How to Choose High-Quality Sapphires

By eHow Fashion, Style & Personal Care Editor

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When Prince Charles proposed to Lady Diana Spencer, he gave her a sapphire ring, which symbolizes faithfulness. While the spell didn't work in that case, the sapphire remains one of the world's most popular gemstones, ranging in color from deep, dark blue to light violet.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Jewelry Pouches
Jewelry Boxes
Sapphire Bracelets
Sapphire Earrings
Sapphire Necklaces
Sapphire Rings
Jewelry Insurance

Step1

Begin your search at a reputable and trusted jewelry store. Be sure the staff knows gemstones in general and sapphires in particular.

Step2

Ask if the stone has been treated in any way. Some common treatments to enhance gems include irradiation, heat treatment, dyeing and coating. Not all of these treatments will devalue the stone, but always ask so you know what you're getting.

Step3

Study the color of the stone. The most valuable sapphires are deep, pure blue, and do not change color when moved into different light. Stones that are too dark or too light are of less value than royal blue stones.

Step4

Make sure there are no visible inclusions in the stone or scratches on the surface.

Step5

Examine the cut of the sapphire. Oval shapes - like Princess Diana's ring - are popular, but sapphires come in a variety of cuts. Make sure the light reflects evenly off the surface of the stone when it is held face up. Look at the surface of the stone from several angles to be sure.

Step6

Place several sapphires side by side and compare them. Look at the color and cut, then choose the stone you like best.

Tips & Warnings

Sapphires and rubies are closely related and are formed from the same material, corundum. Sapphires come in a variety of colors but, in essence, a red sapphire is a ruby. So-called "fancy" sapphires range in color from yellow to green to pink to violet.
Sapphires can be heated at high temperatures to give them a better color and clarity. It is estimated that 90 percent of the sapphires on the market have undergone this process, which does not affect the value of the stone.
A cabochon-cut sapphire with a six-legged star in the middle is called a star sapphire. A star sapphire should have a prominent star with legs of equal length.
If you're shopping online, investigate the site's return policy, and make sure you buy from a reputable online jeweler.
Sapphires sold inexpensively are probably not the real thing.

Comments

AuPlantagenet said

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on 3/20/2008 DEBBIEDAVID
RUN TO ANOTHER JEWELER. Anyone charging that much for a blue included sapphire (I1 or SI1-2 which should be readily visible on the certificate from the GIA,AGL or what ever gem lab they are using, as there should be an independant review on a sapphire of that price) is dishonest at least. the market is glutted with sapphires at present, even the best natural, CEYLON ORIGIN,sans inclusions gem OR EVEN A PERFECT AND LAB GROWN sapphire will not approach that cost.15,000 is about the top price retail, at present for ceylon origin material- he is not only doubling the price, not doing you any favors as a return customer not haggling over cost, and sees you- clearly as an easy mark! You should not only report him to the BBB in ayour area and report him to any local sources for consumer advocacy that are in your area, but confront him on the matter-offer him no more than $600for

debbiedavid said

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on 6/17/2007 our jeweler who we have purchased from many times has quoted us a $30,000 sapphire. the stone is gorgeous to look at, stunning color, a cushion cut, 6-7 carats. we looked at it under his microscope and noticed an inclusion that he said was "not a problem" and that is normal, that shows him it has not been heat treated or altered in anyway, etc..... should we be skeptical? if we are paying this much, should the stone have NO inclusions or are inclusions part of having any sapphire and the important thing is the color as he has said....

Sandra2007123 said

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on 2/25/2007 Hello:

I appreciate your help in choosing high quality sapphires. I am embarassed to ask, but in North America many expensive items can be bargained, such as cars, large pieces of high end furniture. Is this true with fine jewelry?
Thanks,
Sandra

Anonymous said

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on 11/22/2005 Information about rings is very generalized. There is really no shortage of jewelry information, but information relating to specific categories (like men's rings) is hard to find. Sapphire rings for men are quite popular and buyers generally make a decision based on looks and design alone. This could prove to be quite expensive in the long run.

Among sapphire men's rings, blue sapphire rings for men are the most common choice. Blue sapphires tend to appear very mature and classic. This is the kind of quiet sophistication
that today's men are looking for. Here are a few points that you should consider when ordering your sapphire men's ring:

(1) Ensure that the sapphire is genuine. This is easier said than done. Fraudulent practices
create sapphires that look natural even to experienced jewelry buyers. Sapphires are expensive gemstones, the last thing you want to find out is that your favorite sapphire ring has a fake blue sapphire. The best way to ensure that you get genuine sapphires (and also the best quality that your budget can afford) is to value the jeweler before you value the jewelry. Select a reputed seller that you can trust.

(2) Get the right quality of sapphire for what you pay. Sapphires are available in various grades and the price varies widely between grades. Greedy jewelers can fleece you and provide terrible quality at a big price. Once again, purchasing from a reputed seller would be the best choice.

(3) Good weight is needed for your sapphire men's ring. Good gold weight is required for all men's rings. Given the active lifestyle that modern men lead, men's rings need to be strong
and have a good gold weight. The good gold weight will ensure that your ring does not bend and twist at the slightest excuse. A light sapphire ring would be cheaper in the short run, but repairs and modifications later on could add big surprises to the final cost of owning a cheap and light ring.

(4) Make sure that the gemstone is firmly mounted in your ring. The main requirement for firm gemstone mounting would be a good gold weight. This is an absolute must and will protect the shape of the ring as well as the gemstone. Avoid prongs for setting the gemstone in your men's sapphire ring. Prongs tend to stick in pockets and other places. They slowly open up and loosen the gemstone. This could finally lead to the sapphire gemstone falling off the ring. The best way to mount the gemstone would be to border the entire gemstone with gold. This type of gemstone mounting protects the gemstone from side impacts. Additional gold would be consumed for this kind of mounting but the long term durability would soon pay back for this additional investment.

(5) Your sapphire ring needs to be strong and durable. Much like the man himself, the ring needs to be strong, sturdy and reliable. Many factors come together to ensure the long term durability of your sapphire men's ring. Good gold weight, the right method used to mount the gemstone, and a well researched design are some of these.

You can see some ideal examples of men's sapphire gemstone rings at this link. The designs have been made after studying the habits and lifestyles of today's men:

http://www.kaisilver.com/man-sapphire-rings.htm