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Please help pick my blue sapphire

kathness

kathness

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Feb 4, 2013
Messages
403
Hiya,

I'm currently in the process of creating my custom blue sapphire ring.

The jeweller has the following 3 sapphires which she has filmed with two different lighting.

http://youtu.be/u7ngMnvYliQ

What are your thoughts? Any feedback would be much appreciated!!!!
 
Looks nice ... I think the 2.01ct cushion has a slight window ....
whats your favorite shape ?
 
Thanks!!! I do like both shapes!!
 
Honestly they are all very dark with more purple then blue. Is this your color preference or what the jeweler was able to to procure? Some people like darker sapphires, but my perference is a more med. blue with violot understones similar to the example below. Because of the color I would not get any of them.

Did they disclose treatment/ heating etc?

_4340.jpg
 
They look a bit dark but this could be your preference :)

The middle one is really sparkly!
 
Sarahbear!! The example you showed me is amazing!

These are the selections my jeweller has picked from a dozens of sapphire.

The sapphire are heat treated. I'm ok with that.

Afterglow I agree the middle one is most sparkly.

I suppose beside the color do you think the quality is good? And also what do you think is a reasonable price for these?

Thanks!!!
 
Of the three in the video, the middle stone appears the most decent... but honestly even if you prefer a darker blue, based on the video, I'm not sure the middle stone rates as a keeper - it looks the best of the three, but to my eyes the other two would never be viable candidates.

[FWIW this is just my opinion based on the video you posted - and video quality can vary depending on the skill, technique, equipment, and lighting of the one taking the video, and the end quality also can be affected by the viewer's monitor.]

If you do decide you like the middle stone, I would encourage you to have it sent to you so you can examine it yourself in different lighting conditions to see if it really does have the color and performance you seek - preferably while your jeweler still has the option to return it should you decide against it.

If your goal is a sapphire more like the one posted by Sarahbear621, these three do not make the cut.

As you probably know from reading all the sapphire threads, pricing can vary quite a bit depending on carat weight, color/saturation, treatment and origin - and I don't know if your jeweler also adds on a percentage. And if I were buying a sapphire represented as no-treatment or heat-only, I would want that confirmed by an AGL Gem Brief or similar.
 
I hestitate to post pricing because I could be so way off. But sapphires that dark, native cut and heated (I'm guessing with no lab report to prove that??). I wouldn't think they wouldn't be worth very much. Some of the other gemstone ladies could give a best guessimate but my jeweler down the street has similar ones with stats (though less purple) for around $400.

Honestly if you want a nicer sapphire let the ladies here find you one. Just give your price range. That would be the road I would take.
 
Can you give us a picture of the sapphire color you want? It might be different than the trade "ideal", which is fine. I feel that the trade "ideal" color is defined by people who have an interest in making money off of people who buy gems. Whether it is the most beautiful color in "blue" sapphires is up to debate. As long as you are paying a fair price for your stone, and you like that, I think that's all that matters.

A lot of people like Princess Catherine's ring, which is not trade "ideal" color. It is darker than the "ideal" color. You will have to pay a lot more for trade "ideal" color, which is not worth it you don't prefer it.

You can also give us your budget and people can help you find the closest to trade "ideal" color for that price, if that is what you want. You probably also have a preference for cut and size (mm), based on how much coverage you want on your finger.
 
I am sorry to say that the quality of the sapphires are very low if the colours I see is accurate. It isn't just that they are dark, all 3 are very poorly saturated, hence more gray than blue. No amount of sparkle can make up for the lack of saturation to me.

The sapphire Sarahbear showed is a medium dark but well saturated, hence the blue colour stands out front and centre right away.
 
Hi All,

First of all thank you for taking the time & looking at sapphires, my jeweler have picked for me. I appreciate it a lot!!

Marymm - My Jeweler is currently in San Diego and I'm in London :). So logistically, it would be very difficult to get the gems delivered to London & see it for myself :(.

Sarahbear621 -Unfortunately, I don't really know the exact price of the sapphire, i was given a quote which includes the sapphire /setting. However, I've just emailed my jeweler and asked her to provide the break down for each of the stone. My budget for a sapphire is around about $2000-3000. all i really want is find a beautiful sapphire at a reasonable price.


Pregcurious - I've attached a photo of the sapphire, which i think is beautiful. My concern is that because of the setting I like which a Halo. I didn't want the sapphire to look really really dark if placed in halo setting.

In terms of Size, perhaps 9x7... I don't think I can afford a 10x8. Although, im not very familiar with the pricing. As mentioned above my budget is $2000-3000. Do you think is realistic?


Chrono - thanks so much for looking through the sapphire selections, I very much value your opinion. I definitely do like the sapphire color that Sarahbear has posted.


If you ladies/ gents are aware of any sapphire that you think is within my budget, or even if its slightly more. Please do share....

Appreciate all your thoughts & assistance!!!

ceylonsapphirering1-300x210.jpg

blue_sapphire_tone.jpg
 
This is both outside your budget and a bit smaller than your preference, but I just saw this last night - http://johndyergems.com/catalog_pages/gemstone-Sapphire2542.html - John Dyer is extremely reputable and between the photo and his comments on the stone I think this sapphire would be an outstanding choice, certainly worth asking your jeweler to follow up on should it make your short list.
 
Marymm,

If I wanted that exact John Dyer Sapphire, I would get it at the discount through another vendor in the consortium. 2nd page of the Sapphire section of the database:

http://flawlessfacets.com/
 
corundum_conundrum|1362949475|3401477 said:
Marymm,

If I wanted that exact John Dyer Sapphire, I would get it at the discount through another vendor in the consortium. 2nd page of the Sapphire section of the database:

http://flawlessfacets.com/
Click to expand...

That is a significant discount - good to know - thanks for the info!
 
The most man-made aspect of any gemstone is the price!
 
Does your budget include the taxes or is that only for the sapphire? Is the pictures of the sapphire you attached just as an example colour or is it a stone you are interested in? I think the colouration is very pretty and might be all right in a halo.
 
I have now received the prices of the sapphire shown in the video by deductions. My jeweler says that the color of the sapphires are actually lighter in real life, it is the way it has been filmed that made it look darker.

1.$4566 - Cushion 2.01ct
2.$4680 - Oval 2.17 ct
3.$4704 - Oval 2.58 ct

Pregcurious /marymm / corundum_conundrum /thank you so much for the links!! I will definitely go through them.

Chrono - the budget is only for the sapphire. my previous budget was $2000-3000 but after doing some more research i think I may put up my budget to $3500?. The picture of the sapphire is an example of the color I which to have. What is the technical term for this color?
 
Even if I presume the 3 sapphires in the video to be lighter in real life, they are quite gray to my eye. My best guess as to the example sapphire you linked to is around a medium to medium dark, blue hue with the very slightest touch of violet and strong saturation.
 
Thanks Chrono!

My jeweller has pick a another apphire a lighter one 1.76ct closer to my budget.

http://youtu.be/HtpW1WHUiEM

Thoughts?
 
You say your jeweler is in the US but you're in London... do you travel for work, or will you have a chance to get to the US to see your selection in person at some point? if not, is there any special reason you're tied to this particular jeweler?

I'm sorry to say I don't care for any of the sapphires she has shown you (nor her prices for the quality, but that's another issue) - including the most recent one, which doesn't look very saturated to me, and I'm still seeing gray in it.

Have you had a look at the sapphires from www.gemfix.com?? They are often recommended on here - some of their pics aren't the most accurate, but things have improved since they started offering hand shots of many of their stones. If you can find another example of your "ideal" color on their page and show it to us, it would be helpful.
 
tara3056|1363048874|3402471 said:
Have you had a look at the sapphires from www.gemfix.com??? They are often recommended on here - some of their pics aren't the most accurate, but things have improved since they started offering hand shots of many of their stones. If you can find another example of your "ideal" color on their page and show it to us, it would be helpful.
Click to expand...

OP - as an fyi: GemFix is located in the same building as your jewelry designer, just one floor below - (this building is know as the San Diego Jewelers Exchange, with 8 floors of diamond/gemstone/jewelry vendors) - it should be very easy for your designer to examine any GemFix sapphire you may be interested in...
 
OP, I don't think Chrono is picking on the tone but rather how saturated the color of those sapphires are. And the prices your jeweler quoted you seems a little steep to me for stones that are so unsaturated.

Seconding whoever said to look at gemfix- plus if they're located at the same building, that's a double win.
 
It's fine to like any of the sapphires you have posted, but none of them scream BLUE! like the one Sarahbear posted and that you liked. The stones you've posted look like sapphires, but they would not strike me if I were sitting across from you at a table. High saturation (of the correct hue) without a grey tone will say BLUE! The most recent sapphire looks washed out compared to the Sarahbear stone.
 
If you like the Sarahbear stone, please consider sending it to the jeweler and see if she can match it. Using descriptive words sometimes is not as informative as a picture (although it's hard to guarantee that we all similar things on different computer screens.)
 
Hiya All!

Tara3056 - I do travel to new york quite often & will pick up the ring there. I just love the jeweler, shes passionate about her work, friendly, amazing customer service and the pave work is gorgeous.

michellechan, pregcurious - i believe she is purchasing the sapphires from gemfix.... i'm not 100% sure but I can double check.
I did send the photo of sarahbear to my jeweler and she did mentioned that the last one is like that in real life.

It's quite difficult to see the real color & saturation over the screen.
 
I am sorry to say newest sapphire she showed is still much grayer than the one Sarahbear posted. It also got a whole lot darker in the sunlight part of the video which turned me off the stone.
 
Kathness: In that case, why don't you select a sapphire from Gemfix directly and then get it set by your jeweler? I think you will have a larger range of sapphires to choose from that way. I see that she normally works with diamonds, so she may not have as good an "eye" for colored stones with no offense to her, of course.

Also, I mentioned about the saturation because you described the sapphire as lighter and not more vivid in tone in the video.
 
Chrono|1363089975|3402773 said:
I am sorry to say newest sapphire she showed is still much grayer than the one Sarahbear posted. It also got a whole lot darker in the sunlight part of the video which turned me off the stone.
Click to expand...

+1. I would be concerned that the jeweler cannot see the difference between the last stone and the Sarahbear stone.

Kathness, do you think the 2 look alike?
 
Sarahbear621|1362828322|3400492 said:
Honestly they are all very dark with more purple then blue. Is this your color preference or what the jeweler was able to to procure? Some people like darker sapphires, but my perference is a more med. blue with violot understones similar to the example below. Because of the color I would not get any of them.

Did they disclose treatment/ heating etc?
Click to expand...

Sarahbear, is this your ring? It looks like its from LM, based on the box.
 
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