The diamond engagement ring is the tour de force of engagement rings. However, the second hardest gemstone after the diamond is the sapphire. Sapphires are gemstones of surpassing beauty and durability–and they don’t cost nearly as much as diamonds. If you want a beautiful, lasting, elegant engagement ring but you are concerned that you can’t pay the price for a diamond, you may not need to look any further than to sapphire engagement rings.
Sapphires are, in fact, the largest selling of all gemstones in the United States. Sapphires are commonly thought of as being blue, but not all of them are this color. As a matter of fact, blue sapphires are “royal gems” because they are even more rare than diamonds. Large carat sapphires are even more rare. Blue sapphires come in a range of shades from light to deep blue. It all depends on the amount of titanium contained within the particular stone. If a sapphire contains too much titanium, however, it will actually appear as nearly black and won’t be as attractive or valuable. Most blue sapphires come from Madagascar, Burma, and Sri Lanka. Burmese sapphires are brilliant in hue and more expensive than the average sapphire. But the blue sapphires of Kashmir are the most expensive and coveted, because they have been relatively rare there for the last 100 years.
Other sapphire colors include purple, pink, brown, black, “clear”, and “rainbow hue”. If you have decided to look into a sapphire engagement ring, there are some steps to take to find the best.
First decided what your budget is. If you have a larger budget you might want to get a sapphire of two to three carats. If you want plenty of brilliance and clarity but don’t have a large budget, consider synthetic sapphires or those of lesser carat weight. Remember that sapphires are denser than diamonds, so a carat weight of sapphire weighs more than a diamond of the same carat count.
Next, what shape do you want? The shapes for sapphires include: heart shape; triangle; oval; pear; princess cut; cushion cut; marquise cut; emerald cut; baguette; and channel set. Look into these before you decide what you want.
When you start looking over sapphires, don’t take any that have low clarity, poor symmetry, surface flaws, irregular shapes, or uneven facets. These won’t be worth enough and will be worth less than you are made to pay for them. Much sapphire stone cutting is done by relatively unskilled laborers. The attention given to cutting diamonds is not always given to cutting sapphires.
The best way to select sapphires may be the Internet. Look for stones that fall within your price range that are around the size you want. In that context, choose the best color and clarity. You can also go to local jewelry stores to see how these objects look in person.
Sapphires are the perfect gemstone for those who have the taste for beauty and class and a “royal” look but don’t have the diamond budget.
