Who to have recut padparadscha? Is it even safe to do?

[distracts]

I have a pad sapphire I bought earlier in the pandemic because it was a great price. The cut is not the most rad, to be honest. The color is nice and it has a GIA report. I was thinking of getting it recut but knowing how the pad designation can get somewhat arbitrary, is this even safe to do? Would anyone rec anyone specific to work on this? I don’t want to tank the value of it and I do like the color so I wouldn’t want to destroy that either.

It’s a fat oval with a bit of a window in the middle, light desaturated pinkish-orange. Here is the GIA report: https://www.gia.edu/report-check?reportno=2175373864&s=1593109841854

(Picture there is VERY unflattering.)

Wondering if just putting it in a new setting would be better - this one is. Cheap.

 

[Big Fat Facets]

ive heard wonderful things about topnotch faceting.

ive also heard that daniel stair is very reasonable even though, he is not too fond of forum members. he says so much, on his homepage

 

[Ionysis]

I wouldn’t bother. Poor cutting is very common in pads as they are cut to maximise weight. If you recut you’ll lose a lot of the weight and it may even change the colour presentation. You’d also have to get it re-certified which would cost more $. Just not worth it.

I’d be much more inclined to set it in a closed back or filigree setting of rose gold to make the most of the colour and hide the window.

 

[JackTrick]

It is possible, and in some cases can be worthwhile.

However, be cautious that not all pads are colored in the same way. Some have more zoning or a “rind” of color that can be highly influenced by a recut. In the worst case changing color to not be pad.

also good to think through what kind of recut you’re looking for. A repolish and some slight optimizations of facet angle? more straightforward. A full recut of a less than ideal stone? Get ready to lose some weight.

People I know who’ve recut sapphires are Michelle Mai (mvmgems on IG), Jim Buday (shinyprecious on IG), and Boyd Fox (Boyd.fox on IG)

 

[JackTrick]

Glancing at your stone, closing the window would likely require a pretty significant loss of size (both carat and face up).

 

[distracts]

Yeah this is what I was thinking... it's 2.04 cts, and 8.5x6.9x3.9 and that depth is just... oof. Even the most minimal recut to improve things while retaining weight would drop it below the 2.0 mark, and I definitely paid little enough to be fine with that, but idk how fine I'd be if it dropped below, like, 1.7 cts, and I certainly wouldn't want it to drop below 1.5 cts.

 

[JackTrick]

I’d you’re that concerned about carat weight, I wouldn’t recut that stone. When I’ve had stones recut I’ve seen yields of 60-80%.

I think you need to choose how important the weight, face up size, and window are to you.

 

[icy_jade]

Maybe put in a rose gold cup? I’ll worry about too much weight loss and color intensity change as well.

But maybe ask a good lap what his/her professional opinion is, no harm in asking

 

[distracts]

I'm significantly more concerned about it losing the pad designation than the weight, and would not be looking for a total recut. I'm not at this point seriously considering it, but as it has crossed my mind, I wanted to ask here and get feedback on other people's thoughts and anyone's experiences rather than going to bother cutters directly... I like to be significantly more likely to commit before I do that, lol.

Here are some pics, including a closer one where I tried to make it look as bad as I could (and, dare I say, succeeded!):













Most of the time it looks more like the last two pictures in terms of color, a very nice peachy color, but some lighting situations are... not flattering to it. lol. And the setting is... well, I certainly didn't buy it for the setting. The pave is the kind that scratches my finger as I wear it - I've never had pave do that before! So a setting change will be happening regardless.

 

[Big Fat Facets]

please do correct me, if i am mistaken. but none of those that have replied to this thread are *professional* and cannot address the concern of losing the pad designation

if it were me, i think it wise, to ask an actual gem cutter or two, what their professional opinion would be

 

[Ionysis]

Frankly I don’t see an obvious window in your photos anyway.

 

[distracts]

please do correct me, if i am mistaken. but none of those that have replied to this thread are *professional* and cannot address the concern of losing the pad designation

if it were me, i think it wise, to ask an actual gem cutter or two, what their professional opinion would be

Yeah, sometimes they reply here? I don't know about lately. I feel bad emailing someone when it's just information-finding though.

 

[distracts]

Very sorry about my nail polish and pajamas here but here are pics from today, which is more the color it is most of the time.

Maybe I should post a video, the window is more obvious with movement (and exactly where it is in the GIA report pic).








GIA report pic:

 

[Arcadian]

So its pretty, its a pad, I probably would not cut it based on what I'm seeing because I'm a chicken! This is where I feel a rose gold cup would be my option.

On the other end of it, I think its worth reaching out to get confirmation if it can be done without too much size loss or, loss of its designation. Gemarts comes to mind. it would be worth a contact to them. Dan Stair has done amazing work with some gems and he'd come to mind too.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Seriously it's really pretty!!!!

Don't do it!

I have looked at so many pads and they are usually flat as a pancake and with very bizzare cuts.

Yours looks lovely in ring form! I'd just wear and enjoy it!

 

[JackTrick]

+1 to keeping as is

 

[distracts]

Here’s the window! As you can see, sometimes it is less obvious and sometimes more so.

 

[Big Fat Facets]

from the image, i see a darkened center.

i still cannot address, what, if anything, can be done about it. i doubt anyone that has contributed to this thread can.

i encourage you to seek the opinion and advice of a professional gem cutter. it is the most sensible course of action to alleviate your concerns. if through the professional's advice you decide to leave it as it is, then that is perfectly fine.

however, if you decide to have the gem cutter "tweak it" a bit then you've already made and established contact ... i don't see the harm in that


nonetheless, i respect your decision, whatever it may be

 

[distracts]

So its pretty, its a pad, I probably would not cut it based on what I'm seeing because I'm a chicken! This is where I feel a rose gold cup would be my option.

On the other end of it, I think its worth reaching out to get confirmation if it can be done without too much size loss or, loss of its designation. Gemarts comes to mind. it would be worth a contact to them. Dan Stair has done amazing work with some gems and he'd come to mind too.

I'm so concerned that a cup would make it hard to clean, lol. But yeah I'm a chicken with recutting gems though I did have that extremely minor recut on an OEC diamond to make it match its pairmate better at the start of this year and that went fantastically - really the only reason I'm even considering this at all is because that went so well.

@Niel you've had sapphires recut, I think?