This beautiful 18K white gold Art Deco Sapphire and Diamond ring is currently featured in our Estate and Consignment Collection. Priced to sell at just $2,500, this stunning piece would make a perfect engagement ring, anniversary ring, or right hand cocktail ring!
When people think of September–crisp Fall air, beautifully colored changing leaves, and back-to-school sales–all the glorious Autumn changes typically come to mind. But for jewelry lovers, September belongs to one of the world’s most treasured gemstones: the sapphire.
Known for its breathtaking hues and incredibly durability, sapphires have enchanted royalty, celebrities, and collectors for thousands of years. Whether you are celebrating a September birthday, a milestone anniversary, or simply love colorful gemstones, sapphire is a timeless choice that never goes out of style.
These elegant earrings feature a timeless vintage design that showcase sparkling diamonds and sumptuous blue sapphires, all encased in gorgeous 14K yellow gold. Priced at just $2,500, these earrings would make the perfect gift for someone celebrating a September birthday
What is a Sapphire?
Sapphires (like we learned in July when we examined that month’s lovely birthstone, the ruby) are part of the corundum mineral family, which is one of the hardest natural minerals on Earth. Ranking a 9 on the Moh’s Scale of Hardness, the only gemstone that ranks higher in hardness is a diamond. This makes sapphires an excellent choice for everyday jewelry, such as engagement and wedding rings, due to the durability and scratch-resistance of this gorgeous gem.
While royal blue is the most recognizable color of sapphire, sapphires actually occur naturally in a rainbow of colors. Popular sapphire colors include:
- Royal Blue
- Cornflower Blue
- Navy Blue
- Teal
- Green
- Yellow
- Peach
- Orange
- Pink
- Purple
- Lavender
- White (Colorless)
- Champagne
- Violet
The only color corundum cannot be called a sapphire is red. As we learned in July, red corundum is known as a ruby.
While sapphires are often associated with brilliantly faceted cuts, some sapphires display a fascinating phenomenon called asterism. When cut as a cabochon (a gemstone that has been polished and shaped into a smooth, rounded convex top), tiny needle-like inclusions reflect light into a six-rayed star that moves across the surface as the stone moves. In frame is a star sapphire ring we recently worked on for a client.
How Sapphire Color is Graded
When a jeweler is evaluating a sapphire, they assess the gem’s hue, tone, and saturation. The most valuable sapphires generally display rich saturation, even color, and a medium to a medium-dark tone. The process for evaluating a sapphire’s clarity is different from that of evaluating a diamond: whereas inclusions are never desirable in a diamond, sapphires are expected to have some inclusions. The main goal with sapphires is that the stone appears eye-clean, while maintaining vibrant color.
A well-cut sapphire should maximize brilliance, showcase vibrant color, minimize dark areas, and display even light return. In opposition to how diamonds are cut, sapphire cutters often prioritize preserving color over achieving perfect symmetry. Large, fine quality sapphires are, obviously, much rarer than smaller ones, and prices often rise dramatically as size increases.
A truly beautiful piece, this lovely sapphire and diamond necklace is currently available in our Estate and Consignment Collection for only $1,690
How to Care for Your Sapphire Jewelry
Due to their durability, sapphires require extremely little maintenance as compared to softer gemstones. To clean your sapphire jewelry, all you need is warm water, mild dish soap, and a soft toothbrush. Once you have let your jewelry soak for 15-20 minutes in warm, soapy water, scrub your jewelry and rinse it thoroughly, then dry it thoroughly with a soft, lint-free cloth. It is important to regularly clean your sapphire jewelry, as substances such as everyday lotions, soaps, perfumes, sunscreens, cosmetics, and even natural skin oils can create a film on your pieces that will dull their sparkle. Make sure that you avoid harsh household chemicals that will harm your sapphires and their settings, and always remove your jewelry before such activities as swimming, cleaning, gardening, working out, showering, etc. And don’t forget to stop by Gilded Design Studio so we can inspect your jewelry– we always do complimentary cleanings and setting checks for your favorite pieces, and we can help you make sure that your sapphire jewelry stays vibrant and beautiful for decades to come.
A true heirloom piece, this beautiful ring from our Estate and Consignment Collection features a substantial swirl of sparkling diamonds and richly hued blue sapphires, all surrounded by a classic 14K yellow gold setting. Priced at an absolutely extraordinary $1,800, this incredible ring would make a beautiful gift for someone celebrating a September birthday or anniversary!
Lab-Created or Natural–What’s the Difference?
As we saw in April’s blog post regarding diamonds, gemstones can either be natural (mined from the earth), or lab-created (made in a lab). The good news is that both natural and lab-created sapphires are real sapphires. Which one to choose simply comes down to a combination of personal preference and priorities. One of the biggest misconceptions in the jewelry world is that lab-created gems are not “real”–this could not be further from the truth! Lab-created sapphires are indeed real sapphires, not “fake” stones. They have the same chemical composition, crystal structure, hardness, and optical properties as natural sapphires–the main difference is simply how they are formed.
Natural sapphires are formed deep within the Earth under immense pressure over many years. As the crystals grow, trace elements like iron, titanium, and chromium give them their unique colors. In contrast, lab-created sapphires are grown in carefully controlled laboratory environments that recreate the conditions under which natural sapphires form. Instead of taking many years–the process only takes weeks or months to complete. To create sapphires in a lab, scientists use several different methods. The first is called Flame Fusion/Verneuil, which is one of the earliest and best-known methods. In this method, powdered ingredients are melted at incredibly high temperatures and crystalized. Another method often employed is that of Hydrothermal growth, a method that uses high temperatures and pressures to grow crystals from a solution. Finally, Flux Growth is a method that uses molten material called flux to dissolve ingredients and allow crystals to grow slowly.
As with lab-grown diamonds, one of the biggest differences between lab-grown sapphires and Earth-mined sapphires comes down to the price. Because lab-created sapphires are created in a controlled environment, a customer can often get a larger, more saturated sapphire for a much better price, as opposed to choosing a natural sapphire of the same carat weight and quality–truly, choosing which sapphire is right for you is a matter of preference.
In Conclusion
For centuries, sapphires have been some of the most highly sought-after and coveted gemstones. A gem of kings and queens, sapphires have also enjoyed a long history as one of the most durable stones to set in heirloom jewelry, and may for some readers be the first precious gemstone that they first fell in love with. This was my own personal case, as my mother has a lovely sapphire ring set in a diamond halo that my father gave her as a gift when they were dating. Ever since my childhood, I have absolutely adored this ring, and I have loved sapphires ever since. While both my engagement ring and anniversary upgrade ring are diamond, my husband gifted me with a lovely sapphire right-hand set several years ago, and it is a set I truly cherish.
Whether you have a September Birthday or anniversary, want to choose a thoughtful gift for someone who does, or you simply want to add a new piece of sapphire jewelry to your collection, we have something for everyone here at Gilded Design Studio…so stop by to see us! We can’t wait to help you sparkle 🙂