Which vendors have good (blue) sapphires at good prices?

[GemPendants]

I have been looking at sapphires for several months. First I checked Natural Sapphire Company, then realized PS users all say NSC price is high. Next I found whitefishgem, then I was recommened a blue sapphire with purple tone, I don't like purple tone in any stone. Next I heard about simplysapphires, then realized most of their beautiful sapphires were heated (plastic surgery for a beauty).

Where should I look next?

I am looking for unheated blue sapphire, vivid medium to medium dark color, without too many inclusions, not necessarily fancy cut (native is ok to me), not too small (for a pendant). Shape I prefer round>cushion>oval, but that's the least important.

Anyone would point me some direction, I'd really appreciate it.

 

[VapidLapid]

In colored gems you have to do a lot of hunting. Before you buy you should investigate at least ten more good sellers and really interrogate the stones!

This link is for oddessy gems which is the home storefront of Tan about whom much is said around here. there is a wide range some heated some not and quality from bottom to quite high. Unfortunately there is no one magic website with everything you want at prices to brag about to direct you to.

http://odysseygem.com/Gem_Shop/

 

[Largosmom]

You have a tough set of criteria to meet, mainly because a lot of sapphires have purple overtones depending on cut and angle of view. Add the "no heat, no treat" and it will not be an easy search. Keep trying different vendors as suggested. Each stone is a compromise...if color and treatments are not up for "trade", then your budget may be what has to give unless you luck onto someone with something in stock to offer you. Jeff White seems always to be able to come up with beautiful sapphires, but they are often heat treated, and he does recut "native" stones for a better (in my opinion great) cut. I don't know which other vendors tend to stock really nice sapphires...which is what you are after.

 

[Arkteia]

Good sapphires at good prices sounds like an oxymoron to me.

I'd say, browse odysseygem and gemburionline first. They still have bargains although the window of opportunity is closing fast. Jeff White. I saw a nice blue unheated sapphire on thegemtrader.com, can not comment on the price and I do not know the size you are looking for. If you are not afraid of high prices, Pala has incredible selection.

 

[SB621]

I would use Jeff White if you have the budget.

If you dont' have the budget I would look up any of Tan's stores on ebay. Or I would contact Dana at MasterCutGems.com

goodluck!

 

[Arkteia]

aussiesapphire.com

You really have to look through their inventory, but sometimes they have nice pieces and the price is "good".

 

[Magenta]

aussiesapphire.com

You really have to look through their inventory, but sometimes they have nice pieces and the price is "good".

This is true. Just be careful, though - the colours seem to be taken under heavy light sources, and I found the sapphire I got from them to be darker than I was expecting. I was probably expecting the wrong thing, as I now know that blue sapphires are an extreme pain to photograph, but do keep that in mind.

 

[chrono]

I second the suggestion of looking around various vendors’ websites and also contacting them to see what they have available. The definition of good prices will vary for each person so it can range from the higher end like Pala to mid level (Jeff White, Gene Flanagin and the like) to the lower end (Gemburionline, Odysseygems and the like). Finding the right untreated sapphire without any purple will take time. Also note that sapphires are dichroic and will shift when viewed indoors/outdoors.