shape
carat
color
clarity

Opinions on this 3.8ct Montana sapphire please

picante27

Shiny_Rock
Joined
May 28, 2015
Messages
288
I'm considering this Montana sapphire. The dimensions are 8.09 x 8.09 x 6.58. The first pic is under indoor fluorescent lights, second taken under flat/cloudy natural light, the third image is in a light box with led and fluorescent lighting. It has some silk that is evident in the last pic and has one feather that doesn't touch the surface. It is unheated. I'd love to get some opinions on it. I appreciate that the vendor isn't just sending me studio glamour shots and trying to show what the sapphire looks like in real life. I really don't want something that is going to be very dark all the time, that's my main concern.
I'm typing on my phone so i apologize in advance for any strange autocorrects i missed!

screenshot_2015-10-05-21-36-46-1_perfectlyclear0001.jpg

screenshot_2015-10-06-15-38-38-1_perfectlyclear.jpg

screenshot_2015-10-06-17-38-45-1_perfectlyclear.jpg
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 22, 2004
Messages
38,364
1. What is your preference for tone? Are you drawn to darker stones and don't mind the darkness/blackness at times?
2. Is the stone eye clean? Is it mind clean enough for you?
3. How accurate are the pictures showing colour?
 

Acinom

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
May 15, 2013
Messages
10,535
Personally I love it. I am a huge fan of darker tones though. This one seems like a bluer version of your teal sapphire by Jeff?
Based on this pics it looks like a stone that needs some light to shine though.
 

QuantumStuff

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 6, 2015
Messages
28
A Montana sapphire that dark is almost always heated. But there maybe not...

You don't hear too many stories of people buying a darker stone and falling in love with it over time. Darker (that dark) just isn't what our eyes like to see.

Take a look at some of the Montana vendors and see what they have. Blazengems comes to mind.
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 22, 2004
Messages
38,364
My guess is that it is too risky to heat this Montana to lighten the tone due to the large inclusion that resides just below the surface of the faceted stone.
 

picante27

Shiny_Rock
Joined
May 28, 2015
Messages
288
Thanks for the feedback! :wavey: The inclusions in the stone were referred to as silk and one small internal feather. Would the silk help brighten this dark stone? Is it necessarily a bad thing? I've seen pictures of "silky" stones that actually seem to glow and I find them fascinating and interesting.
Chrono, I feel like the pictures are an accurate portrayal of color. I do not like a stone that goes inky dark, but don't mind one that is just a darker shade of blue green. I just want it to keep its color, if that makes sense. So, do you consider what they are calling silk to really be undesirable inclusions?

Acinom, yes, it is very similar to the JW Nigerian I have, though I don't think the cut is as beautiful. The only thing I would change about my teal one is that it goes very dark under incandescent lights. It always has nice teal flashes of color, but overall is dark. So, that's what I am trying to avoid with the Montana. The pics seem like even in less than desirable lighting it still looks blueish green. I don't want a sapphire that only looks good when I'm outside. I guess I am drawn to darker stones as well.

QuantumStuff I will double check on the treatments. I was told that a Montana this size and color were pretty rare, and the price of this one certainly reflects that. That's why I really appreciate the input here, I don't want to blunder into something I might regret. I have looked around at other vendors (I could stare at those Gemfix photos all day long!) but this is the largest one I could find in the blue green color I'm looking for.
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 22, 2004
Messages
38,364
In this case, the silk will not affect the dark stone positively. What does the vendor say about whether the stone keeps the same tone indoors? I don't have a good feeling that it does, but the vendor will know best as he has the stone in hand.
 

picante27

Shiny_Rock
Joined
May 28, 2015
Messages
288
Thank you Chrono. I just sent an email to the vendor asking how the tone is affected by indoor/outdoor lighting and double checking on any heat treatment. All of the pics I've received are indoor lighting. I also asked that they send it to me to view in person, hopefully they will oblige. I appreciate the honest feedback. When I show my friends and husband, everyone just says "it looks pretty". It is nice to hear from folks who really know what to look for, thanks!
 

picante27

Shiny_Rock
Joined
May 28, 2015
Messages
288
I got a bit more info on the sapphire. So, it has been heated. All of the pictures I have were taken under fluorescent and incandescent lighting where it shows the darkest color. It brightens up quite a bit in sunlight. I'm thinking it might actually be lighter than my Nigerian since mine goes dark indoors at times. They have a good return policy, so I'm may have it sent to me to check out in person. Thanks again for sharing your opinions!
 

QuantumStuff

Rough_Rock
Joined
Sep 6, 2015
Messages
28
And I wasn't suggesting that heating is bad. If you like the way it looks, who cares?
 

chrono

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 22, 2004
Messages
38,364
picante27|1444259695|3935997 said:
I got a bit more info on the sapphire. So, it has been heated. All of the pictures I have were taken under fluorescent and incandescent lighting where it shows the darkest color. It brightens up quite a bit in sunlight. I'm thinking it might actually be lighter than my Nigerian since mine goes dark indoors at times. They have a good return policy, so I'm may have it sent to me to check out in person. Thanks again for sharing your opinions!

Do keep us updated!
 
Be a part of the community Get 3 HCA Results
Top