Violet Star Sapphire photos!

[MakingTheGrade]

I really like the photo where you can see all the little dots of silk that make up the star.

Laura

Yup, that's one of my fav photos too!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Ok, another question.

Are stars typically set open back? Or is a back put on to make the color seem more saturated? Suggestions?

 

[Nashville]

Oh NICE! I love star sapphires... hope to own one someday! And such a nice color too!

 

[arjunajane]

MTG, I vote simple bezel, 18k YG plated with 22 or 24k yellow gold. Very pretty stone, love the colour and translucency.

 

[velouriaL]

Oh wow. It is gorgeous. So ethereal, so deep sea!

I say bezel OR a jillion tiny ornate crown-like prongs.

I also still want micropave.

And definitely rose gold. Can we get a penny shot?

I'm SO SO SO pleased to have the opportunity to live vicariously through you on this!

 

[Lovinggems]

Love the star sapphire, a pale pink gold sounds good.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I would really love to play up the roundness of the cab. It has a high dome and looks just like a fat drop of water. It has a wonderful surface tension fell to it.

Do you think that would be best emphasized by prongs or bezel?

 

[chrono]

I’ve seen both prong set and bezel cabochons; it’s really the design that will emphasize the effect that you want to highlight. For your sapphire, to play up the translucency and dome, I’d bezel it with some fancy metal etching/engraving.

 

[Arcadian]

If you bezel, you could try JanishJewels. I have a ruby cab going to her soon, and she's done wonderful stuff for people on here.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/JanishJewels

-A

Thanks Arcadian! Have you seen her bezels in person, are they good quality? Do you think they could be delicate enough for a stone this small? most of her pieces seem to have larger stones.

I've not sent my stone in yet , though I will in December Mine is a ruby, which is not terribly big either, just slightly over 2cts (here's she is! http://litnon.com/viewgem.php?gemid=8026&id=34522 ) Flygirl has worked with her on some of her projects and they look divine. I will be doing 22 and 18K. her prices are very reasonable, and she would have them back pretty quickly; mine would take about a week.

I don't think she has an issue doing small stoned rings at all.

-A

 

[MakingTheGrade]

thanks arcadian!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Right now I think my front runner is this Sally setting but a bezel version in rose gold. I love the hand etching they do, and hopefully the bezel will play up that "water drop" shape while also covering some of the nicks and naturals in the base of the sapphire.

I love working with Sally, and I trust her and her benchmen 100% (they set my tanzanite beautifully and without a single scratch!). And they make some of the most intricate and beautiful pieces I can imagine. But the waiting kills me every time!

 

[Burberrygirl]

Beautiful stone! I really like the Sally setting but I think whatever you choose will be gorgeous.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Beautiful stone! I really like the Sally setting but I think whatever you choose will be gorgeous.

Thanks Burberrygirl! You own one of my favorite cab ring ever! In fact, I didn't really look much at cabs until I noticed your avatar one day and decided I really wanted one!

 

[Burberrygirl]

Thanks, MTG!

 

[T L]

They're fascinating to look at, aren't they?

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Here are some pics, I'm taking a bunch to hold me over while it's being set.

Penny shots

 

[MakingTheGrade]

When the light come through the side at a certain angle, it catches the rutile and the whole stone has a fun silky glow.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Purple M&m!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I love the rutile, you can almost see a hexagon patter in one photo

 

[MakingTheGrade]

..glowy!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

The star!

It's so hard to photograph the transclucency and the star at the same time. It is very translucent with the star, but the camera makes it look more opaque

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I'm also getting a quote from Dan M for a simple setting like Cebrahah's (sorry, I know I misspelled that!)

I guess the bezel would be taller since my cab has a "butt" that needs a little hiding.

 

[Largosmom]

I surely love that aqua, one of the most beautiful simple settings I've seen...and have kept my eye open for a pear that might work in something like that ever since!

 

[mariedtiger]

Lovely star sapphire MTG, thank you for all the photos. Also that setting from Sally is one of my favorites, I have had it in my Projects file forever but haven't found a suitable stone yet. I think we are all learning so much about star sapphires from your thread, I didn't know for instance that the camera kills the translucency of the stone when the star shows, that's good to know when shopping for star gems

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I think we are all learning so much about star sapphires from your thread, I didn't know for instance that the camera kills the translucency of the stone when the star shows, that's good to know when shopping for star gems

Haha, either that or I just can't take photos correctly, which may very well be true. But just looking at The Gem Trader photos, the star looks more opaque head on with the star compared to angled photos of the star.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Ok ok, I think I've narrowed it down to two options based on all the input I've gotten here (Thanks guys!)
It seems most people think a simple bezel style would show off the stone best so here are my two options:

1. Sally's etched base ring, bezel version, in 18k rose gold with the yummy etching. It'll be about 500$ when all is said and done. I'll have to wait 6-8 months, and mail my stone overseas and back which is always nail biting.
2. Daniel M's smooth cab bezel ring, very flowy, 14k rose gold, about 250$ total. It'll probably be 2-3 weeks at most, and I can insure the mailing.

Here are the pics again, what would you do? I know I"ve mailed to Sally before and never a glitch, but every time I do it I'm a wreck. But I trust her, have seen her work, and her work is beautiful. On the other hand, I also love the smoothness and flow of daniel's bezel piece, it's half the price, will be finished faster, and I can breathe easier over the shipping. But I've never ordered from him before, and just based on the photos, I'm tempted to say sally does a cleaner bezel. Arg! Such a hard decision! Help me!!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Beautiful stone, I am so glad you decided to go for it.

I personally love Sally for cabs, her setting complement them so well. When I had a cab to set, I did the setting you put up, and I can tell you it is more beautiful in person.

However, if you ask for Sally's opinion, she will give it to you. I just sent her my cab and asked her what she though looked best. Once she got it, she made some suggestions, and she has a really good eye.

Daniel M's setting is very pretty as well, it is more of a modern setting.

I am sure whatever you decide, it will look great.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Do you have any pics Ltl?

Sounds like you'd lean towards the Sally piece?

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Do you have any pics Ltl?

Sounds like you'd lean towards the Sally piece?

It was a gift, and Sally surrounded the ring tightly with tissue shaped like a lotus. And I could not bring myself to unwrap it to take pics. It is a very delicate looking setting in person, and the vendor pics don't really show it. The recipient loves it and wears it daily. She says she can't believe how well the etching is done. The cab was smaller as well and she had size 5 fingers, and it looked perfect, not to small, not too big.

I have pictures of my sister's ring the the HOW setting if you are interested in seeing that.

I agree, sending stones to sally is stressful. I will eventually do it again, but I kind of dread it too.

That being said, I love star sapphires in antique, "old world" style settings. Like you said, the kind of "magical" look, and I think Sally's settings do a better job of that. I also think Sally is very good at matching a setting to a stone. I have always approached her with "this is what I like, but can you tell me what you think would work?" Most of the time, I go with her suggestion.

I really like the Daniel M setting as well, it just doesn't have the qualities you were describing earlier in the thread. If you want something with simple with clean lines, that is a great setting.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Thanks Ltl! The pictures help a lot!
I actually do really like smooth clean lines, which is why I'm so torn.
I"m also wondering how dirty I would get the etching after awhile, lol. I'm planning on wearing it as a RHR fairly often since it's a sapphire cab, do you think the etching holds up to wear well?