Are all Sapphires blue?

It is a common misconception that all sapphires are blue; blue is definitely the most chosen colour, but not only are sapphires available in various hues of blue they are also available in just about every colour under the rainbow.

Sapphire is in the mineral Corrundum , it measures 9 on the Mohs Scale which means it is a hard gemstone that is suitable for use in jewellery that is worn every day, for example an engagement ring.  Sapphire is September’s birthstone, which is great for anyone whose birthday is in this month as they have an array of colours to choose from!

What colours are available?

Sapphires are available in so many different colours and range from blue, green, yellow, purple, peach, pink, orange, white as well as in-beween colours such as greenish-blue for example.

We have some beautiful examples of coloured sapphires on our website;

Here is a stunning eternity ring that was previously in our designer collection, featuring a mix of different coloured sapphires https://www.hkjewellery.co.uk/ring-13345-9-carat-yellow-gold-eternity-ring-with-colourful-sapphires-and-diamonds.

Sapphire is available in a range of blue tones, everything from pale blue to dark blue almost black https://www.hkjewellery.co.uk/ring-11730-vibrant-blue-101ct-fine-ceylon-sapphire-diamond-and-platinum-engagement-ring

Green sapphire https://www.hkjewellery.co.uk/ring-16438-helens-rose-gold-and-green-sapphire-engagement-ring

Purple sapphire https://www.hkjewellery.co.uk/ring-11850-frans-bespoke-treble-clef-inspired-engagement-ring

Yellow sapphire https://www.hkjewellery.co.uk/ring-12178-rebeccas-music-inspired-diamond-engagement-ring .

It is also worth knowing that 98% of sapphires are heat treated to increase the colour saturation and clarity and this is a permanent effect.

Why are sapphires a great option for an engagement ring?

Sapphires are harder and more durable than most other coloured gemstones- great credentials for an engagement ring. However, it is worth remembering that sapphires are not indestructible as they are still natural materials so it is definitely worth taking your ring off if doing anything hands on such as gardening or DIY.

Where are they mined?

Sapphires are mined all over the world, primarily Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Burma, Thailand and Tanzania to name a few.

Quality

Sapphires don’t have a specific grading system like diamonds. A high quality sapphire will be a well cut stone, have little or no inclusions, no chips or imperfections, no colour zoning and a nice saturated colour.

Bi-colour sapphires

In the jewellery trade, bi-colour sapphires are generally thought of as fairly poor quality stones. Rather than having one saturated colour, they feature more than one colour so they are not regarded as desirable. However, something like this would be quite difficult to get hold of as it isn’t something that is usually held in stock as it’s not a popular option. Due to its rarity it can be quite an expensive sapphire option, but an interesting and unique choice if you want a piece of jewellery that has a quirky design.