Looking for Oval Sapphires. (Blue)

[hans]

Been shopping around for a blue oval sapphire for my engagement ring and had a few questions was hoping you could help clear up. I am interested in deeper blues and it will go in a diamond halo setting, similar to Princess Diana's ring.

My partner is more concerned with the size, she likes the stone 9mm+
When looking at dimensions, should I be concerned with depth at all? Will the stone get much darker in the setting?
I'm aware that unlike diamonds, every sapphire is different shape and size and the cut depends on that. But is color and clarity the most important thing to look for in a sapphire? Should the depth of the stone as well as carat play a large role in my decision?

Here are the 5 stones I'm looking at on James Allen website and have a viewing scheduled for next week. All stones are heated and have GIA certifications.
Please find detailed info below along with links and pics. Thanks in advance!


There is a pretty large inclusion right in the center of this stone (easier to see in link)
Do you think that this will noticeable to the naked eye when in the setting?
This stone is the lightest of my choices but looks absolutely brilliant. $2,930.00

Link 21021

Good size, shallow depth, but lacking the most brilliance in color. 2nd cheapest. $2,810.00

Link 17333

Very rich deep blue (looks better in link) that I love and it has the largest size, which is great. Depth is shallow, least carats. Most expensive. $3,030.00

Link 16474

Also a really nice rich blue with a tad bit more transparency. A bit smaller in size but more depth and carats. $2,690.00
Cheapest of the options.

Link 18397

The cleanest of the stones. Nice brilliant blue with a hint of green and good transparency. On the smaller end as well.
$2,920.00

link 17354

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

That is complicated question. Depth per se does not make a gem dark, I think. It is the tone (amount of black in bleu) and the depth together that make a gem dark.
Too liittle depth and a gem become shallow and has no color in the center, called a window (2.10 carat)
On the other side you can have a very deep gem in a bright tone (less black in blue) and still be windowed if the cut is bad (2.22carat)
Too much deoth and too dark a tone and you have a black gem (better get a black spinel and safe $$$$$)
As always the ideal is in the middle plus a good cut that closes the center of the stone (none of you examples),
Helpful? Confusing?

 

[chrono]

I would not buy any of those any at any price.

Budget = Under $3K (?)
Size = 9 mm
Shape = Oval
Colour = Medium blue?

Depending upon the setting and the colour, the stone might darken a little or a lot once set.
Colour, eye clean, cut, and if it matters to you, treatment.

A bit small: http://www.finewatergems.com/store/p24/2.05_ct_Untreated_Blue_Sapphire.html

 

[chroman]

I'm with chrono - none of those stones do much for me.

These two longer ovals came to mind though:

If you're ok with the color shift:
https://www.multicolour.com/detail/?/details/sapphire/ysa908aa/&930512007

I think this has been marked "on hold" for a long time now - might be worth inquiring if its available:
http://www.spectralgems.net/sapphire/sapphireblueoval2_30ct_8817-2/

 

[minousbijoux]

Ooh, nice find, Chroman! Love the Multicolour stone. It would be great to get a hand shot of this one to ascertain its tone; I find it hard to tell from their photography and videos, which seem to be taken in quite bright light.

 

[hans]

Hey Guys, Thank you for all of your insights, input, and beautiful stone suggestions. However, they're just a bit out of my price range and was wanting a deeper darker blue. I've been researching on the forums all day and I definitely learned a lot and can agree with what you guys are saying and windows and extinctions.

I definitely think James Allen is a bit over priced. I also learned that their GIA certs that come with the stone are completed by a graduate gemologist, which is not even nearly the same level of grading as AGL. It's not even a actual GIA full certification either. Just good info to know.

I have viewings tomorrow with Enchanted Diamonds (they do colored gems as well, but aren't advertised on their site), Natural Sapphire Company, and Gems NY all of which are here in the diamond district NYC. I will definitely keep you guys up to date. Whichever stone I purchase, I will definitely be bringing to AGL immediately for a full report just in case.

Talk soon and any other suggestions or information is always welcome, post on this thread!

 

[mochiko42]

Natural sapphire company was in the news recently.. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-deindexing/?tid=a_inl&utm_term=.eefefdc7d10f

 

[hans]

Natural sapphire company was in the news recently.. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...-deindexing/?tid=a_inl&utm_term=.eefefdc7d10f

I know, I am aware, haha. I saw this listed last night on here :-/ If I go with them, this is why i am going to get a AGL report done before the 30day return policy.

 

[minousbijoux]

Isn't Prima located there as well? They have a wide variety of good stones, so you might want to add them to your visit list.

 

[hans]

Isn't Prima located there as well? They have a wide variety of good stones, so you might want to add them to your visit list.

I haven't herd of them, let me look them up. Thank you.

 

[arkieb1]

Just because you want a dark or a deeper coloured blue sapphires doesn't mean that it still shouldn't flash a beautiful blue in strong lighting or outside. For reference here is how to read pics like the ones you have posted in the examples you have listed above;
Stone 1 - See that weird flat area in the centre that's called a window, unless the stone is rare or something that negates this colourwise stay away from it. This stone also has colour zoning, that is the colour in that window isn't uniform.
Stone 2 - Do you like black stones? It won't matter how well or badly this one is cut it's going to look inky black all of the time.
Stone 3 - See comments for stone 2 except it's shallow and going to face up an inky black too.
Stone 4 - A bit more transparency? Yes that's called a big window in the centre that we can barely see because again the stone will face up inky black.
Stone 5 - last stone nice brilliant blue? With hints of green? No disrespect but that is a really bad shade of blue with no brilliance at all and if you want a blue green stone save yourself a lot of dollars and get an Aussie sapphire. In fact if you love them this shade and some people do that's not a half bad idea because they should in theory be a lot cheaper than this.

A dark blue sapphire can be dark but still flash a really nice vivid blue in colour you either want that or you are looking for something more like one of these;

This one will be a lot darker than pictured but "flash" a nice blue for a fraction of the price of the ones you have listed ;

https://gregwalkergems.com/products-1/1-96ct-fine-blue-sapphire-oval-cut-gw300/

Or

http://www.australiansapphire.com/gems/display/3.65 Ct. Blue.JPG

Or this if you want something that is green blue;

https://gregwalkergems.com/products-1/2-43ct-fine-blue-sapphire-oval-cut-gw310/

Or google any one of the Australian sapphire mines and ask them what else they have.
Otherwise that's a great idea go to Prima Gems and handpick a dark stone from either Africa or Sri Lanka that flashes a beautiful vivid blue in strong lighting.

 

[hans]

Just because you want a dark or a deeper coloured blue sapphires doesn't mean that it still shouldn't flash a beautiful blue in strong lighting or outside. For reference here is how to read pics like the ones you have posted in the examples you have listed above;
Stone 1 - See that weird flat area in the centre that's called a window, unless the stone is rare or something that negates this colourwise stay away from it. This stone also has colour zoning, that is the colour in that window isn't uniform.
Stone 2 - Do you like black stones? It won't matter how well or badly this one is cut it's going to look inky black all of the time.
Stone 3 - See comments for stone 2 except it's shallow and going to face up an inky black too.
Stone 4 - A bit more transparency? Yes that's called a big window in the centre that we can barely see because again the stone will face up inky black.
Stone 5 - last stone nice brilliant blue? With hints of green? No disrespect but that is a really bad shade of blue with no brilliance at all and if you want a blue green stone save yourself a lot of dollars and get an Aussie sapphire. In fact if you love them this shade and some people do that's not a half bad idea because they should in theory be a lot cheaper than this.

A dark blue sapphire can be dark but still flash a really nice vivid blue in colour you either want that or you are looking for something more like one of these;

This one will be a lot darker than pictured but "flash" a nice blue for a fraction of the price of the ones you have listed ;

https://gregwalkergems.com/products-1/1-96ct-fine-blue-sapphire-oval-cut-gw300/

Or

http://www.australiansapphire.com/gems/display/3.65 Ct. Blue.JPG

Or this if you want something that is green blue;

https://gregwalkergems.com/products-1/2-43ct-fine-blue-sapphire-oval-cut-gw310/

Or google any one of the Australian sapphire mines and ask them what else they have.
Otherwise that's a great idea go to Prima Gems and handpick a dark stone from either Africa or Sri Lanka that flashes a beautiful vivid blue in strong lighting.

Hey Arkieb1, thank you for your helpful advice stone suggestions, I appreciate it.

Prima has a nice blue oval sapphire that I will be inquiring about tomorrow.

I have definitely learned a lot on these forums since making that original post yesterday and I have a better understanding on what you guys mean now about the quality of these stones.

 

[crescentgems]

wish you all the best in finding the perfect stone

 

[normanintheskywithsapphires]

Have a look at my favorite trader, he is expensive but you'll clearly see the difference of color and transparency on the photos:
https://www.wildfishgems.com/blue_sapphire_over_2_carat

 

[hans]

Had 3 viewings yesterday; went ok but the Las Vegas trade show is next week so a lot of inventory was out. Probably view more in the middle of June when they get their stones back.

Enchanted Diamonds - very nice family owned business. didn't see anything I liked yet but they are going to pull more now that they know what color and size I'm looking for.

The Natural Sapphire Company - aesthetically speaking of the office, the nicest viewing we've had. a lot of their inventory out right now, so will check back in.

Gems NY - they don't do trade shows anymore, so got to see a lot of options. Here is youtube link to the favorite stone within our price range that we saw. (

)

 

[digdeep]

Which one is the one you like? The lighter one?