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Searching for a 2ct+/- brilliant sky blue-corn flowe blue sapphire for minimal setting E-ring

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Hi Kioto,

NSC is headquartered in Manhattan, and I believe they run a gemcutting facility somewhere overseas, so their overhead is considerably higher than Dana''s, because his business consists solely of him and his Dad, and they are in North Carolina, so they don''t have to pay New York City expenses. NSC also maintains a huge inventory, which is expensive in and of itself, and they seem to charge what the high-end market will bear (which is to say, a lot!). Dana started out as a collector/hobbyist gem cutter, and expanded into selling his stones because his collection was getting out of control. He buys rough at very good prices, and passes the savings on to his customers.

I have purchased several stones from Dana, and am very happy with all of them. If he did not have something I wanted, he would find the rough and cut it for me. He is very easy to work with, and generally a great guy.
 
Date: 8/3/2009 5:19:42 PM
Author: sapphire.panda
Thanks Chrono! How do you post links so they work?
Click to expand...
If you use IE, after the URL, just move the cursor another spot to the right (space bar) and the address automatically becomes a clickable link. The more complicated way is to use the “chain” button in the top row of icons in the edit page. It will bring up a pop up box for you to type in the URL.
 
Kitoto,
There is a fairly large price difference when you get to unheated sapphires 1 ct and upwards. Heating improves the colour of the stone; it doesn’t affect the structural integrity of the stone. It will not wear off or fall out or anything like that. Clarity of coloured gemstones is not judged like diamonds. They do not need to be loupe clean or VVS or such. They only need to be eye clean. Any more than that, you are also paying more for something you cannot see.
 
I''m loving this thread. I actually have the 6.59ct pale blue sapphire from TNSC in a Word doc I created to keep track of stones and colors I love. (Though I don''t love the price, or actually, the size. But the color!!!) Unfortunately, however, it seems to be quite rare. But thanks for the link to mastercutgems as well as the printout of the actual stone sizes. It''s printed beside me as we speak!

Looking forward to seeing what stone you pick out, and then to see it in its setting. An congratulations on your engagement!
 
okay, my fiance got his friend Jay who''s an amazing jewelry designer involved for the searching of the ring. Here is what Jay found. I am IN LOVE WITH IT! He said it is lighter and more brilliant in real life. it''s 8mm 2.53ct. I''ll post more pictures when I receive it.

BLUE1uy.JPG
 
here''s it''s small belly!

BLUE2uy.JPG
 
Is the window of the stone going to bother you? The "window" I'm referring to is the huge central area that allows you to see through to the bottom of the stone instead of having light reflected back up at you. There's not a lot of sparkle factor with that stone, and the fact that there's such a huge window might affect it's color as well. Are there any treatments on this stone?
 
It''s all natural without treatment. I thought that I absolutely need a perfect stone with perfect cut and color, then I figured that all I really care about is the color and the right size. It has been very helpful after contacting all of the the master cutter on this board to discuss the potential. It will arrive this Friday and I''m very sure I''ll be totally in love with it. Otherwise Richard from concave cut offers to recut it for $400.
 
The stone has a very large window in the center. It is going to look “dead” and lifeless because you are going to see your finger / setting through the stone. I’m not sure you’ll be able to recut it and still keep the same face up size because it is too shallow to begin with (small belly as you mentioned), so you will lose a lot of carat weight in the process. Your 2 ct stone might end up closer to 1 ct when all the critical angles are lined up.
 
Thanks! I think I''ll be very happy with it! I mean, this board spoil me so much with every little details of perfection. Maybe it''s not a perfect stone on the scorecard, but it''s a perfect one for me :)
everyone that I encountered with told me that the color I am looking for is very rare and for it to be natural and perfectly clear is almost impossible. I do not want to settle with a inkier sapphire with perfect cut. I think for now it''ll be great. If I don''t like it when I receive it on Friday I''ll continue on my searching ;)
 
Kitoto,
Seriously, the sapphire you are looking at isn’t difficult to find unheated in that colour and clarity. I understand not needing perfection but by the same token, you should not settle for anything below your expectations.
 
ExpertS here are funny! Chrono, I did not try to settle for something lower than my expectation! I actually HOLD FIRM on my expectation, and that''s the color, the shape, and the size (this is is 8mm, 2.53ct).!

I have browsed every single websites that''s recommanded here. If you could find me one that''s natural without treatment, the same perfection clarity, same/lighter color, but a much better cut, and lower than $1500, I''ll be more than happy to take it!!
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BTW, I’m not an expert or consider myself as one. I’m just a more “seasoned” consumer, very much like you with the exception of being here longer, that’s all. Many vendors and cutters don’t have everything posted online due to the size of their inventory or uncut rough. Have you emailed or called any of them to see if they have something very light in tone and saturation? It seems to me that you prefer a very very light blue stone. Something very pale as well too.
 
kitoto, I''ve always been taught that if you don''t have anything nice to say, don''t say anything at all, but I feel the need to chime in here and say that I don''t think the stone you have on it''s way to you is e-ring worthy. It lacks the wow factor for me. But truth be told I''m not the one that has to be happy with it, you do. If it''s your dream stone then go for it but I think you can get something much better though, and stay within your budget. It''ll just take you a little more looking, calling, and emailing.
 
Brandy, I love the stone you posted! I have seen it before it is just a bit smaller than I wanted. I want one that is at least 7mm without inclusions.

Chrono, I wish I had read those thread before. I mis-interpreted "Cornflower blue" and it is indeed too dark for me.

I am actually looking for something more aua marine-like color, and trust me, if Aqua marine is hard enough for a tension setting I would have been done for the search long time ago.

Again, as a newbie, I''ve browsed the every website on that archived list for reputable loose stone jewelers. I have also talked to JW, Richard, and many other master cutters. They all said the color AND size AND shape AND clarity I want would be hard to find and might be extremely expensive if I found one.

I appreciate everyone''s insight because you do care about my E-ring project and I would never want to settle with something that I don''t want. I will receive this stone on Friday to make sure that I like it before taking any action. Hense, I''m still very open to anything that fit into this criteria and <$1500.
 

Date: 8/12/2009 4:26:54 PM
Author: kitoto
Brandy, I love the stone you posted! I have seen it before it is just a bit smaller than I wanted. I want one that is at least 7mm without inclusions.

Chrono, I wish I had read those thread before. I mis-interpreted ''Cornflower blue'' and it is indeed too dark for me.

I am actually looking for something more aua marine-like color, and trust me, if Aqua marine is hard enough for a tension setting I would have been done for the search long time ago.

Again, as a newbie, I''ve browsed the every website on that archived list for reputable loose stone jewelers. I have also talked to JW, Richard, and many other master cutters. They all said the color AND size AND shape AND clarity I want would be hard to find and might be extremely expensive if I found one.

I appreciate everyone''s insight because you do care about my E-ring project and I would never want to settle with something that I don''t want. I will receive this stone on Friday to make sure that I like it before taking any action. Hense, I''m still very open to anything that fit into this criteria and <$1500.
Click to expand...

When you say clean, do you mean eye clean or loupe clean? Have you seen this stone:

http://www.artcutgems.com/item.php?item_id=305&category_id=48

It looks a bit darker than what I''d call medium from the picture but it might be worth asking for additional pictures since it appears darker than a stone they described as medium-dark in a different photo.
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Branzy, you are WAYYYYY to nice. I though showing some pictures of the COLOR (disregard the shape) I want might help.

Left: Sky blue, no darker than this.
Middle: Light blue with a hint of green is great, no purple please.
Right, Bright light blue, most ideal.

Thanks so much!

lbspuy.jpg
 
May I ask what you found wrong with the Mastercutgems brilliant emerald cut sapphire? It seems as though it has the right price, color, clarity, etc. Have you decided definitively for a round?
 
Did you get the stone in that you find through your friend? How did you like it?
 
Your ring will be beautiful.

If you live near a Shane Company they have loose sapphires in what they call ice blue and kentucky blue that might be the right color for you. Their loose stones can very in cut quality but I have bought several very nice loose sapphires from them.
 
Kitoto,
Friday’s come and gone…so what do you think of the sapphire you found?
 
If it's not too late, recently posted on the Finewater site is one of the best looking Ceylon blue sapphires I've seen recently for the price, just over 3 carats and unheated, $1150/carat. That's what blue sapphire should look like. http://www.finewatergems.com/new-gemstones.html

2614356.jpg
 

Okay. I am back, with a big smile on my face as I update the status of my E-ring project.



Previously I was on a mission to find an icy sky blue sapphire that''s in the 2ct (8mm+-) range. I found a great stone with exactly the color and size that I wanted. I post it here and the comment was it looked "dead" because of the size of its window is too big.



I was a bit annoyed.



When I saw it in person, I am afraid that was true. I could see it straight down to the bottom, and it was shiny but not sparkly. I did not hate it but think it has a potential to do better.



Reference from this forum, I contacted Dana from Mastercutgem (http://www.mastercutgems.com/).
He contacted my jeweler. They are happy to work with each other and want to make me the happiest girl.

A month later... yes they did!



I received the before/after pictures via email from Dana, while I was in a class.



As soon as I saw it I squeal like a little girl!



I showed it to my classmate sitting next to me. Guess what?



He squeals like a little girl too!!!



I am so happy that this site helped me find a master cutter who''s not just a nice guy but also did an amazing job with very reasonable price. He took care of it so carefully like his own, and he cut down <0.2mm to transform it to a brilliant beauty!



I am also happy that I took the advices here and made my stone much much nicer.



I highly recommend Dana to anyone (No doubt that he''s now my jeweler’s favorite master cutter to work with). And I will continue updating the status of my E-ring project with the design of setting and the final product.



Thanks everyone!!!
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umasapphireba.jpg
 
He did a fantastic job! Please keep us updated with the final pictures!
 
Very, very pretty stone. Dana did a great job!
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