Advice on some Montana sapphires?

[duediligence]

Hi all, I'm considering a couple of Montana sapphires for an engagement ring.

Current frontrunners are these two:

Unheated Aqua Blue Montana Sapphire Cushion Brilliant Cut - Gemfix

Unheated Aqua Blue Montana Sapphire Cushion Brilliant Cut

gemfix.com

2.64-Carat Mint Green Montana Sapphire - Earth's Treasury

A gorgeous mint green unheated Montana sapphire in our "Helena" brilliant oval design, 2.64 carats.

www.earthstreasury.com

To sum up the input I got from the lady - the color itself is less important than the "magical" quality of the stones - which is to say, the famous (?) Montana sapphire color change.

The idea is that these would be solitaire stones set in i think white gold.

The Gemfix stone seems to grab me a lot more than the ET stone but that could just be the photography.

1. What are your thoughts on these stones in general?
2. Do these make sense as solitaire stones? Too large? Too ..., anything else (i am out of my depth here).
3. Is there any sense trying to work with a local jeweler in acquiring other Montana sapphires (for reference I'm in Chicago).
4. This may not be the right place to ask this part, but any recommendations on how to set the stone, or how the best way to go about doing that would be.

Thanks in advance for your time.

 

[T L]

Is the Earth Treasury stone heated?

For me, especially if the Earth Treasury stone is heated, I prefer the Gemfix stone based on the fact it’s larger, has better color, clarity and is unheated, its a better value.

However, I would still request a video of the ET stone just to make sure.

ETA: I see the ET stone is also unheated, but it has some fine silk, which may not give it the sparkle like the GF stone. I would definitely request a video.

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

How wonderful, and congrats to you on your upcoming engagement! I love a sapphire as an engagement ring. I often wear my color shifting sapphire in my avatar in place of my diamond, when I feel the need to embrace my inner "princess", lol. Only the wearer can say if either of these stones are too big. Mine is over 5 cts so I would say heck no! Do know that the specific gravity of sapphire is more than diamond, so it will appear smaller than a 2 ct diamond. There also is such thing as "diamond shrinkage syndrome " which applies to every stone. Over time they seem smaller. When I first got my diamond I was kinda self conscious about it which surprised me. Now I don't think about it at all until I see someone else notice it.

Anyway, my 2 cents is the gem fix stone as I prefer the color without so much yellow, but that's just personal preference. Good luck!

 

[Rfisher]

I think they make wonderful sense as solitaire stones, are they too large? Depends on what your loved one thinks!
(Congratulations by the way)

The part you said about

To sum up the input I got from the lady - the color itself is less important than the "magical" quality of the stones - which is to say, the famous (?) Montana sapphire color change.

I think is great but unfortunately can also be a pitfall.
I think it depends of what she perceives that color change to be? They are known for being shifty - but it really does vary from greying (‘silver’) out /desaturating to closer to color shifting or changing. Unfortunately some do go muddy - although those should be priced less. I’d think a color change Montana will be priced more than a color shifting one. (I’m bringing that up in case you may find as to why some are cheaper than others - it may be a reason)
Is she involved in the choosing of the individual stone? I hope so - or is it to be a surprise? I think if it’s a surprise - I’d be wary. Especially if she has an idea of what color change personality expect to see isn’t there. They typically are - but can be in many different ways.
(I think gemfix does a fantastic job of writing out the color shifts in their listings)

I don’t know of where to guide you to go view locally - to see in your local environmental lighting. To see the possible color shifts and how silk can /does play a part.
As to if it makes sense to involve a local jeweler - well, that depends. Are you paying them up front and how much? Are you lessening your upfront cost to view stones? Adding another level of middleman will have its price - but whether it’s worth it to you is subject to quite a few variables.

You can have a silk free crisp scintillation - or a softer, less sharp scintillation with some silk. Without seeing it ever - it’d be hard to choose what one prefers.

If you can’t find local to view - some here (including me) view the money paid to return a stone or two back to a vendor well spent on learning what we like with our own eyes. And seeing what the stone does in our own environment vs where the vendor is located.

PS
@Mrs_Strizzle
has the most wonderful sapphire shifty blue green ring ever

 

[Mrs_Strizzle]

I think they make wonderful sense as solitaire stones, are they too large? Depends on what your loved one thinks!
(Congratulations by the way)

The part you said about


I think is great but unfortunately can also be a pitfall.
I think it depends of what she perceives that color change to be? They are known for being shifty - but it really does vary from greying (‘silver’) out /desaturating to closer to color shifting or changing. Unfortunately some do go muddy - although those should be priced less. I’d think a color change Montana will be priced more than a color shifting one. (I’m bringing that up in case you may find as to why some are cheaper than others - it may be a reason)
Is she involved in the choosing of the individual stone? I hope so - or is it to be a surprise? I think if it’s a surprise - I’d be wary. Especially if she has an idea of what color change personality expect to see isn’t there. They typically are - but can be in many different ways.
(I think gemfix does a fantastic job of writing out the color shifts in their listings)

I don’t know of where to guide you to go view locally - to see in your local environmental lighting. To see the possible color shifts and how silk can /does play a part.
As to if it makes sense to involve a local jeweler - well, that depends. Are you paying them up front and how much? Are you lessening your upfront cost to view stones? Adding another level of middleman will have its price - but whether it’s worth it to you is subject to quite a few variables.

You can have a silk free crisp scintillation - or a softer, less sharp scintillation with some silk. Without seeing it ever - it’d be hard to choose what one prefers.

If you can’t find local to view - some here (including me) view the money paid to return a stone or two back to a vendor well spent on learning what we like with our own eyes. And seeing what the stone does in our own environment vs where the vendor is located.

PS
@Mrs_Strizzle
has the most wonderful sapphire shifty blue green ring ever

Thank you so much!

 

[Mjay]

There is seriously something special about that gemfix stone. To be completely honest I had been eyeballing that one myself but it was to large for my project. The earths treasury stone does have a better spread. I would definitely start by getting a video of the earths treasury stone so you can better compare.

 

[duediligence]

I think they make wonderful sense as solitaire stones, are they too large? Depends on what your loved one thinks!
(Congratulations by the way)

The part you said about


I think is great but unfortunately can also be a pitfall.
I think it depends of what she perceives that color change to be? They are known for being shifty - but it really does vary from greying (‘silver’) out /desaturating to closer to color shifting or changing. Unfortunately some do go muddy - although those should be priced less. I’d think a color change Montana will be priced more than a color shifting one. (I’m bringing that up in case you may find as to why some are cheaper than others - it may be a reason)
Is she involved in the choosing of the individual stone? I hope so - or is it to be a surprise? I think if it’s a surprise - I’d be wary. Especially if she has an idea of what color change personality expect to see isn’t there. They typically are - but can be in many different ways.
(I think gemfix does a fantastic job of writing out the color shifts in their listings)

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. Can you explain a little about the difference between color shift and color change?

She's involved but it's still my final call, which is to say I show her pictures of candidate stones after we've had a night out and her memory will be fuzzy on it the next day. The "problem" is she thinks they are all great and would probably say yes to me if i proposed with a shard of glass from the alleyway, which is a good situation to be in but I still want to get a quality stone. From her close friend I know that she had expressed interest in these two stones below before I got serious about the search - so ultimately I don't think the specific color as between these stones is the dealbreaker.

Montana Sapphires | The Natural Sapphire Company

Straight out of Montana, these sapphires are perfect if you're looking for something truly made in the USA! Check out our full Montana sapphire collection.

www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com

1.38ct Montana Cushion Greenish Blue Sapphire - U8817

<p>Experience the allure of nature with our exceptional gemstone from The Natural Sapphire Company - a transparent 1.38 carat cushion shape greenish blue sapphire. With dimensions of 6.83 x 5.28 x 4.09 mm, this gemstone is a true embodiment of elegance and beauty. The scissor cut of this...

www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com

(not really considering these for the ring but just the info I got from the friend).

 

[duediligence]

There is seriously something special about that gemfix stone. To be completely honest I had been eyeballing that one myself but it was to large for my project. The earths treasury stone does have a better spread. I would definitely start by getting a video of the earths treasury stone so you can better compare.

Thanks - just googled spread - you're saying the stone probably looks larger than others of its carat weight? Good idea on the video, I'll reach out to them.

 

[duediligence]

There also is such thing as "diamond shrinkage syndrome " which applies to every stone. Over time they seem smaller. When I first got my diamond I was kinda self conscious about it which surprised me. Now I don't think about it at all until I see someone else notice it.

Good point - I hadn't considered that but it makes a lot of sense. Thanks.

 

[LilAlex]

To sum up the input I got from the lady - the color itself is less important than the "magical" quality of the stones - which is to say, the famous (?) Montana sapphire color change.

Killjoy here. I sense disappointment following those very high expectations. Those are pretty stones but sapphires generally look worse than their pictures (less saturated and typically a less-desirable hue). And unlike with an opal, say, or a Kashmir sapphire or an imperceptibly silky Burma ruby, I don't think there is likely to be a whopping dose of magic that does not come through in the carefully curated vendor photos. I mean they are all sparkly, etc., but assuming that your fiancée has seen some gems, I'm not sure what magic she is referring to. And I agree with @Rfisher above: the presence of a color change need not imply a cool or killer color change. And a color change in a very pale stone is unlikely to knock your socks off no matter which direction it goes.

If she has not, I think she will need to see some of these in person. This reminds me a little of the surprise-her-with-an-alexandrite threads.

My (provincial) understanding is that Montana sapphires are a hit in the US but not so much elsewhere. They are fascinating but a bit of a niche gem. The beautiful vivid but tiny blues (Yogo) made a name back in the day -- but I have never seen antique or vintage jewelry use "fancy-colored" Montana sapphires. Is she from the American West? Must her gem be Made in America? Asking semi-seriously.

 

[T L]

The Montanas I’ve seen are more about sparkle and luster, than color. If you want fine vivid blue color, go with an Asian or Madagascar stone. If you want a sparkler, a light toned Montana is nice. They’re almost always precision cut as well, unlike their Asian counterparts. That being said, I’ve seen gorgeous yellow Montana sapphires that are cut so well, they look like canary diamonds. You also get incredible durability with the very nature of it being a sapphire, so it’s an everyday ring, and of course the ethical mining standards are important to many.

 

[deorwine]

Killjoy here. I sense disappointment following those very high expectations. Those are pretty stones but sapphires generally look worse than their pictures (less saturated and typically a less-desirable hue).

Yes. I had a very hard time with sapphires until I figured out that in my head I should dial down the saturation a couple of notches from what the picture says.

For GemFix specifically, I have found that their pictures can upsell the stone a bit. However their videos seem more accurate (the video of this stone looks very nice) and I can say they have an excellent return policy. I don't have any experience with Earth's Treasury but they also appear to have an excellent return policy.

I'll also say that as your soon-to-be-fiancee seems to like lighter colored stones, these have a more "magical" color shift / desaturation process. (I don't think it's specific to Montanas, but Montanas may be more likely to be offered in that color range.) Light colored sapphires go from light blue/green to silver, which can be quite lovely if that's the kind of thing you like (I do). Whereas more saturated stones will go from a darker more saturated blue to... a greyer blue, which is not all that interesting.

Seconding the question as to whether it has to be a Montana. If it's a lighter colored sapphire that appeals to her, one could probably find a non-Montana that is just as pretty but rather cheaper. But I have a couple of Montanas myself so I understand that sometimes location really is everything

 

[duediligence]

Killjoy here. I sense disappointment following those very high expectations. Those are pretty stones but sapphires generally look worse than their pictures (less saturated and typically a less-desirable hue). And unlike with an opal, say, or a Kashmir sapphire or an imperceptibly silky Burma ruby, I don't think there is likely to be a whopping dose of magic that does not come through in the carefully curated vendor photos. I mean they are all sparkly, etc., but assuming that your fiancée has seen some gems, I'm not sure what magic she is referring to. And I agree with @Rfisher above: the presence of a color change need not imply a cool or killer color change. And a color change in a very pale stone is unlikely to knock your socks off no matter which direction it goes.

If she has not, I think she will need to see some of these in person. This reminds me a little of the surprise-her-with-an-alexandrite threads.

My (provincial) understanding is that Montana sapphires are a hit in the US but not so much elsewhere. They are fascinating but a bit of a niche gem. The beautiful vivid but tiny blues (Yogo) made a name back in the day -- but I have never seen antique or vintage jewelry use "fancy-colored" Montana sapphires. Is she from the American West? Must her gem be Made in America? Asking semi-seriously.

I appreciate a contrary perspective. I think our bar for "magic" is pretty low - she's big on costume jewelry but I think this will be her first "real" gemstone of any kind. And i know she has been enamored in the past with the kind of pale sapphires from my second linked post above. So to paraphrase Arthur C Clarke I think any sufficiently decent sapphire will be indistinguishable from magic for our purposes.

and she did in fact grow up in the American west.

 

[LilAlex]

So to paraphrase Arthur C Clarke I think any sufficiently decent sapphire will be indistinguishable from magic for our purposes.

This is such a great line!

 

[Autumn in New England]

The Montanas I’ve seen are more about sparkle and luster, than color. If you want fine vivid blue color, go with an Asian or Madagascar stone. If you want a sparkler, a light toned Montana is nice. They’re almost always precision cut as well, unlike their Asian counterparts. That being said, I’ve seen gorgeous yellow Montana sapphires that are cut so well, they look like canary diamonds. You also get incredible durability with the very nature of it being a sapphire, so it’s an everyday ring, and of course the ethical mining standards are important to many.

I 100% agree with this ^. OP, strictly in terms of the listings (and not knowing how either stone fares in person), I vastly prefer the GemFix one. But you may need to compare them both in-hand for such an important decision. Congrats on your impending nuptials and welcome to the forum!!