Cornflower! Cornflower! Cornflower! What is it?

[ededdeddy]

Cornflower Sapphire #1

http://cgi.ebay.com/0-95ct-UNHEATED...Item&pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item5193937311

Cornflower Sapphire #2

http://cgi.ebay.com/0-75ct-UNHEATED...Item&pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item563d20a339

Cornflower Sapphire #3

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-83ct-UNHEATED...Item&pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item518b0ca8e4

Not described as cornflower blue but I have seen this color described as cornflower blue. Does it have a purplish hue or is my monitor off?

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-04ct-UNHEATED...Item&pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item51934f205d

 

[vinkalmann]

I don't know if any of those would really be considered cornflower blue, but it's a really subjective term and seems to be thrown around loosely when it comes to sapphires. There was a recent discussion here about the same question:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/what-exactly-is-cornflower-blue-royal-blue.144776/

 

[Indylady]

None seem like cornflower to me. I would say cornflower is darker than the lighter ones, but lighter than the darkest one posted. And yes, it can be quite subjective and used as a marketing term as well.

 

[T L]

Ignore metaphors and judge color based on your eye.

 

[soberguy]

Think of the plant cornflower (bachelor's buttons).

Near this...

 

[T L]

Soberguy,
Unfortunately most metaphors don't work because most dealers really don't stand by the true color, and cornflowers themselves come in a wide range of saturations and tones. Those stones that are in the links above could also be called "midnight blue" by another dealer. It's so subjective.

 

[soberguy]

Absolutely agree TL. Gods help us if we add lighting, and so forth in the mix. Monitor color 0.o Oy!

 

[chrono]

None are what I consider cornflower; most are inky or too light. And as mentioned, even for true cornflower flowers, their hue, tone and saturation vary from flower to flower as well. As always, many vendors try to attract and romanticize the stones by calling them Kashmir, cornflower and etc, but buy the stone for its true colour and not the flowery descriptors.