Ideas on what to do with my yellow sapphire?

[tigerhearted]

So this is my yellow sapphire ring! It has a lot of sentimental value, because my dad (who's now in the final stage of Alzheimer's) bought it for me when I was a baby and he was at a convention in Thailand, and it was given to me when I turned 18. It's my birthstone, and yellow wound up being my favorite color. Plus my dad is a Leo, and this golden yellow reminds me of a lion, so it's perfect.

I'm just beginning to learn about sapphires. I had it appraised a couple weeks back, here are the stats:

7.59 x 5.87 x 3.66
1.3ct (calculated)
Type II Eye-clean
Transparency -- no texture
Brilliance -- Good (50-70%)
GIA square color -- c_7_6_3_4 medium dark, very slightly brownish, orangey yellow (oY 6/3)
Moderate heat treatment
Proportions/Finish -- Poor (1 to 2) (pavilion main off-center)/Good (5 to 6)
Fluorescence -- Faint red lw-None sw

So I'm trying to decide what to do with it! The setting is not very great quality, the appraiser recommended it be re-set before wearing it because one of the prongs is in bad condition.

I'm not usually a fan of oval cuts, rounds and square-cushions are more my style. The cut seems to be poor, and I think there's a window...maybe I'm wrong? Should I look into having it re-cut? However, the size and the oval shape look good on my finger, and I'm hesitant to mess with it due to the sentimental value.

If it were round, I could have a lot of fun with setting ideas. I'd probably have Green Lake Jewelry, or maybe James Meyer, make a bezel or wrap organic/floral style setting for it. An oval though, I have no idea what to do with! The oval bezels I've seen, I haven't liked the look of (maybe I just haven't seen anything good?). The way it is set now is very pretty, but with a setting like this it will only get worn on special occasions because I'm not a fan of prongs or high settings to wear on a daily basis. I'd love to wear it more frequently since I love the color, and it's a reminder of my dad's strength and courage.

Any ideas? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

 

[tigerhearted]

Outdoors

 

[tigerhearted]

And a hand-shot

 

[y2kitty]

Window or not, I love this ring and I think you should keep it as is, for sentimental reasons. If you had it recut and it died on the wheel (which happens) you would feel horrible. Have a new head put on the setting to fix the prong but leave it as is, IMO.

 

[PumpkinPie]

I LOVE the colour of that stone - as long as you will wear it like this, I would encourage you to keep it as is - it''s lovely

 

[cellentani]

tigerhearted, at first I just skimmed your post and went straight to the pics, and thought your sapphire was lovely as it was - I love that orangey golden yellow. But then I re-read your post properly - do you mean that your dad saved this stone for almost 18 years until he gave it to you?! Oh heck, if that''s the case, don''t even think about touching it! Regardless, even though it''s a native cut, I don''t think it''s that bad, and I''d be afraid of how much stone you''d lose in a recut. I also like the proportions of the ring - it''s very elegant on your finger, and really lets the sapphire take center stage. Definitely get those prongs fixed, but like the other posters, I love it as it is.

 

[ladyciel]

I think I have to agree with everybody else on this one. Certainly repair the damaged prong, but there''s so much personal history attached to this ring that I wouldn''t risk the potential regret that a recutting or setting change could cause.

 

[delayedreaction]

Maybe you could reset it in basically the same style, except with it set lower and made with higher quality craftsmanship?

(I like it, but if I were you and resetting it, I would probably up the side stone sizes or change to pears so it feels a bit different.)

 

[Indylady]

Tiger, I agree with everyone else, because I think your ring is gorgeous. I once tried on a ring of that design, a three stone with an oval center flanked by two rounds, and I couldn''t get it out of my mind for months. I wished so much that I had bought it. Its such a classic design (yet still uncommon) and very flattering on the hand as well. If the stone is not safe though/or the prongs might be out of shape, I would get that taken care of.

 

[VapidLapid]

Yup, dont recut it, just get a better setting

 

[tigerhearted]

Thanks for the input everyone! I'll take all your advice and not re-cut it. It would kill me if something happened to it in the cutting process...I'd be a bit sad altering it to begin with!

Still torn on the setting though. I really really would like to wear it more often, and a bezel would be so much more practical for me. BUT it already looks so nice in its current style! Delayed, that's a good idea to duplicate the style and only have it set lower, I'll look into that!

And yup Cellentani, I even used to have the original receipt, which got lost in a move unfortunately. It had a 1981 date, the year I was born. It might have even been purchased a few months before I was born, I don't remember the month on the receipt though.

I didn't know it existed until I was 16 or so and stumbled across the ring box putting away laundry (he had kept it in a dresser drawer), and then they gave it to me when I hit 18.

I'm planning to do the same thing for any children my fiance and I may have. Possibly even my future-nieces...they're still young and it is SO hard not to spoil them lol!

I'm glad you all think it's a lovely stone! I still don't know much, and coming here and seeing all of the excellently cut gemstones made me think it wasn't very nice after all!

 

[VapidLapid]

Tiger your stone is special and a meaningful token of remembrance for you. The color is really very nice, an intense deep yellow that is quite sought after. This makes the window insignificant, and a good setting will make the window virtually unnoticed. If you get a jewelery artist or goldsmith to make a unique setting for you then it will become a doubly thoughtful and cherished heirloom. Enjoy that bright sunny stone!

 

[Burberrygirl]

I''m so sorry to hear about your father, we lost my grandpa last January when he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer''s.

I love the ring, the color is gorgeous! I agree with the others, I think having the setting fixed is a good idea. I did find two pictures of rings with oval center stones and round sides that I thought were pretty.

Here''s a pic of my favorite:

 

[Burberrygirl]

Here is the other picture I found, but I do like the first one better. I hope this helps

 

[oddoneout]

I like the setting as is. I''d be afraid of something bad happening if it were to get recut or reset.

 

[tigerhearted]

Burberry I love that 2nd pic! Great inspiration. And Vapid, thanks for the perspective! I'm still caught in the diamond mind-set where cut is everything, it's very cool to know that in sapphires color is everything. I've always adored this sapphire's color, it's so lively and vibrant.

Here's a question for you guys: If I were to have it re-set by quality artisans such as Green Lake or James Meyer (maybe Heart of Water too?), are the chances of damage done in the re-setting drastically reduced? Or is it a moderate risk regardless of the artisan's skill? And wouldn't having the prongs repaired in the current setting entail the same risks as re-setting?

 

[Novel]

Tiger, your ring is spectacular!I saw you posted a pic in another thread and was so glad you also gave it its own thread! The one thing I''d add to what everyone else is saying about not recutting it, as far as the setting goes, is that I''d want to be able to wear it as much as possible, if I could. I have an heirloom ruby ring that I don''t wear much because its so delicate, and while I''d want, in your case, to maintain the setting given that it came from your dad, I know that if I set it a way I could wear it more frequently and without worrying (like the bezels - wow do I like the second one Burberrygirl posted), I''d love that I could have it with me more.

 

[cellentani]

Date: 4/3/2010 11:40:48 AM
Author: tigerhearted
Burberry I love that 2nd pic! Great inspiration. And Vapid, thanks for the perspective! I''m still caught in the diamond mind-set where cut is everything, it''s very cool to know that in sapphires color is everything. I''ve always adored this sapphire''s color, it''s so lively and vibrant.

Here''s a question for you guys: If I were to have it re-set by quality artisans such as Green Lake or James Meyer (maybe Heart of Water too?), are the chances of damage done in the re-setting drastically reduced? Or is it a moderate risk regardless of the artisan''s skill? And wouldn''t having the prongs repaired in the current setting entail the same risks as re-setting?

Tigerhearted, of all the colored stones, sapphire is about the sturdiest, so while making any change will carry risk, you shouldn''t have to worry too much. Aside from making sure your stone is secure, changing the setting is purely a personal preference. Do you like the setting as it is now, and do you have enough sentimental attachment that you''d like to keep it, if possible? If so, then see if the prong(s) can be fixed or perhaps find a similar setting. If not, then you have a wide range of options. Either way, your sapphire will need to be removed and re-set, even if a jeweler just re-tips or replaces a prong. I would take it to a reputable jeweler to see if your current setting is even fixable, and go from there. And generally, setting a stone in a bezel is more difficult and riskier to the stone than prong-setting.