question on sapphire ring

[kt]

Hi there! it's been a long time since i've been here- you all helped me when my DH and I got engaged 7 years ago! (I guess this means I should be buying nice stones more often?)

Anyway, I recently got the urge to buy a sapphire ring - a rather large one! I'm going to Jeff Badler, who also sold us our engagement ring (along with a couple of other diamond pieces through the years) and whom I really like (and I know quite a few people here have bought other pieces from him), and he's found me a gorgeous, deep blue 3 carat cushion cut, about 8mm x 8mm with trapezeoid diamonds on each side. However, i also just saw here that some people were reco'ing estatejewelrynewyork.com. I went and looked on there and found some rings that would be comparable to the one I'd get from Badler, but set in platinum or with more diamonds for about the same price (~$8k; mine would be in 14k).

I guess my question is, both places use heat treated stones and i don't have the chance to go back to nyc to see estatejewelrynewyork's pieces. But how can i tell what the true color/quality of the stones are from ejny? does anyone have experience buying from them? i really trust Jeff @ Badler so I know he's found me a nice piece, but wanted to get some opinions on ejny before I push the button and commit...i've never spent this much on a piece of jewelry before (i've been more into watches... )

THANK YOU for your thoughts!!!

 

[y2kitty]

Can you ask nyestatejeweler's for pictures of the ring in different lights? That's what I'd do.

 

[kt]

I just tried calling them yesterday and they are closed until Tuesday...but I wanted to ask the same thing.

What I'm just wondering in general is how do I find out if what he is charging is within the realm of reason if I find a nice stone, plus making the ring? I do love the color and from what I've learned here it IS a nice piece (no windows, heat treated only, uniform intense color etc). Also, he is nothing but upfront with me in the past - but i think he mainly deals with diamonds vs colored stones...would it be about the same if I sourced a stone from say, Jeff white and then tried to find a setting for it separately? Would I expect to pay about the same?

I tried to also look at NSC.com but from I read here their prices are it necessarily the best so just wanted some additional perspective. Thank you so much for any thoughts!!!

 

[vinkalmann]

Congrats on your search, that should be fun

I can't speak much to prices, but the first thing people are going to want to know to judge prices is whether both stones have certificates to show they're just heated versus Be diffused. If one is just heated while the other is Be diffused the only heated stone is going to be more valuable than the Be diffused stones assuming both stones have similar qualities otherwise. For stones this expensive they should be able to provide a cert or be willing to get one for you.

Any thoughts on going for a smaller but unheated stone? It's all personal preference of course, but for something that's obviously special might as way go for broke. With a budget of $14k it seems like you should be able to get a killer stone for $10K and then have the remainder for the setting. If you were going on the lower side of the budget $8K I would think you should still be able to get an awesome stone and setting.

Definitely focus on the color of the stone over everything else. Find something you LOVE because you'll find yourself staring into the dreamy blue a lot

 

[kt]

haha, I WISH that i had $14k to spend on a ring! What I mean was, i am spending $8k on the ring, but the setting would be in 14k!

So after spending several weeks doing my research and looking at various stones/jewelers/vendors/online, I found this one with Badler that I'm really aboslutely loving - talk about making my heart pound! it's a deep, intense blue with little if any window or extinction, eye clean. I looked at it under regular incandescent, fluorescent and outdoor daylight (even took it behind the counter to see it in dim light!) and I think it's really gorgeous - but I only had my iphone with me and couldn't get any real shots of it (didn't think of taking a pic outdoors - was soooo nervous about dropping it or losing it!). I did debate awhile about getting a natural vs. heat treated (and read all the opinions here) but i'm really looking for something on the "larger" side (i know this is relative) now that we have more $$ to spend vs. when we got engaged several years ago, and i don't mind heat-treated if it gets me the size + color i'm looking for.

Cushion Mixed Cut
2.94 ct
8.17 x 7.85 x 5.13
Minute exsolved particles
Evidence of Heat Treatment

No BE Diffusion treatment
The paperwork is just from the cutter/vendor but I can get an AGL cert. I'm spending ~$2k for the ring (basic 3-stone with 2 diamond trapezoids, 14k, and then plus labor) and the balance on the sapphire. (i could try to post the cert pic here if i can figure that out)

The other thing I was debating was looking for an estate piece, but with very little time to spend on this (I work full time) and also i'm still not super familiar with sapphires to the point where I can just pick one up and judge it easily (and it being in a setting already), I'm thinking this would bring me my best peace of mind - i've bought quite a few diamond pieces from him also that have been great.

I will say this was more stressful than when DH and i bought my ering, though! maybe be/c i had more time (and didn't have a toddler running around! ) It was so much easier to come up here, read about diamond grading and what to look for and have certificates and paperwork and a standard to work with!! This was so much more subjective and therefore at some points I was ready to give up. I learned a TON from PS during this process, though.

 

[iLander]

Any of these grab you?

http://www.gemfix.com/sapphire_blue.html

Upper left corner is unheated and certed. Slightly bigger than the one you're considering. if you email questions to them, they're very honest.

http://idjewelryonline.com/product_info.php?cPath=42_43&products_id=11003&cType=ER

Good setting, they have more or can do one custom for you.

Both reputable vendors.

 

[kt]

Thanks!! I looked at the gemfix stone from another post and while it's nice I wanted something more square vs. Rectangle...it's gorgy, tho! I may give them a call tomorrow to see what else they may have.

I'll also check out the setting site u sent - not crazy about that particular one but maybe they have something else....

 

[vinkalmann]

Lol on my mistake. I guess I got excited by the big budget and misread