Show your Star sapphires and rubies

[Dreamer_D]

@glitterata maybe you can report your pictures?

 

[junebug17]

Ella, did you remove my post showing off the little vintage star sapphire tie tack I recently got? If so, why? I was not trying to buy or sell anything! I was just sharing my new treasure with PS friends.

@glitterata, I have a feeling Ella isn't going to see this, her name isn't highlighted...I think you'll have better luck clicking the report concern under your post and messaging her that way.

 

[glitterata]

@glitterata maybe you can report your pictures?

She removed them, so I don't think I can. And I hesitate to repost in case she removed them on purpose rather than by accident. Oh well.

 

[Autumn in New England]

She removed them, so I don't think I can. And I hesitate to repost in case she removed them on purpose rather than by accident. Oh well.

Please repost... it was lovely. I'm 100% certain Ella was just trying to scrub any post that mentioned a possible sale/purchase. Perhaps your post quoted someone else's (that was against PS rules). Personally, I don't understand the big deal about such posts, but then I'm not the moderator.

 

[Ella]

Ella, I think you may have removed my post about my new star sapphire by mistake, instead of the post where someone asks about buying something--my post is gone, but that one is still there.

Apologies, I had to remove a number of posts that quoted the original post and I did mistakenly remove yours it’s been fixed.

 

[glitterata]

Apologies, I had to remove a number of posts that quoted the original post and I did mistakenly remove yours it’s been fixed.

Thank you, Ella!

 

[glitterata]

My latest arrived. I really like it. Not the highest quality, but not bad either for the price. It was listed as a purple star sapphire, but it's really purplish pink. My jeweler friend said, "I am not certain is GIA would agree, but I personally would unreservedly call that a ruby." The star is wiggly and not very well centered. It looked opaque in the seller's photos, but it's translucent, with bright red fluorescence. It's well domed, a little over a carat and a half. I caught a few photos when the sun came out briefly:












And here are all my star sapphire rings on one hand, though I'll have to wait for the sun to come back before I can show them with their stars:



Fluorescence:

 

[Pumpkin Sparkles]

My latest arrived. I really like it. Not the highest quality, but not bad either for the price. It was listed as a purple star sapphire, but it's really purplish pink. My jeweler friend said, "I am not certain is GIA would agree, but I personally would unreservedly call that a ruby." The star is wiggly and not very well centered. It looked opaque in the seller's photos, but it's translucent, with bright red fluorescence. It's well domed, a little over a carat and a half. I caught a few photos when the sun came out briefly:












And here are all my star sapphire rings on one hand, though I'll have to wait for the sun to come back before I can show them with their stars:



Fluorescence:

I had this one on my watchlist! It definitely looked more purple in their pictures.
I love that cotton candy pink glow it gives off in the sunlight

 

[glitterata]

I had this one on my watchlist! It definitely looked more purple in their pictures.
I love that cotton candy pink glow it gives off in the sunlight

Ah, I hope I didn't buy it out from under you!

Their photos were ugly--it looked like an opaque purple Linde, and they had no photos in point-source light, so you couldn't tell it was a star. But they sent a promising-looking star photo when I asked for it, so I made an offer and they accepted.

 

[glitterata]

The sun peeped out again, so here are all my star sapphire rings on one hand, showing their stars. (I have a few more that aren't rings--a pendant, earrings, that tie tack.)

 

[Dreamer_D]

My latest arrived. I really like it. Not the highest quality, but not bad either for the price. It was listed as a purple star sapphire, but it's really purplish pink. My jeweler friend said, "I am not certain is GIA would agree, but I personally would unreservedly call that a ruby." The star is wiggly and not very well centered. It looked opaque in the seller's photos, but it's translucent, with bright red fluorescence. It's well domed, a little over a carat and a half. I caught a few photos when the sun came out briefly:












And here are all my star sapphire rings on one hand, though I'll have to wait for the sun to come back before I can show them with their stars:



Fluorescence:

Glorious collection! I especially love the three stone, I’d love one like that some day. I’ve seen a few in my travels.

The color of your new pretty is very close to mine, which AGL called “pink-purple color shift”.

 

[Pumpkin Sparkles]

Oh no! Not at all, I keep things in my watchlist that are nice! This suits you beautifull

Ah, I hope I didn't buy it out from under you!

Their photos were ugly--it looked like an opaque purple Linde, and they had no photos in point-source light, so you couldn't tell it was a star. But they sent a promising-looking star photo when I asked for it, so I made an offer and they accepted.

oh no! Not at all I keep things in my watchlist for one day (maybe) lol. I’m on a jewelry diet for sometime unless something pops up that I won’t ever see again then MAYBE!
Haha, I’m so happy I get to see it, it suits you beautifully! Enjoy your new star sapphire!

 

[glitterata]

Glorious collection! I especially love the three stone, I’d love one like that some day. I’ve seen a few in my travels.

The color of your new pretty is very close to mine, which AGL called “pink-purple color shift”.

I was thinking of your gorgeous ring when I bought my new little one. Your stone is lightyears nicer, but they do seem related. Does yours have fluorescence? That was a pleasant surprise for me with mine.

I got the three stone in the long-ago glory days of ebay, when gold was cheap and the sellers were just folks clearing out their (or their grandmothers') jewelry boxes. I remember being disappointed when it arrived because of the browny-pinky gray color and because the stars are really uncentered--only one of the end ones shows the star at all if you look at it straight on. But since then it's grown and grown on me, and now it's one of my favorite rings.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I was thinking of your gorgeous ring when I bought my new little one. Your stone is lightyears nicer, but they do seem related. Does yours have fluorescence? That was a pleasant surprise for me with mine.

@Starstruck8 asked if mine had red fluor when he saw my pictures. I don't have a UV light but I'm sure he's correct. Mins shifts from a very deep plum color through to a soft pink depending on the light, though purple dominates in my northern latitude. Does yours shift much?

I got the three stone in the long-ago glory days of ebay, when gold was cheap and the sellers were just folks clearing out their (or their grandmothers') jewelry boxes. I remember being disappointed when it arrived because of the browny-pinky gray color and because the stars are really uncentered--only one of the end ones shows the star at all if you look at it straight on. But since then it's grown and grown on me, and now it's one of my favorite rings.

Ahh glory day lol. Still some deals to be found but not like then. The ring like yours I have seen was priced highish but reasonable. I think stars are not well known and so not as sought by collectors.

 

[glitterata]

@Starstruck8 asked if mine had red fluor when he saw my pictures. I don't have a UV light but I'm sure he's correct. Mins shifts from a very deep plum color through to a soft pink depending on the light, though purple dominates in my northern latitude. Does yours shift much?

Oh, you should get a little UV flashlight--they're cheap on ebay and so much fun for diamond and gemstone lovers!

I don't know yet how much mine shifts, since I've only really seen it in direct sun and cloudy daylight. So far I've only seen pinky-purple and purply-pink--the colors in the photos I posted. I'll see what it does at night or under office lights...

Ahh glory day lol. Still some deals to be found but not like then. The ring like yours I have seen was priced highish but reasonable. I think stars are not well known and so not as sought by collectors.

Yes, people are pretty confused about star sapphires, especially since they don't always show their stars. The 3-stone ring may have been one I bought as moonstones. I may have been disappointed initially when it showed up and clearly WASN'T moonstones! I can't remember. But I do remember being disappointed in the orientation of the stars, so I guess I must have quickly figured out that it was star sapphires. I almost never spent over $100 back then; I expect this ring was well below that. It was cheap enough that I kept it, anyway, despite my disappointment. Thank you for that, Past Glitterata!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Oh, you should get a little UV flashlight--they're cheap on ebay and so much fun for diamond and gemstone lovers!

I don't know yet how much mine shifts, since I've only really seen it in direct sun and cloudy daylight. So far I've only seen pinky-purple and purply-pink--the colors in the photos I posted. I'll see what it does at night or under office lights...



Yes, people are pretty confused about star sapphires, especially since they don't always show their stars. The 3-stone ring may have been one I bought as moonstones. I may have been disappointed initially when it showed up and clearly WASN'T moonstones! I can't remember. But I do remember being disappointed in the orientation of the stars, so I guess I must have quickly figured out that it was star sapphires. I almost never spent over $100 back then; I expect this ring was well below that. It was cheap enough that I kept it, anyway, despite my disappointment. Thank you for that, Past Glitterata!

Past Glitterata knew what she was doing! I sold so many things back in the day I wish I had kept, but oh well.

This is the most purple mine looks:




And the most pink, which comes mostly from a red inclusion on the base that reflects through the most transparent area of the stone:



So not super dramatic, but enough that AGL gave it the "color shift" notation!

Curious to see how yours looks when you have more varied lighting. How is the water on yours? I can't capture that on camera to save my life but mine has such a lovely transparency and depth in sunlight in particular. I would love a very very large star sapphire for that water quality that you can really get lost in.

 

[glitterata]

Past Glitterata knew what she was doing! I sold so many things back in the day I wish I had kept, but oh well.

This is the most purple mine looks:




And the most pink, which comes mostly from a red inclusion on the base that reflects through the most transparent area of the stone:



So not super dramatic, but enough that AGL gave it the "color shift" notation!

Curious to see how yours looks when you have more varied lighting. How is the water on yours? I can't capture that on camera to save my life but mine has such a lovely transparency and depth in sunlight in particular. I would love a very very large star sapphire for that water quality that you can really get lost in.

Wow, yours is lovely!

So far, my new little star has stayed more pink than purple in all the light I've seen it in. I'll wear it to work tomorrow and see if it has more moods in various kinds of artificial lighting, but I suspect it's going to stay purplish pink. It's not very watery--translucent, not transparent. It's a sweet little thing, but not a show stopper. My favorite of my stars is the big pale blue, which has clear, magical depths, like how you describe yours. The seller thought it was a moonstone, and I can see why.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Were you talking about the amazing blue on your middle finger? It so stunning, the quality is undeniable.

Vintage stars are the way to go these days. Mine was an insurance replacement, but the price was shocking to me. It was also so hard to find! Pretty much the only one that size and close to be found on the retail market in North America. I would love a large blue like your magnificent example. I will definitely buy on the secondary market when the time comes.

 

[glitterata]

Were you talking about the amazing blue on your middle finger? It so stunning, the quality is undeniable.

Vintage stars are the way to go these days. Mine was an insurance replacement, but the price was shocking to me. It was also so hard to find! Pretty much the only one that size and close to be found on the retail market in North America. I would love a large blue like your magnificent example. I will definitely buy on the secondary market when the time comes.

Yes, the one on my middle finger. It's an early 20th century stickpin conversion. I bought it from a woman who insisted it was a moonstone and charged me a moonstone price. I love it so much! It's imperfect--it has zoning, a transparent stripe down one side--but that only makes it better in my eyes.

 

[Pumpkin Sparkles]

Yes, the one on my middle finger. It's an early 20th century stickpin conversion. I bought it from a woman who insisted it was a moonstone and charged me a moonstone price. I love it so much! It's imperfect--it has zoning, a transparent stripe down one side--but that only makes it better in my eyes.

I love color zoning! Stella my 2 stone ring has dreamy color zoning, it reminds of me cloud ripples.

 

[Pumpkin Sparkles]

A few sapphires on Sunday, indoor indirect light. This week another star will join, a black star sapphire I have not yet seen the star but for the price it was worth the gamble.

 

[Dreamer_D]

I love color zoning! Stella my 2 stone ring has dreamy color zoning, it reminds of me cloud ripples.

If I’m not mistaken, those lines are the silk and the angle of intersection is what causes the star to form!

 

[Pumpkin Sparkles]

If I’m not mistaken, those lines are the silk and the angle of intersection is what causes the star to form!

I believe you’re right the silk that causes the Star is visible in my picture but there are streaks that are hard to capture that are a bit different in color that correlates with the silk, it’s hard to capture in pictures but very visible in person under close inspection.

 

[Pumpkin Sparkles]

What I mean, the streak is also darker from the bottom, perhaps I’m wrong ‍,
I’m just going off of what a local jeweler had mentioned. She didn’t like the zoning in mine and went on about her uniform opaque ones being superior, I guess to each their own.

 

[Pumpkin Sparkles]

Well that emoji didn’t work out it was supposed to be a shrug shoulders :/

 

[Dreamer_D]

What I mean, the streak is also darker from the bottom, perhaps I’m wrong ‍,
I’m just going off of what a local jeweler had mentioned. She didn’t like the zoning in mine and went on about her uniform opaque ones being superior, I guess to each their own.

I wonder if those are areas with less silk so you are seeing the translucent body color? That’s what it looks like to me, but obviously you can see it more clearly.

Mine is quite transparent through about 1/3 and about 1/3 has a cloud of visible silk. The transition between the transparent body and silk looks a little like the difference in color in the “zoning” area.

Here’s a photo. The cloud is top and it streaks into the transparent area on the bottom. The place the silk transitions to transparent has bars that look like yours. The lighter lines are silk and the darker are transparent sapphire.

 

[Pumpkin Sparkles]

I stand corrected, you are correct my apologies. I guess not all jewelers “know their stuff”, it kind of makes sense considering she appraised one of my pear diamonds as it had a fish eye affect.. it was spready and she called it an SI1.. there was no inclusions only the reflection of the girdle.

Thank you for pointing that out to me. Your sapphire is so lovely with a beautiful color, I hope to have one in a shade of that color in the future . I just realized that I prefer the silkier star sapphires.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

My only star is my avatar picture. This was a lucky find for me and a 45th birthday present. The ring is very old as you can see from the bezel being worn around the sapphire. The original shank has obviously been replaced but I adore this ring so much. When I was first considering purchasing I did a Google search and found the attached lab report.

 

[Pumpkin Sparkles]

My only star is my avatar picture. This was a lucky find for me and a 45th birthday present. The ring is very old as you can see from the bezel being worn around the sapphire. The original shank has obviously been replaced but I adore this ring so much. When I was first considering purchasing I did a Google search and found the attached lab report.


This is stunning the halo really makes the sapphire pop!

 

[Dreamer_D]

@Pumpkin Sparkles I have found most local Jewelers don’t know much at all about star sapphires! They are just so rare. All star sapphires have silk, because it makes the star, but some have less and others more. Very opaque stars have lots and more translucent examples have a very nice water quality. I love the silk too. I don’t have a photo but when viewed through a loupe in the sun the silk cloud in mine looks just like that picture of clouds from a plane you posted earlier. It’s very beautiful. My dream is to find a 20ct one some day with nice water.