Thoughts on a sapphire

[meely]

I would welcome the options of some of the sapphire experts on this stone. I have a particular design in mind and this stone fits the bill shape and size wise, in some of the photos the colour looks fabulous in others not so much. I have asked about extinction but haven't had much feedback. I haven't linked as the vendor has yet to confirm it's on hold. Colour wise in my opinion @Acinom ring is beautiful. I also love this long sold gemfix stone.

 

[minousbijoux]

You may be able to get it cheaper via Pearlman's if you can find a vendor with a small commission: http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/ge...olor=blue&minct=&maxct=&min=&max=&sku=&page=1

 

[meely]

Oh that's who I contacted anyway. I didn't realise I couldn't buy through them they haven't told me that! Does anyone have any thoughts on the stone?!

 

[MollyMalone]

Oh that's who I contacted anyway. I didn't realise I couldn't buy through them they haven't told me that! Does anyone have any thoughts on the stone?!

You can definitely make the purchase from Pearlman's. Their primary source of colored gems is Gem2000, which is based in Ohio & is strictly wholesale (although anyone can search Gem2000's database, we consumers cannot see the prices listed for those in the trade):
https://www.gem2000.com/gshome.php

But FYI: not many of Gem2000's stones come with an independent lab report. Has that particular sapphire already been submitted to AGL or GIA?

 

[meely]

Ok thanks. I doubt it from how it is listed. I hadn't got to that yet I just wanted to see what others thought first. Why do you ask?

 

[Frost]

The color is excellent on both of them.

The photos of the first one look good, but don't really do it much service; the whitish parts on photos 1 and 3 are not something that's normally visible or real but rather a result of overexposure on only certain parts of the stone when taking the photos (parts of the stone end up looking 'burnt out').

If the color in the images is accurate, you can probably expect it to look like photo #2 in diffused daylight. Or like #1 but with all the white parts being blue instead.

Extinction; it doesn't seem to have any (beside the normal brilliance interplay that all stones have). It has a flower cut pavilion without a window, so it should be okay.

 

[meely]

The color is excellent on both of them.

The photos of the first one look good, but don't really do it much service; the whitish parts on photos 1 and 3 are not something that's normally visible or real but rather a result of overexposure on only certain parts of the stone when taking the photos (parts of the stone end up looking 'burnt out').

If the color in the images is accurate, you can probably expect it to look like photo #2 in diffused daylight. Or like #1 but with all the white parts being blue instead.

Extinction; it doesn't seem to have any (beside the normal brilliance interplay that all stones have). It has a flower cut pavilion without a window, so it should be okay.

Thanks for your reply frost not sure if there is some confusion, all the photos are of the same stone apart from the last photo which is a different gemfix stone but perhaps that's what you meant. The first three photos look good to me but I'm concerned about the last three photos where it looks darker and less saturated; how often would it have this appearance etc

 

[meely]

I should add that this stone would not be sent to me but directly to be set as I am UK so I do not want to make an expensive mistake. I think it's been recommended before so I would appreciate an opinion on the extra photos @chroman

 

[meely]

Oh and also another question I wanted something really vivid like acinom's sapphire I'm not expecting miracles but I do want that glowy look. I also love this ring and would want something in yellow gold, so you think I could get this look with this stone or is it not vivid enough?
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/sapphire-bezel-ring-david-klass.216659/

 

[Frost]

Thanks for your reply frost not sure if there is some confusion, all the photos are of the same stone apart from the last photo which is a different gemfix stone but perhaps that's what you meant. The first three photos look good to me but I'm concerned about the last three photos where it looks darker and less saturated; how often would it have this appearance etc

I realize the second one is just another example (not the stone you're looking at), but was just saying they both have very nice colors.

Regarding the last three; it says the photos are daylight balanced fluorescent and incandescent lighting. The way the stone looks is completely normal for a high quality blue under all three - no blue sapphire on the face of this planet, not even the Kashmiris sold for millions on auctions, look as good under yellow or tinted light as they do under daylight.
Looking at it, I think it even looks pretty good for a blue under yellow light (if it was truly yellow light in that photo).

This is simply normal for sapphire; I see people posting about it here all the time in surprise and it seems that there's a lot of misconception regarding color - people seem to expect it to stay spot on the same when they wear it indoors as the outdoors photos on the Net. It doesn't, sapphire/corundum in general from any source shift color slightly depending on the light source. The amount to which this shows depends on the strength and purity of its original daylight hue to begin with (and the chemical composition that led to it). Light, nice quality blues will almost always shift to purple/violetish hues; medium ones do too. Medium-dark ultra-vivid ones in some cases don't, but they will still look subdued and darker. And anything darker (like extra-dark royal blue) goes very dark.
The standard 'color grading' light is diffused daylight (or artificial equivalent) - so even the best blues anyone buys from the Net won't look as blue in yellow light indoors or even indoors generally as they do on outside photos. That is simply a normal property of the material (and it goes for practically all gems).

Oh and also another question I wanted something really vivid like acinom's sapphire I'm not expecting miracles but I do want that glowy look. I also love this ring and would want something in yellow gold, so you think I could get this look with this stone or is it not vivid enough?
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/sapphire-bezel-ring-david-klass.216659/

Assuming the color is correct (as seen on my monitor), the stone on that link is a very rare sort of blue where there's an absolutely massive amount of saturation and also a not inconsiderable amount of silk, which results in that 'glow'.
Caveat: the stone has what some may call 'too much silk'. Enough silk to significantly impact brilliance - it doesn't sparkle anywhere close to how it would if there wasn't any silk inside or if the amount was more moderate. But the flip side is that it also wouldn't glow anywhere close as much if it didn't have that silk in a body of that color. Personally, I think it's a gorgeous stone - but I know a lot of dealers out there would say 'nice, but silky'. To what degree one is ready to sacrifice brilliance in pursuit of color/glow is something we all have to decide for ourselves I guess.

Ideally (in my opinion) - a stone with vivid saturation and only a small to maximum medium amount of silk. It'll glow a bit, but it will still retain its brilliance. That's only my view though and the market in general doesn't really chase silk too much (to the contrary, not all even understand that it can be a bonus if it's a tiny amount).

Those are rare though - let's say you take a parcel of top 1% high quality sapphires, "perfect vivid cornflower/royal blue" as the standard bearer to begin with. Perhaps 1 out of several hundred will show that look. The rest - even within that top color range - will be too dark, too light, greenish, reddish, blackish/inky, not light up, have endless cutting problems, have eye visible inclusions, be too silky, have prominent zones, etc. etc. etc.

Another small thing - that look is much easier to find in heated stones than unheated ones. Specifically, it's more often seen in sapphires heated from 'geuda' rough (a silky/milky, whitish to yellowish corundum that turns blue on heating) than those heated from blue crystals/rough.

 

[Acinom]

Hope you find your dreamstone! You are getting excellent advice here. I cannot comment on the stone as I am not nearly as knowledgeable when it comes to coloured stones. I do know that it is really hard to determine colours of rubies and sapphires based on photos.

I was lucky enough to find my stone locally here in Europe. If you decide to order this stone, please ask your jeweller to take some pics upon arrival. You will then be able to return within the return period.

 

[meely]

@Frost thank you for your detailed and considered reply. You have helped a great deal.
@Acinom thank you for commenting! I have read your sapphire thread and many of your others, you have beautiful rings! My plan would definitely be to get some photos taken by the jeweller. Out of curiosity -perhaps you have mentioned before so apologies if I have missed - is your stone silky? - it definitely looks to 'glow' to me.

 

[Acinom]

My stone is definitely glowy/silky in some lighting, which I love!!! Especially in this saturated colour.

Any ideas on how you will set yours and what jeweller you would send it to?
Could you ask the seller for a video in specific lighting?

 

[Frost]

@Acinom, your blue is amazing. Saw it posted somewhere when I joined a few months back, it's a really nice stone.

@meely You're welcome! Happy to talk.

 

[meely]

My stone is definitely glowy/silky in some lighting, which I love!!! Especially in this saturated colour.

Any ideas on how you will set yours and what jeweller you would send it to?
Could you ask the seller for a video in specific lighting?

It's a beautiful stone and setting!

It's going to be in yellow gold. Years ago I saw a halo setting of a light cornflower blue sapphire all in yellow gold (prong work too) It was beautiful and not expensive but still too much money at that time. When I saw the ring I linked earlier in yellow gold I knew that's what I wanted along with a more vivid sapphire. For the setting itself I have found an art nouveau one that I absolutely love, very intricate and flowing, It does have a bezel which may need to be adapted to let some light in but other than that no tweaking required (I am a tweaker by nature so this is a good sign I feel).

David Klass is making my engagement ring at the moment and I have asked him for a quote, hopefully as the design only has two teeny diamonds It won't be too pricey.

As for a video I could but I'm not sure it will help anymore I think my best bet will be to order and if they don't think it brilliant send it back. Fingers crossed because size and shape are spot on.

 

[MollyMalone]

Ok thanks. I doubt it from how it is listed. I hadn't got to that yet I just wanted to see what others thought first. Why do you ask?

Sorry for not replying earlier. The reason I asked if there is a lab report on the stone is because heat and other treatments, or lack thereof, have a bearing on price & often desirability in the mind of the prospective buyer, e.g., some people are adamant about wanting only an unheated sapphire; others are OK with a heated sapphire but no other treatment. Unless the sapphire is inexpensive (which I doubt, based on the photos and ct weight), I personally would want a report from a fine lab like AGL, although I realize that would be a complicating wrinkle for you if the sapphire would have to go to a lab for analysis.

Looking forward to seeing what DK creates for you!

 

[meely]

Sorry for not replying earlier. The reason I asked if there is a lab report on the stone is because heat and other treatments, or lack thereof, have a bearing on price & often desirability in the mind of the prospective buyer, e.g., some people are adamant about wanting only an unheated sapphire; others are OK with a heated sapphire but no other treatment. Unless the sapphire is inexpensive (which I doubt, based on the photos and ct weight), I personally would want a report from a fine lab like AGL, although I realize that would be a complicating wrinkle for you if the sapphire would have to go to a lab for analysis.

Looking forward to seeing what DK creates for you!

Thanks mollymalone. It's just over $2100 not sure if you would call that expensive or not (I guess some would and for others a drop in the ocean). They offer a report but it's an additional $250 sent to GIA, however upon request they will give a free appraisal from GIA accredited gemologists. I don't want to pay for an appraisal but then decide to send it back if the colour isn't so great, also it's top of my budget as it is. It's heat treated which is fine by me. Perhaps I might be better seeing what David Klass thinks as I'm going ahead with his quote, if he and Amy like it then I could investigate sending it to AGL at that point. Hmmm

 

[qubitasaurus]

Thanks mollymalone. It's just over $2100 not sure if you would call that expensive or not (I guess some would and for others a drop in the ocean). They offer a report but it's an additional $250 sent to GIA, however upon request they will give a free appraisal from GIA accredited gemologists. I don't want to pay for an appraisal but then decide to send it back if the colour isn't so great, also it's top of my budget as it is. It's heat treated which is fine by me. Perhaps I might be better seeing what David Klass thinks as I'm going ahead with his quote, if he and Amy like it then I could investigate sending it to AGL at that point. Hmmm

I feel like pearlmans may be able to help you by sending some extra photos and videos of the stone before you send it to AGL. They will probably be better placed to help you judge the stone, and answer your questions and are apparently really helpful.

Your setting is inspired by a single stone setting. You might like to look through their catalogue.

 

[violet3]

I love it. Love the color! As others have said, sapphire is hard to tell the color and performance from pictures - I'm constantly chasing the "right" color (for me) sapphire.