After I have this teal sapphire rough cut and sent to her, she commented why I keep buying these dark looking stones. Her opinion changed 180 degrees after she tried it on her own hands though. 😝
(This is not yet set, it is on a blank setting just so she can see how it looks like)
It’s normally salmon pink, then when light/ or sun comes in, it shines with a golden opalescent effect. More side-by-side video if this next to a pink sapphire in comment.
Natural sapphire, unheated, 6.2*8.3mm 1.7ct
I am looking to put one of these stones on a ring for myself, which one is better? Videos in comments.
1.27 ct pinkish spinel
1ct blue sapphire
or 1.05ct colour change sapphire?
Out of 1000+ roughs, we’ve found a pair of sapphires that were made for each other
Both Luc Yen (Vietnamese) and Mogok (Burmese) rubies are formed in marble deposits, meaning they share an almost identical chemical footprint: high chromium and very low iron. Chromium causes the gem to fluoresce under ultraviolet (UV) light. Because natural sunlight contains UV rays, the rubies essentially glow under their own power when you take them outside.
I think I am getting more and more addicted to these beauties.
I have a newly cut sapphire from rough, precision cut using the radiant design 7*9*5mm, 2.9ct
The result is a bit dark as you can see as depth to width ratio is currently 71.4%, I am thinking of pushing the ratio down to 65% to make the gem brighter. What do you think?
What is the ideal depth to width ratio for a sapphire?
Love the colour of this new addition to my collection for The Unheated Archive NFS
My 3ct midnight berry spinel, thinking of what setting to put it on
I get more and more into cabochons for no obvious reason, maybe because they look so yummy 😝
My 6 year old said: Mum, don’t sell it, keep it for me, I want to be a gem collector when I grow up 😝
Mini sapphire with little fire inside, changes colour in natural, white, yellow and UV lighting conditions. Unfortunately no sun in the UK yet so I can capture its colour in the UV of the sun.
Not much at all but I am excited to start, my first 10x loupe arrived today.
After diving headfirst into the "Home Lab" life with a 10x loupe, a full kit, and grinding through the SSEF free online modules for Ruby, Sapphire, Spinel, and Jade, I’ve hit the inevitable wall that theory alone can’t climb: practical color grading.
I’m currently building a reference collection of Luc Yen material—with 30 fresh stones arriving this Saturday—but I’m struggling to bridge the gap between digital theory and accurately identifying elite trade colors like "Pigeon Blood," "Royal Blue," or "Padparadscha" in the flesh.
I’m looking for expert advice on the most effective way to master color valuation; specifically, are there reliable physical color references or UK-based practical meetups you’d recommend for someone who has the tools and the theory but needs to train their "eye"? Additionally, I'd love any tips on photography setups to capture the truest hue and saturation without smartphone sensors "auto-correcting" the life out of the gem please. Many thanks 🙏