that stone at Pala really made me lust for an unheated sapphire that sparkles and glows, so I think that's the direction we'll be heading in. If anyone has any thoughts on how much a high quality sapphire with the sort of Kashmir glow (Kashmir to cornflower blue color) should cost in the 2-4 ct range, I'd love to hear your words of wisdom so I know if our price goals ($15k or less) are reasonable. I'm not super picky about the shape - cushion, emerald, and oval are all okay.

That's about it... thanks for all of the help so far!

 

[Harriet]

Re: Search for engagement ring sapphire (update)

Welcome back. I'm glad that you identified exactly what you want. As for Cherrypicked, their site has been down for quite a while, and I've not been able to reach them by phone either. You could give Rick Martin, who's local to you, a shout. He knows sapphires very well, and can be reached at http://www.artcutgems.com (not all of his gems are on his site). Also, take a look at http://www.mc2jewels.com. They have killer sapphires.

 

[chrono]

Re: Search for engagement ring sapphire (update)

That 4 ct Pala blue sapphire is gorgeous and of course, priced likewise. You did the right thing by seeing a few fine quality sapphires in person and should aim for something of that caliber for your e-ring stone. With your budget, you should easily be able to get similar quality of around 2 ct, in an unheated version.

As for the Wildfish stones, the larger of the two appears to show better colour, saturation and brilliance.

 

[T L]

Re: Search for engagement ring sapphire (update)

I like the first one from Pala the best. I'm not as in love with the second link from Wildfish gems, it looks to be an okay color, but definitely not top color, or equal to the Kashmir colors you're looking at. The first photo you posted of Ed's links appears to have a lot of light shined into it, so it's difficult to tell the color. I did note that even though he calls it medium dark, it appears to really have a lot of light shined into it.

From what I've heard, Ed is very good about people asking lots of questions, so please educate yourself on the meaning of saturation, hue and tone, and ask about the saturation level and how it looks in various light sources, and the level of grey, and ask him those questions accordingly.

The top sapphire, if it's very very expensive, should hold it's color better in all sorts of lighting, not just outdoors. I did note that it's Madagascar, which can come in some fine quality similar to Ceylon. They are typically a more cost effective sapphire since a premium is paid for Kashmir, Burma or Ceylon, so please don't overpay at Pala. Some vendors charge more than others for obtaining Pala gems.

 

[vinkalmann]

Re: Search for engagement ring sapphire (update)

Wow, all those stones are beautiful! Hard to go wrong with any of them...

 

[movie zombie]

Re: Search for engagement ring sapphire (update)

yes, now you've seen with your own eye that there really is a difference and that the reason some sapphires are a lot more $ is because they perform a lot better.

i, too, am not smitten with ed's sapphires. the 2nd pala is better to my eye......perhaps you could save a bit more and get the first one? [i don't have access to the pricing at pala]

also, for an e-ring, the center stone is the star of the show....not the setting. i'd drop every extra dollar into getting the very best sapphire. as your eye told you, you do get what you pay for....and you're going to be wearing that e-ring for a lot of years. break down the cost analysis of the stone by year and you'll find that it really may not be that expensive....not to mention the pure enjoyment you will have of the stone.

mz

 

[septemberbaby]

Re: Search for engagement ring sapphire (update)

Thanks for the feedback. By the way, I went to mc2jewels.com and their stuff is beautiful! I'll definitely pass all of this wisdom along to my boyfriend.

I know that my boyfriend told Ed what we're looking for, and also sent him the Pala links as reference. Ed's suggestion was the 4.19 ct stone, based on his dialogue with my boyfriend.

Overall, this process is being driven by my boyfriend. I do not believe his budget is "set in stone" (ha ha), and it's definitely increased as we've learned more about sapphires and how much it takes to buy a nice one. We've agreed to choose the stone together, but he will be choosing the setting himself. Of course, we've looked at many rings together, so he understands what I like.

I'll let you all know when I have some updates!

 

[empress]

Re: Search for engagement ring sapphire (update)

If getting a Burma (Mogok) sapphire from out of the country, you need to be assured it's pre-embargo, don't you?

 

[Harriet]

Re: Search for engagement ring sapphire (update)

I second MZ -- buy the best that you can afford. Not only does Mc2 does beautiful work, they specialise in sapphires!

 

[VapidLapid]

Re: Search for engagement ring sapphire (update)

both of those pala stones are gorgeous

 

[Valentino]

Re: Search for engagement ring sapphire (update)

with all do respects, wildfish gems are very, very, very overpriced
Thre are so many vendors that for 3-4 K can give you a real nice color 2-3 cts. unheated blue. Shop around man.

 

[septemberbaby]

Re: Search for engagement ring sapphire (update)

I have heard various people on the threads say that they felt Wildfish was overpriced. However, one of the things posted on the site is that if you spend at least $10k in one order, Ed will give you 25% off... just something to keep in mind. The stones might be still overpriced, but it's a pretty significant discount and does get that 4.19ct stone into the $3-4k/ct range.

 

[septemberbaby]

I did not initially realize that Valentino was saying I could get a nice unheated sapphire of 2-3 cts for only $3-4k total - I thought (s)he meant $3-4k/ct!!! (btw, if it's possible to find what we're looking for at this price, it's news to us!)

I have a question for tourmaline_lover:

You cautioned not to overpay for a Pala stone. It's a difficult stone color/quality to come by so we don't have any clue as to what market prices are. I also noted that Madagascar stones are typically not as pricey as Kashmir, Burma, or Ceylon... Do you have any information on pricing for this type of stone? And also out of curiosity, how much do stores typically mark up the prices on stones before selling them to consumers? (And maybe this type of information is neatly packed in a book, so we could read and learn even more?)

Thanks!

 

[chrono]

I’d like to see an example from Valentino showing how fine a quality he/she can get of an unheated 2 to 3 ct sapphire for $4K total. Everyone has different ideas of what “nice” means and what’s nice to one person may be average to someone else. From what you’ve shown, I know that you are looking for something of very fine quality, and as such, do not think $4K total is realistic.

I am not TL but I might have some idea what she is talking about. With Pala, there is a set pricing to the jeweller (per their “level”) and each jeweller also has their own markup. Some vendors/jewellers therefore will charge you a higher price and others will quote you a lower price for the very same stone. I have experienced this myself so I can advice you of this practice firsthand. Unfortunately, while there is some general pricing, it is ultimately up to the vendor to set the price and if the buyer is willing to accept the price. Because there are so many variables, it is difficult to say how much any mark up is.