Gems: Colour, Clarity, Cut & Carat

I was having tea with some friends when the subject of the 4 Cs came up. Mind you, we were not talking about the 4 Cs in the male species of homo sapiens but the 4 Cs of Gems!

I chose this gem to illustrate the 4 Cs because it is a classic dilemma for many...

Colour:

Colour is extremely important. A good colour... though this gems is not Kashmir Blue, it is a decent cornflower blue from Ceylon. What is most important is that the colour is natural. With the wide array of treatments available for gems these days, I would prefer something natural but not as saturated in its colour. If I were so caught up with have the right colour, I would just buy a lab created one with the perfect colour.

Clarity:

Many collectors are happy with a gem that is eye clean. Meaning that you cannot see any visible flaws when you look at it with your naked eye. For me, Colour and clarity are very important factors to pick up a stone (besides the obvious: That it should be natural). Many collectors also look at gems with a lens that has a 10 times magnification. I use a 20 times magnification lens. Which shows how clarity is important to me. I go for stones that are loupe clean. Meaning that you cannot see any prominent inclusions in the stone.

Cut:

Different gems have different classic cuts to me. For rubies: Cabachons are the best. Mind you, many have the impression that cabachons are mean for gems that are not gem quality or this is a cut meant for gems that are inferior quality. I for one have seen gem quality cabachons and that are mind blowing. Why do you think premium grade rubies are called pigeon blood red? Have you seen a faceted drop of blood from a pigeon?

I prefer sapphires to be in cushion cut. Cushion cut is the classic cut for Sapphires while emeralds should be in table or emerald cut. For emeralds to be cut in the emerald, they have to be of a certain quality in colour and clarity. For those who know their gems, they will understand that it is hard to find an emerald that is a rich colour and clear enough to be cut in the emerald cut.

Another point that I think is important is the proportion of the cut. To me, it is important that the cut is proportionate and there is a decent thickness for the girdle of the gem. Otherwise, the gem gets damaged easily during setting.

Carat:

For this C, I only have one motto: The larger the better! Provided they satisfy all of the above Cs because at the end of the day, Size is important is to many women.

Many collectors have an unspoken rule... that is stones that are worthy of collection should be 3 Carats and above. Now, the reason why I chose this particular stone to feature is because:

Colour: Cornflower blue, from Ceylon (Natural)

Clarity: Loupe Clean

Cut: Cushion (excellent proportion with a nice thick girdle)

Size: 2.94 Cts

My point is... there is no hard and fast rule to collecting stones. They are products of nature so they almost never fulfill all of the required factors. Like men!

The Cornflower Blue Sapphire from Sri Lanka – Truly Royal!

In the world of gemstones, there are three imperial sisters who has reined over any dynasty and rules. Their status - The three royal princesses of gems have withstood the test of time. They have stood high and proud in value and demand over many years and they are The Sapphire, The Ruby and The Emerald!

Amongst these three sisters, my favourite is the sapphire. This fancy stone can be found in as many colours as the rainbow and sometimes even more than one colour in a stone but if someone tells you that she knows Sapphires but not the “Cornflower Blue” Sapphire, then she is definitely trying to pull a fast one! Don’t waste your time talking to this one! The legendary “Cornflower Blue” is one of the two most coveted colours when it comes to blue sapphire. Many Tai Tais go on a ceaseless hunt for this coveted colour sacrificing much money along the way. In fact, this colour is so rare that it has been said that once you see it, you will not forget it!

But Why Sri Lanka?! While there are also sapphires to be found in the Land of a Thousand Smiles, Amazing Thailand and Madagascar, the stones from these two countries are considered by many Tai Tais to be poor substitutes for the poor. Thai Sapphires appear to be darker (colour wise, Thai Sapphires can sometimes be almost black!!!) than the Sri Lanka ones while the ones mined from Madagascar appear to be less rich and intense in terms of its hue of blue. It also often presents a rather false-grey-ish metallic sheen that the Sri Lanka Sapphires do not have.

So what is this Legendary “Cornflower Blue” Sapphire! What is a “Cornflower”?

A Cornflower but which blue? (Source: www.wikipedia.org)

So when we look for a “Cornflower Blue” Sapphire, do we look for the colour in the centre of the flower or the colour of the petals? In my experience, when you see a cornflower blue you will know. The feeling is like seeing a perfect male specimen naked in the most unexpected of places like a mall on Christmas Eve! It leaves you breathless! Many have gone to the extent of matching the colour with a pantone code and so on but to me, it is really futile because the legendary cornflower comprises more than merely colour. There has to be luster and scintillation, which takes a master craftsman to bring out. Like a man who is good looking who has a great body and possesses a well-developed fire-fighting department! What’s the use of mere looks when you cannot satisfy the woman!?