Notable Sapphire

Did you know that sapphire is the official birthstone for September? This gemstone has captivated the world for centuries and has long been associated with royalty, wealth, and religion. In fact, the stone is given as a gem for the 5th wedding anniversary. By the end of this short article, you’re going to find out everything you ever wanted to know about sapphires and how you can create the perfect birthstone engagement ring or custom jewelry with Knox Jewelers.

1. Sapphires don’t have to be blue!

2544_1_image Unique Engagement Rings

Sapphires are known around the world for their vibrant blue color. However, this gemstone is characterized by any corundum (a type of mineral) that doesn’t qualify as a ruby and isn’t red in color. It’s a little-known fact that sapphires can be gray, orange, purple, yellow, and even black!

2. Sapphires are associated with royalty.

3033_1_image Unique Engagement Rings

Sapphires symbolizes truth, faithfulness, nobility and sincerity and for centuries have been associated with romance and royalty. The world’s most famous sapphire? Perhaps the one in Princess Diana’s engagement ring – given to her by Prince Charles. Because of this, sapphires evoke connotations of fairy tale and royalty. Sapphires made the news again when Prince William gave this then-fiance Kate Middleton an engagement ring with the mineral – just like his father did more than 20 years before.

3. Sapphires have an illustrious history.

Despite its connections to modern-day royalty, sapphires have long been associated with monarchs throughout history. In fact, kings and queens believed that blue sapphires protected them from harm in ancient Rome and Greece. In the Middle Ages, priests would wear sapphires – the mineral was an instantly recognizable symbol of heaven. Even today, people wear sapphires to protect them from spirits or enemies – making this birthstone one of the most popular in the world.

4. Orange and pink sapphires are among the most rare.

2351_1_image Unique Engagement Rings

Different colored sapphires are becoming increasingly popular, especially those which are found in Sri Lanka. These sapphires range from light to medium tones of orange and pink and instantly catch the eye. These vibrant gems carry the name Padparadscha, meaning color of the Lotus Flower in Sanskrit. This shade of sapphire is among the rarest natural colored sapphire.

5. Sapphires are really strong.

Not a lot of people know this, but sapphires are really strong. In fact, they are the strongest natural gemstones in the world – second to diamonds. These gemstones can be found in various locations around the world, including Cambodia, China, Australia, Kashmir, and Madagascar.

6. Blue sapphires are still the most sought-after.

2130_1_image Unique Engagement Rings

Despite sapphires coming in a wide range of colors, the most popular are still those with a concentrated blue hue which stays consistent under different lighting conditions. This gemstone is often given as a gift to friends, family members and partners for special occasions and is seen as being extremely valuable in various cultures and countries around the world.

7. Sapphires have been found in large sizes.

Most sapphires mined today weigh under two carats, but larger gems can be found. The Millennium Sapphire is the world’s largest polished and cut sapphire, weighing a whopping 61,500 karats! Many large sapphires are kept in museums in cities around the world.

8. Synthetic sapphires are sometimes used in jewelry.

3065_1_image Unique Engagement Rings

This September birthstone can also be created synthetically – the first being in 1902. These can be difficult to distinguish from natural sapphires by the untrained eye, and they are often used as an alternative in jewelry.

9. Color-changing sapphires actually exist!

2127_1_image Unique Engagement Rings

Color-changing sapphires do actually exist and display different hues in various lights. Color change sapphires appear blue when in natural light but a violet color in artificial light. Most natural sapphires undergo heat treatment to improve their clarity and color – a practice which can prevent the birthstone from chipping or breaking.

CREATE THE PERFECT JEWELRY WITH SAPPHIRES

Looking for a unique engagement ring that will wow your partner? A piece of jewelry that will make the ultimate gift? You’ve come to the right place! Knox Jewelers specializes in unique custom jewelry and engagement rings, including antique designs. We pride ourselves on the customer service we provide and offer lifetime warranty, maintenance services, and trade-in. We can search for sapphires in every color imaginable, which can add some sparkle to an engagement ring or jewelry piece. If sapphire’s not your thing, we can custom create rings in every shape, size, and type of gemstone.

So, what are you waiting for? Contact Knox Jewelers today for more information about our custom jewelry and engagement rings.

Crystal Inclusions – A Rare Addition

Inclusion2 Unique Engagement Rings

This week at Knox Jewelers we encountered a surprising addition enclosed within one of our oval-shaped diamonds.  Hidden under a facet junction nestled a tiny green mineral crystal surrounded by the diamond crystal during formation.  This clarity characteristic inside a gemstone serves as evidence in its creation. It could lead you to discover how and sometimes even where it formed. Many characteristics can be clues to the events in a gem’s history or the Earth’s own history.

Crystal Clarity Characteristic

Clarity characteristics in diamonds are common. There are very few diamonds that receive the clarity grade of Flawless, most contain some imperfection whether it be an inclusion, a feature enclosed within the diamond, or a blemish, a feature on the surface of a diamond. Diamonds can have many interesting inclusions. Sometimes they can contain another smaller diamond crystal but more often they hold embedded crystals of an entirely different material.

Common Crystal Colors

The color of the included crystal will depend on the type of mineral they are composed of.  The most common internal crystal colors are colorless (other diamond), black (carbon), red (garnet) and green (peridot or diopside).  Most of the time we can not conclusively determine the mineral an included crystal is, being inside another gem makes it hard to get to and even more complex to test, but color can narrow the spectrum down to a smaller number of options.  Even if we don’t know exactly which gemstone it is, included crystals are still a very fascinating addition.

Inclusion-CLoseup Unique Engagement Rings

Crystal Formation

As a gemstone grows it competes with other crystals for space and nutrients. A fast-growing crystal can enclose a smaller, slower-growing crystal that then becomes part of the bigger crystal’s life story. The formation and internal world of diamond is incredibly fascinating and we were very excited to come across something so unusual.  Inclusions, especially mineral crystals, can be an interesting feature within your diamond.  Many of them are very small and not viable to the naked eye, but with magnification they are very intriguing to study.

Pros and Cons of Included Crystals

Most included mineral crystals are small and unnoticeable, but a diamond’s clarity and value could be affected by larger inclusions that can be seen with the naked eye. More obvious colored crystal inclusions are generally undesirable and these inclusions are usually met with negativity.  On the other hand, these additions can also make a gemstone unique.  They tell the story of the gem’s birth and give each one its own fingerprint.  A small crystal could add character to a diamond and turn it into something uniquely your own.  Your center stone would be a conversation piece for years to come, and especially appropriate if your favorite color was green!

Choose Your Diamond Today

Stop into Knox Jewelers if you’re looking for something that is original and finely crafted. A little piece of art that you can wear and is different from the rest, with a personally chosen diamond to match. Let Knox Jewelers fashion the ring you will have for the rest of your life. If you happen to have any questions at all about diamonds or their clarity grade, please be sure to let us know. We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have, and we look forward to working together with you to design a work of art that will last and be passed down throughout the ages. Get in touch with our friendly and professional staff today, and we’ll get started on the journey to creating your very own, one-of-a-kind piece of custom jewelry.