What do you think of this stone?

[MAC-W]

Its a Natural Pink Sapphire from Mozambique cut by a Master Lapidary 2.57 ct (8.7 x 6.4 x 4.3mm) with certification from AIGS.

Its slightly included (they do say the inclusions are not noticable in real life)

Also they 'guarantee' no treatment of any kind.

Its on sale and priced at just a smidge under $1000.00

Is this a good buy or should I keep looking?

 

[T L]

Date: 3/16/2010 2:45:18 AM
Author:MAC-W



Its a Natural Pink Sapphire from Mozambique cut by a Master Lapidary 2.57 ct (8.7 x 6.4 x 4.3mm) with certification from AIGS.

Its slightly included (they do say the inclusions are not noticable in real life)

Also they 'guarantee' no treatment of any kind.

Its on sale and priced at just a smidge under $1000.00

Is this a good buy or should I keep looking?

Does the certification say "no indications of heat treatment" or something like that? I see a slight orange and grey undertones, and I don't think it's the best color pink sapphire. You can probably find a pink spinel a similar color for much less. Do you want a hot pink sapphire, or something less saturated? It also looks a little sleepy which might be distracting to the eye. I personally like sapphires cut with lots of facets to show off their scintillation and sparkle, otherwise, might as well buy a pink tourmaline that color. I'm not a fan of step cut sapphires, but some people like them.

 

[MAC-W]

Date: 3/16/2010 3:16:50 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Does the certification say ''no indications of heat treatment'' or something like that? I see a slight orange and grey undertones, and I don''t think it''s the best color pink sapphire. You can probably find a pink spinel a similar color for much less. Do you want a hot pink sapphire, or something less saturated? It also looks a little sleepy which might be distracting to the eye. I personally like sapphires cut with lots of facets to show off their scintillation and sparkle, otherwise, might as well buy a pink tourmaline that color. I''m not a fan of step cut sapphires, but some people like them.

Hi TL,
thats exactly what the certificate says.

I''m trying to get a stone that is as close to this colour as practicable.


Hmmmm, Pink tourmaline you say! That would be cheaper wouldnt it (generally speaking)? Where should I look for good examples of that?


Shapewise, I''m open to just about anything. Its colour that key for this stone, closely followed by clarity. Shape is the least of my considerations.

 

[T L]

Date: 3/16/2010 3:48:26 AM
Author: MAC-W

Date: 3/16/2010 3:16:50 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Does the certification say 'no indications of heat treatment' or something like that? I see a slight orange and grey undertones, and I don't think it's the best color pink sapphire. You can probably find a pink spinel a similar color for much less. Do you want a hot pink sapphire, or something less saturated? It also looks a little sleepy which might be distracting to the eye. I personally like sapphires cut with lots of facets to show off their scintillation and sparkle, otherwise, might as well buy a pink tourmaline that color. I'm not a fan of step cut sapphires, but some people like them.

Hi TL,
thats exactly what the certificate says.

I'm trying to get a stone that is as close to this colour as practicable.


Hmmmm, Pink tourmaline you say! That would be cheaper wouldnt it (generally speaking)? Where should I look for good examples of that?


Shapewise, I'm open to just about anything. Its colour that key for this stone, closely followed by clarity. Shape is the least of my considerations.

Barry sometimes gets in pink tourmaline that color, I would just make sure it doesn't color shift to more brown or orange, as so many do. Ask Gene too. I think your best bet would be getting a spinel in a pink color though (more durable than tourmaline and better sparkle). I actually just bought one from Gemburionline on ebay in a similar color. I don't classify that as a hot pink. It looks almost orangey-pink, even though orange isn't next to it on the Windows color diagram.

Here's my 1.8 ct pink spinel from odysseygem on ebay. It's cut really well too and clean as a whistle except for one negative crystal inclusion (typical of natural spinel), but eye clean. It has some orange in it, and it was around $150. It's really well cut (portuguese cut) and sparkles like crazy and being a spinel, it's untreated. You can get an AIGS certificate for any of his stones for a small upcharge ($25).

 

[chrono]

It''s a decent colour but it doesn''t seem lively to me (could be the pictures too). For what you want, have you tried looking at other gem varieties like spinel and pink tourmaline? Bob Kast just cut me a passion pink that was amazing, of course, it was rather smallish though.

 

[chrono]

I guess a picture will help, wouldn''t it.

 

[Edward Bristol]

With an AIGS cert there is not much to "garantee" about.

If the cert says it is unheated it is a clearly a bargain, like the color or not.

 

[MAC-W]

Date: 3/16/2010 4:05:29 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Barry sometimes gets in pink tourmaline that color, I would just make sure it doesn''t color shift to more brown or orange, as so many do. Ask Gene too. I think your best bet would be getting a spinel in a pink color though (more durable than tourmaline and better sparkle). I actually just bought one from Gemburionline on ebay in a similar color. I don''t classify that as a hot pink. It looks almost orangey-pink, even though orange isn''t next to it on the Windows color diagram.

Here''s my 1.8 ct pink spinel from odysseygem on ebay. It''s cut really well too and clean as a whistle except for one negative crystal inclusion (typical of natural spinel), but eye clean. It has some orange in it, and it was around $150. It''s really well cut (portuguese cut) and sparkles like crazy and being a spinel, it''s untreated. You can get an AIGS certificate for any of his stones for a small upcharge ($25).

Hi Tl, thanks once again for your help.

I think I would decribe the colour I''m looking for more as a mid pink or maybe peachy pink . Its certainly not hot pink.

Right I''m off to look at odysseygem for spinel

 

[MAC-W]

Date: 3/16/2010 8:18:56 AM
Author: Chrono
It''s a decent colour but it doesn''t seem lively to me (could be the pictures too). For what you want, have you tried looking at other gem varieties like spinel and pink tourmaline? Bob Kast just cut me a passion pink that was amazing, of course, it was rather smallish though.

Hi Chrono,
the ''liveliness'' was one of the things that bothered me too but I didnt know if it was just because of it being emerald cut.

I dont have any emerald cut stones so have nothing to compare to IRL.

That looks to be a lovely stone that Bob cut you but unfortunately for what I''m currently looking for its too pink. I might go have a look on his website to see what else he''s got though

 

[MAC-W]

Date: 3/16/2010 9:41:18 AM
Author: Edward Bristol
With an AIGS cert there is not much to ''garantee'' about.

If the cert says it is unheated it is a clearly a bargain, like the color or not.

Hi Ed,

does that mean you dont think the AGIS certificates are worth very much?