500 ct rough blue sapphire what do you think?

[GemAgents1]

One of our agents got this amazing rough blue sapphire (could be star),

What do you think will be the best way to cut it?

 

[psproot12]

It would make an amazing star! Looks cabachon grade to me, have you considered heating it?

 

[minousbijoux]

Forgive me for asking, but what makes it so "amazing"? It looks completely opaque and not suitable as rough of any kind.

 

[chrono]

Cabochon is your only option due to the opacity of the rough.

 

[LoversKites]

Forgive me for asking, but what makes it so "amazing"? It looks completely opaque and not suitable as rough of any kind.

Cabochon is your only option due to the opacity of the rough.

Agree with this.

 

[GemAgents1]

There are two things that make this stone amazing. The first is the weight, which is just under 500 ct and the second is the origin, Haywood county North Carolina.

The stone is elongated in a sort of thick to thin way and we wanted opinions on how we should cut it and if we should split it into two, and if so where and how. There is also a section that is not easily visible that is completely royal blue (opaque) but a very nice color.

 

[minousbijoux]

There are two things that make this stone amazing. The first is the weight, which is just under 500 ct and the second is the origin, Haywood county North Carolina.

The stone is elongated in a sort of thick to thin way and we wanted opinions on how we should cut it and if we should split it into two, and if so where and how. There is also a section that is not easily visible that is completely royal blue (opaque) but a very nice color.

You seem to have a good handle on where you are going with the stone and what you seek. Since you are asking specific cutting questions, you might want to consider a site geared to members of the trade and lapidaries. You might google Gemology Forums and see what that yields.

 

[GemAgents1]

Just looking for opinions...if you don't have one that is on topic, your not forced to respond.

 

[chrono]

GemAgents,
I do think Minou was sincere in her advice. It sounds like you are in the Trade (I might have guessed wrongly) and that you are working with a lapidary to get this faceted/cabbed? There are many more lapidaries participating in that other forum which we cannot mention here and Minou has dropped hints as to where to look for it. Due to the opaqueness of the rough, I do not think it is facet grade but a possible candidate for a cabochon. Size and origin do not add much value if the gem has poor colour and transparency.

 

[LoversKites]

Good luck with the finished piece

 

[deskjockey]

What about doing slices?

I don't know much about this kind of thing, I've just seem some 'slice' jewelry of similar looking material that I like, like this:

http://www.hhjewels.com/products-page/colored-gemstones/natural-sapphire-slice-and-diamond-earrings/

http://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2013/05/hit-list-geologically-inspired-jewellery/hitlist-kimberly-mcdonald-sapphire-slice-and-diamond-earrings-3610/

I think the piece in this thread is really neat, even though it's not super blingy facetable stuff.

 

[digdeep]

Just looking for opinions...if you don't have one that is on topic, your not forced to respond.

I am suspicious of a new trade member that sets itself up as an "international community that educates consumers" yet comes on here with a headline of "500 ct rough blue sapphire what do you think?". The website had nothing that was specific to a business so I'm wondering about this 'trade' label. The accusatory nature of the post above is not the spirit of this forum, or even most people who have gems/rocks as a passion, IMO.

 

[GemAgents1]

What about doing slices?

I don't know much about this kind of thing, I've just seem some 'slice' jewelry of similar looking material that I like, like this:

http://www.hhjewels.com/products-page/colored-gemstones/natural-sapphire-slice-and-diamond-earrings/

http://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2013/05/hit-list-geologically-inspired-jewellery/hitlist-kimberly-mcdonald-sapphire-slice-and-diamond-earrings-3610/

I think the piece in this thread is really neat, even though it's not super blingy facetable stuff.

I thought about slices as well i think it could be really cool, im just extremely nervous about how they will come out. I am afraid that once i see the slices i wont like it and then i cant go back.

Just looking for opinions...if you don't have one that is on topic, your not forced to respond.

I am suspicious of a new trade member that sets itself up as an "international community that educates consumers" yet comes on here with a headline of "500 ct rough blue sapphire what do you think?". The website had nothing that was specific to a business so I'm wondering about this 'trade' label. The accusatory nature of the post above is not the spirit of this forum, or even most people who have gems/rocks as a passion, IMO.

I am sorry if you have some suspicions, both the gemagents company and myself are in the trade. I am here writing personally, I was just looking for opinions as cutting a piece like this is a one time thing and i am extremely nervous about it....I wanted to share this with someone but it seems that most people here are more involved in showing off or posting things to just be seen. i really thought this place was a nice friendly environment where one could ask for opinions and would get some feedback that relates to the topic... guess i was wrong?

 

[deskjockey]

I wanted to share this with someone but it seems that most people here are more involved in showing off or posting things to just be seen. i really thought this place was a nice friendly environment where one could ask for opinions and would get some feedback that relates to the topic... guess i was wrong?

I don't think you are wrong - I find people here very friendly and helpful, though sometimes people can be blunt in their delivery. Even so, the bluntest of replies I've read on here had useful stuff. Like the one above, indicating a different forum you should search for where there might be more cutters and trade people with ideas/recommendations. I think you took that as perhaps being snarky, but I think if you followed that advice you'd probably get a lot of helpful comments and information. This is a consumer forum, so the vast majority of people posting here are the buyers of finished products, rather than rockhounds, mineral hunters, and cutters. So when we see something like your big piece of corundum, we're viewing it from that perspective rather than someone who could see where the best place is to bisect your stone or theorize how many cabs you might make from it.

 

[minousbijoux]

We are a community here. Have you thought that perhaps before reacting you ought to observe interactions and get to know how things operate here? That other site has two whole sections devoted to lapidaries and their work. It is geared towards trade members. That is the sole reason I suggested it. But one way to get attention, if that's what you seek, is to come to a new site and be disruptive - that is your choice as well.

 

[GemAgents1]

We are a community here. Have you thought that perhaps before reacting you ought to observe interactions and get to know how things operate here? That other site has two whole sections devoted to lapidaries and their work. It is geared towards trade members. That is the sole reason I suggested it. But one way to get attention, if that's what you seek, is to come to a new site and be disruptive - that is your choice as well.

Look I admit that maybe i overreacted, I have looked at some other posts and thought that this place would be cool, i saw some great stones and interesting articles etc... I am not looking to be disruptive or make enemies or anything, but you also have to understand how i felt. i am new to this forum, and i wanted peoples opinions. I now understand that you were sincere with your advice, but at the moment it is not how it seemed, especially because i felt really insulted from your original comment. I work really hard for my money and i thought the stone was cool and i bought it. how would you feel if you bought a stone you liked and thought was amazing and then someone questions you and says its not. I am not looking to continue arguing. you all seem very nice and i think we just started on the wrong foot and i hope we can restart everything.

The reason that i posted this topic here is because most cutters in the trade are geared to cut for weight first beauty a close second. here i have the opportunity to cut what i want how i want, but wanted a consumer opinion on what i should do because as i said before, once you cut you cant go back.

Again i hope we can all forgive and forget and move forward. I think that we are all here for the same reason, which is the love of gems, and i think our combined efforts and knowledge can benefit all of us in the long run.

 

[minousbijoux]

I am sorry if you took any of what I said as insulting; it was the use of "amazing" in your thread that caused me to ask the question, because I could not see it from your photos.

As to the other site and the lapidaries - please go check it out! These are serious precision cutters. They do not cut for weight but cut what is the ideal suitable for the beauty of the individual rough. Unfortunately, I think you may hear what you don't necessarily want to hear, but they can also see things that I - and we here - are totally not trained to see.

 

[kenny]

You registered 2 days after psproot12 did, who happened to be the first to reply.

Hmm.

 

[chrono]

Kenny,
I think they are two different people as their posts progresses.

 

[Lee Little]

If it has a good star then you have a decent piece. If it is simply opaque and mainly an off color then I would not cut it into gems but it may make a carving or slices. Big size and weight does not mean much in Corundum. The focus should be on clarity and color. Best regards, Lee

 

[Adigems]

My personal view is, its a Trapiche. Best suited for a Big Cabochon.
Best regds.

 

[LD]

I was just about to post that it's a Trapiche and as such you may want to get some serious advice on whether to cut it or not. Trapiche's (I don't think) tend to be big and yours is huge!!!!! You could devalue if you cut it so you need some professional advice.

A Trapiche usually is measured in quality by the clarity of the spokes and the uniformity but yours is 500ct and so I'm sure several different factors may apply.

DO NOT CUT IT UNTIL YOU GET ADVICE!

 

[Lee Little]

I do not think I can see any spoke pattern of a Trapiche in those pictures. I do see the common hexagonal color zoning but those lines do not make it a Trapiche. There are some light colored radiant lines that I am not sure about but I was guessing those were healed fissures or simply fissures. Of course you need to have a cutter look at it and see if it will star. In person the Trapiche pattern should be more obvious than the floating star and a cutter will see that if it is there.
I believe that currently the only known origin of Trapiche Sapphire is Mogok Burma. Best regards, Lee

 

[chrono]

I agree with Lee that the lines do not look like trapiche but typical sapphire hexagonal growth zoning lines.