Star sapphires -- do any of these look promising?

[cookies]

Hi,

I am still learning to evaluate star sapphires. I've read Ed's article on how to judge star sapphire & ruby, and looked at many examples online. I saw some almost perfect ones, which have sharp well-centered star, good translucency, gorgeous body color, etc. But these are certainly not very affordable to ordinary people like me. So I've been focusing on the less than perfect star sapphires (in large-ish size).

Today I found lots of star sapphires & rubies on "starruby.in" website. Many of their stars are opaque. But I do think they have a few nice ones with good translucency. Some of them come with a GIA or GRS lab report. Since I am still learning, I'd like to hear your experts' opinions on the stones that I think might be promising. All of them have a lab report, except the first two.

1. http://www.starruby.in/store/burmese-star-sapphires/12-03-carat-top-quality-deep-aqua-blue-burmese-star-sapphire
2. http://www.starruby.in/store/burmese-star-sapphires/12-77-carat-exquisite-milky-white-burmese-star-sapphire
3. http://www.starruby.in/store/burmese-star-sapphires/5-87-carat-high-grade-grs-certified-burmese-star-sapphire
4. http://www.starruby.in/store/ceylon-star-sapphires/10-16-carat-gia-certified-unheated-sky-blue-star-sapphire
5. http://www.starruby.in/store/ceylon-star-sapphires/16-48-carat-gia-certified-star-sapphire-with-razor-sharp-star
6. http://www.starruby.in/store/burmese-star-sapphires/8-83-carat-eye-catching-burmese-star-sapphire-grs-certified
7. http://www.starruby.in/store/burmese-star-sapphires/7-63-carat-grs-certified-intense-blue-burmese-star-sapphire
8. http://www.starruby.in/store/ceylon-star-sapphires/12-84-carat-gia-certified-unheated-ceylon-star-sapphire

Thank you for reading!

 

[chrono]

Remember that most of the time, you will not see the star so you must be happy with the body colour and it's clarity. Also, my preference is a flat bottomed cabochon in order to maximize face up size and ease of setting but this isn't always possible.

The first looks very blue gray and opaque. It is also very bottom heavy. Actually, all are quite opaque and bottom heavy. Those that are not, have a flattish dome which isn't great for star movement. Can you give up some size for better translucency?

 

[harshilzaveri]

Dear Cookie,

This is Harshil Zaveri from StarRuby.in. Please feel free to send me an inquiry about these star sapphires through the website contact us page and I will be more than happy to provide my comments about them which will help you better judge the pictures. I can also arrange additional pictures / videos if required.

Best regards,
Harshil

 

[beaujolais]

My favorite color for a star is like the color on No. 1 but I think the bottom of it is not what you want. (Do they cut that way to keep up the carat weight? I guess so.) Do you have large hands, as some of them are really big ! Agreed, I'd cut back on size for better color, shape, cut.

I'm not knowledgeable enough to say much but true in that you really should like the color, as that is what you will see most often. What is your favorite color for a star? I like the slightly softer greyish blues/lighter medium blue; the darker colors seems too "hard" against the star. Just my preference, though.

Stars are so much fun. Art Cut Gems comes up with a great star, sometimes. You might want to e-mail him.
---
Perhaps MTG will comment. She has my favorite star, ever.

 

[cookies]

Harshil - thank you for the reply. I am still learning and don't feel ready to bug any vendors yet, because I may be just wasting their time. But when the time comes, I will surely ask lots of questions.

Chrono - I guess I still don't know how to tell opaque from translucent. I heard that in real life, you can place the stone on newspaper, and if you can kind of see some words through the stone, then it has good translucency. Anyway, I looked at the pictures again after seeing your comment, and compared them to some good examples. I think I could see the opaqueness in some stones I linked to.

As for the bottom of the cabs, (1) and (2) do seem bottom heavy. The bottoms of (3) and (7) seem better. As for the top of the cabs, I think I prefer high dome and very-high dome cabs because that shape is more pleasing to my eyes than the flatter shape. Now that Chrono mentions it, some of the stars I found, e.g. (5), do seem too flat on the top than what I'd like.

SonomaCounty - I have size 8 chubby fingers. Pretty sure that's much larger than the average PS finger size, haha. I think small cabs could look good on me when it's set in the right settings. I just think I am more likely to get it right with large stones. That's why I was focusing on stones in the 10mm-13mm range. But yes, I could give up some size for better body color and better translucency. As for body color, I like soft and light-medium colors that have a cool tone, e.g. lavendar, light blue, soft pink, soft violet, light purple, milky white, etc. Having a grey undertone is OK with me, as long as the stone looks pleasing overall.

I saw MTG's star sapphire. It's gorgeous. It cannot be any better. Do you know where she got it, Art Cut Gems, The Gem Trader, or somewhere else? I will keep an eye on these websites.

 

[minousbijoux]

I would definitely ask for more info on number 3. It is bluer than the other stones with less grey, and its listed as transparent. I would ask for a photo over newspaper or some such to see if it really is transparent, and I would ask questions about the star - how noticeable it is in different lightings, are all legs equal and straight (it looks that way from pix, but you never know), and see what its like from there..

 

[chrono]

Opaque does not allow light through.
Translucent allows some light through, appearing sort of foggy.
Transparent is clear and totally see-through.

I like MTG's star sapphire a lot even though it's not perfect. It has a decent star, excellent translucency and the body colour is pleasing even though it's not very saturated. You can inquire with Brad of TGT, using hers as an example you'd like to follow if you like hers. He doesn't post his full inventory.

The problem with a chunky cabochon is that you get a small stone even though it's carat weight is big. That is the unnecessary hidden weight. It also makes it more difficult to set, requiring custom setting and sits high off the finger.

 

[jstarfireb]

I saw MTG's star sapphire. It's gorgeous. It cannot be any better. Do you know where she got it, Art Cut Gems, The Gem Trader, or somewhere else? I will keep an eye on these websites.

I'm pretty sure she got it from The Gem Trader.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Yup, the gem trader.

It's a bit "chubby", but I kind of like the dome it had because it played into the 3d water droplet effect. I'm actually thinking about resetting it one of these days.

 

[cookies]

jstarfireb and MTG, thank you for confirming the vendor. I will keep an eye on TGT website, and when the time comes, I will contact Brad.

Chrono, thank you for the explanation on the difference between translucency, opaqueness, and transparency.

minousbijoux, yeah, number 3 looks pretty decent. I will add it to my potential gem list..

I really like the chubbiness of MTG's star sapphire. It probably qualifies as a high-dome cab? I guess I won't mind paying more for some extra body weight, as long as it adds to the lovely chubby look.

 

[fel]

MTG -- I was just wondering if you could say why you might want to reset the star sapphire again from the lotus setting. What would you want to change? I am asking because I am about to leap on a setting for a star sapphire currently, and one setting I am considering is the lush lotus.

Thanks,
Fel

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I kind of want something that pops a little more. The color of the sapphire is a bit pastel, which blends into my skin a bit (I'm asian). So I was considering maybe a halo or similar effect.

 

[fel]

I hope you can put another stone in the lotus -- it would be a shame to waste it.

Fel

 

[minousbijoux]

I kind of want something that pops a little more. The color of the sapphire is a bit pastel, which blends into my skin a bit (I'm asian). So I was considering maybe a halo or similar effect.

Noooooooooo, MTG, Noooooo! It is so beautiful and really looks like a drop of water. If you halo it, won't it lose that illusory quality and look like just another halo'ed ring? You have one of my all time favorites there, please think hard before changing it! **begging emotie here**

 

[chrono]

I love the current setting too because it looks like a little cup, holding that drop of water. But, if it's not what you like, what does it matter, right? I have a better idea...how about you give me that ring, and I promise to take good care of it.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

I love the current setting too because it looks like a little cup, holding that drop of water. But, if it's not what you like, what does it matter, right? I have a better idea...how about you give me that ring, and I promise to take good care of it.

Haha, no worries guys, it'll probably be a long ways off even if I do decide to reset it!

 

[pregcurious]

Cookie, I recently bought a star sapphire from Brad at The Gem Trader. I am thinking of selling it because I bought it for my sister, but I am not sure she wants it. (It is to make a replica of a family ring that was stolen.) It is very similar to MakingtheGrade's. Let me know if you're interested and I will post it in the Preloved Section for the price I paid for it. I am partial to selling to another PSer.

 

[movie zombie]

link to MTG's sapphire being used in comparison in this discussion?

 

[cookies]

link to MTG's sapphire being used in comparison in this discussion?

Here are the links:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/violet-star-sapphire-photos.150649/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/violet-star-sapphire-photos.150649/[/URL]
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/reset-star-sapphire-ring-from-sally-photos.157470/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/reset-star-sapphire-ring-from-sally-photos.157470/[/URL]
[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/star-sapphire-ring-tourm-pendant-mint-garnets-pictures.152231/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/star-sapphire-ring-tourm-pendant-mint-garnets-pictures.152231/[/URL]

 

[movie zombie]

thanks for the links! it certainly is "inspirational" .....and i think that is true on many levels.

i don't know that i've ever seen a star sapphire with that translucent glow. it would be a pity to reset it in a halo....yes, i know, i don't like halos but i think a halo would take away from this sapphire.

i'm betting it will require working with a vendor to find such a stone. perhaps brad can get another? i'm betting that the key to the search is going to be PATIENCE. admittedly, it is a quality i lack.

 

[cookies]

Cookie, I recently bought a star sapphire from Brad at The Gem Trader. I am thinking of selling it because I bought it for my sister, but I am not sure she wants it. (It is to make a replica of a family ring that was stolen.) It is very similar to MakingtheGrade's. Let me know if you're interested and I will post it in the Preloved Section for the price I paid for it. I am partial to selling to another PSer.

pregcurious, thank you very much for the offer. I think I want something a bit larger. Your star sapphire looks gorgeous though!