DID YOU KNOW THESE FACTS ABOUT SAPPHIRES GEMSTONE?

The sapphire gemstone is a rare and valuable stone that is frequently used as a substitute for diamonds. The sapphire is an intriguing gemstone that comes in a variety of color hues and has a long history of value and appreciation. Sapphires were used in alchemy and religious rituals in ancient cultures, and prominent figures such as Helen of Troy, King Solomon, and Marco Polo wore large, ostentatious sapphires as a symbol of wealth and prosperity.

What are sapphires, and what should you look for in a sapphire when shopping? We answer your questions and more in this article, or you can watch our YouTube video below if you prefer visual learning.

What are sapphires, exactly?

Sapphire is a gemstone made of corundum, an aluminum oxide mineral that can be found on the surface of the Earth. Corundum is a clear, colorless mineral, as seen in white sapphire; it is only when trace minerals are added that sapphires take on their rainbow of colors that we are most familiar with. It's worth noting that rubies are made up of corundum as well, despite the fact that they belong to a different gemstone category.

Even within the same color family, each sapphire has a different set of hues, tones, and saturation, as well as a different set of inclusions, and will require a slightly different cut to maximize color. Sapphires are truly one-of-a-kind.

Sapphires are highly durable, ranking second only to Diamonds on the Moh's Hardness Scale at a level 9 after diamonds. The Moh's Hardness Scale, invented by Frederich Mohs in 1812, assesses mineral hardness by scratching it against another mineral that has already been tested on the scale. The result is a scale of one to ten, with diamond being the highest and talc being the lowest. Abrasions, such as scratches, breaking, chipping, or cracking, do not affect corundum or sapphires.

Sapphires' Four Cs

While the 4Cs are most commonly associated with diamond quality, sapphires are graded according to color, clarity, cut, and carat size as well.

Color

When it comes to determining the value of a sapphire gemstone, color is unquestionably the most important factor. Natural corundum is available in a variety of colors; in fact, sapphires can be found in every color of the visible spectrum. Hue, tone, and saturation are used to further measure the color properties of corundum; you may even come across a sapphire with multiple colors of the spectrum in the same gemstone.

The overall color of a sapphire gemstone is referred to as its hue. A sapphire may have additional, secondary hues that contribute to the stone's visual appearance, such as a violet secondary hue or a green secondary hue in blue sapphire. Hue uniformity raises the value of a sapphire stone, so a sapphire that is primarily blue with minor secondary hues will be valued higher than a sapphire with a prominent secondary hue.

The lightness or darkness of the stone is referred to as tone. The most valuable sapphires have a medium to medium-dark tone, though this tone preference range varies slightly from color family to color family. A sapphire with a tone that is too light or too dark will detract from the stone's overall appeal.

The color intensity of sapphire is measured in saturation. The most important color feature of sapphires is saturation, which has a significant impact on the gemstone's value. A saturation modifier reduces the saturation of diluted sapphires; cool-toned sapphires are diluted with grey, while warm-toned sapphires are diluted with brown.

Sapphires in the color of blue

The most common sapphire gemstone is blue sapphire, which is created by the inclusion of titanium in the corundum crystal; the more titanium in the stone, the more vibrant the saturation. Oversaturated blue sapphires can appear dark or cloudy, lowering the value of the stone, while weakly saturated blue sapphires are also undesirable.

Sapphires in pink

Pink sapphire is the second most popular sapphire color, as well as the second most valuable sapphire after blue sapphire. The pink color of this corundum stone comes from chromium traces in the crystal. The stone becomes a ruby when the chromium concentration is extremely high, while a light concentration of chromium produces a romantic, pink sapphire.

Depending on whether the trace element titanium also enters the crystal, the pink sapphire can range from deep pink to light purple, with a more purple hue.

Pink sapphire is becoming increasingly popular as the center stone for engagement rings, with many brides opting for it. When paired with a rose gold setting, the pink-colored corundum shines brightly, evoking a passionately romantic feeling, especially in a pear, oval, or emerald cut.

Sapphires in yellow

With a rich, yellow hue that can range from greenish-yellow to orangey-yellow with varying levels of saturation, the yellow sapphire is an increasingly popular center stone alternative to the yellow diamond engagement ring. Yellow sapphires get their yellow color from trace elements of iron in the corundum crystal; however, titanium can leak into the crystal and cause a greenish hue, which is undesirable in a yellow sapphire gemstone.

The most valuable yellow sapphire has a deep yellow-orange hue that complements a yellow gold setting beautifully.

sapphires white

As previously stated, the white sapphire is a natural corundum gemstone that makes a lovely alternative to a diamond engagement ring.

As with the diamond center stone, the white sapphire works well in a variety of settings and metal colors. As seen in the white sapphire engagement ring above, a rose gold setting and band give the stone a soft, romantic appearance.

Sapphires, green

Green sapphire is a lovely emerald substitute with a lighter hue due to trace titanium in the corundum crystal. The green sapphire's saturation ranges from weak to vivid, and it looks stunning in rose gold, platinum, or white gold settings.

Clarity

Slight inclusions are common in sapphire gemstones as a result of natural crystal growth. The type of inclusion in a corundum stone can have an impact on the gemstone's overall appearance, particularly in terms of color quality.

When looking for the perfect sapphire, look for an eye-clean gemstone, just like when looking for the perfect diamond. A beautiful sapphire gemstone can have a clarity grade of VS or SI.

Cut

The best sapphire cut varies by color family and necessitates a close examination of the sapphire's hues and tones. A well-cut sapphire will have a consistent color and a setting and band combination that complements the stone's color palette.

Carat

Natural sapphires are rarer than diamond gemstones in terms of carat weight, which drives up the price of natural sapphires. Larger gemstones are more difficult to come by, which drives up the price significantly as the carat size grows.

There is a price difference between sapphire colors per carat. Larger carat sizes are more common for yellow sapphires, whereas larger carat sizes are more difficult to find for the Padparadscha sapphire (a peachy pink-hued sapphire), which is extremely rare.

Go Exotic, Choose a Sapphire Gemstone

The sapphire is exotic, with a wide range of colors to choose from, and it looks stunning as a center or accent stone. Whether you're looking for the perfect center stone for an engagement ring, considering adding sapphire accent stones to your three-stone ring or looking for a piece of jewelry with a pop of color, the sapphire is a beautiful gemstone with a wide range of colors to choose from.