blue with envy -- opinions please!!

[enbcfsobe]

i''m jealous of the amazing hayune blue and having a crap week at work. i thought this small blue sapphire (5.6mm) might be a good pick-me-up, but not sure if it might end up being windowed and/or too dark. please let me know what you think. TIA!

 

[Kismet]

I like the look of the picture but I''m guessing it''s going to be darker in person.

 

[ma re]

Hard to tell much from that photo, but I don''t think it''ll go too dark and I don''t see a window either, so it could be quite nice.

 

[chrono]

Without any background reference picture, I cannot tell if it will end up dark or a medium dark toned stone. The colour is a pretty violetish blue though. Do you know if the fine lines across the stone from poor polish or are those rutile?

 

[enbcfsobe]

thanks for the comments! i'm glad you don't think it would be windowed -- i was having trouble telling what the center would look like.

Chrono -- good question! I hadn't noticed the lines before. it is listed as "eye clean" so i doubt they are rutile. its not an expensive stone so it might be the polish.

ETA -- not sure its all that violet -- maybe verging towards the indigo side of blue. i have trouble with the color designations used by a lot of vendors because they don't match up with what i would normally use based on light frequency or paint mixing.

 

[T L]

Things to take into account when buying blue sapphires

It's important to see them from other angles too in order to gage zoning, inclusions, depth, greyness and cutting.
Does it shift color in various lighting to a more grey and/or violet color?
What is the treatment? I assume most people wouldn't want a be-heated (diffused) stone, but if you do, the price should reflect that.

A single photograph is just not enough to be able to judge the quality.

 

[enbcfsobe]

thanks, TL! normally i would insist on more pics, but as its priced around $100 i feel a little ridiculous asking the vendor for more info. maybe i shouldnt? i know not to expect precision cutting -- i''m just looking for something that is likely to give me a nice rich blue. i wasn''t expecting to find the color i was looking for at a nice price and untreated.

 

[T L]

Date: 3/26/2010 10:35:09 AM
Author: enbcfsobe
thanks, TL! normally i would insist on more pics, but as its priced around $100 i feel a little ridiculous asking the vendor for more info. maybe i shouldnt? i know not to expect precision cutting -- i''m just looking for something that is likely to give me a nice rich blue. i wasn''t expecting to find the color i was looking for at a nice price and untreated.

$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.

 

[VapidLapid]

How about just getting some amazing blue hauyne? The same ebayvendor has more. I remember seeing a piece at thegemtrader a few months ago too. He has none listed today but you could write and ask. Also Amethystguy I think posted a link of some folks in europe selling hauyne, and they had single 1/4 carat pieces that i think were in the $100 range.
If you''re going to be blue, that''s a great blue to go!

 

[enbcfsobe]

TL -- i hadn''t even thought about it potentially being treated, since it is listed as having no treatments. i''m not sure how trusted this vendor is specifically re: sapphire treatments, but definitely someone lots of PSers use, but that''s no guarantee. what is a fast track memo?

 

[T L]

Date: 3/26/2010 10:49:42 AM
Author: enbcfsobe
TL -- i hadn't even thought about it potentially being treated, since it is listed as having no treatments. i'm not sure how trusted this vendor is specifically re: sapphire treatments, but definitely someone lots of PSers use, but that's no guarantee. what is a fast track memo?

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.

http://www.aigslaboratory.com/Gemstone_Identification_Brief_Report.aspx

If the seller cannot provide this, then I would't waste my time with them, especially for stones such as sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and other highly treated stones. $100 may be inexpensive for a sapphire, but you also don't want to buy a junk stone (be-heated) that is worth almost nothing. For me, while ebay has some amazing deals, I do not trust many vendors, and someone simply telling you that it is not treated, is not good enough for me. It could also be synthetic too, and I'm sure you don't want that either.

Did you also run a toolhaus.org report on the seller?

 

[LD]

I''ve seen very similar lines in Sapphires and they''re almost certainly inclusions. Depending on the size of the stone, they may not be visible to the eye unless the light catches them in a certain direction.

I''m not positive but I do wonder if that photo has been adjusted? It may have a window in real life. I hope not, and even if it does, if it''s not an expensive purchase you may be able to close it with a good setting.

Definitely worth a look!

 

[chrono]

I think TL is referring to the AIGS (Thailand) brief that costs approximately $25 which will test for treatment. I guess it''s fast track because it takes one week?

 

[VapidLapid]

This is the hauyne link that Amethystguy posted in the thread about ebay seller redbarrels

http://www.hauyne.eu/index.php?language=enghauyne

 

[T L]

Date: 3/26/2010 11:00:26 AM
Author: Chrono
I think TL is referring to the AIGS (Thailand) brief that costs approximately $25 which will test for treatment. I guess it's fast track because it takes one week?

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.

The only reason I bring this up in this thread is because although many of us buy from precision faceters that know their source, and we do trust them to sell natural and untreated, or minor treated stones, ebay is really shark infested waters. I really love ebay, but there are so many sellers that are trying to sell diffused and synthetic sapphires, it's unbelievable.

 

[enbcfsobe]

thanks for the clarification on fast track.
the seller is multicolour, so i''m not sure how helpful toolhaus would be. anyone have problems with getting be-treated stuff from them? i know they sell some be-treated stones (mostly red/pink and yellow right now) that are clearly listed as such. any thoughts?

LD -- this was my thought about the window. it seems like this stone is substantially better looking than the others of this size (though also a little more expensive). i''m wondering if the angle at which it was photographed was especially favorable. i got some stones from them before and i thought they were actually better than the photos showed, so i think its worth a try as far as windows go. we''ll se what people have to say about be-treatments.

 

[Kismet]

Date: 3/26/2010 10:59:15 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 3/26/2010 10:49:42 AM

Author: enbcfsobe

TL -- i hadn't even thought about it potentially being treated, since it is listed as having no treatments. i'm not sure how trusted this vendor is specifically re: sapphire treatments, but definitely someone lots of PSers use, but that's no guarantee. what is a fast track memo?

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.


http://www.aigslaboratory.com/Gemstone_Identification_Brief_Report.aspx


If the seller cannot provide this, then I would't waste my time with them, especially for stones such as sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and other highly treated stones. $100 may be inexpensive for a sapphire, but you also don't want to buy a junk stone (be-heated) that is worth almost nothing. For me, while ebay has some amazing deals, I do not trust many vendors, and someone simply telling you that it is not treated, is not good enough for me. It could also be synthetic too, and I'm sure you don't want that either.


Did you also run a toolhaus.org report on the seller?

TL - I think that's a multicolor.com sapphire and not an ebay sapphire.

eta: oops posted too late.

 

[T L]

Date: 3/26/2010 11:09:09 AM
Author: Kismet

Date: 3/26/2010 10:59:15 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 3/26/2010 10:49:42 AM

Author: enbcfsobe

TL -- i hadn't even thought about it potentially being treated, since it is listed as having no treatments. i'm not sure how trusted this vendor is specifically re: sapphire treatments, but definitely someone lots of PSers use, but that's no guarantee. what is a fast track memo?

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.


http://www.aigslaboratory.com/Gemstone_Identification_Brief_Report.aspx


If the seller cannot provide this, then I would't waste my time with them, especially for stones such as sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and other highly treated stones. $100 may be inexpensive for a sapphire, but you also don't want to buy a junk stone (be-heated) that is worth almost nothing. For me, while ebay has some amazing deals, I do not trust many vendors, and someone simply telling you that it is not treated, is not good enough for me. It could also be synthetic too, and I'm sure you don't want that either.


Did you also run a toolhaus.org report on the seller?

TL - I think that's a multicolor.com sapphire and not an ebay sapphire.

eta: oops posted too late.

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.

What is the GIA gem set code that David provided with this gem (he does so for almost all his listings). The tonality would tell you if it might be too dark.

 

[LD]

Now that I know it''s from Multicolour I can tell you that the photo won''t have been adjusted. David is an honest and reputable seller. Also, if it had been BE treated, he would have disclosed that fact. So I have far less worries now knowing who the seller is!

 

[enbcfsobe]

TL -- sorry I didn''t specify the vendor before. i really appreciate your explaination about fast track memos! that is really good to know for ebay shopping.
the color is listed as "medium blue" GIA Code B 5/3 very slightly greyish. i think that should be OK for what i''m looking for -- i mostly don''t want to end up with something that goes black.

LD -- thanks for sharing your experience with these type of lines. i think esp in this small a stone it seems unlikely they will be eye-visible.

VL -- thanks for the hayune link! i can''t ebay at work.

i''ll take a look later, though!

i took the (small) plunge -- we''ll see what comes. now all i need is some time to upload my pics on my home computer so i can share!

thanks all for your input -- i really appreciate you sharing your expertise!!