is my sapphire "good enough"?

[btownutterback]

Hi everyone! I'm approaching my four year wedding anniversary and my husband wants to buy me a diamond band to be saudered above my engagement ring. I went to a jeweler recently to try some bands and the woman working there was making me feel bad about my sapphire center stone. She kept using phrases like the band was "overpowering" my engagement ring and mentioned a few times how dark the stone is. When I first got engaged, I did have some hesitations over the darkness of the stone, but over time learned to love my ring. Now I'm feeling bad about it again and instead of an anniversary band, I'm considering checking into a replacement center stone for my engagement ring. I'm clueless about this stuff, so I'm not even sure if the stone can be replaced with something bigger and brighter and even if I should do it. Any comments or advice would help me out. BTW, my stone looks black most of the time, but in the sun it gets the neatest flecks of bright teal that I love!

 

[Pandora II]

The important thing is what makes you happy and your personal taste. If you love your stone then there is no reason not to because it's not premium colour.

An ideal blue sapphire should a medium to medium-dark blue and be vivid and saturated with a good cut and be eyeclean. For some reason a lot of people have been told that the darker the stone the better, I'm afraid it's just not true.

If you look around on the sapphire threads here you will get an idea of what people here like and dislike about different stones. In general we lean towards the market ideal, although many of us also have individual preferences (I like a touch of violet for example).

 

[maebelle]

I think she was trying to upsale you a little bit, and in the snidest way possible: disparaging your current ring!

If you love your ring, don't let anybody change your mind about it. Princess Kate's (Diana's) is quite dark, so it's even a bit of a trend!

If you really decide you want to get a new center stone, the ladies in this board will help you get exactly what you want, but make sure it's what you want!

As for personal preferences: I like sapphires that are lighter than the ideal, that won't make
my e-ring any less beautiful

Congrats on 4 years

 

[T L]

Right now is one of the worst times to buy sapphires because of that Diana/Kate ring. If you haven't noticed, almost every post on this sub-forum is about sapphire e-rings. The prices are way up, especially on prime material.

I would keep your stone, love it and cherish it, and ignore the snibe comments from a rude jeweler that only cares about selling you something else. Diana had a darker sapphire anyways, so your stone fits the current trend anyways.

Congratulations on your upcoming anniversary!

 

[Lisa Loves Shiny]

If you love your sapphire then that is good enough. If you are looking for a replacement or just toying with the idea perhaps you can look at blue spinels. They are not quite as hard as sapphires but a very nice alternative. If you did consider a spinel you would want to avoid overly dark or grey toned stones.

 

[chrono]

I am sorry to hear the saleperson deriding such an important piece of jewellery right in your face. You love the ring and that's what matters most. We all don't always love the same thing otherwise there will be a market for only one type/colour of gemstone, which would make the world a very boring place.

If your stone is prong set, it is very easy to replace the stone as long as it stays within +/- 1 mm of the size of the setting.

 

[pregcurious]

Next time a salesperson disparages your ring, you can say "I don't appreciate your disparaging my stone. I will take my business elsewhere."

Disparaging your existing jewelery or the jewelry of other vendors is classless. If a store has beautiful jewelry, it will speak for itself and they don't need to put down others.

 

[vinkalmann]

Wow, that's a rude jeweler. If you can take your business somewhere else.

 

[movie zombie]

you love your sapphire. continue to love it and wear it with pride.

i'm guessing the problem is with the bands.... a lot of glitter from a lot of white diamonds on a band could be overpowering your sapphire. rethink a sparkly band.....or look into something compatible with your existing e-ring. it might take some time but you'll find something you love with it. just do not be in a hurry. perhaps even have something made to go with your e-ring......just a thought.

eta: i also think it appropriate to tell such a rude person "its my ring, not yours and i love it. obviously, you don't want or need my business. i'll be sure to tell my friends about you and this store" and walk out.

 

[maebelle]

Or: keep your current wedding band and get an anniversary band to wear on the other hand.

 

[Treenbean]

I hate it when people are like that. No regard for you or your feelings.

Jewelry is a very personal thing and sentimental thing. I have a cuff bracelet made out of aluminum that is worth pennies to others but is priceless to me because of who gave it to me. Most B & M stores I've been to have sales associates that are rude and have little jewelry knowledge.

I'm sorry they were rude to you.

As long as you love your ring and is right for you don't worry about what others say.

 

[waitforthat]

I am no expert on gems but I also have a "dark" sapphire that was my grandmother's. I love and cherish it and clearly you do with yours too, so I say, don't replace it!

I agree with the suggestion to perhaps wear an anniversary band on your other hand, or look at other types of rings that would look good next to your existing ring I'm assuming you didn't love the way the diamond band looked, but if you liked the way it looked than I think you already have your answer - just find a better jeweler to work with!

 

[LD]

Absolutely 100% ignore that rude jeweller. What's important is how much you love it.

Liking a darker sapphire means you're in good company - here's Kate's engagement ring and Liz Hurleys!

 

[btownutterback]

I've never even posted a topic on a blog or anything like this before and I am so glad I did now! I think I knew deep down that I didn't want to replace the stone, but after reading all of your supportive posts I feel about a million times better! That jeweler WAS out of line and I definately won't be going back there or referring anyone else there! Thank you all so much for boosting my spirits and reassuring what I feel I knew all along! Now I guess I just have to focus on going to pick out an awesome, complimentary band to go with my set! Yay!

 

[Arcadian]

Above all else, a stone should please its wearer. I don't know about anyone else, but I buy for my own personal enjoyment first (its kind of the way I am) I may then think of what my husband my like (they all look the same to him he says )

The jeweler was definitely trying to upsell you, but used the most underhanded tactics out there. I've had plenty of things tried on me before. One said one of my rings just HAD to be fake and when I told her it wasn't and the stone had a report from AGL, she had no idea who that was.

So what does that tell you right??

Enjoy your ring, for what it means to you, and if its color pleases you, thats all that matters.

-A

 

[T L]

Above all else, a stone should please its wearer. I don't know about anyone else, but I buy for my own personal enjoyment first (its kind of the way I am) I may then think of what my husband my like (they all look the same to him he says )

The jeweler was definitely trying to upsell you, but used the most underhanded tactics out there. I've had plenty of things tried on me before. One said one of my rings just HAD to be fake and when I told her it wasn't and the stone had a report from AGL, she had no idea who that was.

So what does that tell you right??

Enjoy your ring, for what it means to you, and if its color pleases you, thats all that matters.

-A

Why am I not surprised, as this is the average intelligence level of a jewerly store salesperson.

 

[movie zombie]

.........The jeweler was definitely trying to upsell you, but used the most underhanded tactics out there. I've had plenty of things tried on me before. One said one of my rings just HAD to be fake and when I told her it wasn't and the stone had a report from AGL, she had no idea who that was.
........
-A

Why am I not surprised, as this is the average intelligence level of a jewerly store salesperson.

i'd correct that to the average uneducated jewelry salesperson..... and, boy, some of them are really uneducated re color stones.

 

[canuk-gal]

Above all else, a stone should please its wearer. I don't know about anyone else, but I buy for my own personal enjoyment first (its kind of the way I am) I may then think of what my husband my like (they all look the same to him he says )

The jeweler was definitely trying to upsell you, but used the most underhanded tactics out there. I've had plenty of things tried on me before. One said one of my rings just HAD to be fake and when I told her it wasn't and the stone had a report from AGL, she had no idea who that was.

So what does that tell you right??

Enjoy your ring, for what it means to you, and if its color pleases you, thats all that matters.

-A

Why am I not surprised, as this is the average intelligence level of a jewerly store salesperson.

TL:

This is as unkind and along the lines of the remark of the salesperson you criticized. Personal attacks have no business here or in any kind of civilized conversation.

I am sorry to the OP for your experience; you are right to vote with your feet.

cheers--Sharon

 

[T L]

.........The jeweler was definitely trying to upsell you, but used the most underhanded tactics out there. I've had plenty of things tried on me before. One said one of my rings just HAD to be fake and when I told her it wasn't and the stone had a report from AGL, she had no idea who that was.
........
-A

Why am I not surprised, as this is the average intelligence level of a jewerly store salesperson.

i'd correct that to the average uneducated jewelry salesperson..... and, boy, some of them are really uneducated re color stones.

Thank you MZ for the clarification. Of course, not all jewelry salespeople are ignorant about the products they market.

Canuk-gal, my apologies for the offensive remarks.

 

[Arcadian]

Well my opinion of the experience...lets just say I did not have any kinds thoughts after leaving the store!

And this wasn't a mall store by any means, but a very upstanding store in my area. Sadly store owners in too many cases, don't really educate or even attempt to educate their SA's about CS, nor do they require much of it, if any for some stores, to even BE an SA. Diamonds, sure (well...sometimes) because thats where a lot of stores make their money, but colored stones? Very rarely in my experience. Its the rare store where you actually have someone there who really knows their isht, and those are the ones I like to frequent most.(too bad they're not closer to me!)

On another occasion I had another SA at another store tell me that all their sapphires were unheated. I inquired about seeing reports. They didn't have any, but according to her, they would NEVER sell a treated stone of ANY type. (that was some hogwash right there, because they sold mystic and london blue topaz!!) But on someone who dosen't have the knowledge I have? That would have worked. (which is sad!!)


There's just way too much miseducation in the gemworld!!! *sigh*

Anyway that was totally off track...

But I think that you'll see more of these threads coming to this forum, especially in this economy. Retail prices continue to climb and Co's are desperate to make money, but folks aren't buying like they used to...it could get real ugly out there.

-A