Blue sapphire question.

[Djarum]

I have started another topic about what I am sort of looking for in designing an e-ring, but I have a general question about blue sapphires. I realize cut and clarity are very important. But one thing I have noticed is that it appears to me that saturated blue sapphires don''t seem to have as much "sparkle"(maybe brilliance?) as some of the lighter counterparts. Is this due to cut or just saturation of the stone? For example:

http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Blue/Round/stoneid=B2935

I love this color, but it doesn''t have a tone of "sparkle" too it. But it, to me, has a fantastic color. On the other hand:

http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Blue/Round/stoneid=B2802

This stone is slightly lighter, but has more sparkle, not siginficantly, but more than the previous stone.

Another example:

http://www.ajsgems.com/gemstones/Sapphire/Blue-Sapphire-2049211621-2046340410.html?sessionID=gib-f1w-2kxF8Sx7


My main concern is that these stones are nice, but in regular indoor lighting are going to look opaque vs translucent.

When I think of fire in a blue stone, I think of this(spinel):

http://www.artcutgems.com/item.php?item_id=492&page=2&category_id=48

Or is what I am seeing just based on the lighting in which the stone is taken?

Any suggestions?

Dj

 

[LostSapphire]

Hello Djarum

If you go to the information sections of NSC, Palagems, and AJS you will see a fair bit of information on sapphires and how they photograph for online purposes.....there''s a section in one of them (I think it''s Palagems) where they show the same stone photographed in 6 different lighting conditions....it looks totally different in each one! (I''ll see if I can find you the link to that page).

In particular, keep in mind that a lot of these photographs have light going through the sapphires from the back, so what you may see IRL may not be what you see on the screen. And of course, daylight/fluorescent/shady, etc affects the pic as well. IRL, once it''s set in a ring, there is very little light that gets through the back.

Sometimes you have to see the stone first, and look at it sitting on your hand in natural light. And, being a gemstone, you won''t see "fire" the same way you do in a diamond. That''s just not their nature. Some of the really high quality cuts have a lot more sparkle, and concave cutting as well gives more reflectance to the stone.

It takes a lot of time and patience to find just the *right one*. It''s not a precise science....But once you do find it, you''re good to go.

Good luck!

LS

 

[Djarum]

I believe you are talking the examples on wildfishgems. I looked at that, and it was educational. But it really doesn''t discuss "brilliance", only color. I realize that sapphires aren''t as flashy as diamonds, but I have seen brilliant sapphires and I''ve also seen very saturated dull looking ones as well.

Dj

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Sapphires do have brilliance, it tends to show up better in some lighting better than others, but it exists. That was a major factor in me choosing my sapphire, and besides the color, that is what gives me the most joy when I wear it.

Brilliance is something that is graded, it is just that a lot of companies do not put that info up, you have to ask about it. The way it is graded is % brilliancy, or how much of the stone sparkles when under the right light. If sparkle is important, you want to aim for about 80%. Just so you realize, brilliant cuts (rounds, ovals, cushions) show much more brilliancy than a step cut, this is similar to a diamond.

 

[LostSapphire]

Date: 7/23/2008 6:12:07 PM
Author: LtlFirecracker
Sapphires do have brilliance, it tends to show up better in some lighting better than others, but it exists. That was a major factor in me choosing my sapphire, and besides the color, that is what gives me the most joy when I wear it.

Brilliance is something that is graded, it is just that a lot of companies do not put that info up, you have to ask about it. The way it is graded is % brilliancy, or how much of the stone sparkles when under the right light. If sparkle is important, you want to aim for about 80%. Just so you realize, brilliant cuts (rounds, ovals, cushions) show much more brilliancy than a step cut, this is similar to a diamond.

EXCELLENT points, LtlF.

LS