SAPPHIRE GEMSTONES: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

What are Sapphires, And Should They Be The Most Popular Engagement Stone In The World?

The rare beauty of Sapphire engagement rings is set to steal the spotlight from Diamonds. Successful marketing made Diamonds the most popular choice for engagement rings, but Sapphires long-since ruled as the queen of hearts. Recently, they have once again risen in popularity amongst royals and celebrities. Today, these coloured gemstones are crowned as a contemporary choice with a time-honoured beauty.

When you hear “Sapphire”, you might think blue. However, Sapphires come in an extraordinary palette of colours. Royal blue, cornflower blue, rich greens, teals, purples, the deepest pinks and even colourless stones, along with an endless possibility of hues, shades and brilliance. Each unique gem is incomparable to another, making a Sapphire engagement ring a distinct symbol of your love.

A Sapphire Is A True Asset for Investment

Sapphires — particularly those in blue — hold a strong value in top auction houses. For this reason, they are a sought-after asset for investment.

Investing in gemstones may not be for everyone. However, a rare gemstone such as Sapphire increases its value over time much more reliably than gems in large supply. If you are passionate about exquisite gems and luxury jewellery pieces, then this is certainly good to know.

Gems may not have the liquidity of gold, but the most exceptional Sapphires such as a high-quality Sri Lankan Ceylon will never diminish in value.

So, What is Sapphire?

Sapphires are precious gemstones. They come from the corundum mineral, a crystallized form of aluminium oxide. Although often thought of as royal blue, Sapphires have an extraordinary colour palette. As an ancient gemstone, their place amongst royal families and legendary stories is time-honoured. Like Diamonds, Sapphires are a well-respective choice for engagement rings and are comparatively rarer.

Sapphires are Steeped in History

As an ancient gemstone, Sapphires are heralded for their historical meaning. Sapphire appears in great legends and stories, long-since prized as a rare and valuable gem. Their majestic colour has captured the hearts of royals and historical figures throughout time, including Napoleon, Queen Elizabeth II, Emperor Charlemagne and Kate Middleton.

The origin of the word “Sapphire” has been traced back to Greek and Latin for “blue”. Some scholars believe that its ancient origin may be in Sanskrit, translating to “Saturn”. Sapphire also appears in the Hebrew Bible as “Sapir”.

Sapphire also carries time-honoured traditions. It is the birthstone of the month of September and is the traditional gift given on both the 5th and 45th wedding anniversaries.

Sapphires are Long Lasting

Sapphires are formed from a mineral known as corundum, which is crystallized aluminium oxide. With the help of other minerals, the crystals form over many thousands of years to produce the rare beauty of Sapphires.

Sapphires are a very hardy gemstone, which means that they are not easily scratched. The Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness is used to measure the resistance to scratching and wear. Sapphires score 9/10, close to the perfect 10/10 of Diamonds. As such, they are one of the most durable natural gemstones on earth.

What do Sapphires look like?

The word Sapphire has almost become synonymous with the colour of blue. Some of the most popular Sapphires indeed come in deep royal blue. However, Sapphires also come in a remarkable palette of colours, some of which are extremely rare. They can be pink, yellow, orange, purple, green, colourless — and their appearance is distinguished even further by their clarity. Some Sapphires can even change colour when viewed under different light sources and are extremely rare.

Sapphires form naturally, which means they often come with small flaws and liquid-filled spaces called inclusions. These quirks of nature are proof that the Sapphire is real. Flawless Sapphires are usually synthetic.

Our Sapphires are Ethical

We are committed to sourcing our Sapphires ethically. We exclusively source Sapphires mined in small family and community mines. By reducing the number of ‘middlemen’ between ourselves and our miners and stone cutters, we can have transparency into fair labour, safe working conditions, and who benefits from the sales. We have several sourcing offices in Sri Lanka so that we can build personal relationships with our sources. Many of our Sapphires come from our conflict-free Sri Lankan partner mines. The gemstones are then cut and polished in our in-house lapidary by highly skilled stone cutters.