Thoughts on this sapphire??

[l_parkar]

I am planning to propose and am designing an engagement ring for my girlfriend. She loves sapphires and hence, wanted your thoughts on this particular one I found at GemsNY.

https://www.gemsny.com/sapphires/1.94-Carat-Cushion-Sapphire-SU1539ACU/

Thanks in advance for all the help

 

[chrono]

It's not too bad but then again, I don't know exactly what you are looking for. Is it the right shade of blue for you? Does the saturation (pop or vividness) meet your requirements? Basically, I'm asking how fine a quality are you aiming for?

 

[l_parkar]

Chrono,

Thank you so much for replying - I like the color of the stone - things I am not sure about are the dark spots - are those really dark spots or are they just the way the stone is photographed. I like the cushion cut too but I am not sure whether that would be best for a bezel setting - something like this
http://www.faycullen.com/Settings/Platinum-Ring-Settings/6277/

On a separate note, I adore this setting, but have read poor reviews of Fay Cullen and hence don't want to buy from there - seems like Leon Hege and Maytal Hanna are highly recommended custom designers. I am not sure how expensive they are though - do you have thoughts.

Thanks

 

[chrono]

The inconsistant colouring is most likely to be colour zoning which is common in sapphires but it's not something you have to accept. You are correct that the aim should be for an even distribution of colour in the face up appearance. My suggestion is to keep looking.

That design is beautiful! You have read correctly about FY, especially with regards to their poor return policy. LM and HM do very good work and their pricing reflects that. Expect to fork out at least $5K for a similar setting from them.

 

[T L]

It's not too bad but then again, I don't know exactly what you are looking for. Is it the right shade of blue for you? Does the saturation (pop or vividness) meet your requirements? Basically, I'm asking how fine a quality are you aiming for?

The sapphire is okay, and it has a fair retail price on it. I wouldn't pay attention to the overly inflated UGL appraisal price. At least it has a GIA report, so that's good.

Does she want a cushion? Cushions typically face up small for their carat weight, and an oval might look larger face up. That, coupled with the fact that sapphires are dense stones, make them face up small for their carat weight, when compared to other types of gems. Does she like a certain size?

 

[l_parkar]

TL, she has shown a preference for cushions and ovals, thus far - I don't think she would mind a round either as far as the setting is nice. The Fay Cullen setting is something she would definitely love and that comes with a round. You raise a very good point about the cushion facing up small - I didn't know that - this is definitely helpful. Would a round also face up small?
As for size, she wants it between 1.5-2.5 carats, so that would get me 6.5-7.5mm stone.

Chrono, thanks for the clarification. I went to numerous jewelers in my area (boston) and none of them had good sapphires in the range I'm looking for, so resorted to looking online. It seems as though it might be tricky trying to buy online based on just the pics, esp. as they may be photoshopped. I've looked through the posts in pricescope and looked at all the online retailers - are there any specific ones u recommend? One that is known for giving a fair price? Also, is it true that most stones bought online will need to be recut??

 

[chrono]

Due to the density of sapphires, it doesn't make that much of a difference in which shape will face up bigger, especially since there is no one ideal set of cut measurements when it comes to coloured gemstones.

A huge advantage of looking online is the increased options/choices available. When purchasing from a trusted and recommended vendor, there is very little likelyhood of photoshopping going on, in addition to having a fair return/refund policy in place. The risks are further minimized by having the vendor take additional pictures, particularly a hand shot, together with asking the correct questions.

It is untrue that most stones purchased online need to be recut. Let me rephrase that - it all depends on who you are buying them from.
Some vendors carry well cut stones, some carry poorly cut stones and others carry a mixture of the two. Almost all my gemstone purchases were made online and none have been recut. Some are precision cut and some are very good "native" cuts.

 

[l_parkar]

Chrono, given that you have considerable experience buying stones online, do you have recommendations for trusted vendors? I am definitely a novice and would highly appreciate your thoughts.

 

[T L]

TL, she has shown a preference for cushions and ovals, thus far - I don't think she would mind a round either as far as the setting is nice. The Fay Cullen setting is something she would definitely love and that comes with a round. You raise a very good point about the cushion facing up small - I didn't know that - this is definitely helpful. Would a round also face up small?
As for size, she wants it between 1.5-2.5 carats, so that would get me 6.5-7.5mm stone.

Chrono, thanks for the clarification. I went to numerous jewelers in my area (boston) and none of them had good sapphires in the range I'm looking for, so resorted to looking online. It seems as though it might be tricky trying to buy online based on just the pics, esp. as they may be photoshopped. I've looked through the posts in pricescope and looked at all the online retailers - are there any specific ones u recommend? One that is known for giving a fair price? Also, is it true that most stones bought online will need to be recut??

More gem weight is typically lost in a round, so I would look for ovals, as you would get a larger face up, and more yield with an oval. That's why lots of sapphires are cut in ovals actually.

 

[LD]

The "black" areas on the stone don't appear to be colour zoning. It's probably more to do with the photography and angle of lighting used. Most dark blue stones will have areas that are darker and appear black but as you gently move the stone around these disappear and other areas will look darker. If you don't like that, you need to look for a lighter stone overall. The one thing I would caution about is a stone this dark will almost definitely appear darker once set - and even more so in a bezel setting like the Fay Cullen one.

For the price and carat weight (and it has a lab report) I actually think it's a very good buy and if you look for a lighter colour, different cut and perhaps better cut, the chances are the price will increase also. So I guess it depends on your budget.

 

[pregcurious]

I'm originally from Boston, and I wish I knew of a good place to find sapphires. Shreve Crump and Low is a good place to look at settings, and they will have some colored stones. I would not recommend, however, buying anything there. I have had 2 bad experiences with customer service there in their watch and watch repair department. (I used to be into watches years ago). I wanted to order a stainless and 18K gold Rolex watch, and they were not willing to order it and instead insisted on trying to sell me the ones they had in stock (Rolex had just improved their bracelets and everyone was trying to sell their old inventory 7 years ago). I went back a few weeks later to look for something else in a different department, and the original watch salesperson recognized me and tried to sell me an older model watch again. I said that I had had already had a family member buy the watch I wanted in NYC, and she was really taken aback. (It's not unusual at all to order a Rolex from a catalog.) My second bad experience was when I brought in my grandfather's Rolex for a repair and they returned it back to me a week later saying it was not authentic. I went to a very reputable store (Paul Duggan) in downtown Boston that specializes in vintage watches, and they not only repaired it, but took multiple pictures of the inside of watch for me to confirm that it was authentic.

 

[chrono]

I do not know your budget but here are a few recommendations (see the note listed afterwards):

http://www.awesomegems.com/sapphire-blue.html#top
Never purchased from them but have been around for a long time. Good description of colour per the GIA colour chart.

http://www.simplysapphires.com/html/blue1.html
Never purchased from them but they carry a rather extensive place for sapphires

http://www.atggems.com/Photos_Sapphire.htm
A bit on the expensive side but many nice stones. I did business with him years ago and his return policy is fair. If I'm not mistaken, he could be in the MA area as well.

 

[l_parkar]

Sorry for the delay in replying - work keeps me real busy!
Awesome sites Chrono - some of those stones look really good. My budget is ~3k for the stone and there seem to be some lovely ones there - thanks!!
Loving Diamond - your thoughts are helpful - what would be the best cut to ensure that the stone sparkles, despite the bezel setting? I definitely don't want it to look darker.
Pregcurious, I'll keep a watch out for SCL - will let you know if I do find a jeweler who seems worth his money

 

[l_parkar]

I've looked through the sites you provided links for Chrono - and I really like this stone. If you search for "blgem-04-06" you'll find the cushion cut sapphire, I'm talking about.

http://www.atggems.com/Photos_Sapphire.htm

What are your thoughts on this stone? I like the color a lot and am told the stone is very sparkly and has a saturation of 5. They don't have a certificate, but they can get me one for $60 from AGL. Is AGL a reputable one?

Does the price seem reasonable for this stone? The gemlogist (L. Allen Brown) suggested that the stone is heated (I don't really care whether it is or not - just want to make sure it is VFM)

Thanks

 

[chrono]

It's the 2.45 ct square cushion medium blue sapphire, towards the end of the page, correct? Although I don't consider it a square cushion based on the dimensions of 7.51 x 6.27 x 5.18 mm. AGL is a very reputable lab, which is always highly recommended in the gem business. The colour is quite nice although pricing seems a bit high. Before having it send to the lab, look at the stone in person under all lighting to be sure it's the right one for you.

 

[l_parkar]

Yes, that is the one!! Even though he is in MA, he doesn't show his stones to the public - so you have to buy and then evaluate - which is fine too.
My hunt is still on - my gf's friends tell me she wants either a square cushion or a round - so other shapes are out. Given that this particular one is more rectangular than square, I am not back to square one!
Do you have any idea on the pricing of Jeff White's stones? Given that one may have to buy the rough, does it turn out to be more expensive than just buying a precut stone?

 

[l_parkar]

Sorry for not posting more on this subject. I have been busy liaising with Richard Homer and Jeff White looking for stones - I have just received pictures of a sapphire Richard Homer cut for me. It is a 1.67 carat, 7.1mm in diameter blue sapphire. I have attached them below.

I really like the cut and the color, but wanted to hear from you regarding your thoughts.

Thanks

 

[chrono]

Looks really pretty and not too dark. How does it look indoors (fluorescent, incandescent and halogen)?

 

[l_parkar]

I have no idea - he hasn't sent me those pictures yet - I am considering buying this piece from him to check it out myself. Do you notice a tinge of violet in the stone? I don't know whether its my screen, coz the stone looks different on different computers and monitors. Any idea what will be the best way for me to evaluate the color, before actually purchasing it? Any specific adjustments to the screens / monitors, etc?

 

[chrono]

Personally, I like a tinge of violet in blue sapphires which adds a touch of warmth and richness to it. Because gemstones each have their individual personalities, I recommend that you see this stone in person to make your final decision. No amount of pictures will tell you if it's a keeper or not.

 

[Justin_Cutter]

That round has a beautiful color! What did you decide to do?

I agree with Chrono. Seeing the stone in person is the only way to know if its right for you. Blues can be difficult to photograph as well so keep that in mind. Pictures can only tell so much.

~Justin

 

[pregcurious]

That looks like a nice medium blue color. I've never seen a concave cut stone in person, so I'd be interested to hear your first impressions.

 

[l_parkar]

Apologies Chrono, Justin and pregcurious for not responding - it has been a harrowing few weeks deciding on stones and ring patterns. I finally proposed!!! And we are getting married in two weeks!!! Such a whirlwind affair - but I finally got some time to show what the end result turned out to be.

I did end up with Richard Homer's concave gems - he sent me four to look at, one of which I have already posted. I've attached a picture of all four. The one I ended up choosing is on the far right - it was very similar to the earlier one (far left) - just a little smaller and bluer.

Here is another pic of it by itself. It is 1.57 carats and very nicely cut - I was stunned to see how beautiful the stones are in real life and how well they hold the color in different lights - I don't have pictures of the stone in various lights, but will post them once we get the ring from the jeweler (given it for engraving).

Well, with the stone bought, I needed a ring - and Richard was good enough to refer me to a jeweler friend of his - James Kaya - turns out he was an award-winning jeweler, who worked mostly for stores, but made an exception for me, due to Richard's reference.

Here is a pic of the finished product - in white gold!! The pic is taken with a phone camera under fluorescent white light.

What do you think???

 

[Aoife]

Apologies Chrono, Justin and pregcurious for not responding - it has been a harrowing few weeks deciding on stones and ring patterns. I finally proposed!!! And we are getting married in two weeks!!! Such a whirlwind affair - but I finally got some time to show what the end result turned out to be.

I did end up with Richard Homer's concave gems - he sent me four to look at, one of which I have already posted. I've attached a picture of all four. The one I ended up choosing is on the far right - it was very similar to the earlier one (far left) - just a little smaller and bluer.

Here is another pic of it by itself. It is 1.57 carats and very nicely cut - I was stunned to see how beautiful the stones are in real life and how well they hold the color in different lights - I don't have pictures of the stone in various lights, but will post them once we get the ring from the jeweler (given it for engraving).

Well, with the stone bought, I needed a ring - and Richard was good enough to refer me to a jeweler friend of his - James Kaya - turns out he was an award-winning jeweler, who worked mostly for stores, but made an exception for me, due to Richard's reference.

Here is a pic of the finished product - in white gold!! The pic is taken with a phone camera under fluorescent white light.

What do you think???

Congratulations on your engagement, and you definitely picked the loveliest sapphire in the lineup! Thanks for coming back to update, I love seeing the finished result.

Best wishes for a long and happy life together.

 

[Arkteia]

Congratulations on the ring (very pretty) and on your engagement!

 

[Lula]

Congratulations on your engagement and upcoming marriage! I think the ring is gorgeous, and I can't believe how fast the project came together for you. You got the look of the Fay Cullen ring but much better quality. I am a fan of Richard Home's cutting. I own two stones cut by him. They have a shimmer to them that's very distinctive. Plus, he's great to work with - a very kind and honest man.

 

[chrono]

I would have chosen the same sapphire myself! Congrats on the engagement and the very beautiful antique inspired ring.

 

[Deia]

Holy moley! That stone is so pretty and that setting is beyond gorgeous. Congratulations!!