Selection Process | as Engagement | Durability | Treatments | Certification/Grading
We are very proud of the natural sapphires that we offer at MyJewelrySource. Since we are a small company, and since most of our sapphire rings are one of a kind, we maintain extremely high quality standards. Our GIA Graduate Gemologist examines and hand picks each stone for its exceptional color, clarity, cut, and overall appearance.
For each sapphire that we do select, we literally reject hundreds of stones because they do not meet our higher quality standards. For example, as a general rule we reject sapphires that have any visible inclusions, color zoning, poor color, large windows, and sapphires that are too deep or too shallow. These lower quality stones are generally used by larger companies who need produce a larger volume of rings. So when you select a sapphire from MyJewelrySource, you can be assured that you are purchasing one of the finest sapphires available.
Sapphires come in every color of the rainbow and we strive to offer a range of colors. The most popular colors of sapphire are blue, pink and yellow and within those colors, we offer a range of shades: from light to intense cornflower, to cobalt and rich blue, from baby pink to hot pink or magenta, and from pale banana yellow to lemon yellow or bright sunshine yellow. Color is such a personal choice and we want our customers to be able to find the color that they are drawn to most.
Why Choose a Sapphire for an Engagement or Promise Ring?
Sapphires are truly special, available in nearly any color and cut, and offer an wonderful opportunity to create a unique, one of a kind engagement ring. Diamonds most often are much more expensive and not nearly as impressive as a gorgeous sapphire with the wonderful color that you love. The highest quality and most desirable and beautiful colors of sapphire are available at MyJewelrySource. Our gorgeous eye-catching ring designs are very unique and many are available only through our website. There's a reason our tag line is 'Set Yourself Apart.'
Sapphires are very durable and ideal for everyday wear, much like diamonds. Gemstones are rated on their ability to withstand surface scratching using the Mohs Scale of Hardness. The only gem rated harder, more stable and more durable than a sapphire is a diamond. A diamond, as the hardest mineral known, receives a hardness rating of 10 and sapphires follow closely with a hardness rating of 9. Sapphires also have excellent durability, which means they are difficult to break or chip. And sapphires are not sensitive to heat, light, and chemicals.
Heat Treatment of Natural Sapphires (Industry Accepted):
Approximately 99% of sapphires used in jewelry are heat treated. Heat treatment is an industry accepted standard practice and is used to improve color, clarity, and overall appearance of sapphires. This closely replicates natural process that may occur inside the Earth before a sapphire is mined. The heat treatment process is permanent and the sapphires require no special care as a result of the heating. The value of heated sapphires has increased over time in the same way that the value of unheated sapphires has increased. Since heat treatment is the industry standard treatment of sapphires and is permanent, heat treatment does not require disclosure. There are other treatments of sapphires, such as diffusion, which do require disclosure and do negatively affect the value of the sapphires. We do not purchase any sapphires with these alternate types of treatment. While most people select heated sapphires, MyJewelrySource offers a beautiful selection of both heat treated and unheated (i.e., untreated) sapphires in our jewelry.
Treatments that are Not Standard (not Industry Accepted):
There are several treatments that are not industry accepted and that do diminish the value of the sapphire. These treatments include irradiation, filling, dying, introduction of beryllium, and of course, lab creation. MyJewelrySource does not sell any sapphires with these treatments.
Unheated Sapphires (untreated):
A very small percentage of sapphires that are mined are cut into a finished gem without undergoing man-induced heat treatment. Unheated sapphires (also know as untreated sapphires) with exceptional clarity and color are very rare and generally command a premium in price. There is no visible difference in the appearance of a heated versus an unheated sapphire of the same color, cut and clarity. Customers who want to own a sapphire that is even more rare and feel that the rarity justifies the additional cost select unheated sapphires.
With each sapphire purchase $699 and above, we provide a Certificate of Authenticity, so you can be assured you are receiving a natural sapphire. An industry standardized grading scale for sapphires (or colored stones in general) does not exist. Though there are several testing agencies that provide detailed gem grading reports, they can vary quite a bit. We have adopted a clarity grading scale using terms that are commonly used in the jewelry industry, and all of our sapphires are given a clarity grade. Color is very subjective and plays an important factor in determining the quality and value of the sapphire. An experienced gem cutter will carefully facet each gem to bring out and showcase its color, clarity and brilliance in the best possible way. The faceting of gemstones is not fully standardized; therefore making grading non-standardized as well.