Sunday, April 4, 2010
New Inventory Just Added Last Month
5.25 carat fancy trillion Ceylon Topaz
1.28 square African Ruby
4.67 carat multicolor cushion cut African Sapphire - In daylight, this sapphire is marine blue with some green. In mixed light, a deep purple shows up. Finally, in tungsten light, it is violet with green.
10.64 carat square radiant Ceylon Honey Hessonite - highly sought after Jyotish gem
1.02 carat pale sky blue custom cut princess cut Ceylon Sapphire
2.91 carat pair of Pakistani Peridot in a squeaky grass green
2.32 carat rectangular neon mint green Mozambique Tourmaline
4.10 carat Nepal Kyanite - Kyanite is the mother of all blue gems. The history of kyanite goes back to Greek mythology and they are sought after for their healing properties.
1.62 carat Mogok Ruby - shocking intense electric purplish red color. Only a thorough study under the lens will reveal one colorless inclusion in the outer edge.
2.07 Ceylon cherry red Cabochon Spinel
9.37 carat Aquamarine Cat's Eye - Absolutely flawless, best intense aquamarine color, a perfect sharp white ray, and in a most fashionable shape for an elegant piece of jewelry. Nearly 15mm in diameter!
2.99 carat neon purplish pink Nigerian Tourmaline
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Sapphires Worthy of A New Decade
24.27 carat of Ceylon Star Sapphire - Here is a pair of significant blue star sapphires. Each gem on its own is a rarity, as matching pair this is a miracle. Both gems come with an exquisite fine
1.93 carat Ceylon Sapphire - lightly toned heart shaped stone in a cool blue with a silky violet glimmer.
2.42 Carat Ceylon Sapphire - Big clean untreated sapphires are not easy to find!
2.50 carat Ceylon Sapphire - This rich golden cognac is surprising in its depth of color.
1.51 carat Ceylon Sapphire - Fresh cool blue, not flowery violet as in classical cornflower-blue
.5 carat Kashmir blue Burmese Sapphire
1.99 carat African Sapphire - Dense green trillion cut sapphire.
2.04 carat purplish baby pink African Sapphire
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Colors of Sapphire
Sapphire is commonly known as a blue gem and
The most famous of all fancy sapphires is the Padparadscha. Pads (amongst friends) are one of the most sought-after gemstone varieties. They have a long tradition and come with an outstanding mystical image. Described as a color merger of the lotus flower and a tropical sunset, they are a famous topic of discourse amongst gem color specialists. However, anyone who knows how many colors the lotus flower shows (not to talk of a sunset), can imagine the confusion regarding the definition and usage of the term "Padparadscha". The color effect of a true Pad is easy to capture. But, given their extreme value, Pads are probably the most faked variety on the Internet. The combination of orange and pink is more a challenge to the photographer's honesty than to his skills. One will find anything from pinkish lavender to dull brown offered as Pads. Some sellers do not even go through the hassle of "photoshopping" their stones, but simply sell all off-colors holding any suggestion of pink or orange as Pads. To qualify as true Pad, a sapphire must show orange and pink at the same time. Here we may distinguish two forms of Padparadscha: The first is one with pink and orange merge throughout the stone. The eye is puzzled with the melting color equilibrium. Some might perceive more pink, while others see more orange. Even more fascinating are those that show more pinkish orange in tungsten light, while being crispy orange pink at day. The second type in one in which pink and orange are separated. An orange sapphire with pink areas also qualifies as a true Padaparadscha (and the other way around). Though Pads with thoroughly merging orange and pink are even higher priced than those with "simple" color zones, the latter can also make very beautiful gems. Additionally Pad connoisseurs distinguish between "pinkish orange" (orange is the more dominant color) and "orange pink" (pink being more dominant). In
Though, as mentioned before, sapphire comes in a myriad of colors, most people think of sapphire as being blue.
Blue sapphire is the number one in sales of all colored gemstones. Famous are Cornflower, Velvet- and Sky-blue and the rarest
In
Regarding purple sapphire, some cultures and languages use the term "purple" differently. As most North Americans and Europeans, we take purple as a color on its own. Violet, also a mixture of blue and red, lies closer to the blue and is therefore counted into the blue gemstones.
Purple sapphires are far undervalued given the strong color sensation they offer. A good purple is as thrilling to the eye as a good blue or violet. Nevertheless they have not been getting much attention until the quest for untreated sapphire made many people consider other colors than the classical pink and blue. Yet, besides the terrific but rare electric purple, collectors seem to prefer stones with an undertone rather than fully saturated purple ones. This looks like an exception to the rule "the higher the saturation the higher the price". A reason for this exception may be found in the way pure purple defies the camera. When looking at images of purple sapphire on the web one quickly realizes that they can not compete with the dazzling presentation of good blue or pink. Whenever you see a breathtaking image of a purple sapphire it is mostly the secondary hue that gives it the "bang". Pinkish purple, reddish purple or violet/bluish purple are great models, but purple on its own does not perform well in front of the camera. Fully saturated purple shows somewhat dull or lifeless in front of the camera. Add a tint of secondary color, and the tone changes dramatically. Thus, when buying purple sapphires on the web: Give them some credit! You might well be surprised how reasonably you have obtained a fully colored untreated sapphire. Though prices shall not be a function of the photogenic capabilities of a variety, they do influence the market situation. Hence, purples are sold relatively more expensive in the traditional channels than they are sold on the web. This is true for all gems, but especially for the camera-shy purple.
Pink, being a lightly colored form of red sapphire or ruby, has become popular in recent years. Its colors range from a light lavender rose to the so-called "hot pink", which resembles a vivid bubble-gum hue.
Aside from padparadscha, which is partly orange, pink sapphires have become the most expensive variety within the fancies. Prices of pinks vary greatly with size and color intensity. However, untreated hot pinks of several carats have buyers lined up at the mines. In the wake of this popularity, prices of pink spinel have increased as well. The fact that heart shapes are much more frequent in pink sapphires than in any other color points to the emotional occasions they like to be used for. Especially the Japanese market has an almost insatiable demand for big pink hearts. Hot pink was once a unique offer from
Truly colorless sapphires are called white and are said to be found exclusively in
As so often in gem photography, one can not show all qualities (or flaws) in one shot. Examining a row of photos is probably the best way to overcome this issue. A seller should be willing to provide you with a written statement or additional photos if you have doubts about certain features like color or are worried about a flaw.
Browse some beautiful photos of natural sapphires in all colors at Wild Fish Gems. Our gems are unheated and untreated and offer the finest colors that nature has to offer.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Fresh New Gemstones
Pair of Vietnamese Topaz adding up to over 47 carats!
4.94 Carat Deep Orange-Red Vietnamese Zircon - Zircon offers great value in red untreated gemstones.
5.69 carat Vietnamese Zircon - Zircon of this shade is often heat treated into a more fashionable shade of blue. However, the natural stone has a beauty all its own. In fact, we prefer it pure and untreated.
.79 carat Ceylon Sapphire
3.36 carat Ceylon Raspberry Garnet - Only garnet offers so much for so little.
2.08 carat fancy rounded rectangular African Sapphire in a barely there yellow tint.
Icy violet blue 1.43 carat African Sapphire.
.61 carat fine cornflower blue African Sapphire.
.69 carat fine Kashmir blue African Sapphire.
2.15 carat metallic blue green African Sapphire.
Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season as sparkling as our favorite gems!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Halloween Costume Party
Green cats eyes
in midnight gloom
fly with the witch
on her ragged broom
over dark hills where
bonfires loom.
It is time for the colors of Halloween.
Electrified velvety purples, alien life
form green and the starlit black of the night sky.
3.33 carat Star Diospide - A cream colored ray on a field of true black.
2.15 carat Earthy Orange Purple African Sapphire - This is not your everyday sapphire. Minor inclusions are visible only under the lens.
1.16 carat Ceylon Sapphire - A surprising cocktail of pink, purple, violet and red.
1.02 carat Ceylon Sapphire - Strong untreated natural color shifting between reddish purple and violet purple.
2.02 carat Ceylon Padparadscha - Clean, mildly colored pear shaped natural padparadscha. Remarkably fluorescent and fully saturated even in dim light.
2.67 psychedelic green African Tourmaline - Natural unheated and untreated mint tourmaline. Seeing this tourmaline is to love it. This is crazy, vibrant, in-your-face green.
Some treats are SO much better than candy!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
September's Natural Gifts
Are rustling in September's breeze,
A Sapphire on her brow should bind;
To bring her joy and peace of mind.
1.01 carat color changing sapphire that shines a fine cornflower blue by day and a flowery violet at night.
.87 carat Kashmir sapphire - this Ceylon blue is as good as it gets!
1.05 carat deepest sky blue sapphire - Imagine that the sun has just set and the first stars are sprinkling the night sky. That is the color of this amazing gem.
4.45 carat cornflower blue certified untreated Ceylon sapphire
Blue is a soul satisfying color beneficial to the mind and body. The color of sea and sky, tranquility and calmness.