8 White Sapphire Engagement Rings to Totally Dazzle Her!
Many can’t tell the difference between white sapphire and diamond. When you have a look at the white sapphire engagement rings we’ve showcased in this article, you’ll see why.
It’s said that ancient Greek petitioners wore the white sapphire while consulting with their oracles (like the ones in Delphi). The sapphire purportedly made the oracles’ language clearer to the wearers. It’s also said to represent the traits of fairness, objectivity, and morality.
The sentiment behind giving a white sapphire engagement ring to the woman you love is just as profound as its symbolism and history, which is why shopping for one can be a bit daunting.
Not to worry! We’ve done some of the legwork for you and found some white sapphire engagement rings we think she’ll love as much as we do…
White Sapphire Engagement Rings
1. Blake Lively White Sapphire Oval Cut Ring
This ring features a 2.8ct natural, non-treated white sapphire. We especially like this one because white sapphire and rose gold are simply a gorgeous combination.
The design was inspired by the Blake Lively engagement ring. Now, you may have noticed during your shopping adventures there are a lot of engagement rings out there touting that they’re inspired by the Blake Lively ring. “What’s up with that?” you ask? Have a look, and be prepared for the shock.
2. Oval Cut White Sapphire Vintage Wedding Ring
by Mindjewelry
While a traditional solitaire ring is always going to be a popular choice (we’ve got one a little later on you’ll love), the way this oval cut will look on her finger is going to make her feel extra gorgeous.
3. Oval Cut White Sapphire Engagement Ring
As soon as we saw this ring, “family heirloom” came to mind. We love it set against white gold, but it would look equally stunning with rose gold or yellow gold.
4. Basque Ring with Round White Sapphire
by Diamondere
This ring is so elegant and delicate and comes with the option of having it engraved. Make her cry even more happy tears when you propose by adding a sweet sentiment or a date that’s important to you both.
5. Classic White Sapphire With Sterling Silver Setting Ring
Here’s that traditional solitaire ring we mentioned earlier. This one’s so timeless, you’ll definitely be passing it on for generations to come.
6. Cushion Cut White Sapphire Ring
by Etsy: TheSilvermistJewels
The design of this ring is so simple and elegant, and you can customize it to her preferences. Does she prefer white gold? They’ll make it for you!
7. Emerald Cut White Sapphire Ring
by Etsy: JamieParkJewelry
There’s nothing like a clean, crisp emerald-cut stone. This one truly stands out in a crowd.
8. Round Vintage White Sapphire Ring
by Diamondere
There’s so much going on with this ring, but that’s what makes it so lovely. It’s perfectly harmonized and will sit beautifully on her finger.
Guide To Buying White Sapphires
Before you plunk down your hard-earned cash, we wanted to arm you with a little information about the gemstone itself and what to look for when you’re shopping for white sapphire engagement rings.
But first, let’s get down to the question that’s usually on everyone’s mind when they see a white sapphire:
What’s the Difference Between a White Sapphire and a Diamond?
Besides the name, white sapphires and diamonds differ in a few areas.
Price
It only takes one glance at the price of a white sapphire engagement ring to see the dramatic difference in price, carat for carat.
For instance, the average price of a 1.5ct natural white sapphire is around $1,200 to $1,500. Compare that to a 1.5ct natural diamond, which will set you back anywhere from $6,500 to $15,000 depending on cut, clarity, and appearance.
Appearance
The inner fire and brilliance of a diamond are undeniable. Still, some white sapphires can give them a run for their money (for less money). For most gemstones, its brilliance is dependent on how it’s cut, and a beautifully-cut white sapphire can seriously sparkle.
The luster of white sapphire varies from stone to stone. An expert will be able to distinguish the difference between a diamond and a white sapphire. To most, however, the two are often indistinguishable.
Hardness Factor
On the Mohs scale of mineral hardness, a diamond is the only stone to score a perfect 10. Sapphires score a 9, making them quite durable as well. They stand up beautifully to everyday wear, which is important seeing as she’ll be wearing it every day. They do, however, have a tendency to scratch a little more easily than diamonds.
How Do I Know if it’s a Quality White Sapphire?
GIA Analysis
Diamonds are officially graded by the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). To learn a little more about how that works, check out GIA’s website.
While sapphires aren’t graded in the same way, GIA publishes reports on a sapphire’s place of origin and whether it’s been treated. By treated, we don’t mean if everyone’s been nice to it; we’re talking about how it’s synthesized in the lab, if it’s a lab-created sapphire (more on that to come).
GIA also rates the stones’ transparency, color, weight, shape, cutting style, and size measurements. If you’d like to have her white sapphire analyzed, you can find out how here.
Color
Many professionals say that color is one of the biggest measurements of a sapphire’s value. Sapphires come in a vast array of colors (except red, those are rubies), but when choosing a white sapphire, pick a stone that’s as colorless as possible.
Clarity
Sapphires of all colors will almost always have slight imperfections due to mineralization during the crystallization process as well as a few other factors. These imperfections affect their clarity. The same rules apply with white sapphires as with other gemstones: the fewer flaws it has, the more valuable it is.
Cut
Like other gemstones, the cut of a sapphire affects its hue and “sparkle factor.” As you may have noticed from our sapphire engagement ring choices above, sapphires come in all kinds of cuts – round, emerald, ovals, and cushion, to name a few.
When considering the cut, the second most important consideration is its depth. (The first, of course, is whether she’ll like the cut.) If you end up purchasing a white sapphire online, take it to a jeweler to have it examined. He or she can tell you if the cuts are too shallow or too deep. We want them just right. Like the porridge that Goldilocks ate.
Carat
With any precious stone, the higher the carat, the more valuable it is. A little gemstone 101 for you: a gem’s carat size refers to its weight. So the heavier the rock, the more it costs.
A Quick Note On Natural vs. Lab-Created Sapphires
Since natural sapphires are mined straight from the earth, they don’t need to be treated like lab-created white sapphires do. Mother Nature has done all of that process herself.
There are plenty of reasons why some prefer natural sapphires:
- The idea of presenting your bride-to-be with a gem that was naturally-sourced from the earth over possibly millions of years is pretty darn romantic.
- Tradition often mandates that naturally occurring stones are often more meaningful to the intended recipient. A lab-created stone just doesn’t seem as special to some people.
- Of course, a naturally-mined white sapphire is also rarer, which directly influences its value.
Since an engagement ring is symbolic of a long life together, many purchase a ring with the ultimate purpose of passing it down among the generations, and a ring with a naturally-mined stone will retain its value better than a lab-created sapphire.
Lab-created sapphires have their own set of positive considerations as well:
- Growing gemstones in a lab is a controlled process and allows for more customized options for shape and size. Depending on how the stone has been treated (see, we told you we’d be bringing it up again), it can intensify the stone’s brilliance and hue.
The recommendation among the experts is to always purchase a lab-created white sapphire that has been heat-treated. If you’re unsure, ask the seller specifically how it was treated.
- Laboratory-created sapphires are less expensive than naturally-mined ones.
- Production of white sapphires in a lab is often thought of as more ethical and less invasive to the Earth than blasting into mountains and tunneling down there to mine them.
Some may disagree with this observation, and the issue isn’t as simple as all that. Still, the ethical implications of how and where a precious gemstone was acquired is something to take into consideration.
Go Boldly Forward
Now that we’ve given you some practical information and a short list of some of the most beautiful white sapphire engagement rings we could find, you’re ready to go get that ring! We bet as soon as she opens the box, it’ll be love at first sight. Just be sure to have someone standing by to take a picture.
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