Evaluating two blue sapphires

[remetau]

Hi all,

I've been lurking around for quite awhile. I like buying my wife jewellery, and prefer colored stones. Through research and reading all these posts, I have purchased a ruby, tourmalines, blue and yellow zircons, a couple of garnets including a mahenge and a collection of others including many lab stones. Although Ruby is her favorite colored stone along as her birth stone, I have always been intrigued with blue sapphires. I buy these for both of us to enjoy since I like seeing them just as much as she does.

I've decided to make our next purchase a surprise blue sapphire. After lots of reading and web searching, I ordered two stones to check out. These are quite differing stones. One is a 4.12 ct oval and the other is a 2.55 cushion both AGL heat only. There is quite a difference in price, but with the holiday discounts the price per ct is about the same.

Thus far, I have found that the cushion is a bit darker blue and more saturated. The oval has a visible inclusion, but has a nice size and color. They are both deep cut, but the larger oval has a 7mm deep cut. I know this may require a custom setting, but I don't mind that at all. This isn't an engagement ring and I wouldn't expect her to wear this every day. Although harder to see face up, I found the cut on the cushion a bit off as you can see in the upside down shot.

The cushion has been reviewed on here before, but hopefully I can add some better photos even though it is just my phone pics.

I know this may be a strange time to be posting such a post, but we normally live in Grenada and I didn't have much time to evaluate stones state side at this time.

All comments and insights are greatly appreciated.

Some pics:

 

[JackTrick]

Is the cushion wonkily cut? The last picture has one side looking asymmetric, but I’m not sure if it’s just the angle

 

[remetau]

Is the cushion wonkily cut? The last picture has one side looking asymmetric, but I’m not sure if it’s just the angle

It is somewhat. I can see one of the corners in face up shots a bit off, but doesn't appear that bad, but the upside down shot is wonky.

 

[qubitasaurus]

They both look nice, and I imagine were both quite expensive per ct.

Try taking some photos in different lighting (I.e. dim fluorescent lighting at night on the back of your hand) as sapphires tend to shift colour and saturation depending on lighting.

 

[Bron357]

I like them both.
the smaller one seems to have better tone and the larger one is, well larger.
which one ”speaks” to you? If neither, keep looking.

 

[T L]

To be honest, they remind me of iolite. Why on earth do they face up a nice blue hue, but they’re so gray in the photo showing their pavilion. That’s a trait of iolite, unless it’s an inaccurate photo????

 

[Rfisher]

I just read your postings in the vendor vs owner photos
Interesting!
Do either look unattractive to your eye in any specific lighting?
Would it come down to one shape/size over the other in lending itself better to a ring design you have in mind?

 

[remetau]

I returned the 2.55. I think the color was nice to my eye, but it was just a bit too dark most of the time for me and a little smaller face up than I was looking for.

I still have a couple days to evaluate the 4.12, but I am leaning towards keeping it. It appears blue to me in almost all lighting. This is with a phone and it appears that the phone is adjusting based on light levels. May need to take some tomorrow with DSLR, but hard to do without wife seeing. The inclusion is visible, but according to Dana it should cover up using a 6 prong 10x8 basket.

This is outside in very overcast and rainy skies:



Inside in low florescent lighting:



In led lighting interior at night:



And worst is incandescent lighting. Desktop lamp only light source:

 

[2Neezers]

I was rooting for the big oval! It looks gorgeous

 

[remetau]

Thanks. I think it is beautiful, but I also feel that my phone camera is making it a little brighter than my old eyes see.

 

[remetau]

It was a little more than I wanted to spend, but I have decided to keep the 4.12. I have been keeping it in pocket and pulling it out all the time to get different glimpses of it.

At a restaurant bathroom ( I know, kind of weird):




At grocery store:



At home bathroom:

 

[LilAlex]

To be honest, they remind me of iolite. Why on earth do they face up a nice blue hue, but they’re so gray in the photo showing their pavilion. That’s a trait of iolite, unless it’s an inaccurate photo????

I don't know iolite but I've seen this with a bunch of blue sapphires. Maybe it's a function of the length of the light path -- twice through the stone when looking down through the crown (increasing saturation) vs. once through the stone and backlit when looking through the "side"?

 

[Acinom]

What a stunning blue. Great choice!

 

[remetau]

What a stunning blue. Great choice!

Thank you. I have loved your sapphire.

 

[Polabowla]

Just wondering why sapphire if her favorite is ruby? Sounds like it costs quite a bit, so wouldn't you rather spend it on her favorite stone?

 

[strawrose]

Nice! I like the big oval better because of the cut.

 

[remetau]

Just wondering why sapphire if her favorite is ruby? Sounds like it costs quite a bit, so wouldn't you rather spend it on her favorite stone?

I already got her a ruby a number of years ago that she loves. I think she'll love the sapphire too once she sees the blue of it.

 

[lmyracle]

Nice choice! How will you set it?

 

[remetau]

Nice choice! How will you set it?

Not sure yet. It will be custom, but looking around now. She likes unique modern or art deco styles. She's not really into halos, but diamonds will be included.