Cornflower blue with a window

[icy_jade]

Ok so my jeweller found another gem but it has a window - as expected from the depth/wonky behind.

But the color! I think we are finally close and yeah I really do love cornflower blue.

Close-up under magnifier, temp setting

Daylight/outdoor

Daylight, outdoor

Daylight/shaded under leaves

Dim light shopping centre

Store orange light overhead

Store orange light indirect

Fluorescent light

Store orange light

Wonky behind


So it checks out on everything else except the cut/window... and admittedly a bit small (3 ct) but hey 5 ct cornflowers aren’t affordable...

What do you ladies think about this stone?
Should I continue looking or go for this? What do you think about the window?

 

[icy_jade]

And some other random pics



The smaller one is a bright apple green. He didn’t have any imperial jadeite.

@mellowyellowgirl @qubitasaurus @chroman

Btw the oval temp setting I used above is actually for earrings! I always find it amusing that what I think is a big halo ring is too small earrings for some of my jeweller’s customers

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Do you love it?

Objectively I don't think the window is too bad! My pink has the same kind of window. It's a window but not a bullet hole right through and is well hidden when you wear the ring.

How is the pricing?

Will you want to go bigger?

hehe sorry I am a pest and asking probing questions rather than telling you to buy or not buy! I am very neutral when it comes to blue so would rather psychoanalyse your feelings for the stone instead

 

[luv2sparkle]

In your photos, the window seems to close a bit with the settings. The color is lovely. It’s not the intense electric blue of @Acinom’s ring, which is my holy grail color, but it is beautiful. It is exactly the color I would probably go for as well. If you love the stone and it speaks to you, then it’s a winner to me.

 

[icy_jade]

Do you love it?

Objectively I don't think the window is too bad! My pink has the same kind of window. It's a window but not a bullet hole right through and is well hidden when you wear the ring.

How is the pricing?

Will you want to go bigger?

hehe sorry I am a pest and asking probing questions rather than telling you to buy or not buy! I am very neutral when it comes to blue so would rather psychoanalyse your feelings for the stone instead

Not pesky at all. I totally welcome you asking questions cos it will help me decide.

I oscillate between loving the color in certain lighting to looking at the window and feeling disturbed. Like swing back and forth.

If you look at my spinel, the cutting is wonky too and I can still love it so it’s not like I am the die die must precision cut type. But then I’ve been looking for a blue for so long, I don’t want to ‘settle’ but I also don’t want to miss out you know? Dilemma.

Price is fairly good I think? Approx $4.5k. So like $1.5k/ct. I did ask him what a cornflower with excellent cutting will cost and ballpark is like 40% more. So I’m not sure I want to pay 40% more for not having a small window. Plus it will be less spready so will be a smaller stone for the same carat weight.

I definitely want bigger. Just got to be realistic budget wise. I mean if I can afford it I think I can rock a 10 ct ykwim?

So what’s the result of your analysis?

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Ok I reckon you're not *there* with the stone yet. To me it still feels like you'd be settling somewhat.

I doubt you'll miss out! Not within the next few months anyway while you are still hunting. It's not like if you don't buy this stone you will quit looking for 3 years.

You have said you only love the colour in certain lighting and the cut disturbs you. You might actually see a stone that is 40% more with a perfect cut and straight away feel that the extra 40% is worth it.

I would say based on your feelings don't buy it and keep looking. It's not like the price jumps everytime you pass on a stone!

 

[icy_jade]

In your photos, the window seems to close a bit with the settings. The color is lovely. It’s not the intense electric blue of @Acinom’s ring, which is my holy grail color, but it is beautiful. It is exactly the color I would probably go for as well. If you love the stone and it speaks to you, then it’s a winner to me.

Thank you. I think the window does close up a bit after setting. I think if I go for a ring with less open back then the window should be much less noticeable.



@Acinom and more recently @mpc have such lovely stones/rings, they really do raise the benchmark for the rest of us right? I perpetually whine about windows to my jeweller but he tells me (and I believe him) that most of his customers don’t mind windows. But he has been extremely patient and gracious about it even if I think he’s rather baffled by this odd customer of his

 

[deorwine]

If I were looking for a sapphire of this size I would 100% buy this one. In fact, my "family ring" -- the sapphire I wear every day on my engagement ring finger, stone in my avatar -- is a smaller (<2ct) version of the stone you're showing: glows in some lights, blue in most if not all, the pics of your stone seem almost all very much like pics I could take of mine, and has a window / cut is not the greatest (although it is definitely cut to show off the color). I've set it to minimize the window. One day I will get around to taking pics

That being said, I feel some ambivalence from your posts? Like, you seem more excited about this than the other blue sapphire but not as much as you were about the yellow sapphire.

 

[icy_jade]

Ok I reckon you're not *there* with the stone yet. To me it still feels like you'd be settling somewhat.

I doubt you'll miss out! Not within the next few months anyway while you are still hunting. It's not like if you don't buy this stone you will quit looking for 3 years.

You have said you only love the colour in certain lighting and the cut disturbs you. You might actually see a stone that is 40% more with a perfect cut and straight away feel that the extra 40% is worth it.

I would say based on your feelings don't buy it and keep looking. It's not like the price jumps everytime you pass on a stone!

Oh no what I mean is when I see the velvety blue/glow then my heart skips a beat. I don’t see that all the time so unless cornflowers always glow (they don’t right?) then I really do like the color for this stone.

So it’s like... wah color nice ... hmm can I see window (moves ring to different angles)... hmm nice color ... hmm... cutting etc etc

But I also know that I can love my gems a lot more after setting and the blue tourmaline is a perfect example. I was sort of normal about it until it was set and then bam I love it.

It’s not that easy to chance on a nice cornflower I think?

 

[icy_jade]

If I were looking for a sapphire of this size I would 100% buy this one. In fact, my "family ring" -- the sapphire I wear every day on my engagement ring finger, stone in my avatar -- is a smaller (<2ct) version of the stone you're showing: glows in some lights, blue in most if not all, the pics of your stone seem almost all very much like pics I could take of mine, and has a window / cut is not the greatest (although it is definitely cut to show off the color). I've set it to minimize the window. One day I will get around to taking pics

That being said, I feel some ambivalence from your posts? Like, you seem more excited about this than the other blue sapphire but not as much as you were about the yellow sapphire.

I think I like yellow at first sight cos it looks like a diamond

Ambivalence is definitely from the window. If there was no window this is pretty much perfect.

Can you pls share some pics of how you minimized the window for your sapphire? Or any examples you referred to before setting yours if you don’t have pics of yours?

Oh ya re ct/face up size I think cannot go smaller. I blame my fat finger on this. I’ve reduced my ring size in the last two years... maybe if I can go down another ring size... then all my gems/rings will magically look more substantial on me

 

[qubitasaurus]

Price is very good, colour is lovely (actually that colour is definitely fantastic, as his yellowish store lighting seems to make everything blue look underwhelming. So I can only imagine it has great colour).

The window is a downer. It partially closed up in that setting. But I would also be trying to work out whether it was going to grow on me or irritate me more with time. He also said to me that windows were unavoidable -- unless I wanted to buy something larger and have it recut. I squirmed a little (ok a lot) over this. Still haven't made peace with it.

On the plus side, a wonky culet doesn't really matter, as no one looks at these things from the back. So honestly if it looks good from the front, then no worries.

In the end I feel what really matters is whether you love it. If you can't get past the window then I'd say pass. If you can't stop thinking about it then I would go for it because it is a gorgeous blue!

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

It's all the jade and the cabs. They are messing with our perception of size Icy!

My jewellery neutral friend came over today with her kids for a play date and I asked for her opinion about my pad. She declared it was WAY too small for me (well it is) and will need a giant halo. I was rather stunned as she is not really that kind of person when it comes to rings (she likes her rings petite).

She pointed to my latest jade boulder and says "That looks good on you, that's the right size." I think both we ourselves and the people we hang out with are just used to seeing giant boulders on our fingers so when we get something small it shocks them and even they think it's tiny!

 

[icy_jade]

Did I mention that it’s unheated? Anyway it’s supposed to be unheated but sending to local lab to check.

Price is very good, colour is lovely (actually that colour is definitely fantastic, as his yellowish store lighting seems to make everything blue look underwhelming. So I can only imagine it has great colour).

The window is a downer. It partially closed up in that setting. But I would also be trying to work out whether it was going to grow on me or irritate me more with time. He also said to me that windows were unavoidable -- unless I wanted to buy something larger and have it recut. I squirmed a little (ok a lot) over this. Still haven't made peace with it.

On the plus side, a wonky culet doesn't really matter, as no one looks at these things from the back. So honestly if it looks good from the front, then no worries.

In the end I feel what really matters is whether you love it. If you can't get past the window then I'd say pass. If you can't stop thinking about it then I would go for it because it is a gorgeous blue!

Yeah when I saw the stone in the store I was pretty sure the color is fine even before I asked to see it outside. Any blue stone that looks decent in the store is probably quite nice in any other lighting.

Wahhhhhh need to sleep over the window. First world problems. (Super roll eyes)

It's all the jade and the cabs. They are messing with our perception of size Icy!

My jewellery neutral friend came over today with her kids for a play date and I asked for her opinion about my pad. She declared it was WAY too small for me (well it is) and will need a giant halo. I was rather stunned as she is not really that kind of person when it comes to rings (she likes her rings petite).

She pointed to my latest jade boulder and says "That looks good on you, that's the right size." I think both we ourselves and the people we hang out with are just used to seeing giant boulders on our fingers so when we get something small it shocks them and even they think it's tiny!

Hahahahaha. Someone did tell me a 7 ct sapphire looked like a very reasonable size on me when. compared to a jadeite cab ring so I guess so!

But honestly I still find the spinel halo on the big side so maybe I’m not as advanced as I think I am. My sweet spot is probably the blue tourmaline ring for now.

 

[icy_jade]

Poll results is evenly split for now, 3 vs 3

 

[dk168]

I voted no as the window and wonky bottom would bother me.

However, it's personal preference and all that.

DK

 

[qubitasaurus]

Did I mention that it’s unheated? Anyway it’s supposed to be unheated but sending to local lab to check.



Yeah when I saw the stone in the store I was pretty sure the color is fine even before I asked to see it outside. Any blue stone that looks decent in the store is probably quite nice in any other lighting.

Wahhhhhh need to sleep over the window. First world problems. (Super roll eyes)




Hahahahaha. Someone did tell me a 7 ct sapphire looked like a very reasonable size on me when. compared to a jadeite cab ring so I guess so!

But honestly I still find the spinel halo on the big side so maybe I’m not as advanced as I think I am. My sweet spot is probably the blue tourmaline ring for now.

Yes I'd be torn too. Seeing this one makes me convinced you made the right choices in the past though-- so I feel like you are going to come to the right decision again (whatever that may be).

 

[Arcadian]

I might be torn but that bottom is really bad. The way its cut it will you might always see a window. a stock setting might not close it.

 

[lovedogs]

Im actually not too bothered by that window, because it closes up a lot in the settings. And yes it has a wonky bottom, but you won't see that once set. I like it!

PS. in your random eye candy pics I LOVE the moonstone he has posted at the bottom of one of them (loose). So pretty!

 

[ChaiK]

You can close the window. Wriston will know what to do. And it won't be obvious. It isn't so bad a window right now but when you close it with the setting, the colour will pop and you would wonder why you worried about the window in the first place.

The stock setting, ask Wriston to put a tiny metal plate below the where the gem is (I don't think you need to tell him. He will know what to do). You are not capping it but the metal bit helps to reflect the light back up and bring out the colour more. the stone is in the setting but The metal is not glued to the stone unlike the jade ones. Let me try and find a pic.

Edit: Oh haha, it is called a closed gallery. I don't know how to say it. But yes. That's it. And this can be done on stock settings. I have seen it done.

 

[ChaiK]

It's all the jade and the cabs. They are messing with our perception of size Icy!

My jewellery neutral friend came over today with her kids for a play date and I asked for her opinion about my pad. She declared it was WAY too small for me (well it is) and will need a giant halo. I was rather stunned as she is not really that kind of person when it comes to rings (she likes her rings petite).

She pointed to my latest jade boulder and says "That looks good on you, that's the right size." I think both we ourselves and the people we hang out with are just used to seeing giant boulders on our fingers so when we get something small it shocks them and even they think it's tiny!

No no. People secretly love big. They just don't know it . Yet.

 

[Acinom]

Beautiful colour and great price for the colour too.

My sapphire has a small window that I discovered when my jeweller unmounted the stone to be sent to the lab. It closed though in the setting.

I would say: go for it!

 

[eapj]

I think it’s beautiful! The color is pretty and I barely notice the window.

 

[LilAlex]

I like it! I like the color and I think the price is nice for unheated. And I don't mind the wonky cut/off-center culet -- I think it's "better" to be off-center in the long than short axis, the way "yours" is. Of course there's always a bigger, better, brighter, prettier one.

I think it's pure personal preference at this point -- none of us have our actual eyes on it. If your budget were a few times higher, you could definitely get something that is nicer. But for 40% more? You could easily end up with a stone that is "better" on paper but that you don't like as much.

The more I see, the more I think that medium-toned and even medium-light blues are more versatile and attractive in a broader range of environments -- even though they might not be the richest, bluest blue under ideal studio conditions.

 

[mpc]

Wow price seems really good! I would say if the color is your ideal, go for it! I agree with others that the window seems to close in the settings. I actually have no idea if my stone has a window or not because the color is more than enough to distract me. On the other hand if you have any doubt, and don’t plan on buying more than one blue sapphire, then wait until one ticks all the boxes. Personally it’s hard for me to judge the color in all the lighting conditions you would experience on a daily basis, but if the cut bothers your mind to ‘see’ a window even if it did close up in the setting, then I’d hold off.

 

[deorwine]

I think I like yellow at first sight cos it looks like a diamond

Ambivalence is definitely from the window. If there was no window this is pretty much perfect.

Can you pls share some pics of how you minimized the window for your sapphire? Or any examples you referred to before setting yours if you don’t have pics of yours?

Oh ya re ct/face up size I think cannot go smaller. I blame my fat finger on this. I’ve reduced my ring size in the last two years... maybe if I can go down another ring size... then all my gems/rings will magically look more substantial on me

OK let's see if I can do this! You probably don't want to mimic me absolutely because I did put a "cup" under it and that made the window go away but at the expense of the sapphire getting rather darker in situations where sidelight/backlight are more prominent than frontlighting and I'm not sure how I feel about that.

But you can see it looks absolutely GORGEOUS in frontlighting situations (although I need to clean it, lol) and I swear it had a window that bothered the heck out of me when I had an open gallery ring that you can't see at all now:


I think @ChaiK is right thatthe way to go here is a closed gallery. Here is a pic of one that I mocked up in a 3D printer that I was thinking of resetting into. I think I need to add a crossbar in the basket part though, I was trying to keep it open but it's a bit too open

 

[deorwine]

I found a small sapphire I have with a window (I have too many sapphires!) so you can see how having a bit of metal on the bottom helps.

You can see it's got a fairly large window. (This was my first sapphire purchase, before I'd even heard of PS! It was supposed to be my engagement sapphire, long long ago, but I never got around to setting it. Long story which maybe I'll tell someday.)
In a simple Tiffany-like setting the window isn't bothersome:

In the white plastic mockup I had (it's way too small for the setting, lol, ignore that), you can see some white shine through the window, but if it's a silver-colored metal instead it will be glittery instead of, well, white:

Hopefully this makes things a little clearer!

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

IMO, if unheated is a must for you I say pull the trigger! She is gorgeous, imperfect, and rare like all of us.

If you are fine with heat (only), then you may be able to find this color with a better cut. (Without commenting on price because I have never seriously shopped for cornflower blue and have no idea on prices.)

 

[minousbijoux]

Poll results is evenly split for now, 3 vs 3

IJ: the only thing I would be going on at this point is whether you love the color, and whether you can not be bothered by the window if you bought and set it. I abhor windows, and yet I maybe could overlook that one since it does appear to close up in the right setting. But that is me. You are the one who needs to do the gut check on it.

 

[icy_jade]

@minousbijoux @mpc @qubitasaurus @mellowyellowgirl @dk168 @Arcadian
Ok so I think I can’t get over the window and off centre cutlet after scrolling and obsessively looking at the dozens of pics I took. So I will up my budget and see where it takes me. What gives me confidence is with each stone I seem to be getting closer to ‘the one’... and honestly I think if I super love the stone then it shouldn’t be so hard to make a decision and also should be much harder to think about giving it up (which was the case for yellow sapphire and tsav ring) so then it’s probably not the one. Does that make sense?

@Mrs_Strizzle @LilAlex @eapj @Acinom @luv2sparkle @ChaiK @lovedogs
This stone is nice but not the one for me. So the hunt continues. My jeweller said he will help me look for a nicer one so fingers crossed... fingers crossed that I don’t regret this...

@deorwine thanks for posting pics! They are very helpful and made me realize that the window for this is a bit bigger and I think cannot be completely hidden which was helpful

No no. People secretly love big. They just don't know it . Yet.

Hahahahhahaha this made me laugh. Really.

 

[icy_jade]

Ok to console myself I played with 小黄（Little Yellow) for a while. That’s my nickname for the yellow sapphire.



And I think I’ve finally figured out the horrid black strips that appears in some of the pics I take... reflection from my black iPhone case. So duh. Dunno why it took so long for me to figure out and I was starting to get worried about those black strips