Beyond Diamonds: Why Sapphires Make the Best Engagement Ring Gemstone
The Sapphire Merchant custom 5.19ct Cornflower Blue Sapphire Ring
Table of Contents
- A Sapphire Engagement Ring is One-of-a-Kind
- Sapphires Come in Every Shape and Cut
- A Sapphire Ring in Durable
- A Sapphire Ring is an Investment into Your Relationship
- Designing a Custom Sapphire Engagement Ring
- New Zealand's Largest Sapphire Collection
An engagement ring is the ultimate symbol of your love story, and choosing the perfect engagement ring is a big decision! Sapphires reign as the most popular coloured gemstone in New Zealand, Australia and the USA, and for good reason! 'Beyond the Facet' delves into the sparkling reasons WHY sapphires make the best engagement ring gemstone, guiding you to decide whether a sapphire engagement ring is the perfect pop-the-question ring solution for you and your significant other.
1. A Sapphire Engagement Ring is One-of-a-Kind
No two sapphires are alike! Each sapphire is unique, and each has its own distinctions. Whether it be the colour, which factors in hue, saturation and tone, the shape and style of cut, the clarity, or the carat sizing, each sapphire is as unique as a fingerprint. Sapphire's rival, diamonds, are marketed as rare but are, in fact, over-supplied and identical in smaller sizes due to their calibrated machine cutting. They are a dime a dozen. When you custom-make a sapphire engagement ring, it will be the only ring like this in the whole world. Truly individual, just like you and your love story.
Did you know Sapphires come in 1500 unique shades of colour!
When choosing an engagement ring, colour adds visual interest, vibrance and personality to your custom design. The scale of colour in sapphires is enormous. Approximately 1500 unique shades (a combination of hue and tone) cover the yellow, orange, red, purple, blue and green spectrum of colours. Additionally, there are colourless sapphires, bi-coloured and tri-coloured sapphires (known as parti sapphires) and sapphires that display pleochroism (changing shades of colour when moved from different angles). This spectacular array of colour choices allows you to play with the style and aesthetic of your sapphire engagement ring in a way that cannot be achieved by using diamonds alone. You can capture your partner's essence and personality with the right colour choice.
Colour Symbolism of Sapphires
2. Sapphires Come in Every Shape and Cut
Sapphires come in all the same cuts as a diamond. There are 2 distinguishing factors to how sapphire is faceted. The shape and the cut. The distinction between shape and cut is essential, though they are often used interchangeably. Each term speaks to a different aspect of how the gemstone is crafted and ultimately perceived.
A Sapphire's Shape
Shape refers to the outline or overall form of the sapphire. It is the silhouette that you notice immediately, such as oval, round, cushion, pear, or heart shape. The shape you choose is generally a personal preference, based on aesthetic appeal and the visual impact you want to create with your sapphire engagement ring.
A Sapphire's Cut
Cut, on the other hand, is a more nuanced concept that addresses the precise arrangement of facets on the sapphire's surface. The cut influences how light interacts with the stone, creating the sapphire's brilliance and fire. A well-executed cut maximises sparkle, colour depth, and overall visual appearance. Cut encompasses various elements, including the quality of facets, symmetry, polish, and proportion, which all work in harmony to reveal the sapphire's inner beauty.
Which Sapphire Shape Should I Choose?
Considering the shape and cut of a sapphire is a great place to start when narrowing down the perfect choice for your engagement ring. For the person buying and designing, this is a wonderful way to add your preference to the custom ring.
Sapphire 'shapes' which is a seperate factor from the sapphires 'cut'
3. A Sapphire Ring is Durable
Sapphires, and rubies, rate 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, making them the second most durable precious gemstone after diamond. This ranking measures a gemstone's resistance to scratching, meaning sapphires can withstand daily wear with minimal risk of surface damage.
While the hardness of a sapphire prevents scratching, its toughness correlates to its resistance to cracking or chipping. Sapphires exhibit excellent toughness due to their crystalline structure, which allows them to endure sudden impacts better than many other gemstones.
Sapphires also perform exceptionally well under exposure to heat, light, and various chemicals. Unlike other gemstones that may fade or lose their lustre under sunlight, sapphires retain their brilliance and colour over time.
A sapphire engagement ring can be worn daily and sustain life's knocks and bumps without causing damage and scratching to the gem. A sapphire will look as good as the day you brought it, 30 years on and beyond!
How can I tell if a sapphire is natural?
Lab-grown sapphires are rarely seen on the natural gemstone market. Reputable gem dealers are usually very accurate with the details of the gems they are selling. This is because reputation is very important in this line of business. Lab created synthetic sapphires are used in cheap jewellery (often by chain store jewellery shops). They are generally easy to distinguish from their natural earth-mined counterparts due to the intensity of colour, flawless clarity and low price. Lab-grown diamonds are also increasingly common, and it is impossible to tell the difference between a lab-grown diamond and a natural diamond using sight alone. The best way to confirm whether a sapphire is natural or not, is to ensure the sapphire has accompanying documentation from a reputable gem lab. We recommend GIA (Gemological Institute of America), AIGS (Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences, GRA (Gem Research of Asian), GRS (GemResearch Swisslab) or GFCO Gem Lab. A sapphire report from any of these gem laboratories will give you peace of mind when purchasing your sapphire.
The GIA Sapphire Origin Report for the 5.19ct Cornflower Blue Sapphire featured in our custon designed ring
4. A Sapphire is an Investment into Your Relationship
Buying a larger carat-sized sapphire is often more cost-effective than purchasing a comparative-sized diamond. This is because the diamond market is tightly price-regulated, and the marketing around diamonds has been comprehensive and far-reaching (diamonds are a girl's best friend!). The retail price of a diamond is greatly inflated from the actual cost price. We associate diamonds with being rare and high value when, in fact, sapphires are rarer. The base value for sapphire is much higher than for a diamond of the same size, shape and clarity, and the margin from wholesale price to retail price is much tighter. Though diamonds retail at a higher price, sapphires are the more valuable choice. A quality sapphire will hold and steadily increase in value over time, symbolising the investment of love into your relationship.
How much should I spend on a sapphire engagement ring?
Budget is one of the first factors to consider when choosing the right sapphire engagement ring. There are many traditions around engagements and weddings, and it was once said that the budget for an engagement ring should be the value of one month of your wage or salary earnings. This came about with a clever marketing campaign by De Beers (the largest diamond wholesaler in the world) after the great depression. Using the catchphrase' diamonds are forever', De Beers added this guideline to their campaign, increasing diamond sales by 50%. In truth, your budget should be an amount you feel comfortable with. Consider that a custom engagement ring is a luxury item that weaves together precious coloured gemstones, diamonds and gold. You get what you pay for. It is an investment into your love story, a promise and a commitment. It is difficult to place a monetary value on an item that will be treated as priceless; however, think of it as the ultimate material token of your love for your significant other!
Is a sapphire ring an ethical choice?
Unlike diamonds, which are commercially mined, cut, and calibrated by machines, sapphires enjoy a more heartfelt journey from mine to market! Sapphires come from artisanal family mines, where small teams of men work, hand mining to bring up the sapphire rough. This mining style is gentle on the environment and ensures the natural vegetation of the land is preserved. The rough sapphire material then makes its way to local uncut gem markets, where it is purchased by gem dealers who specialise in hand-faceting the rough. The skill of faceting is often generational and is passed on from father to son. It is an absolute labour of love.
When you choose a sapphire engagement ring, you can rest assured that your investment filters down through the gemstone pipeline, which many hardworking families rely on for their livelihood. The diamond market is an impersonal beast controlled by a powerful company that monopolises the diamond market. The profits don't reach small businesses in the supply chain to the same degree as purchasing a sapphire. When choosing a sapphire, you consciously value and support small businesses.
To learn more about the ethics of Sri Lankan (Ceylon) sapphires, take a moment to read our blog.
GIA Certified 5.19ct Cornflower Blue Sapphire Ring - T.S.M Custom Design
5. Designing a Custom Sapphire Engagement Ring: Considerations to Make
Designing a ring that best suits your partner's aesthetic should be considered. Some questions to ask yourself: Does my partner wear much jewellery? If they do, do they wear yellow gold or white gold (silver)? Do they wear simple designs? Or do they like jewellery that is a little more intricate? Do they have a favourite period for jewellery (Victorian, Art Deco, contemporary, etc.) What is their favourite colour? Are they understated with their style, or are they a flamboyant fashionista? Consider the answers to these questions when designing your custom engagement ring.
What is the best ring style for a sapphire?
Once you have chosen a sapphire for your engagement ring, the next task is to choose a setting that resonates with you. Pinterest or Instagram are useful platforms for searching for engagement ring designs. Have a browse and see what engagement rings stand out to you. Narrow it down to the features. You may find several inspirational photos in which you can single out specific details. It is with these details we can create your own unique engagement.
The Solitaire Sapphire Engagement Ring
A Solitaire Ring style features a single, prominent sapphire set in a simple metal band. The band and setting are fashioned from gold, platinum, or silver and are designed to showcase the gemstone, often with a minimalist aesthetic. A Solitaire Ring is a classic and timeless option for an engagement ring, as it emphasises the beauty of the central stone and allows it to shine on its own. Diamonds can be added to the band or basket setting to give additional sparkle to the ring.
The Sapphire Three-Stone Engagement Ring
A Three-Stone Ring, also known as a trilogy ring, features three gemstones of the same or different types set in a row on the band. The three gemstones are prominent and represent the past, present, and future, symbolising a couple's journey together. The centre sapphire is usually more distinguished than the two side stones (usually diamonds), but all three stones can be the same size if wanted. The gems can be any combination of precious gemstones or diamonds. The band can be plain or adorned with additional smaller diamonds or gemstones. A three-stone sapphire engagement ring is a meaningful choice that can be customised to fit the wearer's personal style and preferences.
The Sapphire Halo Ring
A Halo Ring is a design that features a centre sapphire surrounded by a halo of smaller stones, usually diamonds. The halo of smaller stones around the centre stone creates a visual effect that makes the centre stone appear larger and more lustrous. Halo rings can come in various styles, from classic and elegant to modern and edgy. A double halo is also an option. The surrounding diamonds can be set in multiple ways, including pave, channel, or bezel set.
A Sapphire Toi et Moi Engagement Ring
The Toi et Moi ring is an engagement ring that symbolises the union of two souls. Translating to 'You and Me' in French, this design features two gemstones set side by side or elegantly intertwined, representing two individuals' connection and complementary qualities. Historically, the Toi et Moi ring rose to fame with Napoleon Bonaparte's proposal to Josephine in 1796, using a sapphire and diamond to signify their love. Today, it continues to appeal to couples seeking a meaningful, vintage-inspired look.
What is the first step in designing a custom sapphire ring?
The computer-aided design (CAD) process brings your engagement ring vision to fruition. This is where the magic happens, from concept to tangible design. After gaining a clear understanding of your vision, our talented designer sets to work creating a first draft CAD of your engagement ring. We present this to you, and from here, we refine your design and make modifications as requested, ensuring your design is perfected. When you are completely in love with your sapphire engagement ring design, we will provide you with the final cost of having your moment-defining engagement ring skillfully crafted by our team. We work remotely and make sapphire engagement rings for clientele worldwide.
The CAD of our 5.19ct Cornflower Blue Sapphrie Solitaire Ring
6. We Offer New Zealand's Largest Sapphire Collection!
There is nothing we love more than working in collaboration to design the perfect sapphire engagement ring for you. We travel to source and curate our sapphires, offering one of the most comprehensive sapphire catalogues in New Zealand (and worldwide). We know the story behind each of our sapphires and are passionate about sharing this, in turn weaving their history and narrative into your love story. Working with our stock of natural gems brings us great joy, and we know it will bring you great pleasure when you find the perfect sapphire option for your custom engagement ring.
What happens if I choose a sapphire online and it's not the right one?
Choose any sapphire from our website, and we can hold it for you while we complete the CAD for a fee of $250 NZD (credited toward your ring). For clients in New Zealand, with our 7-Day Return Policy, we can courier the sapphire to you so you can view it before committing to your custom sapphire engagement ring.
Our process is streamlined and makes building a sapphire engagement ring easy! Contact us today to find out more.