Each stone, even in the same color family will have differing levels of saturation, differing levels of inclusions, and will have different needs for creating the best cut. When it comes to sapphires, no two stones will ever be alike. Sales of untreated sapphires have continued to increase as consumers become aware of the treatment of conventional sapphires in the marketplace. The scarcity of an item and its market demand determine its price. This is why natural, untreated sapphires are a far better investment when considering making a sizeable stone or jewelry purchase. The market is far greater than what can be produced, and in the case of natural, untreated sapphires, rarity represents opportunity. Only a handful of fine stones are produced world wide on a daily basis. Pure colors that are free of inclusions are very difficult to produce on a consistent basis. Good quality sapphires over 2 carats are scarce. Most of the sapphires that are found in gem producing locations are worthless, and need to be treated to be marketable. For this reason, natural, untreated sapphires are a wise investment for retaining and attaining long-term value.Ī selection of blue and green sapphires from our collection. Even with heavy mining, the rate of return on fine sapphires is exponentially less than the production and availability of most other gemstones. Sapphires are mined heavily in gem producing countries, by traditional and mechanical methods. Prices are held up by a combination of highly inflated profit margins as well as controlled release of supply reserves by the diamond cartels. The world production and use of diamonds proves that diamonds are not at all rare in fact, they are in extraordinary supply. In comparison, diamonds are in almost every type of jewelry, in every jewelry store, and on websites around the world. Sapphires of fine quality are in fact very rare. The market for untreated sapphires has continued to rise as more and more consumers become aware of the treatment of conventional sapphires in the marketplace. When something is rare and a market demand is present, prices will rise naturally. Rarity means that something cannot be replaced easily. Rarity of SapphiresĪ Nigerian blue sapphire rough crystal, rarer than a diamond. Their resistance to chemicals means that your stone will not become etched or lose its polish under normal conditions. They can be polished to a bright sheen and can take the stress of everyday wear. What this means for the sapphire, is that it is an inherently strong gemstone, not prone to scratching, breaking, chipping, cracking, or affected by another type of abrasion. Because it isn’t made for that kind of precision, the Mohs scale uses half-numbers for in-between hardness. In terms of absolute hardness, corundum (hardness 9) is 6 times harder than topaz (hardness 8). The Mohs scale is strictly a relative scale, but that’s all anyone needs for a basic hardness measurement. If both scratch each other, then they are of the same hardness. When two mineral samples are compared, whichever mineral scratches the other is the harder mineral. Ranked 1-10, with diamonds being the hardest mineral at a 10, sapphires are ranked just below at a 9 on the scale. Out of a necessity to determine types of minerals out in the field, the Mohs hardness scale was developed by Friedrich Mohs in 1812, and has been a valuable aid in identifying minerals ever since. The only crystal harder than corundum (sapphire) is a diamond (cubic crystal structure). Durability of SapphiresĬorundum is an exceptionally hard crystal structure. And their popularity is only trending upward as 2020 is set to embrace white sapphires in a big way, as well as yellow gold and vintage cuts – everything that can perfectly showcase the uniqueness of a sapphire. In the world of colored gemstones, natural and untreated sapphire engagement rings offer some of the most beautiful and long-lasting choices. Ancient cultures to modern day ones have recognized that beyond its beauty and brilliance, the durability, rarity, and uniqueness of the sapphire may make it the most special gemstone out there.Īnd in 2020, these properties in a gemstone are even more highly valued as colored gemstones gain in popularity as alternatives to diamonds. For so long, the sapphire’s key features have made it one of the most popular gemstones across the world. Sapphires have a rich history and a very interesting modern representation in the jewelry industry. The Features That Make Sapphires So UniqueĪn untreated pink sapphire from Madagascar.
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