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Opinion on this sapphire please

Acquisitor

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Messages
20
Hi!

I bought a weird looking ring online which has a sapphire measuring 16mm×11 mm.
What do you think is the origin of the stone? I want to discover more about it. The local jewellers are incompitent.

I hardly see any imperfections under x30 magnification.

screenshot_2015-10-04-13-05-39.png screenshot_2015-10-04-13-06-15_1.png
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 22, 2004
Messages
38,364
Did it come with proper lab paperwork stating that it is a sapphire? Being that it is very clean under 30x magnification does not bode well. Secondly, it is impossible to ID the origin from pictures alone. One has to study the inclusions under very high magnification. With the "sapphire" having no inclusions to be able to tell its origin, we are back to the first point - is it a synthetic stone? Sadly, most jewellers aren't well versed in coloured stones, so your best bet is a reputable lab like GIA and AGL, both of which will verify mounted stones.
 

Coralfish

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Messages
202
Be prepared for it to be synthetic, but I think it is worth sending to AGL or the GIA. There is a carat weight limit on the AGL gem brief, but that is where you should start if you are in the USA. If you are not, let us know.
 

Acquisitor

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Messages
20
Coralfish|1444158750|3935462 said:
Be prepared for it to be synthetic, but I think it is worth sending to AGL or the GIA. There is a carat weight limit on the AGL gem brief, but that is where you should start if you are in the USA. If you are not, let us know.

Hi

Thanks for your reply.

The stone is not synthetic, its a natural sapphire as identified by several local, Belgian jewellers. So nope, I'm not in the US I'm afraid.

The ring is being professionally polished now, I should have it back by Friday. Then I will post more pictures.

The reason I'm asking this is pure curiosity, I want to know what this 16mm sapphire might be worth.. the local jewellers fail with that, as all of them are resellers..

We have IGI in Antwerp, I might go there..unless you can offer me a better advice
 

Acquisitor

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Messages
20
oh one more thing: I was looking for typical diamond inclusions in it, but I found some air (?) bubbles and not black spots/feathers etc.

I assume the air bubbles mean its a natural stone?

the ring is very big as I said, the diamonds on the sides are 3p each and are VS1/VS2/G-H or so.

The ring might be ugly but it is a 14 gram 18k one, quite a high quality ring.
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 22, 2004
Messages
38,364
If you think that the local jewellers are incompetent, why do you trust their word that it is a natural sapphire? What it is worth are based on several things:
1. Natural sapphire
2. Colour quality
3. Treatment
4. Origin only matters when 2 is top notch and it is untreated.

In Europe, try GIA, SSEF and Gubelin. IGI isn't as highly regarded as the other 3 labs. I would never purchase any diamond or coloured stone that comes with an IGI lab paperwork. Your description of air bubbles is generic - most synthetic sapphires show air bubble inclusions.
 

Acquisitor

Rough_Rock
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Messages
20
Ok so I showed the stone to a professional, his opinion is that its a heated Ceylon sapphire.

the ring is ugly but the sapphire is very beautiful.. Its around 6ct in size.

hand_8.jpg
 

Coralfish

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Messages
202
As far as I'm aware we don't have the GIA (as a testing or grading laboratory) in Europe. Definitely SSEF or Gubelin. You cannot go wrong with either.

To ship it there, a PSer uses someone called Diamond House in Antwerp to aid her international transactions, maybe they can help you. I have no experience of them whatsoever though beyond her report.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/its-here-liquid-diamond-reset-by-victor-canera-for-5-3-oec.193349/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/its-here-liquid-diamond-reset-by-victor-canera-for-5-3-oec.193349/[/URL]

They are the only two institutions in Europe I know of who can test it for Beryllium diffusion which has a huge impact on value. You might be able to find someone who has access to a LIBS machine via a university or suchlike, but I wouldn't personally advise that route.

Otherwise, to be plain sure it is a sapphire, seek out an FGA in Belgium. There are other institutions that qualify people reputably, you could also look for GIA graduate gemmologists, but the people qualified at the institution I am comfortable recommending are the FGAs.

Looking at their website, in Belgium:

http://www.gem-a.com/about-us/fga--dga-register.aspx

Mr Bart Loosvelt FGA, Belgium
Mr Luc P.A. Genot FGA, Belgium
Mr Hendrik Harre FGA, Belgium
Mrs B. Revol MacDonald FGA, Belgium

After that you might seek an appraisal for value.

Edited to add:

Synthetic and natural corundum are chemically identical. I don't believe most professional jewellers would be able to tell that a very clean, air-bubble only sapphire was natural vs synthetic. That's not to say it isn't, but you need the equipment and skill in possession by as I say an FGA or equivalent to make that determination.
 

QuantumStuff

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 6, 2015
Messages
28
Send it to AGL in New York City. It's won't cost that much to ship. AGL, for people in the states, is the recognized authority on colored stones. Very professional and quite affordable.
 

Coralfish

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Messages
202
Posting gemstones outwith the EU, insured, from Europe, is not a small undertaking either riskwise or pricewise, ditto for completing paperwork to ensure customs are not charged upon reentry. Gubelin and the SSEF might even have more worldwide authority than the AGL (the latter point is a matter for debate though).
 
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