Purple diamonds as side stones

[lyerb]

My future wife absolutely loves the colour purple. While I know that I probably can't afford a purple centre stone, I was hoping to get small ones (2mm) to set as side stones in the proposal ring. Only problem now is that I don't really know where to get them. The only website I managed to find is http://africagems.com/calibrated-purple-enhanced-diamonds.html.. Anyone dealt with them before or has any other recommendations?

 

[nottospec]

this site specializes in coloured diamonds, you may try them although I don't think there is anything suitable at the moment listed

http://www.fancydiamonds.net/purple_diamonds

 

[Andelain]

Do you want natural color diamonds, or irradiated? Mined diamonds, or man-made?

 

[WinkHPD]

My future wife absolutely loves the colour purple. While I know that I probably can't afford a purple centre stone, I was hoping to get small ones (2mm) to set as side stones in the proposal ring. Only problem now is that I don't really know where to get them. The only website I managed to find is http://africagems.com/calibrated-purple-enhanced-diamonds.html... Anyone dealt with them before or has any other recommendations?

I think the likelihood of finding natural purple diamonds of 2mm with enough color to call them purple will be very difficult. Have you considered using purple sapphires?

These are much less rare than the purple diamonds and are hard enough to be worn in a ring on a daily basis. More importantly, they have a deep enough color to appear purple rather than a pale lavendar.

Wink

 

[justginger]

this site specializes in coloured diamonds, you may try them although I don't think there is anything suitable at the moment listed

http://www.fancydiamonds.net/purple_diamonds

Leibish is HIGHLY recommended by myself. If their website above doesn't have anything suitable listed, email them -- they have a large unlisted inventory.

 

[TC1987]

These will give you some idea of what diamond + purple looks like.

Here's the thread with the ring Wink or his bench made with purple sapphires (it's what I thought of when you said purple.) The center stone was originally a an M colored diamond.
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/im-seeing-purple-photos-from-wink-of-my-purple-sapphire-halo-setting.128291/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/im-seeing-purple-photos-from-wink-of-my-purple-sapphire-halo-setting.128291/[/URL]

Later, the owner changed the center stone to an I color, but in the same setting.

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-beautiful-infinity-m-si2-from-wink-will-become.134348/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-beautiful-infinity-m-si2-from-wink-will-become.134348/[/URL]
http://www.screencast.com/t/NTdkMWRlZm

 

[lyerb]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

nottospec/justginger - I checked out the websites but they are selling rather big stones. I'm looking for much smaller ones like less than 0.05 carat so I guess I would have to keep looking.

WInk/TC1987 - That's an incredible ring! Yup, my second choice is purple sapphire so I probably will turn to that if I can't find any purple melee diamonds. Sapphires being less rare is actually the reason why I would put it as second choice. Would really like to get something more unique for my special girl.

Andelain - I think I'm fine with both natural and irradiated mined diamonds but not man-made.

Are irradiated diamonds safe? I just checked with my local jeweler and he was advising me not to use irradiated diamonds as they may be radioactive and could be harmful to health. Anyone heard of any horror stories on this before?

 

[Andelain]

Your jeweler is trying to scare you. The radiation is gone from the stone after the process.

 

[justginger]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

nottospec/justginger - I checked out the websites but they are selling rather big stones. I'm looking for much smaller ones like less than 0.05 carat so I guess I would have to keep looking.

WInk/TC1987 - That's an incredible ring! Yup, my second choice is purple sapphire so I probably will turn to that if I can't find any purple melee diamonds. Sapphires being less rare is actually the reason why I would put it as second choice. Would really like to get something more unique for my special girl.

Andelain - I think I'm fine with both natural and irradiated mined diamonds but not man-made.

Are irradiated diamonds safe? I just checked with my local jeweler and he was advising me not to use irradiated diamonds as they may be radioactive and could be harmful to health. Anyone heard of any horror stories on this before?

I know Leibish have larger stones listed -- they carry millions (billions?) of dollars of coloured diamonds, so if you want a contact that may be able to find what you're looking for, they're a solid bet. I don't know if they will personally be holding it, but they surely have a better idea of where to ask than any of us; they specialize in the coloured diamond market and likely have contacts out the wazoo.

 

[GeorgeStevens]

Yeah, ditch that jeweler who said an irradiated diamond is radioactive.

You're looking for melee-sized stones, which aren't typically listed on websites. With regard to the website you posted earlier, remember the old adage about being too good to be true. The good news is that they're not terribly expensive. The question is how purple you can get and still be natural color. You may get to pinkish-purple, but if you want solid purple, I agree that a diamond might not be your best choice.

 

[WinkHPD]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

nottospec/justginger - I checked out the websites but they are selling rather big stones. I'm looking for much smaller ones like less than 0.05 carat so I guess I would have to keep looking.

WInk/TC1987 - That's an incredible ring! Yup, my second choice is purple sapphire so I probably will turn to that if I can't find any purple melee diamonds. Sapphires being less rare is actually the reason why I would put it as second choice. Would really like to get something more unique for my special girl.

Andelain - I think I'm fine with both natural and irradiated mined diamonds but not man-made.

Are irradiated diamonds safe? I just checked with my local jeweler and he was advising me not to use irradiated diamonds as they may be radioactive and could be harmful to health. Anyone heard of any horror stories on this before?

While purple sapphires are less rare than purple diamonds, they are also usually much more saturate in color and thus more beautiful. Especially in the smaller sizes the diamonds will be so pale as to nearly be colorless. I applaud your desire to find something unique for your special lady, but I fear that even in irradiated diamonds your search may be difficult.

Yes, the irradiated diamonds are safe. They are irradiated with gamma rays I believe, which leave no residual radiation. (I reserve the right to be wrong about the actual rays used, since it has been almost forty years since I attended the GIA and the short class on irradiated diamonds during my time there was probably not more than an hour out of the several months that I was there.) The biggest horror story I have heard about irradiated diamonds is the one you just told about an uneducated jeweler using scare tactics to divert you from buying something that he is not selling.

Wink

 

[gemmyblond]

What about purple spinels as side stones? They're unusual, can be more purple and saturated in color than many sapphires, and have a great luster to them.

I did a quick search and here's a RHR with a (larger) purple spinel and diamonds from FacetFire; you can at least see the color and how they look next to diamond:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-purple-spinel-and-diamond-ring-with-a-visit-from-my-oec-e-ring.64728/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/my-purple-spinel-and-diamond-ring-with-a-visit-from-my-oec-e-ring.64728/[/URL]

I'm no spinel or colored stone expert, but may be worth investigating? Good luck on what sounds like a unique and colorful ring for your partner.

 

[heididdl]

I think that is such a sweet idea however, I personally wouldn't want clarity enhanced or irradiated diamonds. My sister also loves purple and so she got two eternity bands with purple saphiires

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I have said this many, many times on here over the years, but just because someone has a favorite color, it does not mean they'd want it on their engagement ring that they'd wear everyday for the rest of their life. It would be a fantastic idea to get her a gorgeous purple sapphire right hand ring. In fact, I hope to have one someday! But no purple or even blue (which is my favorite color) on my engagement ring.

So unless she has specifically ASKED for purple stones in her engagement ring, I very strongly advise you to drop that idea!!!

 

[pinkjewel]

My future wife absolutely loves the colour purple. While I know that I probably can't afford a purple centre stone, I was hoping to get small ones (2mm) to set as side stones in the proposal ring. Only problem now is that I don't really know where to get them. The only website I managed to find is http://africagems.com/calibrated-purple-enhanced-diamonds.html... Anyone dealt with them before or has any other recommendations?

In regards to this vendor, they are quite reputable. Known more for their colored stones last I heard they were having trouble getting saturated natural colored pink diamonds, but not sure about their color enhanced diamond melee such as the purple you referenced.

As some have suggested you may want to double check that she'd like purple on her engagement ring, but you could also use little purple melee as surprise stones on the sides which would be more just for her.

 

[lyerb]

Thanks for the replies and tips! I would probably find another jeweler to help me on sourcing for the stones. Glad to know that the irradiation is safe and I probably have to find actual sapphires/spinel/enhanced diamonds to see personally and judge which has the color tone that I want. And after hearing what you all said, I definitely will try and hint to my girl about getting purple melees on the ring and see what her reaction will be like.

 

[WinkHPD]

Thanks for the replies and tips! I would probably find another jeweler to help me on sourcing for the stones. Glad to know that the irradiation is safe and I probably have to find actual sapphires/spinel/enhanced diamonds to see personally and judge which has the color tone that I want. And after hearing what you all said, I definitely will try and hint to my girl about getting purple melees on the ring and see what her reaction will be like.

He came, he asked, he LISTENED!

That is both rare and wise.

Wink

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Thanks for the replies and tips! I would probably find another jeweler to help me on sourcing for the stones. Glad to know that the irradiation is safe and I probably have to find actual sapphires/spinel/enhanced diamonds to see personally and judge which has the color tone that I want. And after hearing what you all said, I definitely will try and hint to my girl about getting purple melees on the ring and see what her reaction will be like.

He came, he asked, he LISTENED!

That is both rare and wise.

Wink

+1

 

[FrekeChild]

If any jeweler tells you that spinels are only man-made, please run the other direction.

Purple spinels will likely have a fair bit of gray in them, and purple sapphires will be a more pure purple hue. Purple/violet diamonds are actually one of the rarest colors, and as it has already been explained, in that size, they will barely show up as purple. Also, they will be astronomically expensive. Yes, even in melee sizes. Irradiated purple diamonds will be easier to find, but again, if you want purple, I'd go with sapphire.

I would advise purple sapphires all around.

 

[dk168]

I would be inclined to opt for a purple gemstone such as sapphire than to look for suitable purple diamonds based on colour, cost and rarity considerations.

DK