Sapphire, a Precious Gem in a Rainbow of Colours

While diamonds are a truly stunning option, they might not be right for everyone. Perhaps you’re looking for some colour… look no further than sapphire. Sapphires are a stunning precious gem and are the most popular choice for engagement rings behind diamonds. Sapphires have been admired since the middle ages and were cherished by the ancient Greeks and Persians.

Sapphires are found in a wide range of colours, but the rich royal blue of Ceylon sapphire is the rarest shade and the most sought after. Most sapphires are mined in Australia or Sri Lanka and are a wonderful choice for jewellery as they measure 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, which is just below the diamond’s score of 10.

The popularity of sapphires, particularly as a choice for engagement rings, took off when Princess Diana was presented with a sapphire engagement ring in 1981, and again when Kate Middleton was given the same ring in 2011.

Sapphires are found in a rainbow of colours, blue being the rarest and most popular. Sapphires that aren’t blue are called ‘fancies’ and can be found in pink, yellow, orange, green, and purple. Rubies are the same chemical make-up as sapphire and are classified as rubies when they appear in a rich red.

Unlike diamonds, the clarity of sapphires is not graded. Almost all natural sapphires will have inclusions, but the colour will help disguise these. As long as the inclusions aren’t dark or obvious there’s no need to worry.

Sapphire is a truly stunning choice for lovers of colour.