Experts tell me what you think please.

[kimmyintexas]

Could ya''ll look at this sapphire and tell me what you think about it overall? Is this a lighter colored sapphire? It appears so to me but I don''t know much about them at this point but I think I want to go with a sapphire instead of an aquamarine and this one seems gorgeous (and expensive!) Thanks a bunch!

Kimberly

http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/Sapphires/Blue/Cushion/stoneid=B2550

 

[movie zombie]

i''m not a sapphire expert. $2k per carat is not unusual and it can go higher for an even better colored stone. personally, i like the color of this one better than the popular darker color which if of excellent quality goes for a lot more per carat and glows dark blue....different from what we see 9 times out of 10 which is just dark.

if you haven''t done it yet, checkout rwwise.com for some pictures and descriptions of what constitutes a great sapphire. also his book.

again, i do like the color of this one and imo the cut isn''t horrible....but then i''m more concerned re color, tone, extinction, and windowing than i am about if the cut is perfect.

movie zombie

ps i hope some of the high end, fine crystal sapphire experst chime in here!

 

[coatimundi_org]

I love the light/bright Sri Lankan sapphires. From the photos, this one looks like a beauty in my book. Price per carat makes sense for unheated material. Taste in color is subjective. Some like the darker violetish blues--some like the lighter blues. From the photo this one appears to have a bit of green.

If you can get to a good dealer or a gem show, that would be great. It''s beneficial to view colored stones in person. Then you can get a feel for what you prefer, and go from there.

 

[jvLin]

It is a bit light, yes. Good hue, medium saturation, and it looks like there could be a few windows. I''m no expert, but I''d aim for something smaller with a better quality. That, and I''ve heard bad things about NSC.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

It looks like a nice stone, but yes, expensive (but it is a high ct weight). How do you want to set it? Sapphires darken when they are set, so keep that in mind. Also, sapphires are hard to photograph, so if you are interested, I would take a look, with a low threshold to send it back if you don''t like it. Many of us had to see several stones before we found the one we loved.

 

[marcy]

It looks really pretty to me. I like the lighther blue sapphires.

 

[ma re]

The stone is nice, but I believe you can get a similar one for a better price. It''s got a nice color, no major flaws (although outline isn''t nicely shaped), looks to be lively and it''s pretty big for a sapphire, but I''ve seen unheated stones of this color and size going for less. I would even consider getting a sligthly larger one with a native cut and having it recut - it could save you a lot of money.

 

[chrono]

Very pleasant colour of decent saturation. The outline is a little off though and I'm not sure how visible this is in person.

jvLin, I'm afraid I'm not seeing any windows in this stone. What you are seeing are the pavilion faceting through the table, which admittedly isn't perfect, which is why it looks unsymmetrical.

 

[movie zombie]

i''m not a fan of buying a stone for recutting. if you do decide to do this, you will need to work really close with a cutter prior to buying.

remember: you get what you pay for....and quality is never cheap. this stone appears to have good "crystal" which in and of itself commands a premium price. for a definition, see richard wise. however, that''s not to say another won''t have good crystal too. however, many do not.

movie zombie

 

[chrono]

I concur with MZ. It's not easy to buy a native cut stone for recuts. For one, many cutters now refuse to do recuts anymore due to the risk. There might be an inclusion or feather that might break and make the stone end up smaller. Also, many times, the weight loss is great (big belly and no top or too shallow to begin with) and the client doesn't understand why the stone is so small after the recut. Another factor many do not consider is the stone itself. Believe it or not, many native cutters are able to bring out the best colour out of the stone. I have seen quite a few precision recuts where the colour was less attractive after the recut.

The only time I would get a recut stone is if the cutter buys it himself after looking at it and takes the risk of cutting it while offering me 100% refund if I don't like it. I have been fortunate that the cutters I've worked with have offered me such generous return policies.

 

[T L]

Doesn't NSC offer to do recutting of their own stones? I think that is a very nice and large stone. I like the shade of blue, and I think the cutting on it is as decent as you're going to get for a native cut stone outside of having it recut by a super skilled lapidary. I like the antique cushion shape and chunky facets. Can she get something similar cheaper? Perhaps? However will it be as large and as nicely cut? I don't know.

BTW, ask about the Valentines Day sale they're having. You should be able to get a significant savings on that stone if you mention that to them. There's a discount on Valentines day of a certain percentage.

 

[chrono]

Small hijack. So sorry...

Hey TL, I know you "hate" spinels but come take a peek at Sparkle''s thread, okay?