How Sapphire Engagement Rings are Valued

When it comes to judging the quality of sapphire engagement rings and determining their cost, it is not as simple as it is with diamonds. All gemstones, sapphires included, are assessed according to the ‘four Cs’ which are the four characteristics deemed to be the most important in determining a gem’s value. These are cut, clarity, colour and carat weight, but while all four of these criteria are well defined and fairly equally weighted when it comes to assessing diamonds, this is not the case with sapphires.

When considering sapphire engagement rings, it is important to know that sapphires lack well-defined, universally accepted quality standards; even when grading colour, which is the key factor in determining the quality of sapphires, there is no set standard. The unlimited variation in sapphire colour is what has made it so hard to describe and classify and, to some extent, each colour has its own specific evaluation criteria. It is generally agreed that a sapphire’s colour is affected by hue, saturation and tone, but colour interpretation is unique. Differences in perception can sometimes be as simple as one person’s eyes being more sensitive to colour than another’s.

While colour is considered the most important criteria in assessing the value of sapphire engagement rings, cut and clarity are also decisive, especially as the cut and clarity can affect the colour of the gemstone. Sapphires rarely exhibit the high clarity seen in some of the finest diamonds, and these coloured gemstones tend to have many inclusions – even the very best have some. In fact, a completely perfect sapphire, with no inclusions, would be viewed very suspiciously and might be considered a synthetic or glass stone. As such, the best clarity grade for sapphires is considered ‘eye clean’, or no inclusions visible to the naked eye.

Like many other gemstones, sapphires look their best when they are cut. However, because sapphire rough is so valuable, dealers and consumers accept gemstones without the precision cuts that are demanded of fine diamonds. One of the guiding principles of cutting sapphires is to maximise the colour of the gem, especially as sapphires are pleochroic, which means their colour tends to change when viewed from different angles. Other guiding principles include the desire to maximise the gemstone’s final weight, especially given their rarity, and minimise the appearance of undesirable inclusions or colour zoning.

In terms of carat weight, obviously the larger the gemstone the more expensive it is, but how much of an effect carat weight has on the price of sapphires depends on their colour. Yellow sapphire engagement rings are, for instance, likely to be cheaper than padparadscha sapphires, as yellow sapphires are quite plentiful in sizes above five carats, while the latter are extremely rare. It is important to bear all this in mind when it comes to setting your budget for that perfect engagement ring.

Frederick Holm is staff writer for of the F&L Designer Guides, compiled and written to help consumers choose a unique engagement ring design. From a diamond to sapphire engagement rings, from a princess cut to a platinum band, we have ideas and opinions covering all the options. Offering advice, tips and suggestions on how to choose that perfect ring, F&L will accompany you on every stage of your search to find the right designer.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.