Rough purple Sapphire is this the colour if it is cut?

[draganpower]

I have been saving money to buy a purple sapphire to make into a solitaire ring for myself. I got into contact with Jeff White as I have seen so many people post positive things on here about his gems and lapidary. I got in contact with him and he stated this rough he thinks would be perfect for what I am looking for.

As a newbie about these things I just want people's opinion. I found this reference photo (attached) and sent it to Jeff white and he recommend this rough to me to make roughly a 2 carat purple sapphire round brilliance in shape. The setting I was thinking of is this.

However, in the photos the colours are showing more of a bluish colour with occasional flecks of purple. I asked Jeff and he stated all purple shift colour in different light. Which make sense because purple is a combination of red and blue primary colours. He stated most sapphires show a bluish colour in natural light and warmer purple closer to my reference photo.

The rough also doesn't look as saturated but it could also just be photoshop in the reference photo. Do people think this rough when cut will make a sapphire the colour of the reference photo? Thanks

Video of natural Window Light

natural and then indoor (SOLUX daylight-balanced incandescent) lighting

 

[LilAlex]

Welcome! And: nice idea!

I think you are going to have to rely on Jeff's judgment. Typically, the color you see from a well-cut gem reflects (mostly) light that has passed through the gem twice -- down through the stone and then reflected back up from the pavilion and through the crown to your eyes. That's why so many lovely sapphires look insipid and blah when you flip them and look at them with the pavilion facing up. So the perceived vividness of a well-cut gem should exceed that of the handheld rough. Others here know more than I about this sort of stuff and hopefully will weigh in.

I have never taken the leap of choosing rough and then rolling the dice -- I have a hard enough time discerning if I love a finished gem. But my impression is that you can't do much better than Jeff White for this type of adventure at a fair price.

My deal with purple sapphire -- I need it to be enough different from amethyst that (I envision) someone can tell the difference. In reality, that someone is probably only me since the handful of comments I've received over a few decades of ring-wearing are almost always miles off the mark.

 

[Autumn in New England]

I agree with @LilAlex... no one is going to give it to you straighter than Jeff. He'd rather be completely transparent and lose a sale than risk having you disappointed. That piece of rough looks utterly delicious to me! I would love to have it!!

 

[Starstruck8]

Welcome to PriceScope!

I think you are going to have to rely on Jeff's judgment. Typically, the color you see from a well-cut gem reflects (mostly) light that has passed through the gem twice -- down through the stone and then reflected back up from the pavilion and through the crown to your eyes. That's why so many lovely sapphires look insipid and blah when you flip them and look at them with the pavilion facing up. So the perceived vividness of a well-cut gem should exceed that of the handheld rough. Others here know more than I about this sort of stuff and hopefully will weigh in.

I have never taken the leap of choosing rough and then rolling the dice -- I have a hard enough time discerning if I love a finished gem. But my impression is that you can't do much better than Jeff White for this type of adventure at a fair price.

I agree with all this. You have to trust the cutter. He has the experience.

However, in the photos the colours are showing more of a bluish colour with occasional flecks of purple. I asked Jeff and he stated all purple shift colour in different light. Which make sense because purple is a combination of red and blue primary colours. He stated most sapphires show a bluish colour in natural light and warmer purple closer to my reference photo.

This is totally normal for purple sapphires. I have two, both shifty, towards blue in daylight and towards red in warmer light. This is good - both extremes are attractive, and the shift adds interest.

My deal with purple sapphire -- I need it to be enough different from amethyst that (I envision) someone can tell the difference. In reality, that someone is probably only me since the handful of comments I've received over a few decades of ring-wearing are almost always miles off the mark.

I don't need it to look different from amethyst. I love purple, and it's a purple stone that's hard enough for regular wear, unlike amethyst. As you say, almost no one who is not into jewellery has any idea about coloured stones...