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Help finding/buying first sapphire

Lovecarats

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 23, 2021
Messages
78
Hi, All.
Another person looking for their first BLUE sapphire (I don't want to hijack the other people's searches if they're still looking).
I've read through the info. What I've learned is that this is harder than diamonds!!!! Goodness!


Color-wise, I know that I love the nice, deep, vivid blues (darker than cornflower).
Preference is oval, but I also like cushion cuts. Looking for 9-10mm.
I always hear about windowing, which concerns me because I'm not sure how much is "okay."
Heated or unheated. It just needs to be a 100% natural sapphire, well-cut, sapphire.
Finally, my budget is $5000.

Thanks in advance for any help received!
 
Last edited:

whitewave

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
12,331
I haven’t been able to find 8 mm heated for your budget, but I’m still looking.

Also, because of Covid, many vendors haven’t been able to travel to reup their stock.
 

Lovecarats

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 23, 2021
Messages
78
I haven’t been able to find 8 mm heated for your budget, but I’m still looking.

Also, because of Covid, many vendors haven’t been able to travel to reup their stock.

Thank you. If I need to up my budget a bit, I can. $5000 is a ballpark.
 

whitewave

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
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8CAF3088-7693-45F4-B7A6-23ABACAFCD9B.png 8D1A380C-7345-406D-A9A8-6324442F8B5F.jpeg
 

whitewave

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Messages
12,331
Could you give me some help on how close I am getting to your desired color?

my favorite is that second one, number 1985
 

Lovecarats

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 23, 2021
Messages
78
Hi! I like the color of the second and fourth stones the best (1985 and 6285).
Could you give me some help on how close I am getting to your desired color?

my favorite is that second one, number 1985
You're amazing!

1985 and 6285 are my faves colorwise. I almost feel like if there were a color right in the middle it would be perfect (like Goldilocks).
 

whitewave

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Gotcha, I’ll keep looking today
 

whitewave

Super_Ideal_Rock
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12,331
 

whitewave

Super_Ideal_Rock
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just throwing this out in case you wanted a ready made ring
 

whitewave

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Feb 29, 2012
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12,331
You could also contact Inken and see if she is going to any gem shows to see if she can find you one.

 

Lovecarats

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 23, 2021
Messages
78
Wow. I went to go work-out and came back to some more pretties.
Thanks so much @whitewave! I'll take a look.
 

fantapanda

Shiny_Rock
Joined
May 31, 2019
Messages
147
If you go on IG and check out desert rose's IG story, she's at the gem fair now and posted an oval royal blue sapphire 3+ ct and slightly above $5000 if you want her to get that for you.
 

Lovecarats

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 23, 2021
Messages
78
If you go on IG and check out desert rose's IG story, she's at the gem fair now and posted an oval royal blue sapphire 3+ ct and slightly above $5000 if you want her to get that for you.

Thank you. I just sent her a message.
 

Lovecarats

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 23, 2021
Messages
78
If you go on IG and check out desert rose's IG story, she's at the gem fair now and posted an oval royal blue sapphire 3+ ct and slightly above $5000 if you want her to get that for you.

Well she picked the stone up for me! Thanks so much.
 

marymm

Ideal_Rock
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Apr 21, 2010
Messages
5,520
^ Wow! Personally I would be hesitant to go for a $5K+ purchase from a vendor who doesn't do returns, but you seem very confident you found your sapphire - congrats! I hope you post photos and your thoughts upon receipt!
 

Lovecarats

Rough_Rock
Joined
Feb 23, 2021
Messages
78
^ Wow! Personally I would be hesitant to go for a $5K+ purchase from a vendor who doesn't do returns, but you seem very confident you found your sapphire - congrats! I hope you post photos and your thoughts upon receipt!

Yeah. We shall see.
 

whitewave

Super_Ideal_Rock
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sapphire.jpg

It was in her instagram stories. I would have never found it because I am completely inept at navigating those!

Oooh, it is pretty.

I don’t know how IG stories work either or how to find them
 

Cerulean

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Sep 13, 2019
Messages
5,077
^ Wow! Personally I would be hesitant to go for a $5K+ purchase from a vendor who doesn't do returns, but you seem very confident you found your sapphire - congrats! I hope you post photos and your thoughts upon receipt!

Curious - do you mean desert rose in particular doesn't take returns? Wasn't aware of that!
 

marymm

Ideal_Rock
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Curious - do you mean desert rose in particular doesn't take returns? Wasn't aware of that!

I was going by the Shop Policies on her Insta ...

1618105270708.png
 

Cerulean

Ideal_Rock
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5,077
I was going by the Shop Policies on her Insta ...

1618105270708.png

Oh doi- you are more observant than me! Interesting- for a US based vendor that’s too bad. But everyone has a different level of risk tolerance
 

Bron357

Ideal_Rock
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6,532
It’s tricky these days for sellers. PayPal for example now keeps the 3% fee even if it’s a mutually agreed return / refund. Also credit card companies charge merchant fees and returns still cost the seller money.
I guess with a “one or two person show” and a low overhead business model to keep prices down, returns for change of mind take up too much time, energy and that means $$$.
The big vendors with “padded prices” are able to offer returns as they are getting their profit from bigger volumes and higher prices at the outset.
 

PinkAndBlueBling

Brilliant_Rock
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Joined
Dec 16, 2017
Messages
1,640
Desert_Rose is upfront about a stone's strengths, weaknesss, etc. She doesn't sugarcoat descriptions or make everything seem like "you have to buy it or you'll regret it til the day you die," like some sellers. Her photos are pretty accurate, too. That's not to say there's no risk in purchasing, but she's one of the better IG sellers out there.
 
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