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HPHT blue diamond - help!

Gem_rocks

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
68
This is my first forum on pricescope but I have been looking at posts in the wings for a long time!

I'm looking to buy myself a ring to marks personal achievement and I'd like to buy something special and different. I already have a beautiful solitaire engagement ring and this time I'm keen to get a fancy colour diamond.

I love blues and greys (as well as many of the other colours!) and having been looking for a while. Of course anything blue is prohibitively expensive (eek!) with my budget of $14000. However I came across a blue diamond that had received HPHT treatment and it looks beautiful. It is a natural mined diamond that has been treated rather than a cultured one. I have read up extensively about the process, so I know it's a permanent treatment and I have looked at all the threads on here, however they all refer to whites not blues.

Has anyone got a blue HPHT diamond? I'm unlikely to ever sell it but i would hate to think I couldn't should I need the money in the future. I feel blues are different to other colours as the natural versions attract enormous premiums, so I'm not sure what I ought to be paying. This one is approx 1.5ct and comes with a GIA cert, v good cut and vvs1.

Any thoughts? How much should this cost? Should I forget it and get a grey?
 

Gem_rocks

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
68
Thank you for your quick reply. I have read all the threads I can find but can't find any relevant to my quest for blues.

I've looked at diamonds by Lauren but my budget doesn't stretch .....!

Blue fluoro doesn't make the diamonds look blue as far as I'm aware? Doesn't it just make them look whiter?
 

flyingpig

Ideal_Rock
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2,975

diamondseeker2006

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Jan 11, 2006
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58,547
No! Diamonds with fluorescence definitely wouldn't qualify as blue!

Would you consider a fine sapphire? I think that would gain in value whereas I don't know about a treated diamond.

I'll give you to the link to my new sapphire ring. I guess you can say I am biased at the moment!

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/heirloom-ec-sapphire-ring-by-caysie-van-bebber-cvb-and-lad.220793/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/heirloom-ec-sapphire-ring-by-caysie-van-bebber-cvb-and-lad.220793/[/URL]

But there are other fabulous sapphires that members here have.
 

ChristineRose

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
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Aug 5, 2012
Messages
926
I actually haven't seen many threads on PS about HPHT blues and neither a natural blue nor a fluorescent are going to be the same thing.

There hasn't been widespread acceptance of treated diamonds. You can buy them online, but most of the vendors seem to be overseas and selling mostly to jewelry makers, not to the public, unless you count all the questionable stuff all over e-Bay. I don't believe that there are any vendors on here regularly who sell them. Dealers like Leibish go so far as to announce that they don't sell them.

If it's a significant purchase I would advise you go to the resources tab and find some appraisers in your area. Call more than one and tell them what you're looking at and ask them a lot of questions about how much experience they have with treated stones. The fact that yours comes with a GIA cert is a very good sign. Make sure the vendor has a good return policy, and check their reviews to be sure they will honor it.

If you haven't actually seen the stone, It's pretty common for color to be photoshopped. Very good cut doesn't mean much as colored stones are cut for best color, not maximum white light return, so your very good cut could be excellent or awful.

As far as reselling, there isn't a market for these stones--by market I mean that there aren't people who have a selection of stones, are willing to buy yours immediately and add it to their collection of blue HPHT diamonds that they turnover every few months. You have to find an individual who wants your specific stone, or sell it somewhere like a pawn shop where you will take a tremendous hit in price.

I'm hoping one of the real pros on the board can give you better advice.
 

MollyMalone

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jun 2, 2013
Messages
3,413
The search engine here is exasperating, so I don't know if you came across the thread in the Colored Stones forum a couple of years ago where Africa Gems (in California) was identified as a likely source for HPHT-colored blue melee diamonds. No harm in asking Marc Sarosi if he could rustle up for your consideration some larger diamonds that are blue owing to HPHT treatment.
http://www.africagems.com

ETA the link to Colored Stones forum thread:
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/hpht-diamond-vendors.186573/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/hpht-diamond-vendors.186573/[/URL]
 

Gem_rocks

Rough_Rock
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
68
Thank you all for your advice, it'd be great to hear from some others! I'll certainly check out the vendors mentioned in that other thread for comparison purposes. I wish to be as well informed as possible!!
 

denverappraiser

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
Jul 21, 2004
Messages
9,150
Mostly the dealers don't list treated stones on their websites or advertise them in places like this because they aren't big sellers. That's not the same as saying there's a problem with them or that they wouldn't be happy to get one for you, just that they're merchant's and it's smart to spend their advertising money on things that move more quickly for them. That's why you're struggling. The solution as a shopper is simple enough. Choose your jeweler FIRST, then the stone, rather than the reverse. Availability on treated blues is less than 'colorless' stones and you can't be quite as picky on some of the other attributes, like weight and/or clarity but really it's just a matter of picking a jeweler who seems like the sort of style you like, call them up, and tell them what you're hoping to find. They should be happy to take it from there.
 
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