#JOTW 5.58 ct Blue Sapphire (Gemsthailand)

[Monpetitbijoux]

Such a beautiful ring!!! It certainly is a heirloom piece, wow!~

 

[Arkteia]

Congratulations! You both are so young and so handsome! The ring is awesome! Hope you'll post wedding pictures.

 

[chrono]

Will I be admitting my age if I say what a bright and young couple you two are? The setting and stone shines through beautifully in those pictures.

 

[risingsun]

I just finished reading this thread. Many congratulations on your engagement! The sapphire is stunning and the finished ring is beautiful. I am a sapphire lover, myself, and have enjoyed reading about your search for your perfect stone

 

[Justin_Cutter]

OMG you look fantastic together and the ring is perfect - it looks stunning on her hand.

I've just got to say that if my husband had chosen that spot to propose, the photos of me and him would look totally different as I don't think I could EVER walk across that "bridge" aka bit of rock over an enormous space of air!

Your photograph showing you both in the distance and the setting is something to be treasured. Superb idea and a great reminder in years to come.

Many many many congratulations. I'm feeling all warm and fuzzy for you both (or that could just be the heart palpitations from seeing the bridge)

Loving Diamonds- Its so funny you say this! Believe it or not I happen to have one really big phobia. Its cliffs lol. Not heights but cliffs. I can be up on a tall building and be perfectly fine, but put me on the edge of a cliff and I get weak in the knees.

So needless to say I was a bit nervous but I knew I wanted to have great scenery when I proposed and the bridge was perfect for that. She was so surprised when I proposed out on the bridge. She later told me that she couldn't believe I did it that way because of my struggle with cliffs.

The first time I saw the Grand Canyon I almost had a heart attack lol!

I later told her that the reason I proposed on the Bridge was because I wanted to prove to her and myself that I could overcome anything to have her in my life. We have been though a lot together so this was a very fitting way to propose.

~Justin

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Will I be admitting my age if I say what a bright and young couple you two are? The setting and stone shines through beautifully in those pictures.

Ha ha no worries Chrono! Thank you again for all the support!
~Justin

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Congratulations! You both are so young and so handsome! The ring is awesome! Hope you'll post wedding pictures.

Crasru- Thank you for the complement! You are to kind. I am sure I will be posting some wedding photos in the future... perhaps I will start a separate thread for that.

 

[Justin_Cutter]

I just finished reading this thread. Many congratulations on your engagement! The sapphire is stunning and the finished ring is beautiful. I am a sapphire lover, myself, and have enjoyed reading about your search for your perfect stone

It brings me such Joy to know that someone has enjoyed being part of this journey with me! I am so happy that Price Scope exists so I could share this with everyone. It has been so fun! Sapphires FTW! But in truth if its blue I am going to love it.... I can't help it.

~Justin

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Such a beautiful ring!!! It certainly is a heirloom piece, wow!~

Thank you and I certainly hope so! I hope this ring never leaves my family!
~Justin

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Oh my god, you guys are so cute, it's absurd! The ring looks fantastic on her!

Thank you so much! She absolutely loves it and I agree... I think it looks amazing on her! Its so funny. People ask us more questions about the ring itself than questions about us actually getting married lol! Its so funny.

~Justin

 

[talamasca]

Awwww bless! I just saw the hand pics and it looks fabulous. Congratulations

 

[zoebartlett]

What a gorgeous ring! Congratulations to you and your FI, Justin.

I lovvveeeeeee the sapphire.

 

[Downunder]

Hi Justin, I have followed this post on this forum with much interest. I am in a similar situation you were a year or two ago. I am trying to sort through hundreds of webpages/jewelers in search of the perfect stone for my future fiancés engagement ring. I had a couple of questions I would like to ask you an all the other highly knowledgeable people on this site.

I am in the market for a 2.5-4.5 carat natural, non heat treated sapphire. I am very fond of Ceylon stones but for what I seem to be after the price is VERY high. My budget I believe is realistic for what I want but I am not prepared to mortgage the house either.This is why I keep coming back to Thai, Burmese and Madagascan stones. I have visited many jewelers in person and there is almost a snobbery when you mention non Sri Lankan stones. Are stones from these regions that inferior? I personally would prefer a larger non treated sapphire from Asia/Africa than a smaller heat treated stone from Ceylon.

Could I ask what made you decide to go with GEMSTHAILAND. I read that the two previous stones you purchased after independent testing resulted in the discovery of heat treatment. Where were these stones from?

I am relying on gemological laboratories in Australia to be able to pick up a heat effected stone.

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Hi Justin, I have followed this post on this forum with much interest. I am in a similar situation you were a year or two ago. I am trying to sort through hundreds of webpages/jewelers in search of the perfect stone for my future fiancés engagement ring. I had a couple of questions I would like to ask you an all the other highly knowledgeable people on this site.

I am in the market for a 2.5-4.5 carat natural, non heat treated sapphire. I am very fond of Ceylon stones but for what I seem to be after the price is VERY high. My budget I believe is realistic for what I want but I am not prepared to mortgage the house either.This is why I keep coming back to Thai, Burmese and Madagascan stones. I have visited many jewelers in person and there is almost a snobbery when you mention non Sri Lankan stones. Are stones from these regions that inferior? I personally would prefer a larger non treated sapphire from Asia/Africa than a smaller heat treated stone from Ceylon.

Could I ask what made you decide to go with GEMSTHAILAND. I read that the two previous stones you purchased after independent testing resulted in the discovery of heat treatment. Where were these stones from?

I am relying on gemological laboratories in Australia to be able to pick up a heat effected stone.

Downunder:

Welcome to the forum! Oh boy where do I being..... Long post WARNING!

Well first lets talk about origin. I noticed that you put sapphires from Burma in with Madagascar and Thailand. Burma is actually one of the "pedigrees" if you will of sapphires. I think you will find that if you research a little more you will see that Burma sapphires are in a league all there own, and only 2nd to the Kashmir sapphire.

Now you can put Madagascar in the same sentence with Thailand all day long and I doubt anyone will scorn you. I would give Madagascar the edge when it comes to color however.

Disclaimer: Every Sapphire is unique and every origin has its anomalies. This is just my experience.... please don't take this as the bible of sapphires but it should give you a place to start.

Thailand's Material: It is usually very good in terms of clarity, but color is usually hit or miss. Many times it can be darker than most would prefer and exhibit a green tone in addition to the blue. This can at times give what is commonly called an "inky" effect. Other times it is very light and doesn't exhibit a strong blue tone. But every once in a while you will see one with color that resembles that of typical Madagascar or even Ceylon. I got lucky with the sapphire I purchased. Now I have seen some heated Thai stones show some very nice color but since you want 100% natural that is not a option for you. This material is excellent value for money in terms of the size of the stone you can get. If all you want is big and you don't care about the color this is probably the way to go. Now if the color is good then you will start to see pricing more similar to that of Madagascar and Ceylon. Most would agree that the sapphire I purchased was great value for the money considering its color.

Madagascar's Material: This material is what I think is actually some of the best on the market if you can find it unheated. A lot of the current Madagascar material is heated almost immediately after it has been unearthed. Bang for your $$$$ its going to be hard to beat a Madagascar sapphire with excellent color. I have seen some Madagascar sapphires that have taken my breath away. This material can rival that of Burma and even though most purest hate to admit it even Kashmir. Now a Madagascar sapphire with color that good doesn't happen every day but it has happened so keep your eyes open. Also it will never rival the price of a Burma or Kashmir stone with equal color, so if you find one consider it top color for a discount.

Ceylon's Material: Clarity is usually good and color can range from a very light medium blue to a strong medium to medium dark blue. When you walk into a jewelry store that is worth its salt most sapphires you will see are from this origin. Ski Lanka has been supplying sapphires for over 2000 years so naturally there is a lot of it out there. Ceylon continues to produce quality color and clarity. If you see a stone from Ceylon that meets your requirements I would strongly consider it. Value for your money will not be as good as a Madagascar or Thai stone but it should still be reasonable.

Burma and Kashmir Material: Saturation Saturation Saturation!!! These are some of the sweetest blues available. The clarity of the material can variety due the the signature silk that makes these stones so distinct but most don't care as long as the color is right. You could possibly find a Burma sapphire today but if you do expect to pay a very step premium. Kashmir...... well don't waste your time. This material has long ran out and anyone who has a Kashmir stone is not going to part with it easily. Kashmir is by far the the most sought after origin of sapphire on the market. Expect to see prices of $10,000usd per carat and higher.

My Thoughts:
I am a treatment purest myself so I understand what you are saying about the larger non-heated stone vs. the smaller heated stone. In short yes there is somewhat of a snob mentality in terms of origin. And as bad as I hate to say it most are right to be this way. The simple fact is that certain origins constantly produce the "It" color and that is why they are sought after and demand higher prices. Now this don't mean that if you by a stone from a "lower lever origin" people have the right to insult you for it. Thankfully my thread here proves that if you find a quality example of a "lower origin" people will still celebrate it. When it is all said and done a good sapphire is a good sapphire!

Do I prefer the "It" origins? YES! But at the end of the day I buy what I can afford at the time. Also its important to know that some stones are just "special" and there is no other way to describe it. I could have easily purchased a smaller stone with "better" origin and stayed in my price range but this stone captured my heart and I had to have it.

My Sapphire Purchases:
The 1st stone I bought was from a company called GemburiOnline. This is a eBay seller as well. At the time I had a bad taste in my mouth after the discovery of heating when it was advertised as unheated. I felt the company could have responded better. At this point I would possibly consider buying from them again as long as I had the same return guaranty.

The 2nd stone was actually from Gemsthailand. How they handled the situation is what retained me as a customer. They made every effort possible to make it right. And as you can see I ended up with a great stone. I have often found that you never truly know the merit of a company until you prove them wrong about something. That is when you see the real side of there customer service. Based on my experience Gemsthailand's service was first rate and I would gladly purchase from them again.

I think I answered everything. If you have anymore questions I would be happy to help.

I would also encourage you to start your own thread with more details on what you are looking for so we can make recommendations to you. Let us know your budget and what shape you are looking for and maybe we can help. Also if you want more info here is just one of many great resources. http://www.primagem.com/Sapphire.html

As always I defer to my more experienced friends to correct me if any of the sapphire specific information I have given is incorrect. I welcome the opportunity to learn.

~Justin

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Save the Date Picture Update!!!


~Justin

 

[T L]

Nice pictures, and your fiance is gorgeous. I'm extremely jealous of her piles and piles of gorgeous hair.

 

[Justin_Cutter]

TL,
Thank you very much! She is a wonderful person and I adore her! I like her lush hair too!

~Justin

 

[slg47]

beautiful pictures!!! her ring has so much presence on the hand...it is really beautiful

 

[Justin_Cutter]

slg47,
Thank You, I agree it is a strong statement in person and I love that.
~Justin

 

[pregcurious]

Congratulations again, Justin. Beautiful couple, beautiful ring.

 

[Justin_Cutter]

pregcurious,
Thank you very much!
~Justin

 

[JewelFreak]

The ring is just beautiful, Justin! I'm so glad it worked out so well for you & gave you lots of expertise at the same time -- you sure earned it. It's a perfect ring for your beautiful fiancee. I'll marry you too, for a ring like that!

--- Laurie

 

[Justin_Cutter]

The ring is just beautiful, Justin! I'm so glad it worked out so well for you & gave you lots of expertise at the same time -- you sure earned it. It's a perfect ring for your beautiful fiancee. I'll marry you too, for a ring like that!

--- Laurie

You just made my day! Ha ha thank you so much! It was a great journey and I will treasure my Fiancee and her ring the rest of my life!
~Justin

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Wow, your ring is just incredible!!! Congratulations on your engagement! Blue sapphire is my favorite gemstone and really the only colored stone I really desire. It is so bad that good ones are not only hard to find, but so expensive if you do!!! You did great, though! Your hard work really paid off!

 

[LostSapphire]

BEAUTIFUL. Just BEAUTIFUL.

You did GREAT.

 

[justginger]

It's wonderful reading through a thread like this - it is rare to find a man who not only wants to get it JUST RIGHT, but is willing to do the hard leg work to get the end result. My own DH was more than happy to drain his bank account, but when it came to research...fraid that was all me!

Congratulations on putting together an absolutely stunning ring, and a sentimental, timeless proposal. The two of you couldn't be any cuter together, you absolutely glow. The happiness is very apparent.

Enjoy planning the wedding - having had two of them this year (in two countries!), it's quite a wild ride.

 

[Justin_Cutter]

diamondseeker2006,
Thank you so much! Yes I agree, finding a good sapphire can be a challenge! I am so glad it worked out for us.

LostSapphire,
I appreciate it! Thank you!

justginger,
Bless you! We are having so much fun planning the wedding! There have been a couple stressful moments but nothing we can't handle.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Justin, I have been looking at your sapphire vendor's site and he does seem to have some beautiful stones at fairly reasonable prices. I have an immediate need for a 6.4-6.5mm round sapphire for a setting I bought. But ideally, I hope to buy a sapphire in the 3-4 carat range (or under $4000) sometime in the near future. The thing I am unable to do is to translate what the pictures look like to what the stones would look like in reality. Excellent cut and clarity are very important to me, but I am flexible on the heat in order to get what I want otherwise. I am happy with a medium cornflower blue all the way to a Kashmir blue, but I definitely do not want a stone that is too dark. I want it to look blue all the time. Gosh, I should start a new thread and not ask you here! I'd rather not have my 6.5mm stone the same color blue as my large one, but I need the 6.5mm stone first. I don't think he has that right now. But just for the fun of it, would you tell me what stones you'd pick as the top choices for a larger oval or cushion under $4000? Don't do it if you are too busy. I just would like to get an idea from someone who has seen stones from that particular vendor. Also, how hard is it to return stones to them?

 

[Justin_Cutter]

Justin, I have been looking at your sapphire vendor's site and he does seem to have some beautiful stones at fairly reasonable prices. I have an immediate need for a 6.4-6.5mm round sapphire for a setting I bought. But ideally, I hope to buy a sapphire in the 3-4 carat range (or under $4000) sometime in the near future. The thing I am unable to do is to translate what the pictures look like to what the stones would look like in reality. Excellent cut and clarity are very important to me, but I am flexible on the heat in order to get what I want otherwise. I am happy with a medium cornflower blue all the way to a Kashmir blue, but I definitely do not want a stone that is too dark. I want it to look blue all the time. Gosh, I should start a new thread and not ask you here! I'd rather not have my 6.5mm stone the same color blue as my large one, but I need the 6.5mm stone first. I don't think he has that right now. But just for the fun of it, would you tell me what stones you'd pick as the top choices for a larger oval or cushion under $4000? Don't do it if you are too busy. I just would like to get an idea from someone who has seen stones from that particular vendor. Also, how hard is it to return stones to them?

No Worries! I am happy to help.

I looked for the rounds you asked about and only found 6mm and 7mm no 6.5mm I would shoot Gemsthailand a email and ask if they have any that are not on the website. Or maybe they could cut one for you.
Gemsthailand is great with returns. I have returned a stone to them myself! The only downer is the transit time. The Thai postal service can be very slow. Especially during a Thai holiday.... Found that out the hard way lol!
Also remember to contact them via the email on there website. That way you get the best price. They have to increase the price on eBay to cover the fees.

As for the best oval/cushion under $4000 from Gemsthailand. These are my picks.

1. http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-60CT-RARE...4188?pt=Loose_Gemstones_1&hash=item3a492cc5ec -I really love this stone.

2. http://www.gemsthailand.com/product-detail.asp?id=42 -I am a little concerned about color zoning in the center of the stone but in real life it might be ok.

I would ask for in hand pictures of both stones. Indoor and Outdoor light. I ask them for this before I purchase stones and it proves to be more useful than the standard pictures.
~Justin

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Those are beautiful, Justin, thanks! I love the shape of the cushion one especially! I think I will email him and ask about the round. Can you even insure something sent back to Thailand???