My new sapphire!

[Aerix]

My new sapphire I posted about in the Catch All Thread arrived!

Here's what I originally wrote about it:
"Specs are untreated, 2.99ct, 9mm, very slightly included, and is a mixture of violet, blue, and a bit of grey. The seller mentioned a bit of a color shift/change: "Stone has a slight purplish color change from florescent to incandescent and natural light." When I asked where the rough came from, they said from either Songea or Umba Tanzania (it was part of a mixed parcel between the two places.) I bought it for under $200 from a seller on Etsy who cuts their own gemstones. I'm really excited to see how it looks in person. There's also a 7 day return policy, so if it doesn't work out, I'll send it back, but I'm really digging the light sapphire color and I love color shifters, it doesn't hurt that it's a nice big size too.

Here's a link to the listing with more photos:
http://www.etsy.com/transaction/45101574"

I'm going to post the vendor's photos and a few of my own. Unfortunately, it's been rainy the past couple of days and right now it's overcast with the sun setting, so I don't have that many good photos. It's light to dark lavender under incandescent (sometimes a light purple) and in sunlight it shifts to a pale to medium blue with a bit of grey. It's actually a bit similar to Freke's spinel, which used to be mine.

I think I got a great price on it too. There are a few visible small inclusions in the stone, but they're not too noticeable unless you look up close and tilt it a certain way.

 

[Aerix]

These next few photos are mine. Sorry they're so few! It was hard to keep my hands steady and the lighting in my place isn't terribly strong.

 

[Aerix]

A couple more-it's hard to tell from my photos, but the color shift it quite noticeable IRL.

 

[Arkteia]

Interesting stone... it does look like a colorchanger

 

[Deathspi]

Wow, not often you see a nice big sapphire for such a good price! Lovely stone, I like all the different colour flashes in it.

 

[Treenbean]

Very pretty and big. Looks like it has a lot of gray in it but it is light in tone. I love gray stones so this sapphire really appeals to me. How are you going to set it? I will have to check out the vendor too!

 

[Nomsdeplume]

Very cool color and size! Can't wait to see how you set it.

 

[Aerix]

Very pretty and big. Looks like it has a lot of gray in it but it is light in tone. I love gray stones so this sapphire really appeals to me. How are you going to set it? I will have to check out the vendor too!

I definitely recommend the vendor. He was helpful, replied pretty quickly and seemed very knowledgeable. The cut is just as good as any precision cut gem I've purchased so far. It does have some gray in it-but I agree, I love all the different colors and especially the light tone. I've bought a few other stones in the last few months that I didn't post (some returned, others resold) and I'm finding that I actually prefer light colors. It's such a shame since I dream of a medium-tone royal blue sapphire, but I'm so picky, I end up returning the ones I find within my price range. There are some that have come close, but like I said, I'm picky! I hope I can save up for a Jeff White sometime, but for now, this one satisfies my sapphire cravings. I'm also a fan of color changers, so this one works out pretty well for me.

One thing that I forgot to mention, there's almost a bit of pink near the center of this stone. (Which is even more of a plus and makes it quite interesting!) Sometimes I can see it in incandescent lighting, but it's very faint. It's just enough to change the lavender color into more of a pinkish-lavender instead of a cool blue-lavender. I have to say that I prefer it that way.

Like most color changers, it's hard to photograph. When I see a lavender, sometimes my camera picks up blue instead, and when I see blue, it picks up more gray.

I was able to photograph the bit of the pink in the center (just barely-it's hard to see) and am attaching the pic. It's visible in the 3rd vendor photo, so I know I'm not seeing things! I'm planning to have it set into a ring. Not sure what kind of setting yet, but I want to be able to stare at it and watch it change colors all the time.

 

[Aerix]

A couple of bonus photos-I'll take some more this afternoon when the sun comes out (if it's not overcast again today) so I can show how blue it looks in sunlight.

 

[ladyvengeance]

Beautiful! Congrats on your purchase, I really like this stone.

 

[maebelle]

It's gorgeous and the size is to die for, Thanks for sharing!

 

[Aerix]

Wow, not often you see a nice big sapphire for such a good price! Lovely stone, I like all the different colour flashes in it.

Thanks! This is what I thought too. I asked about the origin and had a feeling that it was probably from Tanzania (specifically Umba, since it resembled some purple and color-changing sapphires I'd seen from there by other vendors.) I was too impatient to receive a reply and bought it soon after I saw it. The seller confirmed my suspicions that it was from there. I can't believe no one snatched it up before I did. If I remember correctly, it had been listed sometime in January when I looked at the info on the listing.

In case anyone wants a link to his shop, here's where I bought the sapphire from:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/GemCutters

He told me he'll be adding 20 to 30 additional items in the coming weeks. So save him in your favorites! I know I will! I'm going to see if I can get some decent pics of it in the sunlight this afternoon or tomorrow.

 

[iolitedreamer]

Xiriah, I really do love your sapphire. I can see the color shifts in the pictures for sure. I like the lavender-blue-gray hues and it is not too dark of a stone either. Thank you for sharing. I think you got a good deal on your purchase for sure.

 

[Aerix]

Thanks iolitedreamer!

I forgot to mention but I posted more pics of the sapphire in sunlight here:
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/im-back-with-photos.157748/

 

[JewelFreak]

Nice sapphire, Xiriah! So much interesting color -- I really like the lavender hues. Good buy!!

--- Laurie