Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice)

[RealEmotionalTrash]

Hello all,

I looking for a custom sapphire engagement ring for my girlfriend. I'm still very new to this all and trying to learn enough so I don't purchase junk, so I feel like I could be making a big mistake without some guidance here.

I am mainly interested in "Light Peach" or "Champagne Peach" Sapphires. For setting i'm thinking Diamond halo and rose gold. I would also consider something more Peach Pink, but I think the color might be considered close to "Padparadscha", so more costly. So far I have mainly been looking on etsy. I am not sure where to go locally (Boston area). I'd prefer to get the stone and setting together to save time.

I think I've found a ring that would make my girlfriend happy online, but i'm still hesitant to purchase because I can't see the ring in person and i'm worried I may be getting ripped off, purchasing something of poor quality since I know so little about gemstones.
The seller itself has very glowing reviews on etsy, though only around 100. Apparently they do most of their business through another website.

The seller is claiming that it is a natural, unheated, untreated sapphire.
weight: 3.7 ct.
dimensions: 9.92x7.71x6.34 mm
cut: crown-brilliant, pavilion-step
color: champagne peach
shape: oval
notes: Small Inclusions. Does not effect appearance. No evidence of heat treatment.

The seller is providing a gem report by what they are claiming is an independent gemologist. They are listed in the GIA alum assn (I verified). Googling the gemologist leads me me to believe he could be trustworthy. Though I still don't know if he is in some type of partnership with the seller and since this isn't a report from an respected independent lab like GIA or AGL it should be considered pretty worthless.

In the listing the seller claims it's clarity is VVS (using the type 2 GIA colored stone grading system).

This is where I am starting to get confused. GIA - Type 2, VVS, as far as I understand means "Very, Very Slightly Included (the best) Minor inclusions that are somewhat easy to see using 10X, but still not visible to the naked eye. "
The seller says the grading is done at eye level, so i'm thinking this should probably be considered VS or SI1 clarity. I asked for more information about the inclusions and they offered me to send macro photos. They are the first four images in the photo album linked below.

The seller has been very quick to respond to my messages and overall seems like they could be trustworthy to me. A search of PriceScope for this seller didn't turn up much. Just one thread in which someone had similar concerns with the seller and if they were making a good purchase. The original poster of that other thread ended up returning the stone to the seller because it wasn't exactly what they wanted. If I buy the ring I plan on getting an AGL Gembrief and if it comes back with information conflicting with his report (ex: heat treated) he is willing to refund me the cost of the report, shipping and the ring.

Since I'm very new to this I don't know if I could be getting ripped off. The Sapphire looks pretty to me, but it looks like the inclusion is visible at eye level, but maybe only at an angle, thus why the seller is considering it VVS. It doesn't look like it has much of a window or extinction, but maybe a small bowtie? I'm not really experienced enough to tell. Overall the color of the Sapphire seems pretty light, which I would think would keep the value lower? The cost of the ring would be $4540 shipped and I don't really know if it is a reasonable price to pay.

Photo album of the ring: http://imgur.com/a/bgwkV
A video of the ring: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2sgdr4

My soon to be fiancée (hopefully) and I would really appreciate any help and guidance. Thanks!

 

[gingercurls]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

Hi and welcome to Pricescope!

First, and maybe I missed something in your post, it looks like the photos and the video are of two different rings. That being said, the stone looks much cleaner in the video. Based off of the pictures it looks like there is no way the stone is eye clean.

 

[RealEmotionalTrash]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

Hi and welcome to Pricescope!

First, and maybe I missed something in your post, it looks like the photos and the video are of two different rings. That being said, the stone looks much cleaner in the video. Based off of the pictures it looks like there is no way the stone is eye clean.

The first four photos in the album were sent from the seller to be in an attempt to make the inclusions more visible after I asked him about them. I asked him if the stone was eye clean, and he kind of dodged the question by sending those photos. The second four were taken directly from the listing, thus why it's harder to seem them there.

The video was also pulled directly from the listing, so I am assuming it is the same ring, the seller probably had the lighting and camera set to make the gem look ideal.

 

[PieAreSquared]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

Hi and congratulations. I hope ring shopping isn't what's making you "real emotional trash"!

Unlike diamonds, GIA does not assign "Flawless" as a clarity grade to colored stones. Sapphires, and all corundum, are Type II stones, you are correct that does mean: "Very, Very Slightly Included (the best) Minor inclusions that are somewhat easy to see using 10X, but still not visible to the naked eye. " Industry definition of 'not visible to the naked eye' is eye clean to a person seated, with the stone at table level, about 12 inches away. Perhaps not eye clean 2-3 inches away.

When he responded to your inquiry regarding inclusions simply with macro photos, that probably isn't as dodgy or evasive as you might think. Some people are eagle-eyed and some people wouldn't see inclusions at all. The photos are probably his way of saying, 'look for yourself and see what YOU think'.

Just from the pictures, I am unable to make out any visible inclusions, however, the stone looks very hazy/cloudy and nearly colorless in the pics and video.
It may be worth a look in person if the vendor has a good return policy, and depending on how much shipping will set you back.

This is a big purchase for you, and a very important one. You should take your time and educate yourself as much as possible about sapphires and what to look for. Look at as many in person as you can. Visit as many jewelry stores and gem shows in your area as possible. When you know what questions to ask and what to look for, you will be able to make an informed decision for yourself. Then you can save a bundle by purchasing it online!

 

[Niel]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

I agree with the statement above that the stone looks hazy. I also dont think the color is much to write home about.

I wanted to comment though that I do not think that setting is a good quality. I think for your budget you could do better, though I dont know exactly what it is.

I would suggest finding the best stone you can, and save about 1500 for a halo setting to pop it in. A setting can be made to fit your stone and it wouldn't go into the "custom" territory.... Or....you could do that too!

 

[agingsparkle]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

Julia B on etsy has a lot of peachy stones -- sapphires and also spinel and morganite. She's on the recommended vendor list, and I believe she usually has a wide range of stones not on the site, so if you're looking for a particular shape or size you could ask what she has… here are some peach sapphires in rose gold, but you can also look through her settings because she might have a stone that would suit a different setting. Good luck!!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/206023452/peach-sapphire-engagement-ring-rose-gold?ref=shop_home_active_16
https://www.etsy.com/listing/196286197/peach-sapphire-engagement-ring-rose-gold?ref=shop_home_active_16
https://www.etsy.com/listing/196985969/peach-sapphire-engagement-ring-agl?ref=shop_home_active_11

 

[chrono]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

I agree with the statement above that the stone looks hazy. I also dont think the color is much to write home about.

I wanted to comment though that I do not think that setting is a good quality. I think for your budget you could do better, though I dont know exactly what it is.

I would suggest finding the best stone you can, and save about 1500 for a halo setting to pop it in. A setting can be made to fit your stone and it wouldn't go into the "custom" territory.... Or....you could do that too!

I agree with Niel's post. The stone looks hazy and almost colourless based on the video, which is typically harder to fake/adjust. The setting also looks very flimsy and poorly done.

Secondly, Etsy's feedback/review is pretty much useless. There are both good and trashy vendors there, Etsy does nothing to protect the customer and any good feedback cannot be retracted.

 

[RealEmotionalTrash]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

Hi and congratulations. I hope ring shopping isn't what's making you "real emotional trash"!

Unlike diamonds, GIA does not assign "Flawless" as a clarity grade to colored stones. Sapphires, and all corundum, are Type II stones, you are correct that does mean: "Very, Very Slightly Included (the best) Minor inclusions that are somewhat easy to see using 10X, but still not visible to the naked eye. " Industry definition of 'not visible to the naked eye' is eye clean to a person seated, with the stone at table level, about 12 inches away. Perhaps not eye clean 2-3 inches away.

When he responded to your inquiry regarding inclusions simply with macro photos, that probably isn't as dodgy or evasive as you might think. Some people are eagle-eyed and some people wouldn't see inclusions at all. The photos are probably his way of saying, 'look for yourself and see what YOU think'.

Just from the pictures, I am unable to make out any visible inclusions, however, the stone looks very hazy/cloudy and nearly colorless in the pics and video.
It may be worth a look in person if the vendor has a good return policy, and depending on how much shipping will set you back.

This is a big purchase for you, and a very important one. You should take your time and educate yourself as much as possible about sapphires and what to look for. Look at as many in person as you can. Visit as many jewelry stores and gem shows in your area as possible. When you know what questions to ask and what to look for, you will be able to make an informed decision for yourself. Then you can save a bundle by purchasing it online!

Thanks for the advise. Real Emotional Trash is the name of one of my favorite albums, but ring shopping is certainly stressful!

I'm trying to learn as much as I can as quickly as I can, but I'm running on a limited time frame. I only have about a 1-1.5 months to get the ring as I'm planning the proposal around our summer vacation. I've also have had difficultly finding decent gem dealers in the Boston area.

 

[chrono]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

Please post your specs and we will try our best to get it done in a month.

Budget
Shape of stone (but you might have to be flexible on this)
Pale orange pink?
Is heat only acceptable?
Millimeter size? Carat weight works too but mm is what you will see.
Simple halo setting - check. White gold? Rose gold? Yellow gold?

Is a spinel okay? It is untreated, very well cut and sparkly and almost just as durable as a sapphire. It is $3K, 3 carats and leaves you $1500 for an off the shelf halo setting.

 

[RealEmotionalTrash]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

Julia B on etsy has a lot of peachy stones -- sapphires and also spinel and morganite. She's on the recommended vendor list, and I believe she usually has a wide range of stones not on the site, so if you're looking for a particular shape or size you could ask what she has… here are some peach sapphires in rose gold, but you can also look through her settings because she might have a stone that would suit a different setting. Good luck!!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/206023452/peach-sapphire-engagement-ring-rose-gold?ref=shop_home_active_16
https://www.etsy.com/listing/196286197/peach-sapphire-engagement-ring-rose-gold?ref=shop_home_active_16
https://www.etsy.com/listing/196985969/peach-sapphire-engagement-ring-agl?ref=shop_home_active_11

Thanks for the suggestion. I actually came across her rings during my search on etsy. One thing that I noticed was that a lot of her stones were not certified and the ones that were seemed to come with what seemed like a high markup, which kind of scared me away. I'll go back and give her a closer look now.

 

[deskjockey]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

I agree with the statement above that the stone looks hazy. I also dont think the color is much to write home about.

I wanted to comment though that I do not think that setting is a good quality. I think for your budget you could do better, though I dont know exactly what it is.

I would suggest finding the best stone you can, and save about 1500 for a halo setting to pop it in. A setting can be made to fit your stone and it wouldn't go into the "custom" territory.... Or....you could do that too!

Agreed with all this. It's beautiful in the pictures but those are under perfect lighting and possibly are tweaked. I feel like the price is way too high, honestly.

I would check with etsy vendor JuliaB, I feel like I've seen a lot of rings in her shop in the color range you're looking for and they are probably better quality. Her pictures are hard for me to read, I think she takes a lot of them in direct sunlight, which makes them a little hard to judge.

Either way I think if you shop for stone first, people here will find you some good ones

 

[RealEmotionalTrash]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

I agree with the statement above that the stone looks hazy. I also dont think the color is much to write home about.

I wanted to comment though that I do not think that setting is a good quality. I think for your budget you could do better, though I dont know exactly what it is.

I would suggest finding the best stone you can, and save about 1500 for a halo setting to pop it in. A setting can be made to fit your stone and it wouldn't go into the "custom" territory.... Or....you could do that too!

I agree with Niel's post. The stone looks hazy and almost colourless based on the video, which is typically harder to fake/adjust. The setting also looks very flimsy and poorly done.

Secondly, Etsy's feedback/review is pretty much useless. There are both good and trashy vendors there, Etsy does nothing to protect the customer and any good feedback cannot be retracted.

Thanks Chrono and Niel.

I've actually showed my girlfriend a number of stones and rings and this one was actually one of her favorites. I think she would be happy with the colorless peachy color. I'm probably the one pushing the peachier Pad like colors...

I had the same concerns about the setting. It looks very delicate to say the least, though my girlfriend really did like the ornate look of the gallery.

There are too many question marks with this seller and product. I started this thread with these concerns, and since it seems like this ring is overpriced, i'm just going to move on, the risk/reward just isn't there.

 

[Niel]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

I agree with the statement above that the stone looks hazy. I also dont think the color is much to write home about.

I wanted to comment though that I do not think that setting is a good quality. I think for your budget you could do better, though I dont know exactly what it is.

I would suggest finding the best stone you can, and save about 1500 for a halo setting to pop it in. A setting can be made to fit your stone and it wouldn't go into the "custom" territory.... Or....you could do that too!

I agree with Niel's post. The stone looks hazy and almost colourless based on the video, which is typically harder to fake/adjust. The setting also looks very flimsy and poorly done.

Secondly, Etsy's feedback/review is pretty much useless. There are both good and trashy vendors there, Etsy does nothing to protect the customer and any good feedback cannot be retracted.

Thanks Chrono and Niel.

I've actually showed my girlfriend a number of stones and rings and this one was actually one of her favorites. I think she would be happy with the colorless peachy color. I'm probably the one pushing the peachier Pad like colors...

I had the same concerns about the setting. It looks very delicate to say the least, though my girlfriend really did like the ornate look of the gallery.

There are too many question marks with this seller and product. I started this thread with these concerns, and since it seems like this ring is overpriced, i'm just going to move on, the risk/reward just isn't there.

Well we can find a quality setting similar to that, so dont feel like you have to buy that lower quality one just becuase she likes the style. If we can't fine one already designed, there are custom designers who will mimic designs for fair prices.

 

[RealEmotionalTrash]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

Please post your specs and we will try our best to get it done in a month.

Honestly, my girlfriend doesn't even really know what she wants. She isn't the type of girl that has her perfect dream ring. Since I am trying to surprise her I've spent the last year teasing her by showing her rings online and getting her feedback periodically. She has rings she doesn't like and some she likes. There isn't one setting, cut, or color that she prefers. What she seems to like depends on the combination (i.e. may prefers certain settings with certain cut or stone color, etc). She isn't very picky in the sense that there is one ring she has to has, but there are certainly rings she doesn't like.

These are the best specs I can do right now

Budget $3000-$5000, but flexible to go higher if its good value.
Shape of stone (but you might have to be flexible on this). flexible.
Pale orange pink? Anything between Pale Peach to Pad
Is heat only acceptable? I'd prefer natural, but won't eliminate heat only from my search, she doesn't care
Millimeter size? Carat weight works too but mm is what you will see. Anything between 2 ~ 4 Carats, not sure about mm
Simple halo setting - check. White gold? Rose gold? Yellow gold? Simple halo with oval stone, otherwise this is flexible. Rose gold is her top choice, but White Gold works in certain situations (Like with a Pad)

Is a spinel okay? It is untreated, very well cut and sparkly and almost just as durable as a sapphire. It is $3K, 3 carats and leaves you $1500 for an off the shelf halo setting.

I thought about a spinel, but I don't think it will be a good idea to go below 9 Mohs. My girlfriend isn't careful with her jewelry

The problem I have is that it makes it difficult to shop for a stone separately since she doesn't know exactly what she wants.

 

[RealEmotionalTrash]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

Can I get some of your opinions on this etsy shop? Qualtity of her stones and settings, etc?

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SundariGems?ref=l2-shopheader-name

She is not a preferred seller here, but has 400+ positive reviews on etsy, and a lifetime warrenty. I also found numerous glowing reviews on other sites like weddingbee.com and a few on reddit. There were even a couple of posts here on pricescope from someone who had her setting made from her and was blown away by it. All of her gemstones now come with GIA certs, so i'm not worried about a fake stone.

She had a lot of the type of rings I was looking for, but not in the color/size combo I wanted, so i sent her a message about a few days ago and she offered to find one that matched my criteria. I'm waiting to see what she comes back with now.

 

[Niel]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

Heres a possibility. I dont know the company you referenced, so I couldn't comment on that

https://www.etsy.com/listing/206023452/peach-sapphire-engagement-ring-rose-gold
This isn't an oval, obviously, but I think I like the overall ring more, and it comes with agl cert. I bet shed give you pictures of them both together. https://www.etsy.com/listing/196985969/peach-sapphire-engagement-ring-agl

 

[RealEmotionalTrash]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (UPDATE)

So the etsy seller I mentioned above got back to me with some stones she was able to find. I contacted her based on this ring: https://www.etsy.com/listing/216636513/certified-oval-peach-pink-champagne, but asked for a larger stone.

I was hoping I could get some opinions from the experts here.

Here are the two she found:





And her descriptions:

The stone on the left is 2.57 CT (8.8 x 7.0 mm) oval, unheated, GIA certified. Cost of ring and setting: US$3,900 plus $50 shipping.

The stone on the right is 2.23 CT (9.2 x 7.4 mm) oval, unheated, GIA certified. Cost of ring and setting: US$3,700 plus $50 shipping.

The right stone has more intense colour than the left, but the right is wider & more flat (more seen through with less fire) than the left. The left is better cut than the right. Both stones are absolutely eye-clean.

I definitely agree with her descriptions based on the photos. That windows on the right stone is huge! I like the color of the right stone more than the left, but everything else about the left stone seems better to me. My girlfriend would also probably prefer the left's color because she does tend to prefer lighter colored sapphires for some reason.

I also asked for a video of the sapphires and she was nice enough to take one at 4am before she had to return them to her supplier, but it didn't turn out too well. She said to ignore the color in the video because the lighting was poor and the white balance of her camera was off. It was also her first time taking a video... Here is a link anyway. Maybe some experts with an eye can pick something out: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2cj3amgib24sw13/sg-01.mov?dl=0

 

[chrono]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (UPDATE)

I agree that the one of the left is cut better than the one on the right.
I also agree that the one on the left is practically colourless compared to the one on the right.

Due to the lack of colouration, the one on the left is much too expensive for what it is. Even then, the one on the left still has cut issues. It is also windowed and there is a distinct medium sized bowtie. I noticed your description that the colouration is not accurate? If so, then I wonder what the true colouration is.

 

[RealEmotionalTrash]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (UPDATE)

I agree that the one of the left is cut better than the one on the right.
I also agree that the one on the left is practically colourless compared to the one on the right.

Due to the lack of colouration, the one on the left is much too expensive for what it is. Even then, the one on the left still has cut issues. It is also windowed and there is a distinct medium sized bowtie. I noticed your description that the colouration is not accurate? If so, then I wonder what the true colouration is.

The window in the left stone isn't really noticeable to me. In fact i'm still not sure if I really see it, but I'm am a newbie. I don't think it would bother me or my girlfriend. Do you think it would close in the setting?

I did noticed the bowtie on the left stone even before you mentioned it, though it isn't as visible to me in the video. How much does this effect the value?

The colouration is not accurate in the video due to camera and lighting conditions. The seller said the color in the photos is very very close to the real colour of the stones for natural in-room low lighting situation.

Here is a higher resolution image:
http://i.imgur.com/AFy9GN1.jpg

Keep in mind that those prices were including the setting, which would price the stone around 1k/ct.
For what I have found on etsy it seems reasonably priced, but I realize etsy in general is probably not a good place to fine a deal.
I've been looking across the web and a lot of the recommend vendors from here, but haven't really found a lot of similar stones to give me a sense of good value. But from what I have found, the price doesn't come across as outrageous to me.

For example this sapphire which I think is compariable from wild fish is on sale for $5200. http://wildfishgems.com/inc/sdetail/10895/18345

 

[chrono]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (UPDATE)

The bowtie seems more obvious to me in the video. Due to the light colouration of the stone, I'm not sure whether the window will be less obvious once set. I would not make ANY pricing comparison to Wildfish as they are one of the most expensive vendors I have ever come across.

 

[Niel]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

Would you consider a cushion

http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/gemstones/?sku=6916

Seems very pale, but she seems to prefer that

I like this one . unheated, gia cert it says, and your size requirement
http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/gemstones/?sku=6623

And you could get you a setting there too

 

[deskjockey]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

I like this one . unheated, gia cert it says, and your size requirement
http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/gemstones/?sku=6623

And you could get you a setting there too

Ooh... I really like that one

 

[RealEmotionalTrash]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

I like this one . unheated, gia cert it says, and your size requirement
http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/gemstones/?sku=6623

And you could get you a setting there too

Yes, I like this stone as well. The color looks a lot different in the GIA report though. http://www.gem2000.com/images/certs/c6623.pdf

Is that something to be concerned about?

 

[chrono]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

I like the cushion; it probably looks somewhere in-between the vendor's and GIA's pictures.

 

[RealEmotionalTrash]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

I called pearlmans, they are going to e-mail me some more pictures later today.

What kind of setting(s) would you recommend with a cushion. Does a halo still work well?

 

[Niel]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

I called pearlmans, they are going to e-mail me some more pictures later today.

What kind of setting(s) would you recommend with a cushion. Does a halo still work well?

They sell Beverly k. I would mention you're from Pricescope and what their best price could be on this halo setting in rose gold (or whatever gold you decide)
http://www.greenwichjewelers.com/shop/designers/beverley-k/products/k-cushion-cut-engagement-ring-with-diamond-halo-and-band

 

[partgypsy]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

One thing I do have to caution you about, is getting the color right.

I bought a peachy stone, and while I look good in pinks and peaches, the stone basically disappeared on my skin, looked beige, and was not flattering at all. Is there anyway to include your intended on choosing the color and even putting the stones on her skin to see if it works for her skin tone? I wouldn't want you to spend thousands of dollars on the stone, and find out it is not to her liking.

 

[partgypsy]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

If she is flexible on the design and the size, there are some attractive rings at simply sapphires

http://www.simplysapphires.com/jewelry/gorgeous-rare-padparadscha-sapphire-diamond-ring-14kwg-2.53-ctw?cPath=170&

I especially like the rings that are described as "rose" colored sapphires as well.

 

[RealEmotionalTrash]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

One thing I do have to caution you about, is getting the color right.

I bought a peachy stone, and while I look good in pinks and peaches, the stone basically disappeared on my skin, looked beige, and was not flattering at all. Is there anyway to include your intended on choosing the color and even putting the stones on her skin to see if it works for her skin tone? I wouldn't want you to spend thousands of dollars on the stone, and find out it is not to her liking.

She is pretty set on a peachy pink colored stone, though she hasn't tried any on in person. She is pretty pale, so i'm not sure if I will have to worry about this happening.

 

[RealEmotionalTrash]

Re: Custom Sapphire engagement ring advise! (gemstone novice

I called pearlmans, they are going to e-mail me some more pictures later today.

What kind of setting(s) would you recommend with a cushion. Does a halo still work well?

They sell Beverly k. I would mention you're from Pricescope and what their best price could be on this halo setting in rose gold (or whatever gold you decide)
http://www.greenwichjewelers.com/shop/designers/beverley-k/products/k-cushion-cut-engagement-ring-with-diamond-halo-and-band

She definitely prefers rose gold. This setting could definitely work if it comes in rose.