Pink Sapphires : Ten Things You Need To Know Before You Buy
All women, and quite a few guys, love the color pink. For too long, people have been a little shy to admit it. These days, pink sapphire engagement rings are the most sought after choice besides the traditional blue sapphire. Color themes for weddings have all turned towards various shades of pink in the past years and the trend is going strong. We can’t think of a better way to compliment this wave of enthusiasm for pink color than with pink sapphires!
One factor driving this demand has been the surge in brides choosing a ‘blush themed wedding and wedding gown’. The light rosy shade has become very popular, especially in wedding dresses. Many women love the look of pink diamonds, although the price tag is seriously daunting and out of reach for most people. We know that pink sapphires are the perfect choice for these brides.
Pink sapphires are the close relation of red rubies, they are actually the same stone! The only distinction that separates a red ruby from a pink sapphire is the gemologist’s color grade. That means pink sapphires can be dark pink (in other words, light red), or light pink, purplish pink, or even orangey pink like rare Padparadscha sapphires.
As with so many choices, forewarned is forearmed. If you’re thinking about a pink ring, perhaps for an engagement, then a little knowledge goes a long way.
Which Color Pink?
Pink sapphires, like any other sapphire color come in a great range. Intense magenta to the ever popular light pink, known as ‘baby pink’.. Some are more purple while some are more red. Highly saturated medium or medium dark pink tones are probably best, but it is really up to the individual which tone they prefer.
In today’s market, the most coveted pink sapphire colors are saturated purplish red hues with a medium tone – these are often described as “hot pink” or “bubble-gum pink.”.
Clarity
Choose a pink sapphire that has very few inclusions or inclusions that are not visible to the naked eye. This is particularly important with a lighter pink stone where any inclusions will readily show up.
Sapphire clarity grading is a more general process. It is not as much of a value factor in sapphires as it is in diamonds. If possible though get a stone where the clarity is graded in the VVS sector (Very Very Slightly included) or VS (Very Slightly included).
Origin
Pink sapphires have become more available since new deposits were found in Madagascar in the late 1990s. Until that time, pink sapphires were considered exceptionally rare since they were only found in a few locations around the world, the most popular locations being Sri Lanka, Myanmar and East Africa.
In most instances, the origin of a sapphire doesn’t affect its price, and for the pink sapphire mark origin is not a factor in price or desirability.
The Cut
Something that is often overlooked, cut does not refer to the shape of the stone. Rather, it refers to the facets on a gem’s surface, which allow light and color to shine through at their best. It is particularly important in lighter colored stones, and is the main factor affecting your sapphire’s sparkle. If the cut is poor the stone will look dull and lifeless.
Heat
Most pink sapphires go through a heat treatment because naturally the pink ‘roughs’ when they come out of the ground are a little too dark and purple. This treatment is more widely accepted for pink sapphires than blues and does not jeopardize the stones integrity because it’s a low heat treatment and only alters the stones color very slightly. We also carry unheated pink sapphires, but because of their extreme rarity, their pricing is higher than heated stones but worth the extra costs if you want a truly natural stone.
Rarity
While pink sapphires are hardly as expensive as pink diamonds, they are still very rare. Untreated stones that are free of inclusions and possess superior color are expensive. At the Natural Sapphire Company we have one of the biggest selections of treatment free pink sapphires anywhere, if that’s what you are looking for, look no further!
Make-Up
Pink sapphires are made up of the mineral corundum that is colored by trace elements of chromium. This is how they get their beautiful color. If the chromium content is high then you get a deeper red color, which in turn makes the stone a ruby. Many countries outside of USA and Europe consider pink sapphires to be rubies and call them as such. It can be difficult to make a call between a ruby and a dark pink sapphire. The call is entirely up to the gemologists who inspect the stone and gives it a color grade.
Price
Please look at the Pink Sapphires section of our website for pricing. Here you can refine and filter your choice of pink sapphire by stone shape, stone color, price range and carat weight. It really is a tremendous amount of fun. Prices vary depending on the size and quality of each stone ; carat weight plus a combination of color,cut, clarity, and treatments all affect the value of a stone. We have stones priced from the lowest price of $233 all the way to the highest price of $172,550. It really depends on your budget and tastes.
The Ring
Pink sapphires are often set in platinum or white gold rings, which offset the richness of the color. It really is a fabulous combination. More recently they have also been incorporated in rose gold jewelry, which emphasizes the warmth of the feminine pink. This fits seamlessly into the blush theme wedding fashion.
Their Meaning
Pink sapphires symbolize loyalty, trust, and sincerity. Can you think of three better characteristics for an engagement ring? The mystique and beauty of these sapphires make them the perfect choice for your engagement ring, they will have remind you of the unique and special relationship you and your significant other share.
Tell Us More
If you were choosing a pink sapphire for your engagement ring which shade would you pick? What’s your favorite pink sapphire shape and how would you incorporate the stone into your engagement ring?