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An Amazing Sapphire Recut by Richard Homer

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WOW!!! What can I say, I am just really pleased with the results. This is SO much better than I could have ever imagined. Too bad I didn't find PS, Wink, and Richard earlier as this ring hasn't been worn for at least 7 years.

Richard, thank you for your extraordinary artistry. You are truly a master cutter.

Wink, thanks for the referral (and the gentle nudge to just do it).

Boy, I am surrounded by GGs. Maybe its time for me to just complete the 3 required extension lab classes and get my GG (I am just a lowly GIA Gemologist when I obtained my diploma from the GIA in 1989 via their Distance Education Dept). Hey, if I ever win the CA Lottery, I would quit my job as an IT Consultant and work in the jewelry business instead.

Okay, here is the technical stuff from an email I received from Richard:

Everyone will be pleased to hear that the Sapphire recut was VERY successful. The gem was CONSIDERABLY improved in both beauty and value all the while diminishing face-up appearances of color zoning, excessive extinction, and reflective inclusions. My original estimation of weight loss was right on as well....20% with no loss in girdle dimensions....finished weight = 2.55ct.

It is interesting to note that the original native cutter supposed incorrectly that, by virtue of the gem's medium dark tone, he had to keep a massive amount of pavilion depth to retain the quality of color.

As you can see in my microscope view of the pavilion, there is a large colorless color zone in the culet area. In my recut, I removed nearly a millimeter of that unnecessary colorless area to lay in facets that would properly reflect and blend the color banding that you see in this image. The net result is a more homogenous face-up color and one that is actually a bit more saturate. The gem's face-up color appears a bit darker in the image comparison but this is due mostly to the difference in lighting (note the backgrounds). The face-up color of the recut WAS improved and deepened in color by virtue of having closed the 30% window of the native cut...the true key color remains and is enhanced in the recut.

It is truly a glorious gem now! And, now I think, truly worth the money that was paid for it. ( Wink, as a qualified appraiser, can judge for himself.) In the images, you can see as well, that I retained a goodly portion of the original pavilion bulge so that the color zoning could be best utilized and the resultant gem still nicely fit back into the original ring mounting without having to modify the gold.

Edited to say: Thanks to Jennifer5973 for the Photoshop help. I have been programming mainframe computers for more than 20 years, yet don't know how to use Photoshop. That's sad
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Here are the face up pictures.

Sapphire Face-Up.JPG
 

cflutist

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Here are the Side View pictures:

Sapphire Side View.JPG
 

cflutist

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Here are the End View pictures:

Sapphire End View.JPG
 

cflutist

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Here are the Profile View pictures:

Sapphire Profile View.JPG
 

cflutist

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And finally, a 15x picture showing the color zoning present in the pavillion:

Sapphire microscope view of zoning.jpg
 

Jennifer5973

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what an amazing transformation--and no loss of perceptible size.
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Congrats!
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That stone is a gorgeous blue hue, too... worth the recutting project to maximize its beauty.
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I want finished ring pics & hand shots, please!!!!!
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cflutist

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----------------
On 9/16/2004 6:12:09 PM Jennifer5973 wrote:


I want finished ring pics & hand shots, please!!!!!
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----------------

Well maybe we ought to ask Wink to get a move on it !!!!!

You know, its funny, at first I was so indecisive about it. It took Wink and Websailor to say "just suck up and do it" and boy am I glad I listened to the two most important men in my life.
 

Jennifer5973

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On 9/16/2004 6:15:35 PM cflutist wrote: ...boy am I glad I listened to the two most important men in my life.----------------



LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I always say Morris is the 2nd most important man in my life.....
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wonka27

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Man is that awesome! One day....one day I will get myself one of those awesome cuts
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yellowfan

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It is beautiful! I am thinking of buying the garnet for my upcoming birthday. His work is amazing! Please post pictures of the setting! BTW I love your pear.


Lori
 

cflutist

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On 9/16/2004 7:59:35 PM yellowfan wrote:

It is beautiful! I am thinking of buying the garnet for my upcoming birthday. His work is amazing! Please post pictures of the setting! BTW I love your pear.


Lori----------------


If you contact Wink at 800-524-7904, I am sure he will take care of your garnet needs. I will post ring pictures as soon as I receive the ring back from Wink (I did take some "before" pictures of the ring). He is resetting and resizing (I gained some weight since 1987 when the stone was purchased and then set in a custom head because it was SO deep).

Thanks for your compliments on the pear diamond. Although it is not the shape that 99% of people on PS have, I still like it because it is different.
 

WinkHPD

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MERCY! What nice things you say about me. It is so greatly and truly appreciated.

Does Websailor know of my now elevated position? More importantly, will my wife be cool with it?

I think Yes!

I was particularly pleased that Richard took the time to photographically document all that he did to this stone to take it from the realm of pretty to extraordinary.

I think I shall have to dedicate an entire page on my website to this makeover project so that people can see what can be done. Will you allow me to do this? Will you send to me also please a before picture of the ring?

It is such a pleasure to work with one of the true Master Cutters of the Universe. (I need to get some dramatic background music for when ever people read those words, and an indestructible cape for Richard to fly around in...)

Wink
 

cflutist

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Wink, tell your wife its cool. I am happily married to websailor. Besides I am in CA and you are in Idaho.

Yes, you can put these pictures on your website. I will also send you "Before" pictures of the ring. Anything for a true gentleman, well almost anything.
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strmrdr

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awesome! :}
 

sevens one

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Oh Cflutist how amazing. Such beauty.
What a wonderful project. I can't wait to see it set too.
 

sparker

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Absolutely BEautiful. I just love sapphires. Can't wait to see the end result!

Suz
 

Gale

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What a fabulous transformation! You must be over the moon with excitement. When are you anticipating the ring be delivered?
 

cflutist

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Well, Wink was going to send it out today but unfortunately his benchman forgot to size the ring. So now I have to wait until next week when Wink returns from his "retreat". The suspense is killing me because Wink says that it looks better in person than in the pictures. In an email I received early this week Wink said "WOW wowowowowowowwwwww! This is honking GORGEOUS!".
 

wonka27

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Oh man...that just isn't right
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Wink needs to get the whip cracking!!!
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Jennifer5973

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I'd be insane! You are so patient!
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Gale

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I keep checking to see if you have received this beautiful stone yet Cflutist. I am ever so eager to see a picture...
 

cflutist

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Word has it that Wink's benchman should return it tomorrow morning and I should have it Wednesday morning. I'll just have to wait.

Gale, don't get your hopes up. I just had the stone recut, nothing else. It was reset into an existing mounting that was purchased in 1987 so the ring will look "dated" by today's standards.
 

Dancing Fire

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cflutist
first it was the beautiful 3+ ct e-ring and then the super 10+ ct diamond bracelet now this beautiful sapphire,what is this world comming to ? life isn't fair... congrat
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cflutist

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Got my ring back from Wink today. I am really happy with the result.
This ring was orginally made in 1987 so it is "dated" by today's standards.
Here is a before picture:

small before P9051043 sunlight.JPG
 

cflutist

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Here is a close-up before picture:

small before P9051044 outdoors.JPG
 

cflutist

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Here is an after picture:
p.s. Guess what, it is a size 4 (duh).

small after P9291249.JPG
 

cflutist

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Here is a close-up after picture:

small after P9291268.JPG
 

cflutist

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Here is a blurry after picture, but it shows the sparkles:

small after P9291258.JPG
 

cflutist

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And of course, here is one of Wink's pretty wooden boxes:

small after P9291254.JPG
 

Jennifer5973

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HOLY COW.
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What a difference (no offfense
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)..It was beautiful before but now it's very special and crisp...a transformed piece! And to the eye, no size loss--what a great cut!
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Congratulations--this is a fabulous result.
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