Sapphire Gemstones in Fine Jewellery
Sapphire gemstones are increasingly favoured for fine jewellery, particularly as the top choice for sapphire engagement rings. As one of the rarest precious gemstones today, sapphires are graded into distinct shades by top gemological laboratories. “Royal Blue Sapphire” in particular is a fan-favourite, lauded for its distinguished, rich, vivid blue saturation. This exceptional shade of violetish-blue is unique to the corundum family. Thanks to its impressive hardness and sparkling lustre comparable to a diamond, it is an ideal gem for daily wear. In certain cases, fine quality sapphires are significantly rarer and more valuable than colourless diamonds.
Complete Guide to Sapphire Jewellery
Sapphire Colours: Royal Blue to Padparadscha
Generally in the gemstone trade, sapphires without any kind of colour prefix refer to blue varieties of corundum minerals. A sapphire can incorporate all gem colours and varieties of corundum, excluding ruby and red varieties. Royal Blue sapphires exhibit rich, deep hues, often touched by hints of violet or purple. It is a regal colour that captures attention and symbolises elegance.
Blue is symbolic of truth, peace, and spirituality. A pure blue symbolises inspiration, sincerity, calmness, and psychic power. Sapphires also display remarkable dichroism, subtly changing from a vibrant blue to a violet-blue. In particular, a unique Teal Sapphire will shift from soft greenish to blue under different lighting conditions. This unique feature makes each stone a captivating spectacle. From teal to purplish shades, you can rest assured that you will be spoilt for choice when customising a sapphire ring.
Heat Treatment
It is important to note that approximately 90% of sapphires undergo a process of heating to enhance their overall visual appeal. This treatment involves skillfully managing the temperature and timing to achieve the desired colour and clarity. This results in improved saturation and clarity which significantly improves the value of commercial gems. Rubies are also commonly heat treated, whereas emeralds are often oiled to achieve a similar improvement.
Undoubtedly, it is exceedingly uncommon in today’s world to come across a vibrant unheated sapphire with an intense hue and clean clarity. Discovering an unheated sapphire with such vivid shades is an extraordinary occurrence, making it unquestionably a precious gemstone that possesses both heirloom value and potential as an investment piece. It is normal to only see heat-treated sapphire gemstones if you are out shopping for standard blue sapphire jewellery. At GIOIA Fine Jewellery, we are determined to bring you the widest selection of fine quality unheated sapphire gemstones.
Colour diffusion
Colour Diffusion introduces artificial chemicals to enhance a sapphire’s colour. This process is completely unnatural. Pay particular attention to any gemstone certification that has colour diffusion written on it. Even if a gemstone certificate labels the sapphire as ‘natural,’ this only confirms it is not lab-created. At GIOIA Fine Jewellery, we do not accept any gemstone with colour diffusion or lab-grown origins.
Untreated might not guarantee it is unheated; it could be enhanced by other methods. Always consult with your jeweller to understand their definition of ‘untreated’ fully. The artificially enhanced colour may look brilliant and intense, but the gem will often be worthless.
Renowned International Certification
A reputable laboratory certification from GRS Swisslab or GIA (Gemological Institute of America) is important. Locally, there are experienced independent gemological laboratories which certify coloured gemstones. They are equipped with sophisticated technology able to identify various types of heat-treatment. We certainly won’t trust an in-house certification for quality assurance.
Investing in High-Quality Sapphires
One of the most valuable sapphire colors is cornflower blue. However, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”; consumers in Asia mainly source for “Cornflower Blue“, whereas Western markets often prefer “Royal Blue” for its vivid deep blue saturation. Sapphires are primarily sourced from Burma, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar, while Kashmir origins receive the highest premium per carat weight.
Is sapphire a good investment? Investing in sapphires can yield diverse returns as their value depends on multiple factors. These include the sapphire’s colour quality, treatment history (heated or unheated), clarity, size, market demand, and prevailing economic conditions. Sapphires of exceptional quality, rarity, and desirable traits like vivid colour (Royal Blue), clarity, and absence of treatment (unheated) command a higher investment worth.
Colour Change Sapphire
Sapphire goes beyond the mentioned rare colours, extending to colour-change varieties that shift from purple to blue and blue to purple. Definitely, they do not change depending on individual mood, but under different light conditions. Under natural daylight, it exhibits a mix of blue and purple tones.
Regardless of whether a sapphire has been subject to heat treatment, price value is determined by its colour intensity and saturation. Vivid and strong saturation with exceptional lustre are priced much higher. Sought-after blue sapphire shades are “Royal Blue” and “Cornflower” with vivid saturation.
Padparadscha – The Rarest Sapphire of Them All
With a customised Padparadscha ring, you can capture a beautiful shared love for eternity!
Pronounced “pad-pah-raj-ah”, a Padparadscha combines the best of a pink (symbolising romance and passionate love) and an orange (symbolising an abundance of sunshine and joy). If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to spot a Padparadscha sapphire among ten-to-twenty high-quality blue sapphire gemstones.
A customised Padparadscha sapphire ring’s unforgettably beautiful hue will definitely be the gem of your eye!
Pink and yellow-hued sapphire rings are increasingly popular among our female customers these days. One of the main reasons for this trend is that they are comparatively affordable. Closely comparable to their naturally true-blue, “royal blue” counterparts. Sapphire stones come in different shapes (e.g. round, pear, princess and baguette). Sapphires are incredibly malleable and can also be altered into other shapes and sizes, thanks to its natural excellent hardness. We can have a multi-coloured family birthstone ring and other fine jewelry tailored to meet your personal preferences.
Customised Heirloom Jewellery
Jewellery that complements the outfit you wear and whatever type of event you attend. That will definitely be sapphire, which comes in a different range of colours and shapes. This brilliant gemstone, with a bespoke design setting, is sure to be unique in the crowd. Truly an investment gemstone to cherish for decades, and a piece of heirloom jewellery for generations.
Custom Sapphire Jewellery
Coloured sapphires make an exceptional selection for an engagement ring due to their matchless attributes. With their timeless beauty and durability, sapphires symbolise loyalty, trust, and commitment. These remarkable gemstones boast a captivating array of colours, with blue being the most favoured. It also includes pink, yellow, and even exceptionally rare shades like Padparadscha. Sapphires, which rank slightly below diamonds on the Mohs scale of hardness, excel at daily wear.
Moreover, they often provide a more economical alternative to diamonds without compromising on elegance and refinement. Whether you lean towards a timeless solitaire or a custom personalised ring, choosing sapphire guarantees a stunning and profound symbol that endures through time.
Explore our full collection of multi-coloured sapphire gemstones for Sapphire Engagement Rings.
This exquisite creation centers around an inverted pear-shaped marquise diamond that cascades gracefully into a drop-shaped unheated blue sapphire. Round and marquise diamonds flow seamlessly into the captivating vivid blue sapphire. At GIOIA, we chose this vivid royal blue for its exceptional brilliance and rare origin from Sri Lanka. An elegant pendant design that captures the essence of a love story and cherished memory. A personalised sapphire pendant gift in a single piece of art that is both timeless and avant-garde.
Star sapphires, despite their seemingly hefty carat weight, often look lighter than expected. This is thanks to their cabochon shape, which contrasts with the denser appearance of faceted-cut sapphires. Now that you’ve explored the beauty and significance of sapphires, it’s time to make them a part of your own collection. Visit our boutique to discover our bespoke sapphire jewellery or contact us to create a one-of-a-kind piece just for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to commonly asked questions about our sapphire gemstone jewellery.
Is a Sapphire gemstone better than a diamond?
When comparing sapphire gemstones to diamonds, sapphires are certainly much rarer. Over the years, the price of high-quality unheated blue sapphires has increased steadily and sustainably, while the value of diamonds has been declining due to the rise of lab-grown diamonds, which have significantly reduced their market value.
In terms of appearance, sapphires offer a much wider variety of colour options. Even within blue sapphires, there are different shades ranging from royal blue, cornflower blue, and light blue to violetish blue, as well as colour-change sapphires—just to name a few.
Are all unheated sapphires pastel or light in colour?
Certainly not. While heat treatment is commonly used to enhance the colour saturation of sapphires, unheated sapphires can also display deep, rich hues with excellent saturation and brilliance. These natural, vibrant sapphires are exceptionally rare, making them highly sought after by collectors and jewellers for their untouched beauty.
Does carat weight matter for sapphire gemstones?
While carat weight is an important factor in the overall size of the sapphire, it doesn’t always determine the stone’s value. Especially when it comes to value retention, the quality of the sapphire—such as its colour, clarity, and whether it’s heated or unheated—plays a much more important role.
A smaller sapphire with exceptional colour and clarity can often be more valuable than a larger stone of lower quality. In fact, sapphires with vivid, natural colours and no treatments tend to be more sought after and hold their value better over time.
Difference between carat weight and size in Sapphire vs Diamond?
Sapphire and diamond of the same carat weight can appear different in size as sapphire is much denser. Carat weight measures a gemstone’s mass, while size refers to its physical dimensions. At the same time a deep-cut gemstone may look smaller than a shallow-cut one of the same carat weight, so it’s important to consider both factors when evaluating a stone.
How can you tell if a sapphire gemstone is real?
With a magnifying glass, we can pick up natural inclusions (feathers, needles, crystal or colour zoning) as natural sapphires often have tiny imperfections. From the colour shade and reflection, we can also identify whether it’s natural.
However, we strongly recommend getting the gemstone certified by an independent gemologist laboratory.
Where to find Sapphire Gemstone?
At GIOIA Fine Jewellery, we offer an exceptional range of sapphire gemstones, from the sought-after Ceylon sapphires to the majestic royal blue and fancy coloured sapphires. As a leading gemstone specialist, all our sapphires are certified by renowned gemological labs like GRS, GIA or NGI, ensuring their authenticity and exceptional quality. Visit us today to discover our premium collection of sapphire gemstones.
Have a question on sapphire gemstone?
If you have any other queries, feel free to reach out to us. Our GIOIA team is here to help!
