5.34 Blue Natural Sapphire - What is a Good Price

[lindam1503]

I saw a cushion cut blue sapphire today that's 10.16mm x 9.19mm x 5.58 and the seller dropped the price to $1,200 + tax, which seemed like a good deal to me.

I'm clueless, and I did loupe it and saw one small bubble and a few lines, but nothing big in it and it seemed like a very good price to me.

Asking for advice on whether to buy it or not?

Thanks in advance!

 

[pwsg07]

The report said the sapphire is diffusion treated. Is it what you want?

 

[lovedogs]

Diffusion treatment should make this extremely cheap. Diffusion is considered a pretty serious treatment, and stones need to be handled carefully. Heat treatment is very normal, but diffusion goes beyond normal heat.

Also it's very very dark. I wouldn't want to pay anywhere near 1200 for this one. Sorry!

 

[Bron357]

A big no from me.
If it’s stated as diffusion treated and you can “see a bubble” it is possibly flux filled as well. Sapphires with this extreme level of treatment sell on eBay for under $100, certainly not $1,200!
If you want a large sapphire with heat only treatment and a lab report confirming this you’ll be paying thousands of dollars a carat.
Then there’s the highly treated sapphires whether colour improved by diffusion and/or having their cracks and fissures filled with flux (glass like material) to make them look pretty which are only worth tens of dollars a carat
And then there’s man made corundum, same material but grown in a laboratory for dollars a carat.
There really isn’t like a “middle ground” EXCEPT when vendors attempt to pass off a treated gem as the “middle ground”.
So while $1,200 seems really cheap compared to the $30,000 or so for a 5 carat certified heat only sapphire, it’s like $1,000 too much for what it really is worth.

 

[qubitasaurus]

Yes search ebay. That stone is heavily treated, so anything you find on ebay is comprable (you dont need to be worried about undisclosed factors for the ebay stones impacting the price. Because the current item you are comparing against has probably got all of those things which impact the value like fracture filling and difusion already going for it. So you can make a fair comparison just on the surface appearence).

If you find you can buy a lot of good looking 5 ct stones for a lot less than $1200 then you have your answer.

 

[lindam1503]

A big no from me.
If it’s stated as diffusion treated and you can “see a bubble” it is possibly flux filled as well. Sapphires with this extreme level of treatment sell on eBay for under $100, certainly not $1,200!
If you want a large sapphire with heat only treatment and a lab report confirming this you’ll be paying thousands of dollars a carat.
Then there’s the highly treated sapphires whether colour improved by diffusion and/or having their cracks and fissures filled with flux (glass like material) to make them look pretty which are only worth tens of dollars a carat
And then there’s man made corundum, same material but grown in a laboratory for dollars a carat.
There really isn’t like a “middle ground” EXCEPT when vendors attempt to pass off a treated gem as the “middle ground”.
So while $1,200 seems really cheap compared to the $30,000 or so for a 5 carat certified heat only sapphire, it’s like $1,000 too much for what it really is worth.

Diffusion treatment should make this extremely cheap. Diffusion is considered a pretty serious treatment, and stones need to be handled carefully. Heat treatment is very normal, but diffusion goes beyond normal heat.

Also it's very very dark. I wouldn't want to pay anywhere near 1200 for this one. Sorry!

 

[lindam1503]

Thank you all SO much. The decision to say "NO" is really easy. The old adage "if it's too good to be true" almost always applies and I REALLY appreciate your input.
Does anyone know of eBay (or Etsy) sellers that are reputable?
I'm in no hurry to make a purchase this large, and if/when I do, I'd like for it to be the real thing.
Thank you all again--extremely helpful to me and you are appreciated!

 

[MissyBeaucoup]

There is a recommended sellers list at the top of the Colored Gemstones index page. You might also start a new thread with your budget and what you’re looking for—size, shape, color—and I think you’ll get some good suggestions. If you’re on a budget, there are ways to compromise while still getting a beautiful stone that can be worn safely.

 

[lindam1503]

Again, thanks! You guys are the best, and that is one long list!

 

[FlashyFlamingo]

I'm from the Tampa area and had a not great experience with Robbins Jewelry several years ago when I had no idea about anything gemstone related. I purchased two rings that ended up being complete junk stones in cheap Chinese settings. Live and learn.

 

[arkieb1]

No, that is NOT a good deal - I have diffused sapphires that came out of Antique jewellery here that I consider aren't worth anything. Really they should be no more than a few hundred if something really outstanding and way less if they are just average. And that is an average to below average colour at best.

 

[PrecisionGem]

Well, the most popular price guide, lists the wholesale price for diffision treated blue sapphire in 3 to 5 ct sizes as $75 to $550 per ct, depending on the quality. (Color, clarity, cut) It’s impossible to judge this stone from a picture of a picture, but you said the clarity was very good. Based on that, and maybe the idea that you seemed to like the color, I would think the price seems about right, or even low for retail. Typically in gems, retail is 2 to 3 times wholesale price.