HELP: NEED TO CHOOSE CUSHION-SAPPHIRE

[avlatin]

HELLO EVERYONE

PLEASE HELP WITH THE THREE FOLLOWING SAPPHIRES (sorry I don''t know how to add pictures, hopefully the links work):

http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/products1.asp?page=5&color=Blue&code=sort&selSort=4#
Item ID : B198
Weight(ct) : 4.58
Color : Blue
Dimensions (mm): 9.85 X 9.03 X 5.62
Origin : Ceylon
Treatments : No Enhancement
Shape :Cushion
Cut :Mixed, Fancy Crown
Color Intensity :Vivid
Clarity :Insignificant Inclusions (VVS2)
Per carat Price: $ 1450
TOTAL PRICE : $ 6,641

http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/products1.asp?page=7&color=Blue&code=sort&selSort=4#
Item ID : B212
Weight(ct) : 4.11
Color : Blue
Dimensions (mm): 8.63 X 7.33 X 6.39
Origin : Ceylon
Treatments : No Enhancement
Shape : Cushion
Cut : Mixed, Brilliant Crown
Color Intensity :Vivid
Clarity : Insignificant Inclusions (VVS2)
Per carat Price : $ 1500
TOTAL PRICE : $ 6,165

http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/products1.asp?page=8&color=Blue&code=sort&selSort=4#
Item ID : B173
Weight(ct) : 3.50
Color : Blue
Dimensions (mm): 8.13 X 7.66 X 6.78
Origin : Ceylon
Treatments : No Enhancement
Shape : Cushion
Cut : Mixed, Fancy Crown
Color Intensity :Vivid
Clarity : Insignificant Inclusions (VVS2)
Per carat Price : $ 1500
TOTAL PRICE : $ 5,250


IF YOU WERE TO PURCHASE, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU PICK?
IS THE PRICE GOOD?
I HAVE A SETTING IN MIND, ITS TOO BAD I DON''T KNOW HOW TO POST THE PICTURE, OTHERWISE I''D ASK FOR YOUR INPUT IF IT''S A GOOD SETTING OR NOT.

THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP

 

[widget]

Hi, Avlatin!

In an ideal world, you could have all three sent to you and you could decide which you like best. Short of that, why not talk to a person who has all three stones in front of them and can talk through their impressions of the differences?

I like it that all three have AGTA certs, but I notice at least two of them (probably the third, too) don't have country of origin on the certs. I don't think that's such a big deal, since none of them claim to be Burma.

Remember that relying on a photograph to get an accurate impression of a stone is chancy!

I think the prices are fair.

Here's a picture of the three stones: 3.5ct left, 4.11ct center, 4.58 right.

Good luck!

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[valeria101]

Date: 12/13/2004 4:41:48 PM
Author: widget

Here's a picture of the three stones

The seller should be able to provide at least the real version of this arrangement - matching pictures is ot entirely true to nature, much as I'd wish.

Based on the presentation (the high resolutio photos, waht not), there seems to be a winner here... that 4.11 piece appears to have a reasonably balanced cut between the extra deep Ms. 3.5 and borderline shallow Ms. 4.58. Not sure the small window in the last mention would show in any way though. The chosen 4.11 needs no explanation for shape details, as far as I can tell: whatever goes on with the pavilion faceting doesn't seem to show face up less than pleasantly (meaning, it seems that the culet is a tad offcenter).

Now, cut is meant to show color, and color is not really feasible to judge online. At least I dread the exercise... It would help a bit more to have all choices lined up in the same immage, but even then. No matter what the shapes look like, if any of these stands out by color in person, it'll be my winner. As is, unless I would be shopping for myself, the respective 0.2 needs lots more salt than just a grain. Given that, the 4.11 piece seems lively and of very nice soft texture. I can only hope the portrait is close to nature.

There is much better company on this forum. This is just amateur opinion based on as much as you can see online yourself.

 

[widget]

"The seller should be able to provide at least the real version of this arrangement..."


Wow, Valeria....I don''t know why I''ve never thought of asking this of a seller.

It certainly is a reasonable request when considering an important purchase over the internet!!

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[valeria101]

Not my idea. It''s done with diamonds... on the other side os Pricescope

 

[Michael_E]

avlatin,
You should pick based on what your preferences are and the only way to make that choice is to decide what you prefer for size, color saturation and scintillation. Any picture that you receive will only give you part of your answer since, cameras and software can only get the picture close to what the stone looks like in person. If I were you I would decide what I preferred and then ask the seller to help pick the stone that most closely matches your desires. Remember that most of the beauty of any gem comes not only from its color, but from how it looks when it is moving in all sorts of different lighting conditions. That said, If I were having tom choose just from the pictures I would choose the center stone, with the stone to the right of that as being a close second. The reason ? The center stone looks to me like it would offer the best combination of color intensity and brightness. Don''t make a choice though untill you ask the seller what they think.

 

[imperial Jewels]

Hi there,

The photography of more important gems can be really quite extremely difficult. As stated above, you have to think about graphics cards, monitors, lighting and more regarding communicating gem color digitally. But, perhaps the most difficult problem to overcome is that most cameras (especially digital) pick up and portray different wavelengths (colors) than the human retina.
The following item is a doubly certified unheated loupe clean 5.10 Carat sapphire. http://www.imperialjewels.com/shop_products.asp?cat=1&srhgemgroup=SP&srhsubGemGroup=UHBS&srhSubmit=yes.
With a top blue, the human eye sees it as a soft yet glowing velvety rich cornflower blue. In the picture, the camera depicts this, but also displays quite distinct violet hues towards the bottom of the pavilion - something the human retina cannot detect at all.

To the eye, there is no violet and I have photographed this gem several times only to find it seems to impossible to lose the violet in the images. I think this problem of how digital images do differ from how the human eye perceives gem color is inherent in the ecommerce side of the gemstone industry, and people should carefully bear this and the potential ramifications in mind when selecting gems at higher price points.

 

[avlatin]

THANKS ANA!

I really appreciate the info. I figured that the best way to judge the gems is by actually seeing them, unfortunately I''m not sure if I trust myself to make that decision. Even worse, my fiancee-to-be is a jewelery connoisseur and I want her to light up when she opens the box, not cry. It''s just recently that I learned about all these different gems because of the upcoming proposal I''m about to make. If someone sold me a blue Swarovski crystal before I came across this site, I would think I came across a bargain (I know....pathetic

).

Again, I really appreciate all the input.

 

[avlatin]

Thanks Michael E.,

I did talk to Michael @ thenaturalsapphirecompany.com but his first choice was the bigger of the three. As I told Ana, I''m really dreading having to choose. In my fantasy world

you all will have a unanimous love for a particular gem, but since that didn''t seem to happen with the above three, maybe I should continue to search.

By the way, know anyplace you can direct me? Looking for cushion sapphire, greater quality vs. weight, under 8k.

THANKS AGAIN,
AVLATIN

 

[widget]

Hi, Avlatin...

Sounds to me like your best bet would be to to go to a trustworthy jeweler, tell him what you want, and your budget....and have him call in three or four suitable stones for your consideration.

This way you can let YOUR eyeballs do the walking!

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[bar01]

Michael Arnstein is a really nice guy and he knows his stuff. If he says one is better - he is probably right. But - why not ask him to send you the two to examine for purchase? I see you are in Chicago. You could have Richard Drucker (Independent Appraiser in Northbrook) eyeball the two and give you some pre-purchase advice.

 

[rubydick]

I second that advice. Michael Arnstein is a great dealer, and Richard Drucker is a great appraiser (maybe the best?).

What you want to do is work with a great jeweler. Someone who can bring in stones from a variety of sources. It''s simple, put them all side-by-side, let the best candidate stand.

But don''t let anyone try to tell you what you like. Use your own eyes. Don''t ever throw away your own opinion for another''s. Use your own judgement, guided by the jeweler.

 

[avlatin]

THANKS EVERYONE!!!

YOU''RE ALL MY

!

I will follow all of your advices and contact those people.
Again, ALL OF YOU ARE AWESOME

!!! I wish I could buy you all a drink, I guess the "thought" would have to do.

I''ll let everyone know how things are coming along.

THANKS AGAIN,

Alexander Valencia
"thanks to pricescope & it''s great members, a now humbly educated

consumer"