Shimmersplendour
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2021
- Messages
- 15
Hi PSers, this is my first post here but I would like to share my appreciation to this forum for "training" my eye and helping me to make the process of choosing a sapphire for my engagement ring both harder and easier. Harder = because more discerning eye, and easier = because I learnt what to look out for.
I had to go through both online and physical vendors to narrow down what I was looking out for, and which I finally chose.
Some background information: I am based in Singapore, and mostly looked at Asian vendors.
Budget was around SGD$4000 to $6000
The process:
In the beginning of my search, I did not even know what colour, or even shape of sapphire I wanted.
August 2021:
My first journey was to a private bespoke jeweller, a new business ran by two earnest young men who specialised in lab-grown diamonds. From there I learnt that I wanted a blue sapphire (not a teal, and not other gemstones), open to heated or unheated since they made little difference in stability and structure of the gem, and a white gold setting.
They did not have a suitable on hand, but tried to sourced from their suppliers.
Some promising videos were shown from overseas vendors to them, but before they could bring in the sapphires, another purchaser had wiped out the whole lot. Being very apologetic about the long wait, the jeweller advised us to go to other jewellers.
That's when I first learnt, and increasingly more so along the way: in this current situation, good blue sapphires are hard to find and will get snapped up quickly.
Review of this jeweller: Earnest service, very friendly, appeals to the millennial crowd, popular with other young men seeking affordable, ethical diamond and gemstone purchases. Some very pretty ring designs. Link: Sam and J
Picture from this jeweller:
When I first started out, I had tended towards the small round one (2nd from 2nd row) and the darker one (last one at the first row). While the boyfriend preferred the big, sparkly one (3rd from 2nd row).
It seems my tastes are for darker sapphires while his are for the sparkly ones. I thought the two would not meet, either sapphires are dark and not sparkly or they are too light though they sparkle more.
Learning points: Round shape, heated or unheated is fine (I think the initial me thought I wanted unheated since you know, some romantic notions of sapphires being untouched straight from the earth), white gold setting
2nd Jeweller
We went to another jeweller in Singapore, known for their sapphires, and whose pictures I've bookmarked on my Instagram. They had many sapphires indeed, but both BF and I agreed the service was a tad disappointing. The salesperson was not rude, but she was very occupied with her phone throughout. Price-wise, it looked to be a little on the high side, perhaps SGD$3000 to $4000+ for a 1 carat heated sapphire alone. We were also unable to take photos or videos, and were not given too much selection - rather we were pinpointed towards certain colours. What was good that the lady pinpointed that I seem to tend towards...royal blue, cornflower blue sapphires? First time hearing of the description for my preferred colour!
No names for those I am not able to give favourable ratings for, as some others may have very good experiences!
Learning points: Sapphires can be as pricey as diamonds! I seem to like Cornflower and Royal blue sapphires
Ling Jewellery
A friend had recommended Ling Jewellery, and BF and I went there without an appointment when we passed by the area one day.
That was the first time we realised just how customised, and personalised the bespoke process could be! One of the male owners (Andrew) served us, it was about an hour to two hours of discussion. Andrew was very affable, with a relaxed demeanour and yet an observant and attentive eye - he was able to pinpoint a common theme to the myriad designs we showed him (they were really random designs from all over, even I had trouble discerning what design it is I really want!)
They also had rows and rows of engagement rings, wedding bands, other types of jewellery, it felt like a whimsical wonderland just gazing at all their creations. I felt like Andrew seemed to know what I want, and his workmen would have the necessary craftsmanship to carry out the designs. Alas, I was not able to find a sapphire that I liked there.
Review: This is what the bespoke experience can be like. Experienced jewellers, eye for detail, fantastical, whimsical designs.
Learning points: I seem to like the 'reverse taper' sort of design, where the centre stone is the widest part of the ring, and stones to taper down. Andrew also taught me not to feel embarrassed that I like bling. "Embrace it!" So yes I am bling-tolerant.
https://www.instagram.com/gioiafinejewellery/?hl=en
Gioia Fine Jewellery
Gioia had the largest selection of sapphires I have been shown thus far! Or rather, they spare no effort to bring out trays of sapphires just so I could pick one I like. Clarence from Gioia even went back and forth, bringing us up to the top floor of the building to show us our handpicked sapphires in daylight.
Review: Very attentive and reasonable pricing, wide, wide range of sapphires (and other gemstones!).
BF was drawn to the brighter, lighter, sparklier sapphires (now I know to term them medium to medium light tone) whilst I was drawn the dark royal blues with glints of blue fire. Not black, just deep. Medium-dark in tone.
Learning point: We did not find suitable rounds, but I found out I am open to ovals that look like rounds - chubby ovals. BF likes sparkly, light sapphires, very pretty but I wanted something more mysterious - I like blue fire.
Here's the sapphire I chose out of all! (or so I thought, it was the One)
The chubs
Chubby Oval was about 1+ carat, heated, about SGD3,000ish. With settings, side diamonds etc, we were quoted about SGD4000+ for the whole ring. Very reasonable pricing for us!
Chubby is the center one. BF said if I chose the right larger one, then it'll just be a plain solitaire setting to keep within budget. since it was about SGD1K+ more. =X
LoveSignia
Having visited quite a few physical vendors, not all of whom I have named in this post, LoveSignia was one of the last few I visited. I texted their lady owner on IG, she was very friendly and offered to bring in a round vivid sapphire after I showed her what colours I was looking out for. I felt hesitant as I was afraid of wasting their time if I do not pick the sapphire. She was very accommodating and said it would be alright even if I do not pick the sapphire. I fell in love with the video they sent, a shimmering vivid, saturated blue sapphire, and it was round and only around SGD2000+!
Upon visiting their shop, I saw their round sapphire and...to my sadness, I found it was too small for me, around 5.7+mm. Not because the sapphire was no good, it actually had a very, very, lovely vivid blue colour. It had one of the best colour we have seen so far! In fact, if anyone is looking out for a round sapphire, with a lovely vivid blue colour, LoveSignia has it! (If they have not sold it yet). The round sapphire did have some silkiness to it though, so I could not see the faceting in the centre.
Seeing that I was a little disappointed with the small size, the staff immediately pulled out a few more sapphires and lo and behold! I saw one beauty!
It is about SGD4000+, around 2.22 carats. Has the face size of a 3 carats almost! I fell in love with the vivid blue..bottom. Like many ovals, it has that half and half shadowing going on. BF felt it was too dark, though I like how blue it was. It was a blue that could be seen from across the room. I actually felt the price was really reasonable for a sapphire that was around 8.68*7.38mm - very spready size indeed!
Learning points: They had lots and lots of diamonds for us to play around with the diamond combinations, very much a plus point. Attentive, patient service, reasonable prices too! Also, I thought i wanted a round, but I have come to realise the loveliness of an oval. I wanted the combination of a 8*7mm oval, not too elongated, and not too chubby.
I thought this was going to be the one! Though BF really did not quite like the darkness, he was fine with whichever I pick. I was ready to choose this...but from Pricescope, I have learnt that there are some ovals that do not have this shadow going on, and I might come to wish my sapphire has no shadowing.
Though it did not end up being the one, I compared other sapphires to this, and felt that perhaps I could live with the shadowing.
PS has also taught me not to settle and continue onwards in my journey. At this stage, I was quite tired and a little dejected from the search, we did not have much time left to choose the sapphire too - since the proposal is targeted to be by end this year (I did tell BF, perhaps he could delay the proposal until we found a sapphire? Though he rolled his eyes at me hahaha). Ok yes, we do have quite the unconventional proposal process. "Don't propose yet till I have found the One!! Neo the Sapphire I mean, the One in the Sapphire world - if you get the Matrix reference.)
Some pictures of the other sapphires I have seen, and I shall continue in the next post since this is getting quite long!
The next post would be on online IG vendors, which I am sure is more applicable to PS!
Anyway if any vendors find this post and want me to edit them out, let me know. Though I think my post is more of appreciation!
Learning Points: I do not begrudge any mark-ups from brick and mortar shops since they have to take into consideration all the time spent serving customers who may not buy in the end, pay for overhead costs, bring in gems, get reports and insurance and undertake liabilities.
For a newbie, going to B&M stores would be very convenient, safe, and informative. You get a wide array of stones to look at how they behave under different lightings, you can compare and contrast and have consultation on the design process.
I wish I had the budget to buy from all these stores, but since I have none, I can only recommend them!
I had to go through both online and physical vendors to narrow down what I was looking out for, and which I finally chose.
Some background information: I am based in Singapore, and mostly looked at Asian vendors.
Budget was around SGD$4000 to $6000
The process:
In the beginning of my search, I did not even know what colour, or even shape of sapphire I wanted.
August 2021:
My first journey was to a private bespoke jeweller, a new business ran by two earnest young men who specialised in lab-grown diamonds. From there I learnt that I wanted a blue sapphire (not a teal, and not other gemstones), open to heated or unheated since they made little difference in stability and structure of the gem, and a white gold setting.
They did not have a suitable on hand, but tried to sourced from their suppliers.
Some promising videos were shown from overseas vendors to them, but before they could bring in the sapphires, another purchaser had wiped out the whole lot. Being very apologetic about the long wait, the jeweller advised us to go to other jewellers.
That's when I first learnt, and increasingly more so along the way: in this current situation, good blue sapphires are hard to find and will get snapped up quickly.
Review of this jeweller: Earnest service, very friendly, appeals to the millennial crowd, popular with other young men seeking affordable, ethical diamond and gemstone purchases. Some very pretty ring designs. Link: Sam and J
Picture from this jeweller:
When I first started out, I had tended towards the small round one (2nd from 2nd row) and the darker one (last one at the first row). While the boyfriend preferred the big, sparkly one (3rd from 2nd row).
It seems my tastes are for darker sapphires while his are for the sparkly ones. I thought the two would not meet, either sapphires are dark and not sparkly or they are too light though they sparkle more.
Learning points: Round shape, heated or unheated is fine (I think the initial me thought I wanted unheated since you know, some romantic notions of sapphires being untouched straight from the earth), white gold setting
2nd Jeweller
We went to another jeweller in Singapore, known for their sapphires, and whose pictures I've bookmarked on my Instagram. They had many sapphires indeed, but both BF and I agreed the service was a tad disappointing. The salesperson was not rude, but she was very occupied with her phone throughout. Price-wise, it looked to be a little on the high side, perhaps SGD$3000 to $4000+ for a 1 carat heated sapphire alone. We were also unable to take photos or videos, and were not given too much selection - rather we were pinpointed towards certain colours. What was good that the lady pinpointed that I seem to tend towards...royal blue, cornflower blue sapphires? First time hearing of the description for my preferred colour!
No names for those I am not able to give favourable ratings for, as some others may have very good experiences!
Learning points: Sapphires can be as pricey as diamonds! I seem to like Cornflower and Royal blue sapphires
Ling Jewellery
A friend had recommended Ling Jewellery, and BF and I went there without an appointment when we passed by the area one day.
That was the first time we realised just how customised, and personalised the bespoke process could be! One of the male owners (Andrew) served us, it was about an hour to two hours of discussion. Andrew was very affable, with a relaxed demeanour and yet an observant and attentive eye - he was able to pinpoint a common theme to the myriad designs we showed him (they were really random designs from all over, even I had trouble discerning what design it is I really want!)
They also had rows and rows of engagement rings, wedding bands, other types of jewellery, it felt like a whimsical wonderland just gazing at all their creations. I felt like Andrew seemed to know what I want, and his workmen would have the necessary craftsmanship to carry out the designs. Alas, I was not able to find a sapphire that I liked there.
Review: This is what the bespoke experience can be like. Experienced jewellers, eye for detail, fantastical, whimsical designs.
Learning points: I seem to like the 'reverse taper' sort of design, where the centre stone is the widest part of the ring, and stones to taper down. Andrew also taught me not to feel embarrassed that I like bling. "Embrace it!" So yes I am bling-tolerant.
https://www.instagram.com/gioiafinejewellery/?hl=en
Gioia Fine Jewellery
Gioia had the largest selection of sapphires I have been shown thus far! Or rather, they spare no effort to bring out trays of sapphires just so I could pick one I like. Clarence from Gioia even went back and forth, bringing us up to the top floor of the building to show us our handpicked sapphires in daylight.
Review: Very attentive and reasonable pricing, wide, wide range of sapphires (and other gemstones!).
BF was drawn to the brighter, lighter, sparklier sapphires (now I know to term them medium to medium light tone) whilst I was drawn the dark royal blues with glints of blue fire. Not black, just deep. Medium-dark in tone.
Learning point: We did not find suitable rounds, but I found out I am open to ovals that look like rounds - chubby ovals. BF likes sparkly, light sapphires, very pretty but I wanted something more mysterious - I like blue fire.
Here's the sapphire I chose out of all! (or so I thought, it was the One)
The chubs
Chubby Oval was about 1+ carat, heated, about SGD3,000ish. With settings, side diamonds etc, we were quoted about SGD4000+ for the whole ring. Very reasonable pricing for us!
Chubby is the center one. BF said if I chose the right larger one, then it'll just be a plain solitaire setting to keep within budget. since it was about SGD1K+ more. =X
LoveSignia
Having visited quite a few physical vendors, not all of whom I have named in this post, LoveSignia was one of the last few I visited. I texted their lady owner on IG, she was very friendly and offered to bring in a round vivid sapphire after I showed her what colours I was looking out for. I felt hesitant as I was afraid of wasting their time if I do not pick the sapphire. She was very accommodating and said it would be alright even if I do not pick the sapphire. I fell in love with the video they sent, a shimmering vivid, saturated blue sapphire, and it was round and only around SGD2000+!
Upon visiting their shop, I saw their round sapphire and...to my sadness, I found it was too small for me, around 5.7+mm. Not because the sapphire was no good, it actually had a very, very, lovely vivid blue colour. It had one of the best colour we have seen so far! In fact, if anyone is looking out for a round sapphire, with a lovely vivid blue colour, LoveSignia has it! (If they have not sold it yet). The round sapphire did have some silkiness to it though, so I could not see the faceting in the centre.
Seeing that I was a little disappointed with the small size, the staff immediately pulled out a few more sapphires and lo and behold! I saw one beauty!
It is about SGD4000+, around 2.22 carats. Has the face size of a 3 carats almost! I fell in love with the vivid blue..bottom. Like many ovals, it has that half and half shadowing going on. BF felt it was too dark, though I like how blue it was. It was a blue that could be seen from across the room. I actually felt the price was really reasonable for a sapphire that was around 8.68*7.38mm - very spready size indeed!
Learning points: They had lots and lots of diamonds for us to play around with the diamond combinations, very much a plus point. Attentive, patient service, reasonable prices too! Also, I thought i wanted a round, but I have come to realise the loveliness of an oval. I wanted the combination of a 8*7mm oval, not too elongated, and not too chubby.
I thought this was going to be the one! Though BF really did not quite like the darkness, he was fine with whichever I pick. I was ready to choose this...but from Pricescope, I have learnt that there are some ovals that do not have this shadow going on, and I might come to wish my sapphire has no shadowing.
Though it did not end up being the one, I compared other sapphires to this, and felt that perhaps I could live with the shadowing.
PS has also taught me not to settle and continue onwards in my journey. At this stage, I was quite tired and a little dejected from the search, we did not have much time left to choose the sapphire too - since the proposal is targeted to be by end this year (I did tell BF, perhaps he could delay the proposal until we found a sapphire? Though he rolled his eyes at me hahaha). Ok yes, we do have quite the unconventional proposal process. "Don't propose yet till I have found the One!! Neo the Sapphire I mean, the One in the Sapphire world - if you get the Matrix reference.)
Some pictures of the other sapphires I have seen, and I shall continue in the next post since this is getting quite long!
The next post would be on online IG vendors, which I am sure is more applicable to PS!
Anyway if any vendors find this post and want me to edit them out, let me know. Though I think my post is more of appreciation!
Learning Points: I do not begrudge any mark-ups from brick and mortar shops since they have to take into consideration all the time spent serving customers who may not buy in the end, pay for overhead costs, bring in gems, get reports and insurance and undertake liabilities.
For a newbie, going to B&M stores would be very convenient, safe, and informative. You get a wide array of stones to look at how they behave under different lightings, you can compare and contrast and have consultation on the design process.
I wish I had the budget to buy from all these stores, but since I have none, I can only recommend them!
- silly autocorrect!
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