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HELP!! Is this sapphire worth buying? Is this color worth it

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Niel

Niel

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Jul 23, 2012
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I had started this off on a different topic but i got, well, "off topic" so I thought I would start a new one.

My question has a lot of parts. For background- I am in charge of getting my stone for my engagement ring. I would like a sapphire due to the hardness and color options.

Now I know for reading all the very helpful posts on this site what, overall, constitutes a good color for a blue sapphire. But with that said, i would prefer a lighter blue color. Now this is where I get to my first question: Should I buy a stone that color? Besides liking my e-ring, which i know is paramount, I also dont want to put my money toward something that isnt a good investment.

Second: Is this vendor reputable? They have a video, GIA certificate, and a hand shot of the stone.

Also: the stone is 8.5 mm Is that TOO big for a halo ering? my finger is about 6.25

Lastly: Is this specific stone a high quality stone. Ignoring the fact that it isnt an ideal, ideal color- are the rest of the specs good? Is this a good price, etc.

http://www.starruby.in/store/burmese-sapphires/2-99-carat-8-50mm-round-unheated-eye-clean-burmese-sapphire

I know I could probably find a different stone in this color but again I really wouldnt want anything softer than a 9 in my e-ring
 
Re: HELP!! Is this sapphire worth buying? Is this color wort

I believe the seller is reputable, and in fact, he sometimes posts on here.

That said, that sapphire looks badly windowed, in both the pics and the video. Windowing is where the stone is cut such that it only returns light around the edges (the edges will sparkle) but the center of the stone is "dead" and you can see through it like a window. In the worse cases, you can literally read newsprint right through the stone or see your finger clearly right through the stone. I can't say for sure that this stone is THAT badly windowed, but it is definitely there and it doesn't look, to me, like something that setting would fix. The color is also very light and isn't a preferred color for sapphire. (If you like it, though, that's ultimately all that matters.) I fear that you would forever be explaining to people that it's a saphhire, and also I'm not sure that it would make a nice contrast with a diamond halo.

Personally, that stone seems expensive for what it is. I'd much rather have a better-cut, better-colored stone.

BTW: My e-ring is a Ritani Endless Love solitaire. Nothing but great things to say about that choice!!
 
Re: HELP!! Is this sapphire worth buying? Is this color wort

I'm sure you are right, which is why my other post is about finding a more vivid stone in my price range. :|

I like the idea of my stone being more pastel colored- but I should probably let that dream go.

And a ritani ring is absolutely what I was going for
 
Re: HELP!! Is this sapphire worth buying? Is this color wort

No, you absolutely don't need to let that dream go!!!! It's YOUR E-RING, you need to LOVE it! To heck with what the "ideal" sapphire color is. I just wouldn't pick that particular sapphire... that said, I've found a couple you might like, one light and one vivid :naughty:

(If you liked ovals, I found SEVERAL you might like; rounds are harder!)

This one is from Roger Dery / Spectral Gems (a precision cutter). He doesn't list prices so you'd have to email him. I'd be shocked if this weren't in your budget


The vivid one:
http://www.simplysapphires.com/blue/ceylon-blue-round-sapphire-1.60-carats-6.5x6.5x4.5mm

Will let you know if I run into anything else :)

s2.jpg
 
Re: HELP!! Is this sapphire worth buying? Is this color wort

BTW: If you wanted the look of a Ritani but with an oval center, you could prob go the custom route.
 
Re: HELP!! Is this sapphire worth buying? Is this color wort

Oh my goodness you have no idea how much I appreciate your help! I just emailed about that sapphire image you posted.
 
Re: HELP!! Is this sapphire worth buying? Is this color wort

Here is another one I found on that website. I have seen people say the photos on this site were lighter than they had actually appeared in person. Has anyone else bought something from this site, and was it true to the image?

thoughts on this one

untitled_1.png
 
Re: HELP!! Is this sapphire worth buying? Is this color wort

So based on the stones that have been listed, I would consider the Roger Dery stone, if you decide to go with a lighter toned stone (and I hope you do - remember they do darken in most settings anyway). I see a grey modifier in the Gemfix stone, which means while its lighter, it also has less saturation of hue and therefore shows grey. If you like that steely look (and the starruby stone also has it), then so much the better! A number of folks here recently have bought platinum stones - i.e., those with a grey modifier.

As for the ebay stone, I would say you should only seriously consider that if you don't mind a slight greenish tint to the blue as that is what I see, and that is what most Thai sapphires have - a greenish cast, that is.

If you decide you want to go in the direction of the color of the SimplySapphires stone, then it seems that you have found more choices to consider. While I like the saturation of that stone, I'm afraid - admittedly knowing nothing about their stones - that it might be too dark, especially once set.

Someone here recently used in her ering the most beautiful lighter but gorgeously saturated Montana sapphire. I will look around for that thread. That is a good example of a stone, which while not being the "ideal" color, had people on PS swooning over its beauty left and right...
 
Re: HELP!! Is this sapphire worth buying? Is this color wort

I think i like that grey in the stone. Plus Id prefer unteated if i could. But sense its grey is that price too high?

you said other people have been getting greyer stones? have any of them been set? Id like to see them with diamonds. I tried to search the forum but i couldnt in much
 
Re: HELP!! Is this sapphire worth buying? Is this color wort

thank you for finding that link

ive edited a quick photo to see what it would look like approximately with the setting im interested in
of course this is based on the color the stone appears to be in that pic
hmmm... see i like it. i know someone said i would be asked all the time what stone it is but i dont see that happening also i wouldnt mind answering

bnn.png
 
Re: HELP!! Is this sapphire worth buying? Is this color wort

What about this one on DB? It's only $350 which is kind of hard to beat for a precision cut!
http://diamondbistro.com/category/199/Natural-(mined)/listings/30766/Sapphire-from-Gene-(PrecisionGem).html
 
Re: HELP!! Is this sapphire worth buying? Is this color wort

There is nothing wrong with a lighter blue sapphire if that's what you like and really want. In terms of size, to some, 8.5 mm might be too small for a halo ring for a size 6 finger. :bigsmile: Remember, it is all about individual comfort zones.

Starryby: The stone is off-round. Looking at it, you can see the outline is quite wavy in one section of the stone. It is also rather shallow and most likely to be windowed. I cannot tell how big the window is with surety but it doesn't look too bad, might be a small to medium sized one. The hand shot is useless in terms of colour representation because the stone is photoshopped onto the hand. The video does not tell me much either because there is only slight movement up and down, no turning around of the stone or side to side movement. Colour-wise, it is likely to be a medium blue but the saturation is not vivid.

Spectral Gems: Definitely should be considered.

Simply Sapphires: Saturation is fabulous but I am afraid it has tipped over into the dark category. The hand shot really shows this. The rest of the pictures make it difficult to properly evaluate the colour because the background has been removed so I don't know how much lighting is used.

GemsThailand: No measurements posted, which I am curious to find out - it looks a little off round but I don't know if it is because the slightly off-centered culet is throwing my perspective off. Saturation could be better but actually decent for the price.

Gemfix: Colour is light but so is the saturation. It is more what I've seen some call "denim blue". Under fluorescent lighting, it is likely to end up grayer than pictured.
 
Re: HELP!! Is this sapphire worth buying? Is this color wort

i emailed spectral gems about that sapphire and it turns out I cannot buy it directly from him because he cant sell to people in my state...which is disappointing. He says i would need to have someone else buy it and ship it to me, which i cannot do.
 
Re: HELP!! Is this sapphire worth buying? Is this color wort

nielseel, I'm guessing you are in Michigan then. I was also looking at that sapphire from Roger Dery and thought it would be awesome because I literally live 15 minutes from where he is. Maybe see if he'll let you come see it before purchase, and then have him ship it to AGL for certification if you go ahead?
 
Re: HELP!! Is this sapphire worth buying? Is this color wort

nielseel|1343916628|3244803 said:
i emailed spectral gems about that sapphire and it turns out I cannot buy it directly from him because he cant sell to people in my state...which is disappointing. He says i would need to have someone else buy it and ship it to me, which i cannot do.
Click to expand...

Hi, nielseel. FWIW, I returned that stone from Roger a while ago. While it was a great cut and size and looked great in the daylight, it went kind of blah in the evenings.

Maybe this side-by-side comparison might help you decide. I ended up with a lighter slightly-grayish sapphire from Gene (the one listed on DB now), then I got a darker more saturated blue sapphire from Dana. They are about the same size, so easy to compare. Also, I put them in a white gold setting (since it looks like you want white metal) to see how they look. Photo taken indoors by the window (pardon the fingerprint smudges). Pricewise comparison, the lighter stone is precision cut and unheated: the more saturated stone is ok cut, but not precision, is heated, had an eye-visible inclusion, is slightly smaller, and cost more than double of the lighter one.

Good luck with your search!

2sapphires.jpg

2sapphires-settings.jpg
 
Re: HELP!! Is this sapphire worth buying? Is this color wort

And to add to your confusion - lol.... this is a 1.71ct - 7mm Montana sapphire in what I consider a denim blue color, for lack of a better word. It was precision cut by Dan Stair. It does have some typical Montana sapphire inclusions, but I don't think it detracts from the ring.

My fingers are about the same size as yours, but my hands are WAAAAY older ;( but it will give you an idea of a stone this color in a white gold ring with little diamonds.

I'm pretty sure (by looking at it) that the third photo was taken under a fluorescent ring lamp, but I took these a few months ago when I got the stone set so I'm not positive.

montana.jpg

montana2.jpg

montana3.jpg

montana4.jpg
 
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