Hi, I''m new to the forum and looking for advise on a Diamond/Sapphire ring

[mandas]

My husband and I are starting to look at 10 year anniversary rings. I have been lurking on this forum for a couple of weeks now and have seen some beautiful rings and have learned more than I thought I ever would about selecting a diamond. To keep it brief, I am loving the look of sapphires and diamonds. I am thinking of a .80 to 1ct round diamond with two sapphires on the sides. I have looked and James Allen and like both the round and pear sides. I am concerned with the color of the sapphires if I go with a "stock" ring. Would anyone like to give a newbie advise on creating a beautiful ring with about a $5k budget?

Thanks in advance and for the education,

Amanda

 

[JulieN]

You may be able to specify what tone/hue/saturation you want on your sapphires.

 

[mandas]

Thank you. I haven''t read much yet about the sapphires. I know I like the color, at least on my monitor, of the James Allen ring with the pear sapphires and diamond center.

http://www.jamesallen.com/products/item_382-1745_build.asp?module=setting

What would you call this shade of blue?

Thanks again...

 

[Maisie]

I''m sorry I don''t know much about sapphires to be of any use. That setting looks gorgeous though! I hope you come back and post pictures when you get it!

 

[oldminer]

Everyone has different taste in what they prefer in colored stones. In the "Old Money" parts of Philadelphia and its suburbs many families take great stock in the very darkish sapphires that they bought 100 years ago from J.E.Caldwell and Bailey Banks and Biddle. I personally find many of these way too dark and not lively, but I am not part of the Old Money group, either.

My preferenced, after many years of buying and manufacturing colored stone and diamond jewelry, is medium dark, very blue and brilliant material. Lots of life, highly symmetric, not too much pavilion bulge. I avoid grayed out colors, pale coloration, color zoning - striations, stones with missing color zones, highly windowed - see through types, and very dark-dead stones.

By going with Ceylon or African types of origins, I was not in the stratosphere of cost price which Burma and Kashmir bring. You can find stones of similar appearance without the cachet of "best" origin if you hunt for them. That's what I learned to do. Also, most folks don't object to heated stones. The unheated ones do bring a general premium, but I don't see any real importance in it for consumers. Considering the "investment" aspect of commercial sized colored gems is not of major importance now or even in the long run. If you want a super large, "investment" gemstone, then maybe you want to go unheated. This really is a rare occurence in the real world of jewelry.

When making matching stones, there are many added details of hoiw well they match eachother. All this adds yet more levels of difficulty for vendors. The end result can be very rewarding if done properly.