Quick sapphire evaluation please.

[ZaPaDoS]

Hello PSers!

You guys are great! It's impressive how much awesome information and knowledge you contain and dole out here on a regular basis! Rock on!

I've been lurking around here for a while now as I've been hunting locally for a good sapphire. I met with a jeweler today and he showed me a few stones. What do you think? How are the prices? Is this something I can and should haggle on? Are there good online sources of stones?




Stone 1 (right in both pictures)
Round cut
1.66 ct
$4,500
- has a big color difference (zoning?) in the stone when viewed from the side or upside-down
- when viewed from the top down, has very good brilliance
- apparently from Ceylon, likely heat treated, no other treatments...not certified

Stone 2 (left in both pictures)
Cushion cut
1.53 ct
$3,200
- looks like very good color saturation
- color stood out on this one, other stones he showed me were dark
- apparently from Ceylon, likely heat treated, no other treatments...not certified

Here is a link to much better photographers, please check them out!

MORE PICTURES: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0drhtqszobmz7jy/lnHJ3Q55DL

I took these with my iPhone; hopefully they are good enough to get a sense of the stones.

Any input you can provide on these stones would be great!

Thanks again for all the great info. here. I appreciate your help.

-Adam

 

[distracts]

Team Cushion!!

 

[JewelFreak]

The round is too dark. In the well-lit photos the cushion looks nice, but not so much in less light. I'd keep looking. And insist on purchase's being contingent on a report from AGL to be sure of treatment(s). You also need an origin report if you want to be sure it's a Ceylon sapphire, if that's important to you. The jeweler's word isn't enough. Read the sticky at the top of the forum "New to Gemstone Buying..." if you haven't already -- good info there to give perspective.

There are some nice sapphires from these vendors:

http://www.spectralgems.net/A-corundum.html

http://www.litnon.com/index.php?page=view&cat=402

Well saturated trillion here, if you like that cut:

http://store.gemologyonline.com/vie...date_activated&numpg=12&thumb=yes&section_id=

--- Laurie

 

[ZaPaDoS]

distracts: Thanks for the vote! Any reason why?

JewelFreak: Thank you, I'll take another read through the "New to Gemstone" guide. I'm going to ask for an AGL GemBrief to ensure that it is only heat treated. The origin report would be nice, but I don't think it's justified given the price of the stone (and it's not a gating factor at this point).

Would the origin report have a chance to change the price drastically? If it came back as Australian, could I expect the jeweler to knock some off the price?

Any feedback on the prices the jeweler is offering?

The trillion cut is listed as "Periwinkle" on that site right?

Thanks for the feedback so far guys!

 

[FrekeChild]

Yes, it's listed as Periwinkle, but I don't consider it periwinkle at all.

I also prefer the cushion, but I also think it's kind of dark.

 

[minousbijoux]

It would help to see pics when it is not in bright light, as that is often how a stone will be seen. Many sapphires are gorgeous with bright light but are considerably darker in more subdued light. If this would bother you (it would bother me), you want to check it out - not in the jeweler's bright lighting or by a window.

 

[ZaPaDoS]

FrekeChild: Thanks! What do you think of the price?

minousbijoux: That's a good idea. I'm going to go back in Monday and I will try to "shade" the stones some to see how it looks in more realistic lighting conditions. Could be tricky because I doubt the jeweler will let it leave the store. My jeweler is putting pressure on me to pull the trigger because they aren't his stones, he ordered them and claims they need to be returned soon.

 

[JewelFreak]

Don't give in to pressure if you're not sure about the stone. I wouldn't be crazy about that tactic.

See if he'll let you take it to a part of the store where light isn't bright or where you can hold it in the shadow of a shelf or furniture or something. He has to understand that you want to be sure of its performance before you cough up that kind of money -- if he doesn't, get suspicious.

If it looks as good in low light as the more lighted photo, it's nice. Might be a good idea to get the lab report contingency in writing if you don't know this jeweler well. Normally I wouldn't come up with that but his pressuring you would make me a bit cautious.

Let us know what you think of it!

--- Laurie

 

[ZaPaDoS]

JewelFreak: All good ideas, thanks. I'll try that out Monday with low light. Any idea what a good price would be for that stone, if it is good under low light? If it's not good under low light?

 

[GregS]

Both look dark. Like others have said, don't feel pressured to buy those stones. Nice(r) Sapphires pop up often.

 

[ZaPaDoS]

GregS: Thanks for the input. Any idea whet a good price would be on the cushion if it ends up keeping it's color in lower light?

 

[GregS]

I think the price is about right for a good middle of the road Sapphire.

Gemfix has a similar sized cushion of good color for roughly the same price per carat.

 

[ZaPaDoS]

GregS: Funny you say that, I've been checking out Gemfix and will probably check out a stone from there if the cushion doesn't hold it's color well enough when I check it tomorrow.

Which particular stone from the Gemfix site are you referring to?

 

[GregS]

The stone I thought was most comparable in weight/shape/price was 1117.

I like a lot of them, 1119 (might be too dark), 1126, 1078 (my favorite), 1104... I am by no means an expert, and someone else may favor four totally different stones.

I highly recommend Roger Dery as well. He doesn't list prices, but if you contact him you will find out he is very helpful and his prices are fair.