Blue Sapphire Available!

[minousbijoux]

Jeff Davies just posted this blue sapphire. Normally, I would post a stone like this to SGBTS thread, but its a big, sought after, blue sapphire! Its big at 4 carats and it looks pretty darn nice in the video. Its a 8.6mm round with heat treatment only and looks to be a medium dark with strong saturation and good cutting (at least I did not see much extinction in the video). Jeff's price is $6,650 and has a lab report from AIGS.

Here is the photo and the link to the video: Jeff Davies Gems Jewellery http://youtu.be/-5lSiKUEE0M

 

[JewelFreak]

Oh, swoon!!!

--- Laurie

 

[chrono]

It works out to $1.6K/ct for a 4 ct heated blue sapphire which is not too shabby at all considering the colour, carat weight, cut and shape. Minou, do you know if this price is for purchasing through eBay or directly off his website? Although very deep, I think it can be forgiven in this case as the stone has other attributes attractive enough to overlook it.

 

[Rosebloom]

Gorgeous. Sigh.

 

[VapidLapid]

I'm not so impressed with this stone. I could forgive its excess depth if it were distributed between the crown and pavilion more equitably. I see a great deal of zoning that is both colorless and certainly visible from the top. If the video's focus were better, and the stone's rotation a little slower it would be more readily apparent.

 

[chrono]

VL,
I am sorry to have to make you "work" but do you mind doing a screen capture and marking where the zoned areas are? I paused the rotation as the stone turned to the front and interpreted it as light glare and brilliance scintillation.

 

[movie zombie]

I think perhaps the perceived "zoning" is in the pavilion but i'm not sure that isn't just a camera illusion.
i'd forgive this stone its depth in a heart beat. why? look at that face up color!

 

[devaughnb]

I am completely new, but in the video doesn't seem medium dark to me? Is the industry standard (ideal tone) lighter than this?

4ct sounds massive, do you all think something like this might work in a VCraeynest setting?

 

[VapidLapid]

 

[VapidLapid]

 

[VapidLapid]

 

[chrono]

VL,
Thanks for supplying all the additional pictures but unfortunately, none are of any use. Colour zoning is always judged in the face up position, looking down through the table and not from the pavilion view or side view. Even when face up, it is to be rotated 360 degrees whilst face up for a thorough evaluation. Some sapphires will show zoning from the pavilion but if the cutting masks that face up, the stone isn't penalized.

 

[chrono]

I am completely new, but in the video doesn't seem medium dark to me? Is the industry standard (ideal tone) lighter than this? 4ct sounds massive, do you all think something like this might work in a VCraeynest setting?

I don't know the lighting condition used in the video but it looks rather bright, therefore I think it might fall into the medium dark range under normal conditions. 4 ct might sound massive but due to the depth, this sapphire is only 8 mm. Van Craeynest will custom build their setting around your stone to make sure the proportion fits.

 

[devaughnb]

Thanks Chrono

can a stone be considered to be well cut if the depth varies from ideal? Or is the only consequence surface area?

 

[VapidLapid]

I guess I just have harsher standards. To me if there is considerable zoning visible through the majority of the crown then the one dead center face up point of view is not going to be enough.

 

[movie zombie]

the ideal is what appeals to your eye.
color stones do not follow the rules for diamonds.
while it is true this is a big pavilion for such a "small" face up, it is color that reigns supreme here.....and for that price per carat i'm not sure that one can do better without paying lots more.
it is not a badly cut stone as much as it is like most stones cut to maximize performance and that performance is all about color.
all this is merely my opinion except the part that color stones do not follow the rules for diamond sentence.........

if this vendor has a good return policy you have nothing to lose in having it sent to you to see how it strikes your eye.

 

[chrono]

There are several definitions of well cut:

1. Precision cut
Some are well cut and some are not but in general, it should have very precise meetpoints, high polish, no windows (cut to the correct angles), an even girdle, very good facet symmetry and the like. I have seen not so well cut precision cut stones with overly large tables and easily seen tilt window.

2. Non precision cut
Again, some are well cut and some are not. The well cut ones will not be as precise as a precision cut stone but at the same time, be well cut enough that the naked eye will not detect any issues. Under the loupe, the meetpoints are not perfect and the polish isn't as fine. These are symmetrical to the eye with no windowing (cut to the correct angles, just not as precise). The less well cut non-precision cut stone will show varying cut issues ranging from extinction, easily seen tilt windows, windowing, off-centered culet, etc.

Unfortunately, there is no single or even several ideal cut due to the various gem types that requires different cutting angles and the endless cut designs available. Add that the aim is to play up the colour, work around zoning, inclusion, closed axis and more, it becomes almost impossible. My sweet spot for depth is anywhere between 65% and 70%. It is fair to say that you can still get a well cut stone in the 60% to 65% range and 70% to 80% range but there are downsides with those. That said, if the colour is great and there are no other cut issues or very minor cut issues, I don't mind stepping outside my personal range. Fine coloured stones are rare enough that we don't have the option of being overly choosy.

 

[movie zombie]

............ That said, if the colour is great and there are no other cut issues or very minor cut issues, I don't mind stepping outside my personal range. Fine coloured stones are rare enough that we don't have the option of being overly choosy.

and therein lies the real truth.

and the bolded is worthy of a signature line.

 

[PrecisionGem]

I can't comment on the stone in this thread, but will comment on evaluating a stone from a photo or video. First, it's difficult at best.

Photographing stones is very difficult, and any picture is going to show hot spots where the light is glaring or reflecting off a facet. This doesn't mean the stone has a white spot or colorless spot, rotate the stone 2 degrees, and a whole different set of facets will glare. The same is true with dark areas. I can't tell you how many people have emailed me asking what is that black blotch in the stone? When it's simply the facets that, in the particular view in the photo are not reflect as much light as adjacent facets are.

I could take the most homogeneous piece of lab created rough, do an absolutely perfect cut on it, and in the photos you would see dark and light spots, and facets that are even showing a hot spot or glair. This isn't zoning in the stone, its the nature of a photograph.

The only way to really evaluate a stone is to have it in your hand. Pictures can at best, give you a rough idea of the color and brilliance of a stone. I have seen stones talked about here where people have exclaimed; "I see gray" or "I see brown", and then have seen the actual stones in the dealers shop, and nothing could be further from the truth.

 

[minousbijoux]

For what its worth, I would take heed of Vapid's observations and make sure to ask the vendor. As always, the prospective buyer needs to do their due diligence and ask questions.

VL: thanks for your posts and taking the time to post screen captures; you obviously spent more time watching the video than I!

 

[BlingObsession]

For what it's worth, I have just spoken to the vendor about this stone. There is indeed a tiny bit of zoning which is visible through the pavillion but it is definitely not visible looking through the table.

 

[minousbijoux]

For what it's worth, I have just spoken to the vendor about this stone. There is indeed a tiny bit of zoning which is visible through the pavillion but it is definitely not visible looking through the table.

Bling: Thanks for actually checking in with the vendor regarding the stone!

 

[jstarfireb]

For what it's worth, since we all know vendor photos can vary quite a bit, I just bought 2 stones from Jeff and found his photos, videos, and descriptions to be highly representative of what I see in real life. I'm not well-versed enough to comment on the zoning, but I have to say the color looks beautiful and vibrant!

 

[BlingObsession]

I too have bought from Jeff and his pictures are very accurate. He is also extremely patient and is happy to answer a zillion questions.

Somebody please buy it becuase my daughter doesn't think I should spend part of her college fund on a sapphire

 

[movie zombie]

Bling, explain that it will be part of her inheritance!

 

[BlingObsession]

Clearly the child is not of my womb because she thinks I have enough sparkly stuff to pay a small country's national debt!

 

[davi_el_mejor]

I think Chrono hit the nail on the head with medium dark... the darker side of medium dark. I think Jeff's camera loves the cool colors and wants to make them pop.

 

[SB621]

4cts facing up at only 8mm I have a real issue with. My sapphire that is being cut by Jeff will be around 7.5mm and that is under 2cts. I just feel like this sapphire is a waste of money with all the bulk in the backend.

 

[chrono]

For reference, a 2.5 ct round sapphire will face up approximately 8 mm. A 4.5 ct sapphire faces up close to 10 mm.

 

[movie zombie]

sb621, and that is why you are having rough cut....to meet your specifications and what will be pleasing to your eye...your ideal as it were.

me? if we weren't paying the house off by the end of the year that sapphire would be mine.

at the end of the day its all about color for me and that pavilion would not bother me an iota.
its the face up that I worry about and as long as there is no zoning there i'd be a happy camper.
I also think that deeper stones often times have the best color face up.

I do wish a pricescoper would take the plunge and give their hands on report to us........