Sapphires have been one of the most coveted precious gemstones among royals and aristocrats for centuries. Sapphires get their colorful appeal from the inclusion of different trace minerals in the base mineral corundum. With their exquisite brilliance and rich symbolism, sapphires exude elegance and attraction in their truest form.
You must have seen pictures of the blue sapphire and diamond engagement ring of Princess Diana from the British Royal Family. What a magnificent piece of jewelry it is! Several decades after its debut, the ring is still a center of attraction on the late princess’s elder daughter-in-law’s finger. Before we dive deeper into the enchanting world of sapphire gemstones, here are a few reasons why you should consider buying these gemstones.
1. Highly Durable: With a score of 9 on the 10-point Mohs hardness scale, sapphires are one of the best options for everyday jewelry.
2. Variety of Colors: Sapphires are not just blue but exist in a variety of combinations in the color spectrum except the red hue which is a ruby.
3. One of the Big 3 Gemstones: Those individuals who are unknown to the category, sapphires are one of the Big 3 gemstones along with emeralds and rubies.
4. Profound Symbolism: For generations, sapphires have been favored for being a token of power, wealth, wisdom and compassion.
5. September Birthstone: Sapphires are the official birthstone for those born in September, hence an ideal way for these folks to harness spirituality.
6. Affordable than Diamonds: Fancy sapphires cost less than fancy diamonds, making them an affordable choice.
Tips for Buying Sapphires
So now, are you interested in investing a part of your savings in purchasing sapphires? 4 Cs - Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat Weight are what you need to consider the most. Here’s a brief guide on what each of these quality factors means.
1. Color: Whatever color you pick - hue, saturation and tone are the key. Hue determines the color type, saturation measures intensity and tone is about the color’s lightness and darkness. Ideal-colored sapphires possess primary hues in medium to dark tones with strong to vivid saturation. Heated sapphires are also common in the market but with a lower price than the unheated ones.
2. Clarity: Natural sapphires may have inclusions and surface fractures that may hamper the stone’s durability as such those devoid of inclusions are very rare and highly priced. Artificial oiling techniques are used to treat defective or low-clarity stones, thus reducing their market price.
3. Cut: Unpolished sapphires are cut taking into consideration their pleochroism property, color tone and color zoning. Oval, pear and round sapphires are most popular. Stones possessing extra dark tones and an asterism effect are often cut as cabochons.
4. Carat Weight: It determines the stone’s size and weight with a direct relation between carat and price. With the increase in carat weight, the price also increases and vice versa.
Tips for Taking Care of Sapphires
If you already have sapphires in your jewelry case, read the tips below to admire your sapphires for a long time.
1. Store Separately: We know sapphires are quite tough, all gemstones are considered delicate and hence should be stored separately. You can either use a different pouch or a case to store your sapphires. Also, make sure that your sapphire jewelry does not get scratched by harder diamonds.
2. Warm Home Bath: The best way to keep your sapphires clean and bright at home itself is to wash them in a lukewarm soap solution. Use a soft brush to remove dirt and oil particles from the stone’s surface and wash them off in a bowl of clean water.
3. Ultrasonic Cleaners: Since sapphires are quite durable, it’s safe to clean them with ultrasonic cleaners. However, if your stone has fractures or they are treated in some way, it’s better to stick to a mild soap solution bath.
4. Away from Chemicals: Harsh chemicals present in cosmetics, perfumes, cleaning agents, etc. can cause serious harm to your sapphires. So, keep them at a long distance from your sapphire jewelry, i.e., remove your sapphire jewelry while using any of the products containing some or the other form of chemical.
Parting Words
In case you haven’t got the chance to get your hands on your ideal sapphire, feel free to buy certified sapphires from GemsNY, one of the most trusted and popular loose gemstones and jewelry brands. From classic blues to pretty pinks and sunny yellows, the brand offers a wide range of fancy sapphires in different cuts and carat weights.
Whether you want to buy a sapphire pendant for yourself or a sapphire engagement ring for your spouse-to-be, you are bound to find that one sapphire jewelry piece that will take your heart away.
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