help reading the color, please

[Arkteia]

http://www.myjewelrysource.com/sapphire-rings/gr5649-sapphire-engagement-rings.htm

This link was posted on MakingTheGrade sapphire topic. I believe it was to give her ideas about the setting. I just wanted to ask you about the color of this sapphire IRL. I was captivated by the color of MakingTheGrade''s sapphire but I understand that in real life it is darker than in her photo? Now I am looking for a stone that would have the same IRL color as hers on the photo. Bluish-blue. I know that sapphires usually photograph much lighter than IRL. How would this sapphire (see the link) look? Too light? Medium color? Is it possible to find untreated sapphire of the color like MTG''s one looks on this photo? Or only Kashmir''s have it?

This time I''d rather not invest into anything above 2cts unless it is exceptional. Sapphires are expensive and I want to know very well what I want. I have one, untreated, from Ceylon, but it is very light. Is there such a thing as ultramarine-blue, medium tone and highly saturated? And untreated? Or is it another SanGraal?

 

[chrono]

This sapphire is much lighter than the one MTG just purchased. The saturation level is probably just a notch lower as well. I think this might be a light to medium light tone. It is not impossible to find an untreated sapphire with the colour of MTG’s stone; the only question is how much one is willing to pay. I am not quite sure what is an ultramarine blue but from the name, my guess is it would have some degree of green undertone? That is not desirable in blue sapphires.

 

[Liane]

I interpret "ultramarine" as meaning a super intense medium blue with some violet. The sapphire in the linked ring is much lighter and less saturated than I would consider "ultramarine," and is closer to what I would call "cornflower blue"... but that just goes to show why words are less helpful than pictures when discussing color, I guess.

ETA: MTG's sapphire as it appears in her photos is what I'd call ultramarine (and is such a beautiful stone!).

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I think my photos are pretty close actually in terms of saturation. Its a true med dark and vivid saturation. It does look darker in dim lighting but otherwise bright and vivid.

 

[chrono]

I did a Wiki on Ultramarine and found this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultramarine
Based on that website, are you looking for the “natural ultramarine” or the “synthetic ultramarine blue”?

 

[LD]

Words are useless because one person's Kashmir Blue will be another's Ceylon Blue.

Maybe it's easier to say .............. a Sapphire that is vibrant blue with great saturation is normally top grade. Finding one is difficult enough - throw in that you want unheated and like to have a gem with a very good cut and you've got yourself a very very very long search! That's why you had us all screaming at MTG to keep it, ignore the inclusions etc. If she had returned it, it would have sold within minutes and I'm sure there would have been a lot of PSer's in line!

It took me years to get the Sapphire in a colour that blew me away. When I did, it was smaller than I wanted (just over a carat), a less than perfect cut and heated. It is however breathtakingly beautiful!

 

[T L]

Some Madagascar material is very saturated, and is reasonable in price in comparison to Burmese and Kashmir (the pinnacle of sapphires), and even Ceylon (the next best origin). Check AJSgems.com, they seem to have a large supply, but I'm not sure if they have any unheated. Untreated Burmese and Kashmir stones of top quality and vivid saturation will run you at least $20K/ct if not more.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Haha LD, no worries, I sobered up from that moment of insania

Mostly I just wasn't expecting an inclusion like that, so I found it more distracting that I would have if I had been expecting it. But the color is 100% perfect for me.

Crasu, if the color in my photos is the color you're looking for then I think you'd want to aim for something closer to medium dark as opposed to medium. Mine was unheated, so they can come in that color naturally, it is just a bit tougher to come across.

When I think a medium blue, I think of AJ's lovely sapphire.
Here's a side by side

 

[Arkteia]

Kashmir,probably, more. Burmese - variable. I am looking for something like MakingTheGrade''s and I shall keep on looking. But it is good that I have her posting now because I can show it to the vendor and say, "this! and certify it!"

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 1/13/2010 5:10:44 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
Haha LD, no worries, I sobered up from that moment of insania

Mostly I just wasn''t expecting an inclusion like that, so I found it more distracting that I would have if I had been expecting it. But the color is 100% perfect for me.


Crasu, if the color in my photos is the color you''re looking for then I think you''d want to aim for something closer to medium dark as opposed to medium. Mine was unheated, so they can come in that color naturally, it is just a bit tougher to come across.


When I think a medium blue, I think of AJ''s lovely sapphire.

Here''s a side by sidehttp://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/images/smilies/41.gif

Yours!

 

[Bella_mezzo]

agreed, showing the vendor photos will help a lot. Words pretty much don''t mean anything. Even emailed pics are tough b/c of differences in people;s monitors and calibration...

 

[marcy]

Something that worked for me with Dan Stair was we both owned the same gemstone book that had a lot of samples of different stones in different colors. I found the one I wanted and referred him to that page.

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 1/13/2010 2:30:55 PM
Author: Chrono
I did a Wiki on Ultramarine and found this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultramarine

Based on that website, are you looking for the “natural ultramarine” or the “synthetic ultramarine blue”?

Synthetic ultramarine blue. Thank you, Chrono! Now, how many years do I need to find such a sapphire? Unheated?

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 1/13/2010 5:10:44 PM
Author: MakingTheGrade
Haha LD, no worries, I sobered up from that moment of insania

Mostly I just wasn''t expecting an inclusion like that, so I found it more distracting that I would have if I had been expecting it. But the color is 100% perfect for me.


Crasu, if the color in my photos is the color you''re looking for then I think you''d want to aim for something closer to medium dark as opposed to medium. Mine was unheated, so they can come in that color naturally, it is just a bit tougher to come across.


When I think a medium blue, I think of AJ''s lovely sapphire.

Here''s a side by side

Yours is so much better!

Would you mind telling me the origin of your stone?

 

[T L]

Crasru,
Fine Kashmir sapphire for another point of reference for you. This material is probably around $60K/ct, if not more.

 

[T L]

All the pictures of this gem are horrible, but this is considered one of the finest Burmese sapphires in the world. The Rockerfeller sapphire.

 

[loriken214]

Date: 1/13/2010 10:44:44 PM
Author: marcyc
Something that worked for me with Dan Stair was we both owned the same gemstone book that had a lot of samples of different stones in different colors. I found the one I wanted and referred him to that page.

Hi Marcy!

Which book was it? I''d love to have a book like that!

Lori

 

[Arkteia]

Date: 1/14/2010 12:26:52 AM
Author: tourmaline_lover
All the pictures of this gem are horrible, but this is considered one of the finest Burmese sapphires in the world. The Rockerfeller sapphire.

I saw the Rockefeller sapphire although your picture is, actually, much better. Saw one in live Kashmir in my whole life. Got ANGRY when I saw it (I almost never get angry!). It is still unclear to me why. Got totally hooked.