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Gem Student's Engagement Ring Corundum Conundrum

lmcriss

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 29, 2016
Messages
159
I'm not really sure how to word all of this but here goes... My boyfriend and I are looking for an engagement ring (yay!!!! :-D) He knows everything that I'm looking for in a ring and knows what he wants to give me. However, I am a new gemological student. My wonderful, thoughtful boyfriend showed me a picture of a stone he found online that he is considering purchasing for my ring. (We're looking for a Montana Sapphire).

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My response was not what he wanted it to be. Two or three months ago I would have been over the moon about this stone. However, I've realized that I'm learning so much so quickly (I'm doing the distance education program and slowly working my way towards a Graduate Gemologist Diploma) that all I see are flaws and a great big window in the stone. The color zoning is fine but because it's right in the middle of that big ol window, it's hard for me to get past.

When I talk to my friends who aren't in gemology, they look at me like I'm being a spoiled brat, and this is all really hard to explain. I can't wait to marry him and he could give me a bread bag twist tie as long as it came with the question. Recently, I've even suggested leaving out the engagement ring altogether and just buy wedding bands until we have enough money to afford something that I really want (we're in the process of saving money to purchase a house and things are a bit tighter than normal). He is very traditional and says that he won't feel right about going that direction.

I was wondering if there was anyone else in the gemology community who has had this problem? When you learn so much so quickly that when you look at some stones all you see are their flaws? What did you do to fix it?

Also, if anyone has any suggestions to find a Montana Sapphire suitable for a new gemological student? We're looking for something in the 7-8mm range (he likes round, I like fancy shapes) in the $1,500 or lower range, Your help is most appreciated!!!

Best,

Leah
 
Re: Gem Student Seeking Montana Sapphire for Engagement Ring

As far as best sources for montanas:

http://www.earthstreasury.com/product-category/gemstones/sapphire-gemstones/montanasapphire/ (trends towards more expensive)

http://gemfix.com/gem-category/sapphire/sapphire-montana/

https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/MountainMommaGems (this is where I got mine! note, her pictures of my stone all seemed to show a window but in person it's not there.)

http://blazengems.com/retail/shop/ (extremely nice and helpful vendor, not the best photos. I've seen a lot of nice stones cut from his rough, often by Jerry Newman which is the next link)

http://www.gemartservices.com/for-sale.html

(for someone interested in gemology, the most fun route would probably be to work together with blaze and jerry, but that's sort of a risky route as you can't guarantee what you get!)

Also, this newer vendor has come up recently, I don't know how good they are but they show nice stones, many cut by known names:
https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/MissouriSapphireCo
 
Re: Gem Student Seeking Montana Sapphire for Engagement Ring

There is one for sale on one of the "fine faceted gems" Facebook group (if you search that on FB you'll find it) that looks to be well-sized at a reasonable price. This isn't a well known seller--it's someone selling from their personal collection, so I'd recommend using paypal for protection, but it looks great from the photos. Its 1.95ct and $800.


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Here's another few options from a very well known and respected seller here on the boards that looks gorgeous

https://www.mastercutgems.com/Products-251-Ruby_and_Sapphire/8764-Montana_Natural_Color_Shift_Sapphire_1_63_ct_-GemMedia.php?FromPage=1&ProductMediaID=35514

https://www.mastercutgems.com/Products-251-Ruby_and_Sapphire/8682-Montana_Natural_Unheated_Sapphire_1_55_ct_-GemMedia.php?FromPage=1&ProductMediaID=35253

https://www.mastercutgems.com/Products-251-Ruby_and_Sapphire/8696-Montana_Natural_Unheated_Sapphire_1_23_ct_-GemMedia.php?FromPage=1&ProductMediaID=35316



Could you let us know what color you are looking for? Do you want a greenish tone?

Thanks and good luck! :wavey:
 
Thank you so much for all of those great resources!! I'll definitely be checking out all of those today! :-)
 
Re: Gem Student Seeking Montana Sapphire for Engagement Ring

lovedogs|1454081974|3983552 said:

that one looks SO COOL.

Been eyeing it since it was posted, and can't believe I forgot to put them on my list. Oops. LOL :oops:
 
Great minds think alike. Dana's square is one of my fave Montana's right now!
 
Re: Gem Student Seeking Montana Sapphire for Engagement Ring

deskjockey|1454082974|3983561 said:
lovedogs|1454081974|3983552 said:

that one looks SO COOL.

Been eyeing it since it was posted, and can't believe I forgot to put them on my list. Oops. LOL :oops:


I love this one, it makes me wish I liked squares more. :love:
 
You are not being a 'spoiled brat' because your education has enlightened you to what a quality gem should look like! The same thing happens in other professions; music, art, etc. Education will change your outlook on what is a "good" painting or piece of music too. It doesn't mean you will never enjoy it again, you will have even more appreciation for fine quality when you stumble across it. You have now discovered how much sub-standard goods are on the market, feel lucky you can see the difference!

You asked what you can "do to fix" the fact that you can now see flaws. Nothing! You don't settle. Buy the best stone you can for your $1500 budget, even if that means compromising on size. And on that note, Montana sapphires do not normally come in very large sizes, a good, clean 7mm is going to be hard to find; an 8mm even more so -at ANY price. Looking in the 6 - 6.9mm range should net you lots of stones in your price range.

Your fiance is lucky to have such a NOT-spoiled-brat that she would be happy with a bread bag twist tie! Congratulations on your engagement.
 
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! You are all the best! Thank you for all the amazing resources! I can't wait to check some of those out! And I've already sent that 1.63 ct mastercuts stone to my guy! It's gorgeous! Also, special thank to PieAreSquared! You can't even imagine how much I needed to hear what you said. Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement! Looking forward to hearing more from this awesome community! Thanks again!

Leah
 
lmcriss|1454089116|3983605 said:
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! You are all the best! Thank you for all the amazing resources! I can't wait to check some of those out! And I've already sent that 1.63 ct mastercuts stone to my guy! It's gorgeous! Also, special thank to PieAreSquared! You can't even imagine how much I needed to hear what you said. Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement! Looking forward to hearing more from this awesome community! Thanks again!

Leah
If you choose to go with Mastercut, you will absolutely LOVE working with Dana. He is a fine fellow. Be sure to tell him your story.
 
I agree that you're not being a "spoiled brat" and I also agree that I would not happy with that stone. I think you could omit any criticism and just say that you don't feel like you have the funds to get something you really like, so you would like to wait. Or better, you could focus on the fact that you're okay getting married without an engagement ring, and that you would prefer to have something later at a special anniversary.

Even without a gemological education, the stone looks blue with olive green and yellow. I think a lot of people would not like that.

If you focus on the criticism of the ring, however, it sounds like you are criticizing a gift which does not sit well with people. My husband of over 15 years gave me a ring that was the opposite of what I asked for, and I gently tried to correct the situation, but he took it personally (and the ring didn't change for a decade). He understands now, but that took a long time!

I pretty much put it like this: when I buy him a sweater for Christmas, he always tells me if he doesn't like it. I don't make a big fuss and make it personal. It's not reasonable to force him to wear something he doesn't like! I just return it, or we go together and get something for him that he likes. An ering is something very important, and an item that could be worn every single day. It only makes sense, and it's considerate, to make sure the receiver actually likes it. It's an object, not the actual love, that is being critiqued. But still, because it's given at the same time as the love, it's hard for most people to see it this way. That said, once you get one you do like, it will have positive sentimental meaning.
 
If you're a brat, I wonder what that makes most of us!! :lol: :lol: You're education is keeping you and your guy from making big mistakes. Thats a good thing IMO. Use what you know to your advantage (and his) and get the best damn rock in your budget. :clap:
 
I would love to thank ALL of you for your supportive and VERY helpful responses :-D He bought a stone! Purchased it last night and was very coy about telling me but I couldn't be happier :-D Will post pictures once it comes in the mail (or once it's set, I'm not sure how much more input I'm allowed to have ;-)) Thank you all for sharing Dana's incredible Sapphire with me, I pretty much fell in love with it the minute I saw it and so did he apparently :-D

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Thank goodness!
 
Oh yay yay yay!

I'm excited to see the end results, that's a lovely stone. :)
 
I'm SO GLAD you went with that stone! It's an excellent choice and absolutely gorgeous! Hooray! :appl:
 
YAY! So happy to see it get a home. :)
 
It's a gorgeous stone. Please don't forget to come back here and post pics after it's set, or after the proposal! Congrats!
 
You don't need a gemologist's degree to see the difference between those two stones. The one you got is amazing. Congrats!
 
What a great outcome. It's a gorgeous stone.
 
You picked a beautiful stone! :D
 
blackprophet|1454517477|3986245 said:
You don't need a gemologist's degree to see the difference between those two stones. The one you got is amazing. Congrats!
Agreed! Congratulations on your lovely new e-ring sapphire.
 
Oh I love a story with a happy ending! :appl: Kudos to you and your bf for working this out together, and please come back with pics of your finished ring. That stone is gorgeous!
 
I finally get to wear my pretty sapphire!!! Thank you all again for your help finding the most perfectly beautiful Montana Sapphire out there! Obviously, the pictures don't even begin to do this gorgeous stone justice!! :love:
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:love: :love: :love: :love: :love: :love: :love: :love: :love: :love: :love:
 
What a gorgeous sapphire and ring. Congrats to you with your engagement and your gem studies.
 
I love how much you love it! Congratulations!
 
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