Sapphire Gemstone

The sapphire is well-known as a rich, royal blue gem. But, sapphires can also be white, pink, green, orange, purple, or yellow. And, when a sapphire has more than one color, such as blue and yellow, it is known as a parti-sapphire. The sapphire is the mineral corundum which is aluminum oxide. The blue color comes from trace amounts of titanium. This gem is mined in Australia, Thailand, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, and Kashmir. All regions produce a similar range of colors. And, the sapphire is the second most popular gemstone after the diamond. The price you will pay for a sapphire is based on the quality of the gem and on its size. Unlike with diamonds, sapphires do not have a precise and standardized grading system. The most important factor in evaluating a sapphire is color as defined hue and tone as well overall color saturation of the gem. Sapphires are available in a variety of shapes and sizes.

The Shape of a Sapphire

The shape of a sapphire can be largely a matter of taste. However, with a high-quality sapphire, the facets on round and oval shapes provide more sparkle as they enhance to reflection and refraction of the gem. The late Princess Diana had an oval cut sapphire for her engagement ring, which immediately made that shape famous and desired. Round and oval shapes are the most popular. But, there are also princess square shapes and cushion shapes as well as octagon and marquise. The prices for round and oval cuts start out a bit higher because of the wasted mineral when these cuts are executed. Cushion shapes will be hard to find in lower sizes but more available in sapphires above five millimeters. Princess shapes are typically in smaller gems of four millimeters and less.

These are the basic sapphire shapes.

Sizes of Sapphires

Sapphires are measured in millimeters and not in carats. The size of a sapphire is determined by the amount of gemstone available to cut and shape. And it is determined by what looks best for a ring, earrings, necklace, or as an accent gem. The price of the sapphire goes up with size. However, if the size of the diamond doubles the price may go up four-fold in an exponential fashion. This price increase is dependent on the larger gem have the same quality as smaller ones.

Sapphire Colors

The color of a sapphire is measured by three qualities. First is the hue, which is the exact color on a color wheel. Next, the tone of the sapphire color is how deep or faint the color is. And, then there is saturation, which is how evenly the color is distributed throughout the gem. For a blue sapphire, the exact hue should be blue without other shades of color. The ideal blue sapphire tone is deep blue. And, saturation of a high-quality sapphire should be such that the deep blue carried throughout the entire gem. The vivid blue of a sapphire should be deep but not dark with sparkles that are dark purple. Uneven saturation can be from inclusion defects or it can be because the gem is really a parti-sapphire of more than one color.

Although the ideal sapphire tone is a vivid deep blue, other tones can still be high-quality. As an example, both extremely light blue and extremely dark blue can be A quality sapphires. Another popular tone is referred to as icy blue and can be seen in valuable sapphires.

To examine for the color, the gemologist looks at the sapphire without magnification. He or she holds the gem between two fingers with a white surface as a background. The gemologist simply rotates the sapphire from side to side. The idea is to see how the color changes with the light. All humans tend to be good at evaluating color. So, you may be able to appreciate the same aspects of the sapphire’s color that the gemologist does. It does not take an expert to see the difference between an AAA sapphire versus an A quality gem.

Color is what determines the price of the sapphire within any size category. The gemologist evaluates hue, tone, and saturation all together and then assigns a quality grade. The sapphire price guide below will give you an idea of how color affects price. Remember that other things like inclusions can affect sapphire price, so this price guide is meant to help you understand relative prices based on color and not the final price.

Sourcing Sapphires

Sapphires come from the Eastern Hemisphere and primarily from the nations of Australia, Thailand, Madagascar, and Sri Lanka. While sapphires can be found elsewhere, we select our sapphires from these nations because the producers have nothing to do with conflict mining and give back to the community through infrastructure improvements and fair labor practices.

The rare sapphire creates jobs in the mining industry and community-minded mining companies build community centers, schools, and hospitals. We do not deal in sapphires that come out of conflict zones. We know our suppliers and work with them to make sure that sound environmental practices are always used. We visit mine locations to verify these things. And, our sapphires are manufactured from the rough gem in New York. This not only supports the local economy but also allows us more quality control.

For anyone who is concerned about conflict gems, the sapphire is an excellent choice for engagement rings or any other jewelry. Sapphires have long been the first alternative to diamonds and they are less expensive as well!

Certifying a Sapphire

Because there is no standardized grading system for sapphires, you may or may not want to have your sapphire certified. However, it is possible for a gemologist to analyze your sapphire to know it is a natural stone of corundum that came from the depths of the earth or a synthetic gem. In addition, you can find out what if any treatments your sapphire was subjected to. In regard to sapphire quality, the eye of the beholder is where beauty lies, and if you really like your sapphire that should be sufficient.

You can guarantee that you are getting a natural sapphire as every single one that we have in stock is natural. We do not work with anyone to create sapphires and we test everyone that comes in. This is an important issue and you need to work with a trusted jeweler that sources correctly and examines to make sure.

If you are going to buy a very high-quality and large sapphire it will be expensive. This is when you should consider sending your sapphire to GIA, AGS, or AGL for certification. A good cutoff is 2.50 carats in our opinion. Every sapphire above that size should be certified. A more cost-effective route would be to use an appraiser. One of the major labs can tell you the country of origin of your sapphire. But, if you purchased from us, we will simply tell you! Otherwise, you will get the same information, proof of quality, and assurance of value from an appraiser.

Our recommendation is always to buy natural gemstones as jewelry. They are more meaningful for a purchase that means love and caring. Synthetic sapphires have colors that are not the same as natural stones and the inclusions in a natural sapphire make it unique and can make it more attractive.

Treatments for Sapphires

Sapphires of gem quality are routinely treated to improve their appearance and value.

Heating the sapphire is an industry standard and has been used for a long time. Temperatures can be as “low” as 400 degrees Celsius and as high as 1,700 degrees Celsius. The higher temperature is a more recent introduction. Temperature treatment changes sapphire colors to richer and deeper tones. And the effect is permanent.

Sapphires that come out of the ground with deep and rich colors come at a premium to those that attain there best color through heat treatment. In the 5 carat and larger range one of these perfect sapphires can command ten times the price of a gem that required heating to attain its perfection.

We do not buy sapphires that have been subjected to treatments other than heat. These treatments include waxing, radiation, laser drilling, oiling and dyeing. And we check every sapphire under a microscope when it arrives for any evidence of these treatments.

Sapphire Buying Guide

If you have purchased a diamond, you should be aware of the exacting certification that puts each diamond in specific grades for cut, color, clarity, and carat weight. This precise standardization process does not apply to sapphires. And, without such certification, it can be difficult for the average person to compare sapphires for value and especially for price. You can look at photographs but photos can be taken under varying lighting conditions. The best way to buy a sapphire is to see the gem yourself in natural lighting. Here are the steps we strongly suggest you take when buying a sapphire.

First Determine Your Budget

Sapphires are the next most expensive gemstone after the diamond. It can be easy to let the beauty of the sapphire get you all excited. And then you end up paying more than expected and more than you can afford.

Choose a Shape

The shape of a sapphire is basic to how it sparkles and how it shows off its deep, rich blue. Before you get too far into comparing various sapphires, decide on a shape. You can look at photos or real gems. Talk to our gemologist about the merits of round sapphires as opposed to so-called fancy shapes. Round shapes have better sparkle but are more expensive for a given size than other shapes. When a round sapphire is cut there is more wasted gem than with other shapes that may be cut specifically to use all of the available sapphire. Round sapphires are good choices for engagement rings, wedding bands, necklaces, and earrings. Oval shapes are a good choice also for necklaces and rings.

Choosing the Size of the Sapphire

When comparing sapphires we use size and not carat weight. In fact, when sapphires are cut, the cutter creates gems of specific sizes. If you are buying online use a ruler or some object of known dimensions to get a good idea of what size sapphire you will get. In our store, you can use our millimeter guides for reference. Sapphire price increases faster than size as the gems get bigger.

Shopping for Sapphire Quality

The ideal sapphire purchase is an AAA quality gem. A or B quality gems will appear washed out or dull in when you compare them to AAA quality. Start with AAA or perhaps AA quality sapphires. When you choose a sapphire in the higher qualities you will have a gem with minimal inclusions and therefore strong and clear color.

Choosing a Natural Sapphire or Synthetic and Non-natural

In the world of today, they can make a synthetic sapphire in the laboratory. Is this a choice for you? Synthetic sapphires will not have inclusions. But non-natural sapphires do not have the exact same deep blue and vibrant color as a high-quality sapphire. Even the inclusions give a natural sapphire a unique appeal. Natural sapphires are rare and will only increase in value over the years. Synthetic gems will always be mass produced at lower and lower prices. Although natural sapphires have inclusions, they also have deep and rich color which masks the inclusions.

Buying Sapphires online or in a Jewelry Store

The benefit of buying a sapphire online is that you can get a lower price. The downsides to buying online are that you do not get to talk to a jeweler and do not get to see the sapphire with your own eyes.

Because online jewelers do not want to deal with returns they may actually have better gems in stock to make sure that their customers are happy.

Although the jewelry store will show you any gem they have in stock, their stock on site will always have limitations. But a jeweler has associates and a supply chain and can usually get you the gem that you want in just a few days.

In each case, you want to know that this is someone whom you can trust. That may be easier with a local jewelry store as you can simply as family and friends what they think. In the case of an online operation, you may need to do a bit of online research to make sure that the folks you are dealing with are OK.

Always ask, in both cases, about the return policy and if it entails a “restocking fee.”

And, ask about color treatments, the origin of the sapphire, and if there is a conflict issue. If you are buying online you need to see good photos and if you do not trust the images do not buy. Any good jeweler will not be offended by your questions.