Sapphire

Sapphire stones have been cherished for many years symbolising good fortune, wisdom and virtue. Sapphire has been a part of royalty for many, many years hence its popularity as the centre stone and accent stone for bridal and fashion jewellery. Prince Williams’s proposal to Kate with Princess Diana’s 18 carat blue sapphire ring has re-ignited the trend for coloured gem engagements rings.

Sapphires constitute the Big Threes of gemstone market, are the rarest, exceptional and most desirable, originally, discovered in the higher Himalayan range in Northwest India in 1881. These are typically for the serious connoisseurs, cherished as a symbol of good fortune. It was a part of royalty as Princess Diana held an 18-carat blue sapphire that was given to Kate when Prince Williams proposed to her. 

It can be found in other geographical locations as well like Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Burma, but the ones from India are most valued. The auction records find the ones originally from Kashmir are sold for an average of $217,000 a carat and those from Burma or Sri Lanka are auctioned for $49,000 a carat. The disparity in origin can create a price difference of over $80,000 a carat.  

Predominantly, the stones from Indian Kashmir with velvet blue hues are highly prized. Most young buyers of gemstones seek ethical rare pieces and they want to know from where it comes from, at the same time as, they are ready to pay more for the ones that belongs to the origin known for fabulous quality gemstones historically. The popularity of such pieces is ever-increasing, furthermore, the mines are mostly exhausted and only a few authentic Kashmir sapphires can be found in the markets.

The cost of natural sapphires depends on their colour, clarity, size, cut and their overall quality. Gems of high quality that come from a very well respected laboratory such as GIA or AGL add to the value of the gem. Sapphire stones from places like Madagascar and Africa can cost up to $200 per carat. With the new introduction of beryllium which colours the sapphire stones the supply and demand for coloured stones have increased greatly. Sapphire stones are something that have not and will not go ‘out-of-date’ making them  a trusted and safe investment.