Help With Selecting Which Blue Sapphires To Order?

[pinkants]

Hello!

Thanks to the great advice here, I have started to look online to purchase a sapphire for my engagement ring. So far, I have contacted three vendors and have heard back from one. Laura and Andrew of Gemfix kindly recommended three sapphires based on my criteria:

- Round
- Between 6.5mm - 7mm
- Blue (possibly with some violet)
- Medium to medium-deep tone (based on the sapphire color chart, this would be "Camelot" or "Royal" blue)
- Very saturated
- No treatment except heat
- Minimal extinctions and windows

What do you think about the three that Gemfix suggested? I am still learning, so I would greatly appreciate your feedback. All three look lovely from the stock photo. To me, however, #993 and #1057 seem a bit "washed out" in the hand photo? #1110 looks very nice. There are also 6 others that I'd like to ask about, but I figured I would start with these three! Thank you!!

 

[chrono]

Those look quite dark and not very saturated. Any response from the other vendors?

 

[pinkants]

You are super helpful, as always! I have heard back from one vendor (Roger Dery), but he currently does not have anything available. The other vendor has not replied yet. Do you have any recommendations for other vendors to contact?

I am also contemplating these other sapphires from Gemfix. What are your thoughts on them?

 

[minousbijoux]

I had the pleasure of seeing a vast array of Roger Dery's stones (Spectral gems) first hand recently. He had a beautiful, round, 1.86 ct, medium toned, strong saturation, unheated stone with a violet secondary that I fell in love with. He has not repriced the stone (nor his other older blues) since he bought many of them some time ago, and this one was a bargain. In fact, if its still around, if you don't buy it, I think I'll have to - and I need another blue sapphire like a hole in the head. If it has sold, do ask him about others as he has a huge inventory - and they are mostly much less expensive than GF.

[I apologize in advance, Roger: it just seemed like the perfect fit here]

Oh, and these are my pics in mixed lighting and a not optimal setting.

 

[pinkants]

/swoon

those are gorgeous pics!

i have to say, i think i am starting to develop a slight addiction to all of these beautiful, sparkling gems i am seeing. for example, i randomly came across this and now want it for no apparent reason!

 

[FrekeChild]

Yeah...that seems to happen with increasing frequency.

 

[chrono]

Minou,
It seems that the OP has contacted Roger and he replied that he doesn't have anything available that fits what the OP is looking for.

Pinkants,
There are a few that look to have potential but 1160 stands out the most to me in the line-up. I would reach out to Joe Escobar since he has a good inventory of blue sapphires at very reasonable prices, if you haven't done so.

 

[minousbijoux]

pinkants: what did Roger say when you contacted him? What questions did you ask him about what you were seeking? It could very well be that the sapphires I saw have since been sold, but I just want to check for you.

 

[eringnewbie]

I got my ring ring at joe escobar and love it. Ryan was awesome to work with and really took his time helping my fiancé pick the final product. They just started an instagram and posted a few round blue sapphires last week. http://i.instagram.com/joeescobardiamonds/

 

[minousbijoux]

I got my ring ring at joe escobar and love it. Ryan was awesome to work with and really took his time helping my fiancé pick the final product. They just started an instagram and posted a few round blue sapphires last week. http://i.instagram.com/joeescobardiamonds/

I have a feeling that when I finally make the trip down there, I will never leave...

 

[pinkants]

@Chrono - thank you for the tip about Joe Escobar. I will definitely reach out to him.

@minousbijoux - you are so sweet to offer to check with Roger for me! I actually wrote back and he replied with that sapphire you saw. It may just a tad bit lighter and possibly more violet than I am looking for, but it's certainly gorgeous! I am definitely considering it. What were your thoughts when you saw it in person, and what were your thoughts about the high crown?

@eringnewbie - congrats on your engagement! Those instagram pics from Joe are beautiful!


Also, can someone help me with the definition of gem saturation? Is it similar to art in which:
- hue refers to one dimension of color (e.g., red, orange, yellow, etc)
- value refers to light/dark, and
- saturation refers to the dominance of hue in the color?

How do you personally judge whether a gem is saturated or not?

 

[chrono]

From Palagems:
http://www.palagems.com/quality_4cs.htm

Hue position = pureness of colour (yellow, blue, green, etc)
Saturation = intensity or pop of colour (brownish or grayish if it has low saturation)
Tone = lightness or darkness

 

[minousbijoux]

@minousbijoux - you are so sweet to offer to check with Roger for me! I actually wrote back and he replied with that sapphire you saw. It may just a tad bit lighter and possibly more violet than I am looking for, but it's certainly gorgeous! I am definitely considering it. What were your thoughts when you saw it in person, and what were your thoughts about the high crown?

You know, that is personal preference and I think you should not settle. If you think its too light and more violet for you, it probably will be. Personally, I love high crowns because they allow for great light return and sparkle. Again, that is a personal preference.

 

[pinkants]

It's definitely difficult to make a decision without seeing it in person, so I suppose that's the next step! I'm sure the color in the photos (of every gem) is affected by my monitor. Perhaps I will love the sapphire in real life. Who knows! I'm ready to find one, though. And, I think my SO is getting tired of me showing him a zillion gems a day. Hee, hee.

 

[pinkants]

My first lesson about gem buying:
Act fast or someone else will snatch it up!

That gorgeous blue 1.86ct sapphire is already gone!


Question: what does it mean when you can see through the entire gem to the bottom? It seems that I can see completely through this sapphire.

 

[chrono]

I'm sorry the Roger Dery 1.86 ct sapphire is no longer an option. The stone isn't perpendicular to the camera; it is at an angle, hence you are able to see through the gem (see the skin of the fingers underneath) through the tilt window. Even if well cut, most gemstones exhibit different degrees of tilt window but in a sapphire, it should be minimal. In a well cut sapphire, you should not be able to see through the gem but only into the gem and see blue reflecting back to the eye.

 

[plummiecat]

Hi pinkants,
I discovered Roger's 1.86 last weekend and placed it on hold. It is being shipped to me now. It looks gorgeous but is smaller than I originally wanted. If it doesn't work out I will post here.

 

[chrono]

I'm sorry the Roger Dery 1.86 ct sapphire is no longer an option. The stone isn't perpendicular to the camera; it is at an angle, hence you are able to see through the gem (see the skin of the fingers underneath) through the tilt window. Even if well cut, most gemstones exhibit different degrees of tilt window but in a sapphire, it should be minimal. In a well cut sapphire, you should not be able to see through the gem when the table is perpendicular to the camera but only into the gem and see blue reflecting back to the eye.

Edited for clarification.

 

[movie zombie]

My first lesson about gem buying:
Act fast or someone else will snatch it up!

........

most of us have had that lesson as well.......

 

[pinkants]

@plummiecat - thank you, you are so kind! There is a different one coming to me, so hopefully, that one will work out!

@Chrono - great explanation - thank you for taking the time to clarify that to me.

@movie_zombie - I'm always learning, and this was a good lesson! I figure that if I miss out on something, then perhaps it simply wasn't meant to be...