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Thoughts on this Padparadscha for an engagement ring

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buhhy

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jan 4, 2018
Messages
8
Hi everyone, I'm looking to get an engagement ring for my girlfriend of almost 7 years. I've been doing research for the past several months (so many things to learn.. :errrr:) and I would like to do something a little more custom than going to Tiffany and buying a diamond ring. I know my girlfriend likes camellia and pastel colours, so pads caught my eye, specifically this one from finewater. I've already contacted Gary for more information on it and this is what I liked:

- light pink and orange colour - not too deep and pretty even between orange and pink
- no visible inclusions or blemishes according to Gary
- almost round; I would've preferred round, but this is close enough and I couldn't find any round pads that I liked
- not too big or small: dimensions seem to be similar to a 1.25c round diamond, which I've seen in person and seems like a good size to me

I don't know much about gems, let alone coloured stones, so I was hoping all you CS experts could give your opinions. I'm thinking of setting it in platinum, something like the Tiffany bead-set harmony setting.

Thanks!
 
I think it’s absolutely gorgeous!
 
Yes, that is a fine pad and the setting gorgeous. I’m a fan of diamond halos which would really amp up that pad if she’s a feminine type gal, or even set with a .30 ish each side baguette if she an Art Deco / Modernist type gal. So many options with that stunning pad sapphire. Congrats on your pending engagement. We’ll all be wanting to see some hand shots after the event.
 
Thanks :) My girlfriend prefers more a more subdued and rounded look usually, so I think she won't like halo or baguettes so much.

Has anyone had problems with ordering coloured stones online and it looking very different in person? Seems hard to capture the colour and reflections accurately in photos.
 
It is indeed really quite difficult to "interpret" photos and videos online versus real life. That is why you need a good return policy.

I have bought a lot of gemstones online and I think this looks like an amazing Pad. I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Based on these pictures, it will be stunning in the hand.

As for the setting, maybe you could put it in something relatively inexpensive and simple so she can have a hand in designing the final setting herself?

Personally, I'd put a small halo around it or some diamonds down the band. But then, I'd halo my car if I thought I could get away with it....

;)2
 
I think everyone here, at one point or another, has had at least one experience of a stone looking very different in-hand than the vendors' photos. However, that's part of this process and why @BlingObsession made a great point about reading the vendor's policies and making sure they sound good to you. Because colored stones need to be seen in person - that's the only way to truly tell if it's the stone for you. And when you get it home, look at it with a loupe and in various lighting conditions. I'm not sure if you'll show her the stone or not, but it might be something to consider (especially with her skin tone). Since the stone isn't round, will you set the oval N-S or E-W in the setting? Just curious.

It looks to be a very nice pad, but personally I'd want an AGL report (GemBrief or Prestige Report) giving it that title and unheated status; I'd make my purchase contingent on that. If you can swing it and agree with his policies - he's a solid vendor - then I'd order it and see how you feel in person.
 
buhhy said:
Thanks :) My girlfriend prefers more a more subdued and rounded look usually, so I think she won't like halo or baguettes so much.

Has anyone had problems with ordering coloured stones online and it looking very different in person? Seems hard to capture the colour and reflections accurately in photos.
Click to expand...

Congrats on learning so much and making a great choice.

In my opinion baguettes are understated, not flashy at all. Check out this thread for a comparison between vendor photos and PS owner photos.
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/vendor-pictures-and-owner-pictures-of-ps-stones.109420/
 
The finewater gem is too peachy to me. I'd like to see more pink.
 
It's beautiful! It has a GIA report, that will verify the no heat. It is on the lighter side, but it's like it has its own radiance in the photos :love:
 
That's a beautiful pad. It's a little more orange than I prefer but the color is gorgeous regardless. I'm going to recommend a halo too. There's something about a colored gem in a diamond halo. It gives you the best of both worlds. Even a very dainty halo will help the color pop..and you'll get that sparkle factor. :kiss2: If that's not hr thing, that's totally ok.

I'm going to link this one from gemfix because I love the slightly more pink color.
https://gemfix.com/gems/sapphire-pink-13-526
IMG_2392.jpg
 
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The pale padparaschas seem to vary in how they suit a person’s skin tone. We’ve had some ladies here who said they didn’t contrast well, which is where a setting with some diamonds could help, or maybe the choice of peachy vs pinky really matters.
 
Personally, I like the even mix of orange and pink.

@SparkliesLuver I plan on orienting it N-S rather than E-W; in my mind, I feel it'll work better with a wedding band.

I popped the stone suggestion to the lady last night and she seems happy about it, so it looks like we are good to go :D I do have some concern about the skin tone contrast, but since we are Asian, I hope the slightly darker skin tone works OK with the lighter coloured stone. I guess we'll see once we have the stone in person.

Should I ask for an AGL report as well if there is already a GIA report for the stone, and if so, which one? The GIA report seems pretty barebones, no origin (not sure how important that is).

Thanks everyone!
 
MissyBeaucoup said:
The pale padparaschas seem to vary in how they suit a person’s skin tone. We’ve had some ladies here who said they didn’t contrast well, which is where a setting with some diamonds could help, or maybe the choice of peachy vs pinky really matters.
Click to expand...
I see this type of comment so often in pad threads, and I would like to gently point out that assumptions should never be made about skin tone.
 
In terms of a certificate, if you don’t care about origin, I wouldn’t go for an extra cert from AGL for that. My only concerns with pads would be BE treatment, I assume at this point GIA’s equipment would be able to detect that, but maybe someone else has a different opinion. I have a ruby that I asked to be sent to AGL but it went to GIA and I’m okay with that, in the end.
 
FWIW, GIA detected diffusion treatment in a padparadscha sapphire I sent them years ago, so yes, GIA is fine, unless you need to know definitively its from Sri Lanka (I personally wouldn't bother but that's me).
 
minousbijoux said:
FWIW, GIA detected diffusion treatment in a padparadscha sapphire I sent them years ago, so yes, GIA is fine, unless you need to know definitively its from Sri Lanka (I personally wouldn't bother but that's me).
Click to expand...
Origin is a premium on Sri Lankan stones, and some purists don't consider a stone a padparadcha unless it hails from there. For $4k/ct, origin is a must
 
Well I pulled the trigger on that pad; both a bit nervous and excited to see it in person :D. If I decide to keep it, I'll consider sending it to AGL for a report. Ended up getting a nice discount for buying at this time.
 
Please post pictures when you get it! We love seeing vendor vs real life pictures.
 
It’s beautiful! I think that’s one of the prettiest stones on any vendors’ website right now. I’m so glad your lady liked your idea, and I hope she loves the stone you found! Wishing you two much happiness!
 
It's a very pretty stone and although it's ever so slightly paler than I personally would like it sounds like it's a perfect fit for your girlfriend. One thing I would mention - it might be a good idea to see it in person and also (if the vendor can do it), see what it looks like in a white setting (platinum/gold etc) as with pale gemstones a white setting can change its look. Good luck!
 
Buhhy - have you received the stone yet? Is it everything you had hoped for? Did you notice that Princess Eugenie copied you hhahahha
 
Oh yeah, sorry for not updating this thread, been busy with work. I ended up sending back the pad; while it was very pretty in person, we found that it blended in with my GF's skin way too much. She also didn't like the oval as much in person and would prefer a round instead.

I've attached some photos:
IMG_0085.jpg IMG_0102.jpg IMG_0107.jpg

Videos:
https://imgur.com/RqXt07q
https://imgur.com/66MpBHp

I guess it's back to the drawing board - will look at something that is light pastel blue instead next.

Thanks everyone for the input!

PS: Gary was fast with shipping and issuing the refund and was very responsive in general.
 
Aww, such a shame. It was a lovely gem.
Happy searching for that special gem, keep us posted with any new “contenders,”.
Maybe a Pariba Tourmaline?
 
Oh that is a shame. It was very pretty. You should probably start a new thread and have the experts PS community help you source an alternative stone.

Good luck.
 
Unfortunately, that's the huge problem with padparadchas for me, they blend in with pink and peachy flesh tones. I think Princess Eugenie's stone does the same thing with her skin tone. They look fabulous on people with browner skin tones though.

What colors does she like?
 
That light blue is stunning and what a great size :love:
 
Ah, I keep forgetting to reply, I'm bad with these forum things :whistle:

I took her out to some jewelry stores and she's stated that she likes pastel and light blue colours, especially aquamarine. Ceylon blue sapphires were a little too bold and saturated for her (makes it hard for me, haha). I was thinking aquamarines aren't as durable and am looking for similar colours in diamonds and sapphires.

I recently found out about Montana sapphires and they looked very promising so I ordered a few to look at in person. I think some forum members have said they looked too grey in certain lighting, but I'm hoping for the best. Buying multiple gems at once isn't easy on the wallet even though I'll be returning most of them :))

Will post back with more pictures!
 
Look for umba or Tanzanian sapphires as well. They're a light blue, not very bold in color and often less gray than Montanas.
 
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