David Dawson |
Rock Creek Montana Round Sapphire .95 ctPattern: Standard Round BrilliantWeight: 0.95 carats (to the nearest .05 carat) Size: 5.85mm Clarity: VS, slight veil, “exploded” inclusion--evidence of heat-treating Color: Medium blue with slight grey overtone, zoning Treatment: Heat treated Rough: Montana, Rock Creek This rough comes from the Rock Creek area in Montana. The rough was heat-treated to improve the uniformity of the blue color. The rough had an interesting “nebula-like” swirl of color in the center. When the rough was cut, this was placed within the main body of the gemstone, causing the nice blue to be distributed throughout. With close observation, the color swirl can be noted with the naked eye, but does not detract at all from the appearance of the stone. Rather, it gives this gem a unique identity. This stone looks blue in all lighting, with none of the “black out” often seen with cut sapphires. A very light veil remains in the pavilion, which is loupe visible face up. When viewing the stone from the pavilion side, a small inclusion with halo can be seen. These so-called “exploded” inclusions represent evidence of heat treating. This inclusion is not notable when the stone is viewed face up. Despite the inclusions, this stone represents one of the finer colored sapphires that I have cut. |