Hi, looking for an oval sapphire

[edlondon]

Hi,

I've been on and off somewhat half hearted looking for an oval sapphire throughout the year - but haven't managed to find one that my wife really liked. (Currently her sapphire engagement ring is a bit too dark, she's mentioned she doesn't really like it so I'm trying to find a new one on the side). It has been very difficult shopping online as the color is hard to get right in photos - and we live the UK (London). The only place I know is in Hatton garden which is fine but probably on the expensive side...? I've clicked on many of the vendor links and been googling and facebooking around and it genuinely has been pretty hard - so I'm asking for help heh...

Long story short the ideal end game is a sapphire ring with halo and side diamonds. Not sure if it's best to try to get the same person/company or I find the gem first and setting later.

I've attached a few images[1] on what we liked (these are either sold out or when we saw different photos they did not look the same, etc).
In general the size(s) were like 8mm x 6mm x 4.5mm and the price(s) range from $1800-$6000 on the images below. My ideal price for the sapphire would be in the $2000-3000 range but willing to be flexible (on size and price) if the right one comes along! I suppose it might be worth saying that if the $1800 linked sapphire below was still available that might fit the bill nicely, unless anyone has a comment or reason on why not, etc. She would tend to favor sparkly/lighter (but still blue) over a darker (possibly better) blue that sparkles less.

As a side note we might be going to Dubai early next year on Holiday - so I would be all ears on any suggestions on where to go there as well, or if that is a good option at all.



[1] Links to the images are here: http://gemrite.com/sapphire/58-blue-sapphire-230-cts.html and http://gemrite.com/home/169-blue-sapphire-253-cts.html

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

In that ring, is this not a window?

 

[chroman]

Find the stone first is the usual advise.

Here's a few interesting stones from a quick look around. Many of these are US based vendors, which might pose some challenges to logistics;

Size and price wise, this ticks all the boxes. It looks slightly sleepy (which is probably why it appeals to me), but that might not appeal to you:
http://gemfix.com/gems/sapphire-blue-1109-oval-portuguese-style-2-18cts

This is unheated, and hence the price; If the inclusions don't bother you the color looks nice to me!
https://www.mastercutgems.com/Produ..._Unheated_Sapphire_2_41_ct-Gem.php?FromPage=1

I'd inquire if this was available. I *think* it was in a rcent thread here with more photos and may have been returned. But I might be thinking of a different stone..
http://www.spectralgems.net/sapphire/sapphireblueoval2_30ct_8817-2/

This is tchincally a cushion, but its ovally.. is this shape appealing? (If so there might be some other options..)
https://www.etsy.com/listing/278890398/2ct-bright-cornflower-blue-sapphire?ref=shop_home_active_52

In the photos you posted, I can see a touch of violet in two of the stones. If thats an interesting color, how about this color-changer;
http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/single/sapphire/ysa908aa/&930512007

And throwing budget to the wind...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GIA-CERTIFI...DESCRIPTION-/371666867826?hash=item5689125672

 

[chroman]

Aha; here's the thread on the spectral gems stone I was remembering. The OP said they were going to pass on it, so I don't feel too guilty cross linking...
https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/need-advice-re-sapphire.226054/

If you like a touch of purple, or are ok with color shiting stones, there's also this:
http://gemfix.com/gems/sapphire-blue-1252-oval-portuguese-cut-2-03cts

Or even this, which seems not overly dark, yet still has nice saturation and leans purple a bit (though I would inquire about color shifts)
http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/gemstones/?sku=G64907

If your search starts to drag on, the big north american trade show is in Arizona in feb. One option might be to talk with a vendor who is attending to see if they would shop for a stone that fits your parameters. Might be fruitful, but would require a fair bit of communcation to help get a shared understanding of what you want.

 

[edlondon]

Find the stone first is the usual advise.

Here's a few interesting stones from a quick look around. Many of these are US based vendors, which might pose some challenges to logistics;

Size and price wise, this ticks all the boxes. It looks slightly sleepy (which is probably why it appeals to me), but that might not appeal to you:
http://gemfix.com/gems/sapphire-blue-1109-oval-portuguese-style-2-18cts

This is unheated, and hence the price; If the inclusions don't bother you the color looks nice to me!
https://www.mastercutgems.com/Produ..._Unheated_Sapphire_2_41_ct-Gem.php?FromPage=1

I'd inquire if this was available. I *think* it was in a rcent thread here with more photos and may have been returned. But I might be thinking of a different stone..
http://www.spectralgems.net/sapphire/sapphireblueoval2_30ct_8817-2/

This is tchincally a cushion, but its ovally.. is this shape appealing? (If so there might be some other options..)
https://www.etsy.com/listing/278890398/2ct-bright-cornflower-blue-sapphire?ref=shop_home_active_52

In the photos you posted, I can see a touch of violet in two of the stones. If thats an interesting color, how about this color-changer;
http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/single/sapphire/ysa908aa/&930512007

And throwing budget to the wind...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/GIA-CERTIFI...DESCRIPTION-/371666867826?hash=item5689125672

Hi,

Thanks for the replies!

normanintheskywithsapphires: I'm not sure I understand the question? Sorry!

Chroman: I think if it's US based the plan would be to have it shipped to my sister who will take a million videos for me - so might be able to work something out still...

I suppose just going down the links and comments in order, with http://gemfix.com/gems/sapphire-blue-1109-oval-portuguese-style-2-18cts and https://www.mastercutgems.com/Products-301-ANAGEE_Sri_Lanka_Gems/9057-ANAGEE-_AGL_Natural_Unheated_Sapphire_2_41_ct-GemMedia.php?FromPage=1&ProductMediaID=36464 they basically both fit the bill size wise but it doesn't look very sparkly? Even in the description one mention 'glowy', still nice sapphires though.

http://www.spectralgems.net/sapphire/sapphireblueoval2_30ct_8817-2/ and https://www.etsy.com/listing/278890398/2ct-bright-cornflower-blue-sapphire?ref=shop_home_active_52 do look more sparkly but they both look more like a rectangle cushion to me, unless I'm wrong on that!

http://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/single/sapphire/ysa908aa/&930512007 - I did see this one after posting the thread, and it does look good. I'm not sure what Incandescent light means, where it looks more violet/purple - ideally it would stay more blue like in the daylight picture. So far this is the best bet, but a video would be ideal.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GIA-CERTIFIED-3-47ct-ROYAL-BLUE-SAPPHIRE-VIDEO-DESCRIPTION-/371666867826?hash=item5689125672
is super nice, I would love to be able to buy that. Maybe I'll sell the car (might be worth getting it just as a mechanism to halt this endless search!)

http://gemfix.com/gems/sapphire-blue-1252-oval-portuguese-cut-2-03cts this one in theory is quite nice, not sure how anybody buys from the site with two tiny pictures... Same sort of deal for http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/gemstones/?sku=G64907#


Others that I found from yoru thread links:

https://shop.pristinegemstonejewelry.com/collections/blue-sapphires/products/kashmir-blue-color-sapphire-gemstone-oval-shape-for-jewelry-ring-or-engagement-ring-september-birthstone - seems a tiny bit on the dark side, to be honest I like it a lot but my wife would probably say it's fark from the 4th photo where it's on the hand.

http://www.finewatergems.com/store/p30/2.29_ct_Unheated_Blue_Sapphire.html - this one looks quite nice, any feedback?

http://www.finewatergems.com/store/p51/3.28_ct_Blue_Sapphire.html is also super nice but more of a competitor for the $7875 ebay link one, so if there's no other christmas presents for the next few years it would be a toss up

Again thanks a lot for your help and links it's definitely made it seem like "it will be possible", heh

 

[chroman]

they basically both fit the bill size wise but it doesn't look very sparkly? Even in the description one mention 'glowy', still nice sapphires thoug

Good eye - these may be more glowy than sparkly. The folks at Mastercut are great to work with, so you could shoot them a quick note to confim this.

did see this one after posting the thread, and it does look good. I'm not sure what Incandescent light means, where it looks more violet/purple - ideally it would stay more blue like in the daylight picture. So far this is the best bet, but a video would be ideal.

Incandescent is old-school tungsten filament lights. It might respond differently to CFL or LED lights. Multicolour deals in a fair amount of color shift stones (lots of Alexendrite), so they could probably give you a fair interpretation of the shift. If its on your short list of interesting stones, I'd try reqching out to them for more info and photos/video.

this one in theory is quite nice, not sure how anybody buys from the site with two tiny pictures... Same sort of deal for http://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/gemstones/?sku=G64907#

My recollection is that gemfix is hard to get additional photos from, but Pearlmans is more inclined to send more pics. This might be another one to inquire about.

seems a tiny bit on the dark side, to be honest I like it a lot but my wife would probably say it's fark from the 4th photo where it's on the hand.

I agree - I'd be concerned about the dark patches.

http://www.finewatergems.com/store/p30/2.29_ct_Unheated_Blue_Sapphire.html - this one looks quite nice, any feedback
http://www.finewatergems.com/store/p51/3.28_ct_Blue_Sapphire.html is also super nice but more of a competitor

The first one looks like it might be less saturated than your ideal. It looks nice in the hand photo, but often times things look best in bright daylight. The other photos make it look quite pale.

The second one, otoh.. yum!

I think Finewater has some international shipping limits, so your sister would come in handy if you go this route (who needs a car!

If you do start leaning to the top end of the price range, I also saw this; The pavillion isnt perfect, but colorwise....
http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/p-63665-oval-blue-sapphire-b7545/

Good luck!

 

[edlondon]

On a side note, with regards to the settings - I linked one in the original post, but I think these two are probably closer or nicer.

Her ring size is F1/2 or I think that's 3.25-3.5 so quite small - I have heard a long time ago (forgot why) but the side diamonds and that size were somewhat of an issue, anybody know why?

 

[chroman]

Hmmm.. What do we think about this?
https://loupetroop.com/listings/bands/4-ctw-plus-royal-blue-sapphire-and-diamond-ring

 

[edlondon]

We saw a sapphire today that looked like it ticked many boxes. A tiny tiny bit darker (but more blue) than we were looking for but looked good and still sparkly. 9mmx7.3mmx4.5mm. Shown on a halo band we also thought looked nice. I guess it is poor pics but if there is anything to watch out for, now would be good to know!

Thanks again

 

[Niel]

I like that sapphire. Can you verify the treatment?

 

[chroman]

Nice!!

Like Niel said - if it doesn't come with a reputable lab report, would the seller be willing to get one (and you still be able to walk away if it came back out of line with the pricing)?

Whats a good European lab for CS?

 

[chroman]

Just in case you are still loking, Roger Dery has been posting pics on facebook of sapphires he is recutting after a recent buying trip. If the last stone you posted didn't work out, maybe drop him a line?

 

[SparkliesLuver]

*Deleted post because of your location. My apologies*

 

[edlondon]

Hi all,

I think we've decided on the sapphire and settling but had a quick question. We were looking at a halo 2mm and side band diamonds 2mm but there was also a halo 1.8mm and side band 2mm. Lady at the place said smaller halo by a little bit is common but we are not sure why or if that's the case... Anybody know if there is one reason or another for a smaller halo width?

 

[chrono]

I would pick melee size based on the centre stone size. Small melees were quite popular since it looks very delicate, but on the same token, too thin means not as sturdy.

 

[edlondon]

Just quick update we ended up getting a nice one! (pic in a darkish room it's lighter than shows in daylight etc)