(Warning, long rant)
Hi Everyone,
I recently started looking for blue and pink sapphires for a custom job and after doing research in my area, chose 2 jewelers. I felt comfortable with both and told them what I was looking for and they pulled stones for me to look at. I planned on getting stones locally and going through pricescope vendors to get the custom settings. It took about 1 week for both jewelers to get the stones and they were back to back days I set up to see them in person. I was very excited to go since this was the first time I had seen loose stones and was extra excited after seeing everyone''s pictures of loose stones on pricescope.
I went to the first jeweler and she had 6 stones, none of which not only didn''t blow me away, but I just didn''t like at all and they looked dull and lifeless. I asked for medium blue/purple chunky cushion sapphire (approx 7mm x 8mm) and pink EC sapphire (approx 8mm x 8mm). She had 6 blue sapphires of EC and cushion between 3mm x 3mm up to almost 7mm. They were very dark blue, not sparkly (I realize they were very dark blue and EC isn''t sparkly, but I had asked for lighter blue cushion and of bigger size). She didn''t have pink. I am no expert, but one even had a horrible cut and the "point" on the bottom end was totally crooked.
I was bummed, but had an appt with the other jeweler the next day so was still excited. She had 3 pink EC and 3 blue cushion (what I had asked for at least, unlike 1st jeweler). But none of them really did anything for me. I can''t really explain why. The blue was too dark and just wasn''t sparkly (again, I know blue won''t be sparkly like a diamond, but they were lifeless - could have been a bad cushion cut?). The pink did have one I kind of liked (if I had to choose) but was too small for what I wanted (I believe it was around 4mm x 4mm).
Neither jeweler had a certificate, just size and clarity and told me they could get cert if I wanted after I chose which stones I wanted to buy (I thought this was odd). At the 1st jeweler I asked what made the one stone 3 times the price as one of the others (since it didn''t seem nicer, bigger, prettier, etc). She got the owner, he came and louped it and said it was a nice stone and worth the price. Didn''t really answer my question.
My question is, what is my problem? I don''t believe I am being picky since I think practically anything is pretty. I started thinking that maybe I just couldn''t see the beauty of a loose stone, but went back and looked at pix on pricescope of loose stones then the "after" pictures when they were set and I could see the beauty of the loose stones in the pictures (and we all know pictures don''t do stones justice). Even loose stones I didn''t particuarly prefer looked very preetty in the pictures and I could see their appeal. In person though, none of these appealed to me. Even the ones that were smaller or not the right colour I wanted didn''t appeal to me for reasons other than size/colour - - - they just didn''t do it for me (can''t really explain it).
This is why I wanted to get loose stones locally - so I could see in person if I liked them. But now I am thinking of trusting a pricescope vendor to source one for me since everyone here has had a lot of success. I did go to a gem show last weekend and saw loose stones that I did like in person (but didn''t buy since none were what I was looking for). I realize I only went to 2 jewelers and saw a total of 12 stones out of hundreds of jewelers and millions of stones but am so discouraged. Both jewelers were nothing but nice but I feel the 1st one didn''t listen to what I wanted and the 2nd really was pushing me to get one I didn''t want. When I told them they just weren''t what I was looking for, they told me sapphires don''t sparkle, cushion and EC shouldn''t be in sapphire, the colours I was looking for is hard to source (blue/purple and raspberry pink). I told both I wasn''t interested but now I don''t know what to do.
Anyone else have trouble finding colored stones locally and just put their trust in pricescope vendor? This scares me since pictures aren''t the same as seeing in person and I don''t want to deal with mailing me tons of stones and mailing them back (I travel a lot). I have done a search on here for jewelers in my local area, but none come up. I think for my EC I want Jeff white and for Cushion coloured I don''t know. Jeff White again?
Thanks for listening, I am just so discouraged, I thought this would be a thrilling experience and I wouldn''t be able to choose between stones and would have too many "favourites". My b/f joked he thought I would be coming home with 5 stones - from each jeweler.
Hi Everyone,
I recently started looking for blue and pink sapphires for a custom job and after doing research in my area, chose 2 jewelers. I felt comfortable with both and told them what I was looking for and they pulled stones for me to look at. I planned on getting stones locally and going through pricescope vendors to get the custom settings. It took about 1 week for both jewelers to get the stones and they were back to back days I set up to see them in person. I was very excited to go since this was the first time I had seen loose stones and was extra excited after seeing everyone''s pictures of loose stones on pricescope.
I went to the first jeweler and she had 6 stones, none of which not only didn''t blow me away, but I just didn''t like at all and they looked dull and lifeless. I asked for medium blue/purple chunky cushion sapphire (approx 7mm x 8mm) and pink EC sapphire (approx 8mm x 8mm). She had 6 blue sapphires of EC and cushion between 3mm x 3mm up to almost 7mm. They were very dark blue, not sparkly (I realize they were very dark blue and EC isn''t sparkly, but I had asked for lighter blue cushion and of bigger size). She didn''t have pink. I am no expert, but one even had a horrible cut and the "point" on the bottom end was totally crooked.
I was bummed, but had an appt with the other jeweler the next day so was still excited. She had 3 pink EC and 3 blue cushion (what I had asked for at least, unlike 1st jeweler). But none of them really did anything for me. I can''t really explain why. The blue was too dark and just wasn''t sparkly (again, I know blue won''t be sparkly like a diamond, but they were lifeless - could have been a bad cushion cut?). The pink did have one I kind of liked (if I had to choose) but was too small for what I wanted (I believe it was around 4mm x 4mm).
Neither jeweler had a certificate, just size and clarity and told me they could get cert if I wanted after I chose which stones I wanted to buy (I thought this was odd). At the 1st jeweler I asked what made the one stone 3 times the price as one of the others (since it didn''t seem nicer, bigger, prettier, etc). She got the owner, he came and louped it and said it was a nice stone and worth the price. Didn''t really answer my question.
My question is, what is my problem? I don''t believe I am being picky since I think practically anything is pretty. I started thinking that maybe I just couldn''t see the beauty of a loose stone, but went back and looked at pix on pricescope of loose stones then the "after" pictures when they were set and I could see the beauty of the loose stones in the pictures (and we all know pictures don''t do stones justice). Even loose stones I didn''t particuarly prefer looked very preetty in the pictures and I could see their appeal. In person though, none of these appealed to me. Even the ones that were smaller or not the right colour I wanted didn''t appeal to me for reasons other than size/colour - - - they just didn''t do it for me (can''t really explain it).
This is why I wanted to get loose stones locally - so I could see in person if I liked them. But now I am thinking of trusting a pricescope vendor to source one for me since everyone here has had a lot of success. I did go to a gem show last weekend and saw loose stones that I did like in person (but didn''t buy since none were what I was looking for). I realize I only went to 2 jewelers and saw a total of 12 stones out of hundreds of jewelers and millions of stones but am so discouraged. Both jewelers were nothing but nice but I feel the 1st one didn''t listen to what I wanted and the 2nd really was pushing me to get one I didn''t want. When I told them they just weren''t what I was looking for, they told me sapphires don''t sparkle, cushion and EC shouldn''t be in sapphire, the colours I was looking for is hard to source (blue/purple and raspberry pink). I told both I wasn''t interested but now I don''t know what to do.
Anyone else have trouble finding colored stones locally and just put their trust in pricescope vendor? This scares me since pictures aren''t the same as seeing in person and I don''t want to deal with mailing me tons of stones and mailing them back (I travel a lot). I have done a search on here for jewelers in my local area, but none come up. I think for my EC I want Jeff white and for Cushion coloured I don''t know. Jeff White again?
Thanks for listening, I am just so discouraged, I thought this would be a thrilling experience and I wouldn''t be able to choose between stones and would have too many "favourites". My b/f joked he thought I would be coming home with 5 stones - from each jeweler.