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Sapphire experts?

lin_ny

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 28, 2012
Messages
543
Hello! Total newbie here... first post.

I've been snooping around these forums for a while now... getting e-ring ideas, learning about sapphires, etc. I'm looking for a few opinions on sizes, colour, setting, etc. so I can give my boyfriend the best idea of what I want and help him get the best value in an e-ring.

I'm definitely set on a cushion halo - basically exactly this ring: [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/maytal-hannah-sapphire-engagement-ring-experience.168600/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/maytal-hannah-sapphire-engagement-ring-experience.168600/..[/URL]. (so. freaking. gorgeous.). I love that its so delicate but also chunky and makes quite a statement. I'm wondering a few things - forgive me if some of these seem silly.

Do sapphires face up smaller than diamonds of the same carat weight?

What size cushion would give good coverage on a size 4.5-4.75 finger? (I think this is where my boyfriend is gonna save some money - I have tiny tiny fingers and very petite hands so I'm hoping we can get away with a smaller sapphire with the same "wow" factor). Based on this ring - [URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/victor-canera-does-it-again-cushion-halo.172877/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/victor-canera-does-it-again-cushion-halo.172877/[/URL] - that's a 4.75 finger and a 1.75 diamond... although I don't love that halo setting the size of the stone compared to the setting looks right to me. That's why I'm wondering if a sapphire of the same size will face-up about that large - I know cut make such a difference too so it's always hard to say...

I'm looking for a very low-profile halo and sometimes I get concerned since most of them seem quite high-set - do any of you have pictures of halos that are very low-set? If the stone is quite large (2 c.) - does it mean it has to be set quite high? I also get overwhelmed at the type of pave and how things are set - I like very minimal metal showing and the very delicate look.

What are the most important things when looking at a sapphire? (My boyfriend will have a local gemologist help him with stone selection... I'm just needing to know these things... haha). I know tone and saturation are really important as well as cut (windows are bad)... could anyone guesstimate the saturation/tone of the stone in the link I posted above? I love the deep, saturated almost electric look... is that what I need to tell my boyfriend? "I want it to look electric blue"... hahaha. If possible, can someone show me a stone online that would be similar to that one in the picture just to compare specs (like colour and tone and saturation, etc).

Phewf that was a long post! I feel like I ask such retarded questions... I just have so many! Thanks in advance for any help/advice you can offer. :)
 

Coco914

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jul 9, 2011
Messages
147
Hi there,

While I am by no means an "expert" (there are many others on this forum with much more knowledge than I), I can tell you that sapphires have a greater density per carat than diamonds. For instance, a one carat diamond will generally appear larger than a one carat sapphire. This is why, if you're in the market for a particular size, it would be best to focus on the sapphire's size in millimeters.

If shopping for a vivid, highly saturated blue sapphire, it could be quite costly. Do you have a budget to adhere to?

Here's a blue sapphire in a slightly longer cushion that's already GIA certified.

http://www.simplysapphires.com/html/imagesblue2006/bluecns838b-sm.html

And another that appears somewhat similar:

http://www.simplysapphires.com/html/imagesblue2006/bluecns353c-sm.html

Here's a gorgeous sapphire cut by Richard Wise. I love this particular stone for it's color and "glow":

http://www.rwwise.com/products/id%7C1877

I think the height of the diamond halo would depend on the particular style of your ring. Some sit a bit higher on the finger than others, especially those that have a "surprise" diamond or micro pave on the "basket". Have you viewed the profile of different halo ring settings? If not, maybe do a search on the web and have a peek at the different styles. Also, if you intend to go the custom route with your ring, you can always ask the jeweler to create a low profile halo...have it made to sit as low on the finger as possible. Just some thoughts. :)

Good luck!

P.S. Not trying to be a jerk, but you may want to steer clear of words like "retarded" in future posts. While I'm sure you meant nothing by it, the term is rather unkind and does offend.
 

lin_ny

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 28, 2012
Messages
543
My sincere apologies of my use of words... I was in quite a tired and delirious state last night and should have been more careful. Definitely didn't mean to offend.

Thank you for all of your advice! You have certainly helped me learn a few things... firstly, focusing on the mm measurements as opposed to carat weight. I am absolutely blown away by the colour of that third stone! Amazing. I always thought I preferred the more elongated cushion but I'd take that one in a heartbeat. Any idea what a stone like that would cost? That size seems really nice and I'd even sacrifice the clarity or colour a bit to have a larger stone I think. As far as budget goes, I'm really only guessing but I think he'd maybe spend 1-1.5k on a stone (for a total value of the ring to be 2.5-3k). Maybe he'll save more money and decide to spend more - I really have no idea! We're hoping since the gemologist is a very good friend's husband that we'll swing a deal on the stone itself - and maybe he can get more for his money.

Since it's so hard to see stones online... I think I might ask my boyfriend if we can get a few brought in of varying qualities to see if I could get away with sacrificing something to get a nice size. I think I'd be more willing to take a stone that is slightly more included than to sacrifice on the saturation/tone - or is this backwards? :)

I love this gemfix stone - is this a good deal? Seems like cushions face up the quite a bit smaller when comparing them to ovals (carat weight and the respective size in mm).

Sapphire Mixed Cut Cushion
Weight: 2.05 cts
Measurements: 8.4x6.7mm, depth 4mm
Clarity: VVS
Origin: Sri Lanka
Enhancements: Heat only
Price: $ 1950.00
Order/Stock No.: sapphire_blue_980
Description: Nice chunky cushion, well saturated medium violet blue. Nice.(AGL lab report included).
Pantone 2736/2727C

sapphire_blue_980.jpg
 

Mikla

Shiny_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 28, 2012
Messages
473
I love the picture of the stone but I've never purchased from them. Have you searched this site for comments about the vendor?
 

Coco914

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jul 9, 2011
Messages
147
You're right, cushions do face up smaller than oval cut stones. :D However, I think a sapphire with measurements similar to the Gemfix stone you posted would still have quite a presence on your finger, given your ring size and that you're also interested in having your gem set in a halo.

Gemfix has some amazing blue sapphires. Personally, I like the color of the stone you just posted. I always find myself drawn to sapphires with violet-blue undertones. Actually, I purchased a sapphire not too long ago that may (if photos are accruate) fall within close range of this one, with regard to color and saturation. Perhaps mine is a bit lighter, though. I think the stone you posted would be bright in person, not overly dark, and would probably have some very pretty, vibrant flashes of color. I don't think it has the glowy look that some of the other, more saturated sapphires on their website appear to have, but I don't think it'd look drab or washed out either. Another plus, it comes with an AGL lab report... All in all, I think that it's probably a decently priced sapphire. I'm sure if you gave Laura or Andrew a call, they'd be happy to answer any questions you might have. They also provide buyers with an inspection period and have a great return policy, it you want to see the stone in person.

Yesssss...definitely have a look at some sapphires in real life. I think that'd be very helpful, especially if your gemologist friend can show you a few in differing qualities. COLOR is the most important factor when shopping for sapphires...or any colored gemstones... clarity isn't quite as important as it is when grading or purchasing diamonds.

Keeps us posted on your quest for that stone!
 

lin_ny

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 28, 2012
Messages
543
Mikla|1338250978|3205245 said:
I love the picture of the stone but I've never purchased from them. Have you searched this site for comments about the vendor?

Haven't done any specific research on gemfix. I've seen a few people here talk about them and I've only heard good things. I'm not too worried about particular vendors online though, since I think he will probably get a stone through a local gemologist. However, it's probably good for me to do some research into online vendors since there's still a chance he might go online to get the best deal!

Any particular recommendations on vendors? Ones to check out or ones to avoid? Thanks! :)
 

lin_ny

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 28, 2012
Messages
543
Coco914|1338253260|3205253 said:
You're right, cushions do face up smaller than oval cut stones. :D However, I think a sapphire with measurements similar to the Gemfix stone you posted would still have quite a presence on your finger, given your ring size and that you're also interested in having your gem set in a halo.

Gemfix has some amazing blue sapphires. Personally, I like the color of the stone you just posted. I always find myself drawn to sapphires with violet-blue undertones. Actually, I purchased a sapphire not too long ago that may (if photos are accruate) fall within close range of this one, with regard to color and saturation. Perhaps mine is a bit lighter, though. I think the stone you posted would be bright in person, not overly dark, and would probably have some very pretty, vibrant flashes of color. I don't think it has the glowy look that some of the other, more saturated sapphires on their website appear to have, but I don't think it'd look drab or washed out either. Another plus, it comes with an AGL lab report... All in all, I think that it's probably a decently priced sapphire. I'm sure if you gave Laura or Andrew a call, they'd be happy to answer any questions you might have. They also provide buyers with an inspection period and have a great return policy, it you want to see the stone in person.

Yesssss...definitely have a look at some sapphires in real life. I think that'd be very helpful, especially if your gemologist friend can show you a few in differing qualities. COLOR is the most important factor when shopping for sapphires...or any colored gemstones... clarity isn't quite as important as it is when grading or purchasing diamonds.

Keeps us posted on your quest for that stone!

What would worry me the most about buying a stone online is not really getting a feel for the colour. I suppose a video of it might be helpful in that kinda situation. I really want to steer away from the lighter sapphires. To be honest, when I see a nice sized sapphire in person I'm probably going to be blown away no matter what the quality or colour - sapphires are not popular here at all! I certainly would love that glowy look... you must have a well-trained eye because although I can tell the difference between the lighter and darker stones, I'm pretty inexperienced in telling anything else just by a picture. Now that I'm looking at that stone again I know I should focus more on stones with descriptions of vivid, intense blues instead of 'medium' blues. Once again - so hard to tell with just a picture!

Any thoughts on the different cuts they do? Not so sure I'm into this Portuguese cut. I'd of course like to maximize any sparkling I can get with such a dark, saturated stone!
 

minousbijoux

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Aug 5, 2010
Messages
12,688
I don't know if this is an option for you, but many places have gem and jewelry shows quite frequently and if you were able to attend one, it is a quick way to see a lot of stones in person. You would get a feel for the size you are comfortable with on your hand, and the shape, color, tone and clarity that you like. Are there any near you?
 

lin_ny

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 28, 2012
Messages
543
minousbijoux|1338262753|3205302 said:
I don't know if this is an option for you, but many places have gem and jewelry shows quite frequently and if you were able to attend one, it is a quick way to see a lot of stones in person. You would get a feel for the size you are comfortable with on your hand, and the shape, color, tone and clarity that you like. Are there any near you?
Wow... this is a great idea! I looked into it and apparently there's a jewelry expo in my city in august! It says you can buy loose gems there so that's probably a fabulous place to check out! Thank you for the suggestion. :)
 

minousbijoux

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
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Messages
12,688
If you live in the US, you might want to look up Intergem (International Gem and Jewelry Show). They have a regular schedule of events all over the US. There are also other shows sponsored by other groups as well. My one suggestion is to stay focused and not bring too much money with you :naughty:
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Apr 22, 2004
Messages
38,227
Yes, sapphires are denser and so will be smaller than diamonds. In general, a 1 ct round diamond is around 6.5 mm while a 1 ct round sapphire will measure 6 mm. Depending on the cut itself, usually a cushion will appear smaller than an oval.

The wow factor won't just be size but colour. If the colour pops, it will be noticed across the room. To get the same "look" as the Victor Canera cushion ring, you'll need a sapphire that is around 2.5 ct thereabouts. A 1.75 ct sapphire will be noticeably smaller.

It is difficult to get a delicate statement piece unless it is hand-forged. There is a limitation to what casting can achieve. Hand forging can also get you a stone that is set lower with less metal showing, compared to casting. I am not dissing casting at all as I own many such pieces but making an honest comparison of the two methods. Unfortunately, hand-forged will cost about twice as much as a cast piece. The Maytal piece you linked to will probably cost your entire budget and more. The minimum depth of the piece will depend on the depth of the stone.

For sapphires, there are several things to consider with some more important than others. For individual tastes though, some may place more importance on one over the other. In general, it's all about colour (purity of hue, tone - how dark or light, saturation or pop / vividness of colour). Treatment will also set the price. Untreated are always more expensive when all else is equal but plain heated stones are accepted in the market/trade. There are price jumps at certain carat marks, so there'll be one at 1 ct, 2 ct, 3 ct etc. Eye clean is also all that is needed. As long as cutting doesn't have obvious flaws (windows, off symmetry, extinction, deep belly), I'm good with that but some prefer their stones to be precision cut.
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 22, 2004
Messages
38,227
lin_ny|1338257045|3205272 said:
What would worry me the most about buying a stone online is not really getting a feel for the colour. I suppose a video of it might be helpful in that kinda situation. I really want to steer away from the lighter sapphires. To be honest, when I see a nice sized sapphire in person I'm probably going to be blown away no matter what the quality or colour - sapphires are not popular here at all! I certainly would love that glowy look... you must have a well-trained eye because although I can tell the difference between the lighter and darker stones, I'm pretty inexperienced in telling anything else just by a picture. Now that I'm looking at that stone again I know I should focus more on stones with descriptions of vivid, intense blues instead of 'medium' blues. Once again - so hard to tell with just a picture!

Any thoughts on the different cuts they do? Not so sure I'm into this Portuguese cut. I'd of course like to maximize any sparkling I can get with such a dark, saturated stone!

Trust me, you don't want a DARK saturated stone. Actually, it is impossible to have a dark saturated stone because when it becomes overly dark, the saturation does not come through much at all. You are probably looking for a medium to medium dark toned sapphire with a strong to vivid saturation. Probably a slightly violetish blue in hue.

You should check out SilkSapphire's sapphire. Incredibly dreamy!
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-7-stone-emerald-cut-blue-sapphire-ring.175313/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-7-stone-emerald-cut-blue-sapphire-ring.175313/[/URL]
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-dream-sapphire-found.172133/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-dream-sapphire-found.172133/[/URL]
 

thbmok

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jul 30, 2010
Messages
891
In my experience GEMFIX's descriptions are much more accurate and helpful than the photos.

If you have a good idea of what color, cut, and size you have in mind consider asking http://www.whitesgems.com/ and http://www.precisiongem.com/ to see if they have any suitable material to cut. In my experience both of their descriptions and photos are spot on.
 

lin_ny

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 28, 2012
Messages
543
minousbijoux|1338278124|3205374 said:
If you live in the US, you might want to look up Intergem (International Gem and Jewelry Show). They have a regular schedule of events all over the US. There are also other shows sponsored by other groups as well. My one suggestion is to stay focused and not bring too much money with you :naughty:
Unfortunately I'm in Canada! :( But I might end up attending this one in August for sure! Seems promising! I probably won't bring any money... that would be the smart thing... hahaha :tongue:
 

lin_ny

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 28, 2012
Messages
543
Chrono|1338295773|3205441 said:
Yes, sapphires are denser and so will be smaller than diamonds. In general, a 1 ct round diamond is around 6.5 mm while a 1 ct round sapphire will measure 6 mm. Depending on the cut itself, usually a cushion will appear smaller than an oval.

The wow factor won't just be size but colour. If the colour pops, it will be noticed across the room. To get the same "look" as the Victor Canera cushion ring, you'll need a sapphire that is around 2.5 ct thereabouts. A 1.75 ct sapphire will be noticeably smaller.

It is difficult to get a delicate statement piece unless it is hand-forged. There is a limitation to what casting can achieve. Hand forging can also get you a stone that is set lower with less metal showing, compared to casting. I am not dissing casting at all as I own many such pieces but making an honest comparison of the two methods. Unfortunately, hand-forged will cost about twice as much as a cast piece. The Maytal piece you linked to will probably cost your entire budget and more. The minimum depth of the piece will depend on the depth of the stone.

For sapphires, there are several things to consider with some more important than others. For individual tastes though, some may place more importance on one over the other. In general, it's all about colour (purity of hue, tone - how dark or light, saturation or pop / vividness of colour). Treatment will also set the price. Untreated are always more expensive when all else is equal but plain heated stones are accepted in the market/trade. There are price jumps at certain carat marks, so there'll be one at 1 ct, 2 ct, 3 ct etc. Eye clean is also all that is needed. As long as cutting doesn't have obvious flaws (windows, off symmetry, extinction, deep belly), I'm good with that but some prefer their stones to be precision cut.
Thank you for helping to direct my priorities to COLOUR!!! I suppose I'm going more for the look of the Maytal over the Canera - my boyfriend didn't think the halo was delicate enough on the Canera as well. I'd NEVER have a sapphire of the size of the Maytal ring... 3.42 ct is a bit much for my finger I think (not to mention too expensive). I'm definitely okay with a proportionately smaller stone to fit my finger a bit nicer. I think 2.5ish would be BEAUTIFUL but I'd be happy with smaller, too. How would you describe the colour of that Maytal ring stone? Hard to tell I know... it looks very dark to me though. It seems to have those flashes of very saturated, beautiful royal blue.

Casting vs. hand-forged is something that is totally brand new to me. How do the two methods differ? I would assume hand-forging is more custom approach that's much more labour intensive but I'm just guessing that because it's more expensive! :)

I've noticed most cushion cut sapphires I've seen online seem off-centre. From what I can tell, I've still seen amazingly coloured stones that are a bit off kilter... does this affect anything or is it purely esthetic?
Chrono|1338296348|3205447 said:
lin_ny|1338257045|3205272 said:
What would worry me the most about buying a stone online is not really getting a feel for the colour. I suppose a video of it might be helpful in that kinda situation. I really want to steer away from the lighter sapphires. To be honest, when I see a nice sized sapphire in person I'm probably going to be blown away no matter what the quality or colour - sapphires are not popular here at all! I certainly would love that glowy look... you must have a well-trained eye because although I can tell the difference between the lighter and darker stones, I'm pretty inexperienced in telling anything else just by a picture. Now that I'm looking at that stone again I know I should focus more on stones with descriptions of vivid, intense blues instead of 'medium' blues. Once again - so hard to tell with just a picture!

Any thoughts on the different cuts they do? Not so sure I'm into this Portuguese cut. I'd of course like to maximize any sparkling I can get with such a dark, saturated stone!

Trust me, you don't want a DARK saturated stone. Actually, it is impossible to have a dark saturated stone because when it becomes overly dark, the saturation does not come through much at all. You are probably looking for a medium to medium dark toned sapphire with a strong to vivid saturation. Probably a slightly violetish blue in hue.

You should check out SilkSapphire's sapphire. Incredibly dreamy!
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-7-stone-emerald-cut-blue-sapphire-ring.175313/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-7-stone-emerald-cut-blue-sapphire-ring.175313/[/URL]
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-dream-sapphire-found.172133/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-dream-sapphire-found.172133/[/URL]
Okay - got it! Medium to medium-dark and strong to vivid saturation. That'll be burned into my memory now!! :)

Wow... what a beautiful sapphire! Wonder what that cost? :naughty:
 

lin_ny

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 28, 2012
Messages
543
thbmok|1338307694|3205526 said:
In my experience GEMFIX's descriptions are much more accurate and helpful than the photos.

If you have a good idea of what color, cut, and size you have in mind consider asking http://www.whitesgems.com/ and http://www.precisiongem.com/ to see if they have any suitable material to cut. In my experience both of their descriptions and photos are spot on.
Will do. Thank you so much for the suggestions =)
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 22, 2004
Messages
38,227
The sapphire in the Maytal setting looks to likely be a medium dark, violetish blue sapphire with strong saturation. Just a guess based on a single picture. The angle and lighting makes it difficult to guess and I am uncomfortable with making unkind or inaccurate comments on other people's jewellery.

Hand forged means everything is done by hand. The shaping of the metal and etc. Casting is usually done with CAD first, the information from the computer is then downloaded to the machine that creates the wax mould. Once the piece is cast, it is finished by hand. Both methods are used for custom pieces but the hand-forged method is usually more labour intensive. It also takes an inordinate amount of training and skill.

Can you link to some example pictures what you mean by cushion cuts being slightly off-centred? I highly doubt anybody would purposefully cut something like that.
 

lin_ny

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
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Messages
543
Chrono|1338317619|3205647 said:
The sapphire in the Maytal setting looks to likely be a medium dark, violetish blue sapphire with strong saturation. Just a guess based on a single picture. The angle and lighting makes it difficult to guess and I am uncomfortable with making unkind or inaccurate comments on other people's jewellery.

Hand forged means everything is done by hand. The shaping of the metal and etc. Casting is usually done with CAD first, the information from the computer is then downloaded to the machine that creates the wax mould. Once the piece is cast, it is finished by hand. Both methods are used for custom pieces but the hand-forged method is usually more labour intensive. It also takes an inordinate amount of training and skill.

Can you link to some example pictures what you mean by cushion cuts being slightly off-centred? I highly doubt anybody would purposefully cut something like that.
Keep in mind I really don't have any clue what I'm talking about.

This one to me looks centered: http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Blue/B4569/Cushion/stoneid=B4569
And this one doesn't: http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Blue/B4479/Cushion/stoneid=B4479

And a question about hand-forged pieces - not all jewellers are able to offer this, correct? Is there a specific reason why you're able to get a more delicate look with a hand-forged piece as opposed to casting?
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
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It is a cut issue - the first one is well cut, the second is totally flat like a pancake, windowed and has an off centre culet in order to save as much weight as possible. It isn't that many cushions are not well cut, it is a matter of where a person shops for the stones. NSC seems to have more poorly cut sapphires than well cut stones.

Correct; very few jewellers are able to hand forge jewellery. You have to shop around for the right bench to do your ring because beautiful pave can be done on a cast ring and horrible pave can be done on a hand-made ring and vice versa.

Hand forged versus Cast
A metal wire is pulled through a mechanism that makes sure the wire is absolutely even in measurement, akin to a pasta machine where there is a setting for the gauge or width of the slot and roll the slab of metal through which is then pulled into a wire. While being pulled through this mechanism, the metal is compressed in such a way that would not allow any bubbles or air pockets to occur inside the metal, unlike the method of casting where you pour the hot metal into the mould, guaranteed to trap some amount of air inside the metal causing bubble or air pockets to form. Once the wire is pulled, there is no filing or re-shaping needed, unlike the Cast method. It is ready to be bent into various components of the ring without further adjustments. Different gauged wires are pulled for the different parts of a ring, so no filing down or smoothing is needed at all, resulting in no irregular edges or unevenness in width or length which a cast ring might have. A cast piece of metal might have porosity issues because the act of pouring hot metal into the mold guarantees a certain degree of trapping air in causing bubbles/air pockets that would either be trapped inside of the metal or appear on the surface of the metal (so you see tiny indented dots on the metal). A good bench will be able to cast a ring without the porosity issue. The cast piece needs to be re-smoothed or filed to get rid of the excess metal until the precise measurement is met.

As you can see, there is a higher degree of accuracy and metal strength with the hand forged method, thus allowing the bench a greater freedom in making more delicate pieces.
 

lin_ny

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
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Messages
543
Chrono|1338379082|3206045 said:
It is a cut issue - the first one is well cut, the second is totally flat like a pancake, windowed and has an off centre culet in order to save as much weight as possible. It isn't that many cushions are not well cut, it is a matter of where a person shops for the stones. NSC seems to have more poorly cut sapphires than well cut stones.

Correct; very few jewellers are able to hand forge jewellery. You have to shop around for the right bench to do your ring because beautiful pave can be done on a cast ring and horrible pave can be done on a hand-made ring and vice versa.

Hand forged versus Cast
A metal wire is pulled through a mechanism that makes sure the wire is absolutely even in measurement, akin to a pasta machine where there is a setting for the gauge or width of the slot and roll the slab of metal through which is then pulled into a wire. While being pulled through this mechanism, the metal is compressed in such a way that would not allow any bubbles or air pockets to occur inside the metal, unlike the method of casting where you pour the hot metal into the mould, guaranteed to trap some amount of air inside the metal causing bubble or air pockets to form. Once the wire is pulled, there is no filing or re-shaping needed, unlike the Cast method. It is ready to be bent into various components of the ring without further adjustments. Different gauged wires are pulled for the different parts of a ring, so no filing down or smoothing is needed at all, resulting in no irregular edges or unevenness in width or length which a cast ring might have. A cast piece of metal might have porosity issues because the act of pouring hot metal into the mold guarantees a certain degree of trapping air in causing bubbles/air pockets that would either be trapped inside of the metal or appear on the surface of the metal (so you see tiny indented dots on the metal). A good bench will be able to cast a ring without the porosity issue. The cast piece needs to be re-smoothed or filed to get rid of the excess metal until the precise measurement is met.

As you can see, there is a higher degree of accuracy and metal strength with the hand forged method, thus allowing the bench a greater freedom in making more delicate pieces.
Ahhh I'm so glad I'm starting to understand things now. :appl:

Hand-forging sounds very interesting. I'd love for my ring to look really delicate. I wear quite a thin diamond band (looks to be about 1.5mm to me) and I'd like for it to be about the same size band. I'll have to talk to the gemologist I know to see if he knows anyone who does hand-forging... maybe we'll be able to find someone local. I'd love that!

Thanks for all your advice. You've been very knowledgable and helpful!! Now I wait... :naughty:
 

lin_ny

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
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Messages
543
Chrono|1338483280|3206803 said:
I had no idea! I obviously know that the thinner, the more delicate and the more risk that something could break or wear easily.

I love a setting in a local jewelry store - it's the lowest set halo I've ever seen and I'm actually surprised I haven't seen anything online that's remotely as low-set or as secure looking. I guess it's not a 'flashy' halo but I think it does the trick! I haven't measured but it looks like a 2mm to me. This glass stone is apparently 1ct so hopefully it could hold a 2ish ct sapphire...

2012-01-13 18.jpg

2012-01-13 182.jpg
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
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You should check out the Show Me the Bling section of PS - lots of amazing halos that are also low set and delicate.
 

Arkteia

Ideal_Rock
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I bought one sapphire from Gemfix and it is beautiful. It is a little bit light for my taste, but very bright and sparkly. I like this vendor and consider him very honest. He is also an amazing cutter.
 

lin_ny

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Arkteia|1338615694|3207680 said:
I bought one sapphire from Gemfix and it is beautiful. It is a little bit light for my taste, but very bright and sparkly. I like this vendor and consider him very honest. He is also an amazing cutter.
Nice to see some feedback on gemfix. Thank you!!!

Seems as though everyone has a preference when it comes to sapphire. I think I like med-dark but many people tend to like the lighter medium stones. :) Guess I'll have to see what I really love in person before I have a true opinion :tongue:
 

lin_ny

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Chrono|1338551617|3207179 said:
You should check out the Show Me the Bling section of PS - lots of amazing halos that are also low set and delicate.
Will do. :)
 
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