Heated Sapphires - Your thoughts please?

[mellowyellowgirl]

Hallo folks!

I don't like blue. I don't like things that are so small, they look like a piece of snot.

There is a cornflower blue sapphire that I really like. Cheap as chips. Lovely colour. Not too snot like.

I want to go there but I'm not sure how I feel about heated Sapphires!

I would never pay the price that's asked of an unheated blue, especially one the size of a snot so unheated is not an option.

Thoughts anyone? Should I go there?

 

[elle_71125]

Personally, I don’t have a problem with heated sapphires. Sure, un-heated is great but it also comes with a notably higher price tag. For me, it’s always about color first. So if you love it, I say go for it.

 

[maru8888777]

Is it a really extraordinary color? What's the size? I think heated sapphires are acceptable too, especially when the color is great.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

Is it a really extraordinary color? What's the size? I think heated sapphires are acceptable too, especially when the color is great.

I wouldn't say extraordinary! But it's super cheap and beautiful!

2.8ish carats

I need a blue in my wardrobe that's why I'm pondering it. I had a fit many years ago and gave my old lame blue sapphire to my sister so now I find that I have no blue stones when I need one.

I have a funny relationship with blue.......

 

[maru8888777]

In my experience, there are no cheap 2.8 ct. cornflower sapphires, so if you trust the source and the sapphire has been certified as a natural, heat-only sapphire, and you like it, it's likely a good deal.

On the other hand, blue sapphires are moody and shifty, so I understand why they are not everyone's cup of tea. I have both heated and unheated sapphires and love wearing them, but some don't look great in every light. Will you regret getting it or will you regret not getting it more? That's always the question for me .

 

[minousbijoux]

I wouldn't say extraordinary! But it's super cheap and beautiful!

2.8ish carats

I need a blue in my wardrobe that's why I'm pondering it. I had a fit many years ago and gave my old lame blue sapphire to my sister so now I find that I have no blue stones when I need one.

I have a funny relationship with blue.......

a 2.8 ct super cheap and beautiful heated blue sapphire? Sounds like a no brainer to me. What have you got to lose?

 

[distracts]

I have both unheated and heated sapphires - while I would and did choose unheated for my engagement ring, I'm fine with either as long as the price is appropriate and the color is what I want. For me the color is way more important than whether or not it has had basic heat treatment. But then I also love gems like paraiba tourmalines which are all treated to get that color - feels weird to judge a sapphire for it!

 

[Autumn in New England]

You crack me up... no boogies allowed!

I tend to be a purist in general, so I do strive to collect untreated gems. But I have zero problem with heated stones. I personally draw the line with irradiation, diffusion, coating, filling (except for emeralds treated with minor oil/resin), etc. It's really all a matter of taste though. The thought is that low heat treatment is akin to the gem's natural growth process in the earth anyway, and so it is widely accepted in the trade. Some folks also feel the same way about irradiation, so to each her own.

I want to see this stone!

 

[peacechick]

I love blue zircons and there is nary an unheated zircon out there, so yeah, I don’t think there is a need to be a purist if it doesn’t affect its “mind clean” status for you. I feel like being educated about treatments and corresponding value helps you to make decisions that are right for your preferences and intended budget. That’s what being an educated consumer means.

 

[VividRed]

Hallo folks!

I don't like blue. I don't like things that are so small, they look like a piece of snot.

There is a cornflower blue sapphire that I really like. Cheap as chips. Lovely colour. Not too snot like.

I want to go there but I'm not sure how I feel about heated Sapphires!

I would never pay the price that's asked of an unheated blue, especially one the size of a snot so unheated is not an option.

Thoughts anyone? Should I go there?

I wonder what you would call my collection of carat-sized rubies and red spinels…a lung injury?

 

[Bron357]

I always say “buy the colour you love” in the size that won’t bankrupt you ha ha.
Of course unheated is “best” but at the end of the day when you or someone else are looking lovingly at it whether it’s unheated or heated, no one can tell.
What you and they see is colour and size.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

I love blue zircons and there is nary an unheated zircon out there, so yeah, I don’t think there is a need to be a purist if it doesn’t affect its “mind clean” status for you. I feel like being educated about treatments and corresponding value helps you to make decisions that are right for your preferences and intended budget. That’s what being an educated consumer means.

Soooo it's going to GIA to verify that it's heat only.

At the price I'm getting it for (if everything works out) the mind can be in the gutter and it wouldn't matter!

I do hope it works out! I'll keep you guys updated!

 

[dk168]

I am not into true blues and a natural blue Sapphire heat or unheated is not high on the list to purchase.

During lockdown, Gary was cutting lab stones and had blue Sapphires for sale, and I commissioned an Asscher cut one.

It is nicely cut with a lovely colour.

He has one listed at present, check it out if you are opened to the idea of a lab stone.

DK

 

[Avondale]

The way I see it, gemstones are formed through heat, among other things. So adding a bit more of the same thing nature does isn't such a big deal. I dislike humans doing things nature doesn't. If this one comes back as heat only and the price is so great, it's a no brainer.

I remember reading a story here on PS about a sapphire that came back from the lab as heated, but wasn't - the process was a result of volcanic eruption in the area where it was found. And you know, volcano, oven... same thing.

 

[Double E]

The way I see it, gemstones are formed through heat, among other things. So adding a bit more of the same thing nature does isn't such a big deal. I dislike humans doing things nature doesn't. If this one comes back as heat only and the price is so great, it's a no brainer.

I remember reading a story here on PS about a sapphire that came back from the lab as heated, but wasn't - the process was a result of volcanic eruption in the area where it was found. And you know, volcano, oven... same thing.

Lake baringo sapphire as I recall?

 

[Avondale]

Lake baringo sapphire as I recall?

Your memory serves you better than mine, I really have no idea.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

I have both unheated and heated sapphires - while I would and did choose unheated for my engagement ring, I'm fine with either as long as the price is appropriate and the color is what I want. For me the color is way more important than whether or not it has had basic heat treatment. But then I also love gems like paraiba tourmalines which are all treated to get that color - feels weird to judge a sapphire for it!

Are all paraiba's heated?

I didn't know that! It's a stone I would never get since I'm so late to the party I wouldn't even be able to afford a snot let alone anything bigger!

Maybe everyone feels fine with the heating because there is no other option? No unicorn to chase so to speak!

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

I always say “buy the colour you love” in the size that won’t bankrupt you ha ha.
Of course unheated is “best” but at the end of the day when you or someone else are looking lovingly at it whether it’s unheated or heated, no one can tell.
What you and they see is colour and size.

I do love the colour Bron! I really do!

Which is not something I usually say about blue!

 

[Mreader]

WHERE IS THE PHOTO?! Also all paraibas are heated???

 

[dk168]

Also all paraibas are heated???

A Paraiba cab is on my bling wish list, probably the last natural CS one as I am likely to go down the lab route for a neon yellow and a neon orange stone (unless I can find a decent fire Opal that I like and can afford).

DK

 

[icy_jade]

A 2plus carat sapphire isn’t that big @mellowyellowgirl, but ok if you put in a big halo.

If heat only, and a beautiful color and if you don’t mind heated, go for it but only if you really like it as I recall u saying a few times that you don’t like blue.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

A 2plus carat sapphire isn’t that big @mellowyellowgirl, but ok if you put in a big halo.

If heat only, and a beautiful color and if you don’t mind heated, go for it but only if you really like it as I recall u saying a few times that you don’t like blue.

It's freaking small by my standards!!! I'm going to get kicked out of my own thread for it being tiny!!!

But I need a blue and I don't want to spend too much on a blue if that makes any sense! Like some outfits just need a blue ring!

I'll wear it when I'm grocery shopping cuz it's tough!

Anyways I do love the colour! It is the only blue that has appealed to me in a while!

I was looking at zircons and then I was in and out, depending on mood but a huge zircon isn't that cheap! Well it is cheap but it adds up when you have a lot of carats!

Anyways that's the entire crazy train of thought!

ETA: Zircon is also easier to dink. I think I'm in a weird mood to experiment with blue again! I feel like I can't quite follow my philosophy of "go big" on a blue because I'm iffy about blues so this seems like a nice experiment where I am attracted to the colour.

 

[Double E]

A Paraiba cab is on my bling wish list, probably the last natural CS one as I am likely to go down the lab route for a neon yellow and a neon orange stone (unless I can find a decent fire Opal that I like and can afford).

DK

Have you considered heated yellow sapphire and spessartite? Sometimes when these gem types go extra saturated, it might appear neon.

 

[icy_jade]

It's freaking small by my standards!!! I'm going to get kicked out of my own thread for it being tiny!!!

Big big halo, else I think will be too small for you. I find 3 ct sapphires small and I’m not the one with giant heart rings…

 

[distracts]

Are all paraiba's heated?

I didn't know that! It's a stone I would never get since I'm so late to the party I wouldn't even be able to afford a snot let alone anything bigger!

Maybe everyone feels fine with the heating because there is no other option? No unicorn to chase so to speak!

I suspect not all of them since heating can naturally occur, but I've never seen an unheated neon blue/green anywhere so I assume they're astoundingly rare. Every neon blue/green one I've seen has been heated, but I've seen some unheated violets (which can usually though not always be heated to produce the neon blue/green color), and some blue/greens with a significant gray cast (which heating can rid them of).

 

[Autumn in New England]

I suspect not all of them since heating can naturally occur, but I've never seen an unheated neon blue/green anywhere so I assume they're astoundingly rare. Every neon blue/green one I've seen has been heated, but I've seen some unheated violets (which can usually though not always be heated to produce the neon blue/green color), and some blue/greens with a significant gray cast (which heating can rid them of).

Yes, you are correct! Inken and I were having this conversation a while back. She has or had several neon blue paraibas that were certified unheated by AGL. It is unusual, but they are out there. So, apparently, labs (or at least AGL) can find definitive evidence of no heat, but when there is evidence of heat, they're not able to tell if it's from the earth or applied subsequent to mining.

 

[Autumn in New England]

The way I see it, gemstones are formed through heat, among other things. So adding a bit more of the same thing nature does isn't such a big deal. I dislike humans doing things nature doesn't. If this one comes back as heat only and the price is so great, it's a no brainer.

I remember reading a story here on PS about a sapphire that came back from the lab as heated, but wasn't - the process was a result of volcanic eruption in the area where it was found. And you know, volcano, oven... same thing.

I love this. Volcanos... mother earth's personal oven!

 

[distracts]

Yes, you are correct! Inken and I were having this conversation a while back. She has or had several neon blue paraibas that were certified unheated by AGL. It is unusual, but they are out there. So, apparently, labs (or at least AGL) can find definitive evidence of no heat, but when there is evidence of heat, they're not able to tell if it's from the earth or applied subsequent to mining.

Yes - my paraiba AGL report was what looked to me, used to sapphire reports, to be incredibly vague on the subject of heating! lol. It just said something like, "treatment: paraibas are commonly heated." oh thank you for that edifying remark! at least it wasn't oiled/filled which so many are these days.

 

[Autumn in New England]

Yes - my paraiba AGL report was what looked to me, used to sapphire reports, to be incredibly vague on the subject of heating! lol. It just said something like, "treatment: paraibas are commonly heated." oh thank you for that edifying remark! at least it wasn't oiled/filled which so many are these days.

It was surprisingly important to me that my paraiba was not filled. Because emerald oiling (when minor) is perfectly acceptable to me. But I think the difference is that emerald, and especially Colombian material, is a Type III clarity gem. Paraibas are a Type II, so I feel like highly included specimens, or clarity enhanced ones, have a reduced value, even with fine color. Just my two beans on the topic...

 

[Mreader]

I love this. Volcanos... mother earth's personal oven!

How do you make these emojis???!!!