Star sapphire insight

[Girlmalkin]

Hi folks! I’m new to the site and to the gemmy world. Please share any insights on this star sapphire I inherited. I took it to a jeweler to be verified as a gemstone (and not a Linde stone). It weighs in about 9 carats. Does $300/carat make sense in terms of value? I want to make it into a ring but would like to know what I’m working with before I forge ahead. Amateur phone photos included.

 

[Starstruck8]

Hi folks! I’m new to the site and to the gemmy world. Please share any insights on this star sapphire I inherited. I took it to a jeweler to be verified as a gemstone (and not a Linde stone). It weighs in about 9 carats. Does $300/carat make sense in terms of value? I want to make it into a ring but would like to know what I’m working with before I forge ahead. Amateur phone photos included.

Welcome to PriceScope!

That's a beautiful star sapphire! FWIW it looks natural to me - not like typical synthetics, and it appears to have some minor zoning. It's exceptionally transparent, and for such a transparent stone, the star is unusually bright. (Usually, more transparent stones have less bright stars.) The colour is not 'trade ideal' - that would be stronger blue - but I'd be delighted to wear a ring set with a stone like that.

For comparisons and setting ideas, check out this long thread:
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-your-star-sapphires-and-rubies.231433/

I can't comment on price, because I usually overpay by PS standards. Since you inherited it, does the price matter? Or are you considering selling it? (FWIW, I doubt that you would get $2700 for it in a private sale.) It's definitely worth setting.

On the pics: in all but the 4th pic, the phone seems to be focused on the background. Maybe if you placed your hand in the middle of the pic and made it occupy more of the picture (as in the 4th pic), the phone would focus on your hand.

 

[Girlmalkin]

Welcome to PriceScope!

That's a beautiful star sapphire! FWIW it looks natural to me - not like typical synthetics, and it appears to have some minor zoning. It's exceptionally transparent, and for such a transparent stone, the star is unusually bright. (Usually, more transparent stones have less bright stars.) The colour is not 'trade ideal' - that would be stronger blue - but I'd be delighted to wear a ring set with a stone like that.

For comparisons and setting ideas, check out this long thread:
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/show-your-star-sapphires-and-rubies.231433/

I can't comment on price, because I usually overpay by PS standards. Since you inherited it, does the price matter? Or are you considering selling it? (FWIW, I doubt that you would get $2700 for it in a private sale.) It's definitely worth setting.

On the pics: in all but the 4th pic, the phone seems to be focused on the background. Maybe if you placed you hand in the middle of the pic and made it occupy more of the picture (as in the 4th pic), the phone would focus on your hand.

Thank you for the thoughtful reply! This is very helpful information. I guess I want to know the price both for sheer curiosity and for the more practical reason of how to approach the ring design (if it's not a particularly special stone, I don't want to go down the rabbit hole to spend time and money on design and materials) I will try to upload better photos soon. I appreciate your patience with my poor photography skills!

 

[Dreamer_D]

It’s a lovely stone and you should set it! It’s huge and deserves a lovely mounting.

I suspect if you tried to buy one today you would pay well of $4k retail for a new stone that size, though less if you bought from an overseas vendor. I paid $3600 for my 4ct pink-purple star a year ago from a US dealer, but its color is more prized I believe. I like this denim blue-grey of yours. It would look smashing set with diamonds or even coloured gems in a halo. Or set as a solitaire in yellow gold.

 

[glitterata]

That is a beautiful stone. As others have said, it's not a trade ideal color, but that doesn't stop it from being a lovely color. I would be thrilled to wear a star sapphire like that.

 

[Lentibulariaceae]

I’ve seen stars that color paired with blue chalcedony carvings and gold and it’s stunning!

 

[Girlmalkin]

Thanks, all! I’ve taken some additional photos and have to say that she (the gem) does not photograph very well haha but she is lovely and deserves a nice ring to show off.

 

[Dreamer_D]

The transparency is great. Definitely worth setting!

 

[Lentibulariaceae]

With these new pictures, she would also look stunning with some icy white nephrite or jadeite!

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

That's a lovely stone. It deserves a mount that accentuates it.

 

[Pumpkin Sparkles]

It’s beautiful, definitely something worth setting and enjoying. Congrats!

 

[fiona00004]

That is a GREAT STONE! I would treasure that forever!!