Too good to be true ?

[Lunean]

Hey, I had a bit of fun on auctions : lost this one but the winner did not pay and the seller approached me to see if I was still interested. I love the blue of the stone but I find this extremely cheap for the size, overall quality and the fact it is unheated as stated by the Lotus certificate. The only real downside I see is that the stone is cut really deep. Is there a catch I don't see ? Any opinion ?

Lotus Certified 8.62Ct Blue Sapphire No Heat Top Quality Sapphire Srilanka

Sapphire Auctions 11.68 x 9.55 x 8.73mm 8.62 cts Auction #2440107 Gem Rock Auctions

www.gemrockauctions.com

 

[Rfisher]

Compare what the lotus report states for tone and saturation
To what lotus gives as their scale
To what you see on the listing photo.




I have no experience with that seller.
If the lotus report is valid to the stone
I just think they are overselling the color, more so that just close to equator environmental lighting in their favor.

Along with being deep as you noted, the video doesn’t work for me, so also hard to say if there’s any zoning that would be distracting.

 

[Autumn in New England]

I 100% agree with @Rfisher. I trust Lotus, so I would be comfortable knowing the stone is as stated (natural and untreated). That being said, I think with light-medium tone and medium saturation, you're going to see a less vibrant stone in person than what the listing photos/video are showing. I see some silk too, which doesn't bother me. Still, I think that's a great price for an unheated almost 9ct. sapphire. And if it ever does look anything like the photos for that price, it's a winner x2! Good luck!!

 

[Bron357]

Lotus is reliable but agree that how the sapphire looks in person is unlikely to match the video. Sellers always make sure to display their goods to the maximum positive view.
As for being the underbidder, are you being offered to buy at $8,000 (your highest bid) or $6,111 when you were the highest bidder aside from the non paying winning party?
I ask because it’s called shill bidding where another party, assumed linked to the seller, forces your bid up to its maximum and then magically doesn’t pay and you think you’re getting a decent second chance. How do you know there aren’t shenanigans going on? At $6,111 odd is the price to pay if you disregard entirely the non paying bidder.

 

[Autumn in New England]

Lotus is reliable but agree that how the sapphire looks in person is unlikely to match the video. Sellers always make sure to display their goods to the maximum positive view.
As for being the underbidder, are you being offered to buy at $8,000 (your highest bid) or $6,111 when you were the highest bidder aside from the non paying winning party?
I ask because it’s called shill bidding where another party, assumed linked to the seller, forces your bid up to its maximum and then magically doesn’t pay and you think you’re getting a decent second chance. How do you know there aren’t shenanigans going on? At $6,111 odd is the price to pay if you disregard entirely the non paying bidder.

Bron makes such a important point, OP! You should not be paying more than your highest bid.

 

[Lunean]

Yeah, thanks for your advice I have zero pressure to buy so I will ask for my last bid price definitely, and also ask for an indoor video. As we say in french "the bride looks a bit too beautiful"

 

[minousbijoux]

After looking at the photo on the Lotus report, I wondered about saturation because the Lotus photo appears to have a greyish modifier - in other words, not great saturation of color. Sure enough, they say so in the report. So the seller, either by enhancing his own photos and video, or by shooting the video under ideal light conditions for that stone, makes it appear vibrantly saturated and, apparently, a darker tone than Lotus reports it as.

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

I think something is amiss with the colour of the stone. My stone also has a lotus report that lists the saturation as medium, tone as medium light (same as your stone)

This is the best it looks with Aussie sunshine



Poor indoor lighting



Absolute worst



That stone posted is a completely different colour for the same colour specs!

 

[Lunean]

I think something is amiss with the colour of the stone. My stone also has a lotus report that lists the saturation as medium, tone as medium light (same as your stone)

This is the best it looks with Aussie sunshine



Poor indoor lighting



Absolute worst



That stone posted is a completely different colour for the same colour specs!

Thanks, and I agree the color seems off ! You've got a very nice ring nevertheless

 

[Rfisher]

I think something is amiss with the colour of the stone. My stone also has a lotus report that lists the saturation as medium, tone as medium light (same as your stone)

This is the best it looks with Aussie sunshine



Poor indoor lighting



Absolute worst



That stone posted is a completely different colour for the same colour specs!

Yours is beautiful!

The stone in the auction may be beautiful in its own right - but disappointing for someone who falls in love with the listing photo only.

Are you willing to give a ball park comparative range for the auction stone that you feel would be fair in relation to yours?

 

[Grymera]

I adjusted down the saturation - I think the seller amped it up -- the greens looked way too green to my eye and that red flower pot was very red. Adjusting it back down to what looks "normal" to my eye - this looks much closer to @mellowyellowgirl's beautiful stone. This would also be the best lighting -- personally, I would pass. It just seems fishy and a reputable seller wouldn't amp up the saturation.

 

[Lunean]

Yeah I will pass : he did not even answer to me about paying for the right bid.

 

[Adam95]

I 100% agree with @Rfisher. I trust Lotus, so I would be comfortable knowing the stone is as stated (natural and untreated). That being said, I think with light-medium tone and medium saturation, you're going to see a less vibrant stone in person than what the listing photos/video are showing. I see some silk too, which doesn't bother me. Still, I think that's a great price for an unheated almost 9ct. sapphire. And if it ever does look anything like the photos for that price, it's a winner x2! Good luck!!

My cousin bought this pair of Lotus vert Burmese Cornflower blue sapphires that are just mesmerizing. They're about 2.5 carats between the two of them and definitely have some small inclusions but the color is just vibrant and electric and beautiful, and I cannot say the same for the stone in this video but I do think it is a decent price for an okay stone If the buyer is okay with the color. I would recommend a recut.

I'll ask my cousin to post those stones on here. They're just something else!