Purchasing a sapphire

[mickeyblue42]

Hi All

I have ready many of the threads, almost all of them in fact regarding sapphires

Could I please have a professional opinion. I dont normally work in sapphires and I am concerned with the following....

I am looking at buying a loose round blue sapphire. It is 1.36ct YET the diameter is 6.15mm

Surely this means that the pavilion depth is too deep on the stone? The jeweller supplying me says he can get a certificate done but the reason that it looks quite a bit smaller than a diamond is the depth needs to be greater to bring out the colour?

I feel like he is trying to pull a move here. I realise the stone should have a small diameter but surely not this small

 

[LoversKites]

Using Gemfix.com's available sapphires I found that round sapphires weighing 1.3ct measured between 6.3 and 6.5mm. Sapphires like you said are cut deeper to amp up the colour. And to save weight. A sapphire will face up smaller than a diamond of the same weight because corundum is a denser mineral.

Numbers are not as helpful in coloured stones as they are in diamonds and tell us nothing , unless the stone is extremely disproportionate.

If I loved the colour and thought the cut was at least acceptable, and the price was fair, I wouldn't mind losing a little bit of face up size. Also, I'd opt for the report from an independent, trusted lab if they are selling it as a untreated or simple-heat stone.

My opinion is by no means professional, by the way, and I may be wrong in some points. I hope other will correct me if that's the case

 

[LoversKites]

Bottom line, I don't think the jeweller is trying to pull a move.

Have you seen the stone in person or decent photos of it? I would not buy a sapphire blindly. Assuming you have, did you like how it looked?

 

[mickeyblue42]

Thank you for the quick response


I have seen it. Sorry I cant provide a photo and my phone has a shocker of a camera in it.

Im following you though. Its a trade off. The stone seems pretty dark to me almost ink dark. Which I was looking for a more electric gatorade type blue.

I am also hesitant to buy without a cert.

It is meant to go into a setting styled off the Vancaro split shank design my friends wife found online. This is why the colour concerns me as the setting is going to be done in black rhodium!

 

[LoversKites]

No problem. I forgot to take a key and now I'm waiting outside my house waiting for someone to come home. So I'm happy to post.

Is the colour inky in good lighting too?

When you saw it, was it under the jewellers fancy lights? These lights are super strong and the stone will definitely be darker indoors or without bright lights.

A setting will darken the sapphire further. Unless you are partial to that colour, I would keep looking. Ask the jeweller for a sapphire with lighter tone, and similar or better saturation.

If you're willing to buy online you can browse the vendors in the stickied trusted vendors thread, or tell us what you want, your budget, and we will help you look.

Your ring will be fabulous, I bet.

 

[chrono]

Mickey,
No, your jeweller isn't trying to pull you a fast one. There are many reasons why a sapphire or any gem, for that matter, might be cut more deeply than others. Amongst them is the lower refractive index (avoidance of windowing) requires a minimum depth, the need to concentrate more colour, working around inclusions, zoning and trying to save weight/material. In general, a sapphire is denser than a diamond so the following is generally true:
1 ct MRB diamond = 6.5 mm
1 ct round sapphire = 6 mm
1.4 ct MRB diamond = 7.4 mm
1.4 ct round sapphire = 6.5 mm

I would not consider the sapphire you looked at as overly deep although it is rather on the deep side. The fact that is is very dark concerns me more and I would keep looking. It isn't worth getting a lab memo (labs do not issue certificates and they shouldn't) since it doesn't sound like the right sapphire for you in the first place.

LK,
Are you all right? I hope you are able to enter your home now.

 

[LoversKites]

Aw, I appreciate the concern Chrono. Nope, I'm still waiting. Dunno how I forgot to take a key I think I'll go to a friends place.

 

[chrono]

Aw, I appreciate the concern Chrono. Nope, I'm still waiting. Dunno how I forgot to take a key I think I'll go to a friends place.

Thanks for checking in. Yes, I am concerned because we take care of each other here, even though most of us have not met. Please drop by a neighbour or friend's place rather than wait outside alone.

Sorry, but my mum instinct is kicking in strongly here.

 

[LoversKites]

Aw, I appreciate the concern Chrono. Nope, I'm still waiting. Dunno how I forgot to take a key I think I'll go to a friends place.

Thanks for checking in. Yes, I am concerned because we take care of each other here, even though most of us have not met. Please drop by a neighbour or friend's place rather than wait outside alone.

Sorry, but my mum instinct is kicking in strongly here.

No problem, it's great to be in a caring community! Your mum instinct is nothing to apologize for. I'm on my way to a friends place very close by right now.

(Sorry OP for the threadjack)

 

[deskjockey]

FWIW, I have a 6.5 mm sapphire (in a diamond, approx 1 carat) that is 1.6 carats. It definitely created a bit of an issue with setting, as it was too deep for the two stock settings I really liked. In that regard I "settled" but the goal is to re-set it at a later date as an anniversary thing.

 

[VirginiaZee]

the setting is going to be done in black rhodium!

The dark metal will probably also make the stone appear darker than it does in hand, so I'd also suggest looking for a lighter tone with good saturation.

(And LK, I'm also glad you're at a friend's place.)

 

[mickeyblue42]

Thanks everyone

All the input was much appreciated. The stone has been sent back and I have requested something lighter and of about 6.7mm+ in diameter as the setting needs a slightly larger gem.

Hope everybody got home safe

 

[Edward Bristol]

I am also hesitant to buy without a cert.

NEVER buy without cert!

 

[LoversKites]

Hope everybody got home safe

Yes, thanks

 

[chrono]

Are you looking for a heated or untreated blue sapphire? Since the mention of a lab report (not certificate) was brought up, I would not accept anything other than AGL, GIA, Gubelin, and SSEF.