$100 is too much to spend on a potentially be-heated stone which should be worth about $10. Sapphires, because of all the treatements on them, are precarious to buy just from a single picture. That''s the problem with inexpensive sapphires, is it worth it to buy it even though it might be be-treated? I personally always insist on a fast track memo unless you really know your source knows his/her source, and they are very trustworthy.
A fast track memo is a small credit card sized/shaped report that indicates if the stone is natural and if it has any treatments on it. It's typically much less expensive than a full report. I assume if this seller is out of Thailand, then an AIGS fast track is a very good an inexpensive memo to get. It costs around $25. I just bought a sapphire on ebay, and it wasn't expensive, but I am still getting an AIGS memo which also indicates the treatment level. Here is an example of a fast track from AIGS. They actually refer to it as a "brief report." I prefer AIGS because it is a thick card, has a photo of the gem, and a hologram (in order to avoid forgery), and you can verify it's authenticity on their website.
I've heard the term "fast track" before, but I forget where. Basically, it's just a simple and inexpensive gemological report. Many gem labs, like AGL, AIGS, GIT, and others have their own versions of these, and they're much less expensive than the full report. Some gems really require full reports, in particular if it the stone was expensive and you're planning on reselling the stone or appraising it. For an inexpensive stone, but one that is typically synthesized or treated, I would recommend the fast track or "brief" report.
My error then, I think you can trust David Weinberg as many people do. I apologize. I had assumed it was ebay based on the photograph. David should be able to tell you the treatment level.
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