looking for a 2+ carat padparadscha for engagement ring! help

[dan chain]

So my girlfriend of 4+ years is a professional geologist, hence why padparadscha's are her #1 and alexandrite is her second favorite. I need to find a pad that is 2 carat pus, looking to spend up to 6500 on the stone alone. I went to a jeweler yesterday that had a 2.01 and they were asking 6500 for the stone but i wasnt real impressed with the colour and kinda felt like i could get more for the money. I was about to order a stone from the natural sapphire company but in researching them as a company i was led here, only other place i have really found anything is from jupitergem.com
here are a few that ive been looking at

Natural Heated Padparadscha Sapphire 2.58 carats with GIA Report

Identification: Natural Heated Padparadscha Sapphire • Carat: 2.58 carats • Shape: Oval • Measures: 8.51 x 7.84 x 4.53 mm • Color: orangy pink • Cut: Modified Brilliant/step • Treatment: Heated check GIA Report

jupitergem.com

Natural Heated Padparadscha Sapphire 2.10 carats with GRS Report

Identification: Natural Heated Padparadscha • Carat: 2.10 carats • Shape: cushion • Measures: 8.46 x 7.04 x 3.61 mm • Color: orangy-pink • Cut: Brilliant/step • Origin: Madagascar • Treatment: Heated check GRS Report

jupitergem.com

Padparadscha Sapphires | The Natural Sapphire Company

With the largest selection of padparadscha sapphires in stock, you can find these exotic beauties in any hue and tone. Search today to find your perfect sapphire!

www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com

i personally actually like the dark color of this one https://www.thenaturalsapphirecompa...val-padparadscha-sapphire-pa3614-/#AssetData6

 

[dan chain]

oh and this one at pearlmans, https://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/gemstones/
item # 10638
and gemfix has this https://gemfix.com/gems/sapphire-pink-13-532

 

[LD]

So my girlfriend of 4+ years is a professional geologist, hence why padparadscha's are her #1 and alexandrite is her second favorite. I need to find a pad that is 2 carat pus, looking to spend up to 6500 on the stone alone. I went to a jeweler yesterday that had a 2.01 and they were asking 6500 for the stone but i wasnt real impressed with the colour and kinda felt like i could get more for the money. I was about to order a stone from the natural sapphire company but in researching them as a company i was led here, only other place i have really found anything is from jupitergem.com
here are a few that ive been looking at

Natural Heated Padparadscha Sapphire 2.58 carats with GIA Report

Identification: Natural Heated Padparadscha Sapphire • Carat: 2.58 carats • Shape: Oval • Measures: 8.51 x 7.84 x 4.53 mm • Color: orangy pink • Cut: Modified Brilliant/step • Treatment: Heated check GIA Report

jupitergem.com

Natural Heated Padparadscha Sapphire 2.10 carats with GRS Report

Identification: Natural Heated Padparadscha • Carat: 2.10 carats • Shape: cushion • Measures: 8.46 x 7.04 x 3.61 mm • Color: orangy-pink • Cut: Brilliant/step • Origin: Madagascar • Treatment: Heated check GRS Report

jupitergem.com

Padparadscha Sapphires | The Natural Sapphire Company

With the largest selection of padparadscha sapphires in stock, you can find these exotic beauties in any hue and tone. Search today to find your perfect sapphire!

www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com

i personally actually like the dark color of this one https://www.thenaturalsapphirecompa...val-padparadscha-sapphire-pa3614-/#AssetData6

oh and this one at pearlmans, https://www.pearlmansjewelers.com/gemstones/
item # 10638
and gemfix has this https://gemfix.com/gems/sapphire-pink-13-532

Have you checked with your girlfriend what her idea of a perfect colour Pad is? The reason I ask is that some people like very saturated (lots of colour) and others prefer the older type of stone that was designated as a Pad where it's more pastel.

I personally don't like any of those (this is a personal preference and there's nothing more that can divide people as a Pad lol) apart from the last one in your second post because the others all have issues. The zoning (ie orange stripe) you see in lots of them is not good and not what you want if you're spending that sort of money. Also, the cut should be important to really show off the different sunset colours and a couple you've posted have huge windows.

 

[dan chain]

I haven't asked her directly, i had her friend slyly as without giving it away and this is a link she sent to her friend of an ideal pad. and here is what i found on her pinterest

 

[LD]

Ok that's a really really good start. She clearly has a good eye. So she likes a well saturated Pad. Unfortunately, her good eye is going to cost you because most people would say that those are the perfect pad colours! That means $$$$$$$$ I recognise the background in the second stone but can't remember who it is. Are there any clues on her Pinterest? If not, I'm sure somebody here will recognise it straight away.

So when you're looking at stones, watch out for "zoning" ie streaks of colours. You don't really want that. What you want to see are the colours changing as the stone moves but without streaks and defined edges of colour against another - does that make sense?

I'll see if I can find anything but others in the forum will be better than me because I've not bought much for a while!

 

[dan chain]

Ok that's a really really good start. She clearly has a good eye. So she likes a well saturated Pad. Unfortunately, her good eye is going to cost you because most people would say that those are the perfect pad colours! That means $$$$$$$$ I recognise the background in the second stone but can't remember who it is. Are there any clues on her Pinterest? If not, I'm sure somebody here will recognise it straight away.

So when you're looking at stones, watch out for "zoning" ie streaks of colours. You don't really want that. What you want to see are the colours changing as the stone moves but without streaks and defined edges of colour against another - does that make sense?

I'll see if I can find anything but others in the forum will be better than me because I've not bought much for a while!

the second photo with the black background came from an article on crystalgems.com, i think they probably got the pic from somewhere else though

 

[dan chain]

Ok that's a really really good start. She clearly has a good eye. So she likes a well saturated Pad. Unfortunately, her good eye is going to cost you because most people would say that those are the perfect pad colours! That means $$$$$$$$ I recognise the background in the second stone but can't remember who it is. Are there any clues on her Pinterest? If not, I'm sure somebody here will recognise it straight away.

So when you're looking at stones, watch out for "zoning" ie streaks of colours. You don't really want that. What you want to see are the colours changing as the stone moves but without streaks and defined edges of colour against another - does that make sense?

I'll see if I can find anything but others in the forum will be better than me because I've not bought much for a while!

how was this one on pearlmansjewelers.com?

 

[LD]

how was this one on pearlmansjewelers.com?

Can you see the orange streak? It's called zoning. Personally I'd find that really distracting

 

[lovedogs]

how was this one on pearlmansjewelers.com?

I like the Perlman's option the best by far.

 

[lovedogs]

I found some on NSC that I like, but compromise on size might be necessary.

Padparadscha Sapphires | The Natural Sapphire Company

With the largest selection of padparadscha sapphires in stock, you can find these exotic beauties in any hue and tone. Search today to find your perfect sapphire!

www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com

This one has a window, so I might ask Dan Stair about whether a recut of only the pavillion could close the window without losing size.

Padparadscha Sapphires | The Natural Sapphire Company

With the largest selection of padparadscha sapphires in stock, you can find these exotic beauties in any hue and tone. Search today to find your perfect sapphire!

www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com

 

[dan chain]

here are the 2 i looked at yesterday, the pink one i felt was to pink for the 6500 they were asking and the other one i felt was to small and not a great color. the pink one was 2.01 or 2.05 carat

 

[lovedogs]

here are the 2 i looked at yesterday, the pink one i felt was to pink for the 6500 they were asking and the other one i felt was to small and not a great color. the pink one was 2.01 or 2.05 carat

The pink one isnt a good pad color. The smaller one has potential, but it's hard to tell based on that pic

 

[dan chain]

anyone have any other links or sources for a pad?

 

[maru8888777]

Enhoerning Jewelry - Enhoerning Jewelry

Specialized in Rubies, Sapphires, Padparadscha, Emeralds and Diamonds. Experts in fine, untreated and Certified Colored Gemstones and Antique Jewelry.

www.enhoerning-jewelry.com

I'd also reach out to Adamant International. They have no pads listed, but maybe they can source one for you!

 

[Snowdrop13]

Paul Wild gems, maybe?

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

There is Instagram, but that can be a gamble and doesn't have the same protections or ease of returns depending on where in the world you're buying from, the pay method used, or in some cases the vendor themselves. I would make sure to enquire about certs/returns/refunds etc in detail before committing.
That being said, it is the place to go if you want access to gems with less markup and many people on this forum have found amazing stones.

 

[MollyMalone]

Ok that's a really really good start. She clearly has a good eye. So she likes a well saturated Pad. Unfortunately, her good eye is going to cost you because most people would say that those are the perfect pad colours! That means $$$$$$$$ I recognise the background in the second stone but can't remember who it is. Are there any clues on her Pinterest? If not, I'm sure somebody here will recognise it straight away. * * *

I did a deep-dive through Google, and discovered that photo has been used frequently as an example of a fine Pad, but I haven't been able to track down the original source. Odds are it's not currently available; plus, it's smaller than what you're looking for, @dan chain. Multicolour Gems posted on Tumblr, back in 2013, that same photo of what they described as a 0.88 ct Pad from Tunisia. But the Tumblr post didn't declare that they were offering it for sale & fwiw I don't remember ever seeing a Multicolour listing where the stone is shown on that textured black background.

https://multicolourgems.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F70893310576

 

[ringo865]

With your gf being a professional geologist, you will probably need to find out whether she must have a “natural” earth mined corundum (sapphire) and, if so, whether it must be unheated. From there, you can find out whether earth mined, but heated… Or would she be okay with lab created (still chemically (geologically) corundum, just made in a lab, not in the earth).

Your prices will pretty much be out of the stratosphere for earth mined, unheated pad (certified as PAD), to more like upper atmosphere for earth mined, but heated (w/no other treatment (and certified as PAD)). The lab stones will likely get you more options for sizes and color, but prices can be all over the place (not as high as natural unheated tho).

 

[MollyMalone]

anyone have any other links or sources for a pad?

Yes -- were I in your shoes, I'd reach out to Inken at Enhoerning Jewelry (in NYC).

Enhoerning Jewelry - Enhoerning Jewelry

Specialized in Rubies, Sapphires, Padparadscha, Emeralds and Diamonds. Experts in fine, untreated and Certified Colored Gemstones and Antique Jewelry.

www.enhoerning-jewelry.com

For those willing to spend $5000 and up, she will conduct a no-obligation search for you, and she has sources that aren't available to us consumers. FYI she may charge a finder's fee, which I think is totally understandable. But I mention this because another guy who posted here earlier this year was quite indignant about that.

Gem Hunt — Enhoerning Jewelry

www.enhoerning-jewelry.com

 

[MollyMalone]

A couple of detailed, and very positive, reviews posted in the recent past from PSers who used Inken's gem hunt services:

My Experience with Inken from Enhoerning Jewelry.....superlative

I wanted to share my extraordinary experience working with Inken from Enhoerning Jewelry. This was my first time sourcing a gem and doing it over the internet made me a bit nervous. I knew I wanted a very special blue sapphire and received several recommendations from the community to reach out...

www.pricescope.com

Sapphire Ring Acquisition Inken Enhoerning

Greetings all. I posted here once or twice while on a search for my now fiancee's sapphire engagement ring. But I read so much and gained so much knowledge from lurking here that I thought I'd make a small contribution by mentioning my experience with Inken at Enhoerning Jewelry. After...

www.pricescope.com

 

[JackTrick]

+1 to Enhoerning!

 

[Voodoo Child]

Your future wife has excellent taste! I went through a similar experience trying to find an Alexandrite to replace the diamond in my wife’s wedding ring. The best advice I can give you is don’t settle! Next to a house, this will arguably be one of the most important purchases you ever make. I searched for a year and had to fly to NYC to find an Alexandrite that was within my budget and had the color I was looking for. There were several stones that I almost pulled the trigger on just because they met 90% of my criteria and I was getting antsy. In hindsight, I’m glad I waited until I found the perfect one. Good luck with your search!

 

[dan chain]

man looks like a decent pad is hard to find, and places like gemrockauctions,com make me leery

 

[lovedogs]

man looks like a decent pad is hard to find, and places like gemrockauctions,com make me leery

Definitely dont buy from there unless you know exactly what to look for. There are good sellers there, but many dishonest sellers who manipulate pics.

 

[minousbijoux]

This probably goes without saying, but just in case, it's better to be safe than sorry! Unless you are a gambler, please do not purchase a padparadscha without a reputable lab report. I am a pad lover to the extreme, and went through many downs before my ups. To name a few:
1. Stones that fell short of the particular color combinations recognized by the major labs and so could not be officially called Padparadscha (even though sold at pricing that indicated they were);
2. Stones that were from Tanzania and Madagascar - not from Sri Lanka as advertised (personally, my favorite stones are those from Madagascar as they have great saturation, but there are some holdouts, even now, who believe to really be called a padparadscha, a stone must originate from Sri Lanka - something I do not agree with, nor do I believe there is any price differential between the locations, quality being equal);
3. Be diffused stones under the guise of "heat only." In fact, one of the best pads I ever possessed - before I sent it back after it was found to be a highly treated stone - was a Sri Lankan stone that was beryllium diffused, detectable only by certain labs, in my case, GIA Carlsbad (there's a thread about it here somewhere).

I hope you are able to find one - $6500 might be pushing it a bit, but you never know.

 

[LD]

If I’m honest I think you may need to up the budget for the size you want. However it may be worth contacting this guy to see if he has any rough like this one he had a few months ago. Check out the video - it’s perfect! https://www.instagram.com/p/CO8k77BBK8k/?utm_medium=copy_link. The photo is a bit odd but the video is dreamy!

Have you thought of doing something a little different? Why not buy a pad coloured spinel and have it made into a ring (which she will have forever) and then you could both shop for her ideal colour together. As a gemologist I am concerned that she may want the joy of shopping for such a special stone AND she may have contacts. Just a thought but you would get the best of both worlds.

 

[dan chain]

thats a good idea! and she has a fair amount of expensive jewelry and a tag heuer she rarely wears

 

[dan chain]

what the general opinion on this one? I kinda like the orange in the center. https://www.thenaturalsapphirecompa...ion-padparadscha-sapphire-pa3668-/#AssetData6

 

[maru8888777]

this is smaller than you want, but it faces up pretty big:

1.59 ct Padparadscha Sapphire

1.59 ct Padparadscha Sapphire

www.finewatergems.com

 

[dan chain]

So whats with the site multicolour.com not having a actual padparadscha listing? I found quite a few that look exactly like what other jewelers would list as a padparadscha