Emerald Cut Sapphire

[researcher]

I have a new project--to find an emerald cut blue sapphire in the 2-2.5 ct range for my mom. The problem is I know literally nothing about sapphires or emerald cuts. So, I was hoping that you all could give me some helpful hints!

Are there better levels of saturation than others? What is the standard/best saturation for blue sapphires?

What about the tone? Which range of tones are most desirable?

Is it true that you don''t want midnight blue sapphires because they don''t sparkle as much/have as much brilliance?

What enhancements, if any, are considered acceptable?

Is there anything I need to know about the cut? Is it basically the same parameters as an emerald cut diamond?

Any other helpful hints would be greatly appreciated!

 

[moremoremore]

I was excited for a minute....thinking you were getting another bauble for yourself!

I'd check out this site (try not to drool) and contact Wink and also pm chrono, she's been hunting sapphires! I am thinking that untreated are VERY expensive

http://www.walterarnstein.com/education.asp

 

[researcher]

Thanks! And I WISH I was getting another stone!!! But, I AM the only female child, so I will get it eventually

So are you dying for Saturday to get here already or what?!?!

 

[moremoremore]

!

 

[researcher]

That's stunning!!! But, my mom likes her jewelry really plain, and therefore won't go for side stones

 

[moremoremore]

That's from walterarnstein.com OMG. Amazing stuff.

This is from some random site- it is ugly...but I guess to get an idea of price....

http://www.cherrypicked.com/Gallery/Score.aspx?ItemID=1675

 

[moremoremore]

There are a few on this page. I'd be curious to know how much $...these are smaller than you wanted tho...but look at that blue.

http://www.walterarnstein.com/blue.asp?page=3

 

[researcher]

Those are GORGEOUS!!! I just sent the link to my mom to see what she thinks. I'll let you know!

 

[Diamondsbybree]

I nearly fell over when I found this one~!~!

http://www.ajsgems.com/SAP/SAP-00232.htm

 

[researcher]

That stone is beautiful! Too bad it's not big enough....

 

[alexah]

Wish I knew more about sapphires & was able to answer all your Qs.... but, since i don't

i'll suggest posting your Qs in the colored gemstone forum

Good luck! It sounds like a really cool project!

 

[researcher]

Thanks

I realized a little too late that I posted in the wrong forum, but I have an excuse--I'm blonde (and it's natural!). Not a very good excuse, but still an excuse!!!

 

[windowshopper]

hi--ive been to walter arnstein and i am in the process of selecting a sapphire. my experience with talking to lots of people prior to finding them and then of course seeing all that they have is that many things (cut, light reflection and "transparency")affect price and the very best colors can have banding and zoning areas.

the very best quality seem to start around 3000 per carat and go to 5000 at the top top--it was explained to me that sometmies the top burma blue can be very dark at night and look their best in daylight wheer the lighter blues can wash out in daylight yet have tremendous sparkl at night and in artifical lighting.............i am no expert but ive been looking quite a bit and have narrowed it down to two stones..................

 

[valeria101]

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On 10/16/2004 9:47:41 AM windowshopper wrote:



the very best quality seem to start around 3000 per carat and go to 5000 at the top top
-----------------

Yeah, but there is no reason not to look throughout the range. What is called "top" is as much a matter of rarity and tradition as anything. It is very likely that all other considerations but personal pleasure aside, anyone would find sapphire outside the traditionally praised type appealing. Regardless of conclusion, the ride is worth it

Just the usual 0.2, as you know.

 

[researcher]

Thanks for all the hints! I was wondering why some stones are selling for under $100, while others are in the $5000 range.

 

[windowshopper]

THANK YOU TO VALERIA101 REGARDING MY COMMENT ABOUT PRICE-- She is absolutely right........color is in the eye of the beholder. There may be a light blue with astounding cut and reflection yet technically the color is not the deep electric-y cobalt that demands the highest prices. My recommendation is to at least get a natural certified stone ---those of any color retain more value. ? Valeria 101?????????/

 

[researcher]

With natural do you mean no enhancements or is heat or one of the others acceptable?

 

[windowshopper]

by natural i mant unheated and untreated in anyway. You can find very pretty sapphires that have been heated but their value is a fraction of those that are certified unheated.

 

[researcher]

My search has now taken an interesting turn. My mom still wants a high quality emerald cut sapphire, but now she also wants one in an oval or round for "fun" jewelry (I guess she was going to get a fake one, but figures a real one that's been treated would be better). So, I now have ot find two stones

And, the worst part is I'm still totally lost. What do I need to look for in terms of cut? Are there any things I need to avoid?

Thanks again for all your help!!!

 

[valeria101]

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On 10/16/2004 12:38:55 PM windowshopper wrote:


My recommendation is to at least get a natural certified stone ---those of any color retain more value. ? Valeria 101?????????/ ----------------

AT 3k/ct they'd better be untreated or absolutely tops. Otherwise, why shy from the heated ones? It is too bad there are more invasive threatments on the market (adding color and fillers), but heating alone would not be a deadly blow to fine sapphire pedigree. Obviously heated fine sapphire costs a fraction of the price of an unheated piece in the same class - in this case the 'fraction' is above 70%

It is not clear if your posts means " get a color less than the top of class only unheated ". This, I could not advocate for. As long as heating is the only treatment, the look of the piece comes first. Other treatments? No go from my part - synthetics are just as great as sapphire passed via bulk diffusion and fracture filling for me, for now...

Just "from my part" - there is always an argument for anything.

Between a not great sapphire that is not enhanced and a fine heated piece - the heated wins, IMO. Where "fine" is what you consider fine, nothing more. General standards come into play later for pricing, and are as important as you choose them to be.

Actually, the premimum for lack of treatment goes up (as a %, beyond absolute value) as the quality goes up. So if your choice happens to be outside the "box" the premium for untreated material will not be as important both as percentage and absolute terms.


You say " no treatment holds more value". If "holding value" is also a concern beyond your liking the stone, than... really, a spectacular piece holds value simply because it is eye catching and will attract potential buyers' interest. What is considered "fine" now likely reflects exactly what most buyers would find appealing (regardless of your own opinion, that is).

Clearly world class pieces hold value because the market segment they address holds a more consistent demand for the extraordinary. I should be a professional gem buyer to know more than this, and I am not one

Hope this oversized post does make some sense.

 

[valeria101]

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On 10/16/2004 8:02:50 PM researcher wrote:



My mom still wants a high quality emerald cut sapphire, but now she also wants one in an oval or round for 'fun' [...] And, the worst part is I'm still totally lost. What do I need to look for in terms of cut?

----------------

Well, Mogok wrote one post on this (

LINK) - one great intro to looking at sapphire cuts

I couldn't add anything if I wanted!

Below is a pic of four small sapphires - three fancy (step crown, radiant-like pavilion) and one emerald cut (rightmost). The size and material is very, very similar. The cut makes all the difference here

 

[windowshopper]

as i havent bought yet I really appreciate all the information--and very very valid points. thanks!
WS