shape
carat
color
clarity

Need input on star sapphire

Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.

Upgradable

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
5,537
I must admit, I''m smitten! And I know very little about star sapphires. But I have a LOT of pictures!

Can you help me by giving input on this stone? I''d like info on its desirability in the market. I know that I should look at color, transparency, asterism, natural, not treated. I''d appreciate any opinion!
 

Upgradable

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
5,537
I can''t believe it let me post!! OH HAPPY DAY!!

bestpictureonmyfingerYAY.JPG
 

sleepyspinel

Shiny_Rock
Joined
May 27, 2009
Messages
495
From what I can see the star is well formed and that is definitely a plus. The stone appears quite large, also a bonus :) I think though that just like in faceted sapphires/rubies, vivid blue and red colors are most sought after. As far as clarity, its a fine balancing act... the rutile inclusions responsible for the asterism effect are just that inclusions... therefore the most prized stones have a clear star that appears to emanate from a translucent stone body. The more rutile the more prominent the star yet the opacity is not favored by the market. Again as in the bulk of the sapphire market, unheated/treated stones are always more valuable, but by how much, I cannot say. Also specific to cabochon cut stones, it is preferred that the stone not be terribly "fat bottomed" ie not too much stone below the girdle since this doesn't really contribute to the beauty of the stone but it is definitely factored into the weight and final price.

Just wanted to add that your diamond and sapphire band is really cool! I like the rose cuts and the matt yellow gold, unusual and very attractive!

-SS
 

Upgradable

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
5,537
Thanks Sleepy! The band is a creation of Jewels by Erica Grace. I love it''s uniqueness!

This picture shows that the stone is translucent, not opaque, but nowhere close to being translucent! And it has an enormously fat belly! It weighs at 12.10 carats, but measures at 12x10 face up. Not a shabby size overall. I have a good relationship with this jeweler, and he bought the stone himself in India (he''s native) from a dealer with whom he has had a long aquaintance. It was represented to me as natural ceylon star sapphire with no treatment. There is no documentation to back this up, and if I decide to buy it I will most likely send it to Rich Sherwood for confirmation and appraisal.

He''s offering it to me at $100/carat. I KNOW I love it, but is this a reasonable price based on all of its potential characteristics?

IMG_1288mel.JPG
 

Upgradable

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
5,537
Here it is indoors under natural light. This represents the body color well. I was wrapping it in different chains to check out metal colors for possible settings.

IMG_1293mel.JPG
 

RubyCharm

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
364
Date: 7/3/2009 5:57:38 PM
Author: Upgradable
Thanks Sleepy! The band is a creation of Jewels by Erica Grace. I love it''s uniqueness!


This picture shows that the stone is translucent, not opaque, but nowhere close to being translucent! And it has an enormously fat belly! It weighs at 12.10 carats, but measures at 12x10 face up. Not a shabby size overall. I have a good relationship with this jeweler, and he bought the stone himself in India (he''s native) from a dealer with whom he has had a long aquaintance. It was represented to me as natural ceylon star sapphire with no treatment. There is no documentation to back this up, and if I decide to buy it I will most likely send it to Rich Sherwood for confirmation and appraisal.


He''s offering it to me at $100/carat. I KNOW I love it, but is this a reasonable price based on all of its potential characteristics?

I think it''s reasonably priced. The star is very nice. The stone looks more opaque than translucent, but if that doesn''t bother you and you like the color, then I''d say go for it (given that you''ll be sending it to R. Sherwood for verification).
 

AprilBaby

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jul 17, 2008
Messages
13,234
STUNNING!
30.gif
 

Upgradable

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
5,537
Thanks Ruby! Especially as you've gone through the search. You also know how hard it is to get representative pictures of these stones. They are very three dimensional, and a 2-D picture does them little justice.

Oh, and about how many hours did Rich put in on your appraisal? Or was it just a flat fee?
 

RubyCharm

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
364
Date: 7/3/2009 6:38:56 PM
Author: Upgradable
Thanks Ruby! Especially as you''ve gone through the search. You also know how hard it is to get representative pictures of these stones. They are very three dimensional, and a 2-D picture does them little justice.


Oh, and about how many hours did Rich put in on your appraisal? Or was it just a flat fee?

EXACTLY!!!

As for the appraisal, it was a flat fee + shipping + shipping insurance (I got the "Comprehensive Gemstone Analysis" for insurance purposes). It was totally worth it!!!
 

RubyCharm

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
364
Is it for a pendant or a ring?
 

Upgradable

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
5,537
Ring. I like to do things that are quite different than the mainstream, so I''ll post more on that later as my thoughts form.

I do love your VanCraenyst (never can spell that!)!!! Quality, craftsmanship, vintage but not over-whelming. Just gorgeous!
 

RubyCharm

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
364
Date: 7/3/2009 6:54:22 PM
Author: Upgradable
Ring. I like to do things that are quite different than the mainstream, so I''ll post more on that later as my thoughts form.


I do love your VanCraenyst (never can spell that!)!!! Quality, craftsmanship, vintage but not over-whelming. Just gorgeous!

Thank you!
5.gif
Hehe, I used to have a hard time spelling and PRONOUNCING it (Larry patiently taught me how to say it correctly, after I said it wrong a number of times
9.gif
).

No matter what style you choose, a bezel mounting is the most comfortable and secure for a star of that size (I''m sure it will be a beautiful ring! Keep us posted on the whole process!)
 

Lady_Disdain

Ideal_Rock
Trade
Joined
Jul 25, 2008
Messages
3,988
Is the star nicely centered? This may seem trivial, but I have a lovely little cat''s eye tourmaline that drives me bonkers because the eye is off centered.
 

Linda W

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Feb 15, 2006
Messages
10,630
Hi Uppy
35.gif
35.gif



I love your star sapphire. Love the color of it too. I don''t know much about them, but I think that one would make a gorgeous ring.
30.gif
 

LtlFirecracker

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Feb 29, 2008
Messages
4,837
I like it, the star is very nice and it is a great size!
 

PinkTower

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
1,129
I love your stone. I just got my first star. It is black with an ecru colored star. Mine is a little large for a ring, but I wonder if the light would ever catch the star if it were a pendant? I love your band also. I have never seen a rose cut in reality. They remind me of something Anne Boleyn would wear.
 

RubyCharm

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
364
Date: 7/3/2009 9:43:41 PM
Author: Pink Tower
I love your stone. I just got my first star. It is black with an ecru colored star. Mine is a little large for a ring, but I wonder if the light would ever catch the star if it were a pendant? I love your band also. I have never seen a rose cut in reality. They remind me of something Anne Boleyn would wear.


Pink, did you post any pics? If you did, I totally missed it!!!
38.gif
 

Upgradable

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
5,537
Here''s another pic in direct sun. I didn''t realize my fingers were so hairy!

IMG_1276mel.JPG
 

jewelerman

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Sep 30, 2007
Messages
3,107
likin the color very much!Im always pro-star stones!all colors and qualities!
 

MonkeyPie

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 23, 2008
Messages
6,059
Glad to see you posting
36.gif


I love this stone, and I think it looks awesome. Not a bad price, either, from what little research I have done on stars.
 

Barrett

Ideal_Rock
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
2,218
That is a very very nice star sapphire...snatch it up most definetly
 

PinkTower

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
1,129
RubyCharm,
Yes, I did post about the stone, about two weeks ago, but I accidentally put it in RockyTalk. I asked the adm to move it several times.
Anyway, if you want to see it, look back over there, because I posted three shots.(of course, they are not as good as the ones with your new camera feature. I have discovered a feature called ''flower'' on mine since I made the black star photos. It really helps.) I also posted one photo in the thread here started by D&T this week.

Upgradable,
Could you show a photo of the backside, please? Mine is 7 carats, but the back is not rounded, it has been flattened, but not polished. I like that about it, because it will be more comfortable for a ring, and I was not paying for hidden weight. The cost of your concerns me a little, since I just got mine, but I am a little obsessive about what I will agree to pay for a stone. I enjoy the hunt!

Pink
 

Upgradable

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
5,537
Here''s a picture of it''s underbelly. Yuck!

IMG_1278mel.JPG
 

D&T

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 27, 2008
Messages
12,502
beautiful serene color of blue nice looking star. Do you have any yellow gold chain to wrap around to see the color next to it, I really like it next to your yellow bezel, but then again, I love seeing yellow and blue together anyways
 

RubyCharm

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
364
Date: 7/4/2009 11:59:14 AM
Author: Upgradable
Here''s a picture of it''s underbelly. Yuck!

Hehe, that''s actually a good thing (I''d be a little concerned it if didn''t have any "flaws").
 

T L

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
25,159
I''m not an expert in star sapphires, but make sure it''s a true Ceylon star. The Indian ones are much less valuable. The asterism is nice, but truth be told is that the Indian star sapphires can have very fine asterism as well. However, color, translucency, are other very important aspects to these stones. Just make sure you''re paying a fair price for the quality is what I''m trying to say.
 

Upgradable

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
5,537
Date: 7/4/2009 12:10:29 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
I''m not an expert in star sapphires, but make sure it''s a true Ceylon star. The Indian ones are much less valuable. The asterism is nice, but truth be told is that the Indian star sapphires can have very fine asterism as well. However, color, translucency, are other very important aspects to these stones. Just make sure you''re paying a fair price for the quality is what I''m trying to say.
That''s what I''m hoping to get help with. I will be sending it to Rich Sherwood who will confirm origin. Is $100 per carat a reasonable price even if it is Indian?
 

T L

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
25,159

Upgradable

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 15, 2004
Messages
5,537
Date: 7/4/2009 12:07:49 PM
Author: D&T
beautiful serene color of blue nice looking star. Do you have any yellow gold chain to wrap around to see the color next to it, I really like it next to your yellow bezel, but then again, I love seeing yellow and blue together anyways
Okay, I''ll think outloud here..... I know the obvious choice would to be mount it in white metal surrounded with a halo of diamonds, ala ballerina style. But I also liked how it looked with my yellow rose cut band. I like unique, so I started considering this set in matte yellow or rose surrounded by bezel rose cut sapphires and diamonds, either alternating like the band or sapphires around most of it except where the cathedral arms of the mounting attaches on the side, where we''d put at least two rose cuts descending from the halo down the band.

wrapped in gold.JPG
 

T L

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
25,159
I like the white gold and the yellow gold, but I don''t care much for it in rose gold.
 
Status
Not open for further replies. Please create a new topic or request for this thread to be opened.
Be a part of the community Get 3 HCA Results
Top