12 hours to decide about a sapphire that looks like...

[Acinom]

12 hours to decide about a sapphire that looks like my Rubellite. Or doesn't it??

Yesterday I saw a very nice pink purplish sapphire on Gary's site. I contacted him and he will send me more photo's today. He is a very friendly guy and he reacts very quick. He also reserved the stone for me awaiting my decision based on the additional pics.

I looked at his website on my iPhone and the color was a nice pinkish purple.
But in the evening I looked on my Apple computer and the color looked completely different! More deep pink and more matching with the description. I love this color but wondered whether the color is too close to my Rubellite?

Would love to hear what you think. Here's the link to Gary's site. It's the deep pink 2ct + sapphire:http://www.finewatergems.com/new-gemstones.html#PhotoSwipe1419153755307

 

[Acinom]

A screenshot I made yesterday on my phone where you can see how purple it looks. But on my computer it looks pink like the description says and I am afraid it resembles the color of my Rubellite to closely?

Please let me know what you think!

 

[dk168]

My immediate reaction after seeing Gary's stone is that, why get another stone that is so close in colour to your lovely Rubellite?

It is a lovely stone for certain, however, if I were expanding my CS and ring collection, I would probably choose stones with colours that I do not already have.

However, I do have more than one pink red CS in my collection as I love pink red stones. Therefore, if you like it, get it, otherwise you'll only kick yourself for missing the opportunity later.

Happy shopping, and I look forward to participating in the subsequent setting thread.

DK

 

[Marlow]

The sapphire will have a slight color shift - if this is the incandescent light color the daylight color will be much more lavenderblue.

 

[gayani1]

can you get a video of the stone?

 

[arkieb1]

You rubellite has a lolly pink undertone to it, the sapphire has a purple undertone to it. I'd probably pick a more vibrant brighter pink sapphire myself but if you love the colour, I agree ask for a hand pic (sitting on the back of someone's hand) and or a video.

 

[pregcurious]

A screenshot I made yesterday on my phone where you can see how purple it looks. But on my computer it looks pink like the description says and I am afraid it resembles the color of my Rubellite to closely?

Please let me know what you think!

I think you should go by Gary's verbal description. If you look at all the different pictures I have posted of my red spinel, it is easy to think it looks one way based on one picture on one computer, but in fact, my verbal description is the most accurate. My stone stone looks very different from one picture to another, and from one computer to another (my Mac versus iPhone versus PC at work).

In general, I trust people's verbal descriptions more than their pics. Videos also tend to be more accurate than pics, in my experience.

 

[arkieb1]

I looked at the same pics enlarged on my screen and it does appear to have more pink than in the tiny pics you have posted above. That's why the suggestion for a back of the hand photo and a video would be even better, that way you might get a better indication of the true colour.

 

[VirginiaZee]

It looks like a beautiful sapphire; the color might be a little close to your rubellite, but if that's a color that speaks to you then why not get it? It looks quite nice. Plus as Marlow said, the sapphire will most likely shift outdoors (how much it shifts is something Gary could confirm) so it could possibly look quite different then.

 

[T L]

I'd skip it, the saturation isn't there for me, even though it's against a dark background, and it's not even that well cut, and it's also heated, for around $1300/ct.

This assumes the photos are accurate, but I'm not that thrilled with the cutting to be honest.

 

[LoversKites]

I agree with TL about the colour -- IMO the 'rich' pink colour is because of darker tone, and not high saturation, therefore it's not really a rich pink colour but a darker pink colour (I'm assuming rich means saturated). That is not necessarily a bad thing but if you were really in love with the colour you probably would have asked us for our opinions. I prefer your rubellite.

This assumes the photos are accurate, but I'm not that thrilled with the cutting to be honest.

What about the cutting that isn't that great in your opinion?

 

[minousbijoux]

One of the things that it appears that all your stones have in common is close to vivid saturation - you have a good eye for it. My reaction when I saw the small photos: it doesn't appear to be in the same category saturation-wise as your other stones and I am surprised by that.

 

[marymm]

^ agreed.

Also, though the description says VS clarity, in all 3 pics I see one if not two crystal-like inclusions at the bottom center of the stone... does anyone else see what I'm talking about? I guess it could be an artifact of photography but maybe check with Gary?

 

[movie zombie]

I agree with TL about the colour -- IMO the 'rich' pink colour is because of darker tone, and not high saturation, therefore it's not really a rich pink colour but a darker pink colour (I'm assuming rich means saturated). That is not necessarily a bad thing but if you were really in love with the colour you probably would have asked us for our opinions. I prefer your rubellite.

This assumes the photos are accurate, but I'm not that thrilled with the cutting to be honest.

What about the cutting that isn't that great in your opinion?

I agree with the bolded.

 

[T L]

This assumes the photos are accurate, but I'm not that thrilled with the cutting to be honest.

What about the cutting that isn't that great in your opinion?

I think it's an ordinary native cut stone, no better cutting than on many other native cuts I've seen. I also detect a small window, but it could be a slight tilt window, and as an oval, it will probably have some half/half extinction, which acimom needs to ask about. I wouldn't call it "great cutting" as Gary stated, but an okay cut.

 

[FrekeChild]

I always go by Gary's verbal description, after having seen a few stones - one in which the color in the pic was amazing, IRL, not so much, and one where the color in the pic was brownish-wine and the color IRL was YOWZA in your face hot pink.

 

[LoversKites]

This assumes the photos are accurate, but I'm not that thrilled with the cutting to be honest.

What about the cutting that isn't that great in your opinion?

I think it's an ordinary native cut stone, no better cutting than on many other native cuts I've seen. I also detect a small window, but it could be a slight tilt window, and as an oval, it will probably have some half/half extinction, which acimom needs to ask about. I wouldn't call it "great cutting" as Gary stated, but an okay cut.

Thanks for answering

 

[Acinom]

Thank you for taking the time to support and advice me in this. I so appreciate this!

DK: my goal is to actually not buy stones that are similar colorwise. I would like to add a nice purple or violet stone. I was drawn to the purple I saw on my telephone screen but when I saw it on my computer I realised it might be (too) close to the color of the Rubellite.

Marlow: I think this stone is mainly pink in all lighting conditions. The purple in the photo I posted it due to the fact that my phone does not capture the true color I think.

Gayani / Arkieb: Gary sent two video's just now and I am trying to figure out how to post them...
Arkieb: thank you for analysing the color on your screen!

Pregcurious: I've noticed that Gary changed the description a bit since last night. I guess color is hard to grab. Both in pictures as well as verbal.

VirginiaZee: thanks for chiming in. It's so helpful that PSers share their knowledge and opinions.

TL: thank you for sharing your honest opinion. I am still such a newbie when it comes to colored stones! My knowledge on recognizing a good cut is still very limited. I think I am detecting a small window in the video outdoors but I am not 100% sure.

Loverkites: thanks for chiming in on the color. I have now seen the video and I must admit that I am not impressed indeed.

Loverskites / Moviezombie: aww, thank you for liking my Rubellite.

Minousbijoux: on my phone it looked a beautiful purple: the screenshot of the webpage does not capture that at all. But now that I have seen the video's I have to agree on the saturation.

Marymm: wow, thank you! I noticed one spec only. I can recommend all newbie's to first ask for opinions. The gemstone buying thing is rather complicated as there are so many important factors. And when I see a nice color my mind just ignores the not so ideal aspects.

Frekechild: thank you for sharing your experience in buying from Gary. I totally trust the man and I often admire his site.

 

[Acinom]

Somehow I cannot attach the video's. I have made some stills.

Outdoors...

 

[Acinom]

... And indoors

 

[Acinom]

At this point I feel that someone will be genuinly happy with the stone. I am not sure whether that someone will be me

 

[gayani1]

I dont think we can post videos here..
Glad you figured out what to do.. Maybe you will find your dream pink sapphire soon and we will get to see loads of pics

 

[gayani1]

oh.. you are not sure yet? ok... i thought you decided not to buy. anyway, after looking at the pics i feel the two stones are different in color. the pink sapphire is pale.... not the richness of the other stones you have..

 

[VirginiaZee]

I will admit I was expecting more from the photos, since on my computer the original vendor photo looks like almost a dead ringer color-wise for your rubellite. Now that I see the additional photos it seems the saturation isn't there.

 

[T L]

I've seen pink spinels that are a dead ringer for that sapphire. I think for far less money you could get an untreated pink spinel that color.

If you like that color, I would probably go that route.

 

[Acinom]

Update: I just informed Gene that I will not buy the stone. Thanks to you I requested the video's and realised the stone is not for me. Your comments on cut, color and saturation already led to that conclusion to be honest. Thank you all for taking your time to help me out (and save me some money).

It was a very interesting proces and I learnt a lot.

ViginiaZee, TL and Gayani: thank you for your additional comments.

The stone will become available again if anyone is looking for something like this.
Thanks!!!!

 

[Siameseroo]

I'm sorry the sapphire didn't work out - it looks beautiful to me but not nearly as saturated as your other gems. You gave such an amazing collection! I have no doubt that you will find the perfect addition to your collection soon!

 

[Acinom]

Thank you for your kind words! Gary has been great during the process and I would love to buy one of his stones one day
I also learned a lot from the posts in this thread so now I am a bit more experienced

 

[minousbijoux]

Thank you for your kind words! Gary has been great during the process and I would love to buy one of his stones one day
I also learned a lot from the posts in this thread so now I am a bit more experienced

Although it is exactly what this site is for, I feel bad, particularly when the vendor is as great as Gary, vetting a stone here. I bet its hard to be the vendor and know that your stone is being critiqued and yet it is the right thing to do when one is unsure. I think you made the right choice acinom, and agree with TL that if that color appeals, it is much more available in spinels and I might contact Jason Brim if price is an issue. Gary's stones when he has cut them are excellent too. But honestly, I think of you as the guru of glow, the sultan of saturation and the boss of brightness - in other words, our ringleader! So I think you should get another eye-piercing color.

 

[chrono]

When discussing a gem, it is a balance between price and quality. Nobody is going to carry the perfect inventory; some are better cut than others, some have richer colours than others. The part that is most important to me is the customer service and easy/no questions asked return policy (which includes a full refund minus shipping).