Ever since the engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton sapphire engagement rings have become all the rage.However, although a royal wedding has helped propel sapphire into the spotlight, it has always been a popular choice among couples after diamonds. If you are thinking of buying one for the big occasion, you should read this carefully first.
What is a sapphire?
A sapphire is different to a ruby because of it’s color. It is a gemstone variety of mineral corundum and when the color of this gemstone is not red or dark pink then it can be considered a sapphire, else it will be called a ruby. They are much sought after, not just because of their beauty, but also because of their hardness. Among any ornamental stone Variety they comes second after diamonds.
What affects the cost of a sapphire?
Like all kinds of ornamental stones the price of sapphire will depend upon many things, such as the clarity, size, color, cut and overall quality. However unlike many other types of stones, the actually geographic origin of a sapphire is also important in it’s cost.
What colors do they come in?
The most popular, sought-after and valuable sapphire engagement rings come in a deep royal blue color, exactly the same as the one given by William to Kate. However, they also come in other colors for example: Purple, orange, pink, yellow, green and padparadscha ( a pinkish-orangish color). Green is considered the least expensive and blue the most expensive.
What should you look for when buying sapphire engagement rings?
An engagement ring is not something you should rush into, there is a lot of sense in choosing something after doing some basic research and choosing a sapphire is not different. All natural stones have flaws, but some are more pronounced than others and you should be careful when choosing a sapphire with obvious flaws. One thing to especially look out for is a feather inclusion, which in plain english is a crack going from the center of the sapphire to the outer layer. Don’t ever buy a stone with this flaw, because it could end up breaking in half in the near future. Stones may have some flaws on outside, but as long as the don’t harm the aesthic value it should not matter too much. A flaw which you might like to see however is the sapphire star. It is a star shape within the stone which makes it look very pretty.
Where to buy?
Many places sell sapphire engagement rings and my best answer to this question would be to recommend a local jeweler or a specialty sapphire Jeweler online. If you don’t mind buying things online then the second choice would probably be better since you are more likely to get the ring for a more bargain price.
