International Jewels : Sapphire

What is a Sapphire?
Sapphires and rubies are closely related and that they 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. Did you know that 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 in anyway.

How to Purchase Sapphires:
When purchasing a sapphire it is important to educate yourself prior to your purchase. We begin our search by visiting your local jewelry store. It is important that you visit a store that is reputable and that the staff knows gemstones in all, but sapphiers for sure.

When selecting your stone ask if the sapphire has been treated to alter the color or clarity. Four of the common treatments of stones are dyeing, coating, irradiation and heat treatment. As mentioned before this will not diminish the value of the stone. Be sure that when looking at the stone that it is deep in a blue color and that it does not change color in the light. Keep in mind that sapphires that are too dark in blue or too light in blue are not of greater value. Also when you are looking at the sapphire that you don't see any scratches or inclusions that are visible to the eye.

Once you have looked at the stone carefully, take a moment to pay attention to the cut of the stone. Although sapphires come in a array of styles and shapes, you want to make sure that the light reflects properly off of the stone when looking at it from different angles. You can even go one step further and choose several different styles and shapes, place them along side of one another to do a quick comparison. After you have taken these steps you can then choose your sapphire with piece of mind.

Good luck in your search for your new Sapphire, we hope you find the perfect sapphire for you. If you have any question, post them below in the Sapphire Comments area.

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