I am trying to work out my new e-ring and i've decided I want to get a sapphire. I can't afford a real sapphire (because the size I like is thousands of dollars and I would rather spend that kind of money on my bills or a nice vacation).

So I want to get a lab sapphire. I was looking here at the avarra sapphire in the "kashmir blue" color and I love that. I have also heard good things about the lab sapphires at Chathams. There is a big price difference between the two. I know that Chatham's sapphires are created with the flux method. What about the BTD sapphire?

Also, is there such a thing as a color change lab sapphire? I love the purple/blue color change sapphires but I don't know if that is created in a lab setting.

So far, I love the look of the BTD kashmir sapphire but how does it look in person. I think the sparkle is hard to see in pictures so if anyone has one, I would love to hear your thoughts. Sparkle is really important to me. I do not want the stone to look flat.

Lastly (for now), I don't see any rectangular cushion cuts on BTD. Are they not available through BTD?

If you have gotten through this whole thing (a massive jumble of my thoughts), you are awesome! Thanks for any feedback!

You can see pics of my diamond cut 8mm Kashmir here:

http://betterthandiamond.com/discussion/...gged#Post565526

There is links in that post to my previous smaller stone too (7mm). If you do a search there are some other great examples around!

In person it looks fantastic! Obviously, as with any stone, lighting will affect the sparkle (and sapphires do not have the same sparkle as moissanite or natural diamonds do) but I never think of my sapphire as "flat"! Sapphires are definitely more about the colour - coloured stones are a whole different ballgame and people go for them for colour rather than flash! That being said, mine gives off plenty of blue flashes of colour.

I have seen the Chatham sapphires in person (at my jewelers), and compared them to my own, and personally, I pick (and did pick!) my own. Heck, I pick it over most of the "natural" sapphires I have seen in store!

I believe BTD uses the hydrothermal method for their sapphires.

There is Alexandrite offered by BTD, which has a colour change, but no colour change sapphires. I also know there is such a thing as lab created colour change sapphire...but I will be honest and say I have never seen a very good one...(not to say they do not exist!).

As for a more rectangular cushion...they do now and then offer custom cuts, but I think they just finished such an offer. I guess you could contact them and see if they have anything on hand, but my understanding it is costly to offer custom cuts all the time.

If I remember right Less said the next custom cutting batch would be sometime this summer.

On a side note I owned a asscher cut btd stone for a couple of days. I feel in love with the stone, the color and cut was awesome.

Love the Kashmir blue BTD lab sapphires!! The blue is so intense and deep - it makes you feel like you could look into it forever.....



I also own 2 BTD Alexandrites, and if you like color change sapphires, you may want to try one of those and see what you think. The colors go from a nice green, and blue into and deep purple. I wish I could take pics to show the beauty of the stone, but it's so hard to catch the color as it changes. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them.

This is my new BTD 10mm Asscher sapphire in kashmir blue. I love it and have replaced my diamond e-ring in favor of wearing my sapphire.

Here is a thread with Wench's stunning 12mm Kashmir Asscher. The pics in that thread will knock your socks off.......

Thanks for all the feedback!

I want this ring to replace my diamond e-ring. I am just dying for a flash of color. I am pretty set on getting the kashmir sapphire from BTD but I just want to make sure it's the right choice.

RaiKai, you said the BTD sapphire is created w/ the hydrothermal method. Is this as good as the flux method that Chatham uses?

I can't believe I missed the custom cut period. *kicking myself in the backside* I was really hoping for an elongated cushion cut. I wish I had enough patience to wait for the next custom cut period but I really want this ring for my anniversary in May...so too bad for me.

I can live without the color change sapphire. I just love sapphires with a violet flash to them.

I just got a BTD 8mm round Kashmir and its beautiful. There are pics in the customer gallery, I posted them yesterday. I'd link up to it but I'm not sure how.

I love my sapphire, it's beautiful. I have a natural sapphire ring and the BTD sapphire is far prettier.

Here's mine, 8mm round concave cut. It's gorgeous and IMO a little brighter than the regular round. I love it!

http://betterthandiamond.com/discussion/ubbthreads.php/topics/646428/1

As for treatments, both methods produce good looking stones. Flame fusion is a cheaper method that produces less realistic stones.

They used to make a purple/pink sapphire (which I used to own) but they discontinued it. I have the 9 x 7 oval Kashmir sapphire and I think it is quite gorgeous. I also love the BTD Alexandrites. I used to have two, but I only have one left now and it's for sale on DB... not because it isn't gorgeous, it is... I'm just selling because I need the $$$$$$.