In a word, “YES, YES, YES!”
There are a lot of things I love about diamonds. The rarity, the scintillation and of course the symbolism. But I also love color. And when it comes to gemstones, nature gives us unlimited choices. And when it comes to colored gemstones, sapphire is an excellent option.
Is sapphire only blue?
Sapphire is a perfect example of what nature can offer. Sapphire is available in virtually every color imaginable. The traditional color of blue is amazing but only one-color nature gives us.
Quick side note: I find the color of gemstones amazing, and I’m a bit biased.
The traditional blue sapphire is best known but only one of many possible color options.
Some of the current colors trending are blush pink and teal blue/green, followed closely by padparadscha, a color that is a gorgeous orange pink. Barely a week goes by where I am not asked about one of these three colors. And that is great because I find the green blues are among my favorite colors.
This was a ring custom-made in our store, using the client’s diamonds and a square Asscher cut teal sapphire. The ring itself is hinged for an arthritic hand.
Three examples of padparadscha sapphire rings in our store.
Another ring custom-made in our store using an oval blush pink sapphire.
No limits on color.
The other colors that have always been strong contenders for clients have been purple, yellow, green, and pink (even a Barbie pink).
A small range of pinks.
FAQs for sapphire
Are sapphires expensive?
They can be when looking at sizes over two carats and the highest qualities. However, the majority of sapphires in excellent quality and under two carats in size are very affordable.
Is it true sapphires won’t last in an engagement ring?
That is false. Sapphires may not be as hard as diamond but are the next closest gemstone in hardness to diamond. The best thing about sapphires is that they are less prone to chip than diamond and because of the way the crystal forms in nature are more durable than diamond.
“I heard the color of sapphire isn’t natural.”
Yes, and no. Like virtually all gemstones, some guy somewhere found a way to get better color out of the gemstones they mined. For sapphires, this involves heat treating the gemstone to improve the color and sometimes the clarity. Heat treatment is performed on likely 90% of all sapphires. It is permanent and does not affect the durability of the gemstone. In effect, it is like adding extra time, like a few million years, deep in the earth. It is important to note there are sapphires that are untreated. These are rarer and if the color is exceptional, will command a higher price. Heat treatment allows more great colored sapphires at an affordable price, into the marketplace.
Side note: there is a treatment called beryllium diffusion treatment. This is literally a coating on colorless or poorly saturated sapphires to give the sapphire a very intense color.
If scratched or slightly chipped, the coating will come off. It is used to create deep blue, orange and deep magenta or red sapphires. I am not a fan of this treatment and avoid it as much as possible.
Because the color is not permanent, and the sapphire is very inexpensive, this treatment should be disclosed before being purchased.
The above are some samples of this type of treatment.
Are there are man-made sapphires?
Yes, that is true. Man-made sapphires have been around for a long time. They come in many colors, almost any size and shape and are the same chemical composition of naturally occurring sapphires. The difference can be detected with some specialized equipment and even under a microscope. The cost is a fraction of the cost of similar quality of naturally mined sapphires.
A pendant made with sapphires in a ‘rainbow’ of colors.
When it comes to sapphires, the final word on them is; great variety, great durability and very affordable.