Are Sapphires Less Expensive Than Diamonds?

by Tom Rene Engagement Rings Designer

Sapphires and diamonds are categorized together as some of the most expensive gemstones. However white sapphires are cheaper compared to diamonds even though they share the same clarity and shine as well as beauty. In fact, if you are not careful, it can be easy to confuse between diamonds and white sapphires. There are of course a number of factors that command the prices of gemstones in the market and the same goes for diamonds and sapphires.

Prices:

When it comes to pricing, diamonds are slightly above sapphires, even though they may share the same weight. The clarity grade and color of the stones will of course determine the price. For diamonds that stand at 1.5ct point and above the prices tend to rise steeply and the same goes for the sapphires. But even with the premium stone features, it is a fact that sapphires always cost less than diamonds even though not with a very big margin. If you are working on a budget when getting your engagement ring, then white sapphires can make very good alternatives to the diamonds.

Durability:

One of the factors that make sapphires a bit cheaper to diamonds is durability. Diamonds are less prone to scratch, but sapphires are also hard because they contain corundum. When it comes to abrasions and hardness, sapphires score 400 points on Mohs scale, whereas diamonds score as high as 1500 points on the same scale. This means that you will get your sapphires are a cheaper price, but then you might need to keep up with constant care to keep them in top shape compared to a diamond. It is however also important to note that the crystalline structure of diamond makes it prone to chipping compared to sapphire, but this is a very rare occurrence common in princess cut diamonds.

Appearance:

White sapphires look very similar to real diamonds, but diamonds have more sparkle and scintillation. Sapphires so not display scintillation, but they are incredibly beautiful in their inherent body color, whereas diamonds are all about scintillation, fire and brilliance. Sapphires have that unique white appeal, making it a good alternative for many people, but if brilliance is what you are looking for, then diamonds are a much better choice. Milky and cloudy diamonds and sapphires do not hold much value and you should avoid them even though they may be cheaper.

Cut grading:

Sapphires unlike diamonds do not have cut grading system. Sapphires can only be described in carat weight, shape and body color parameters and whether they have been heat treated or not. This is reasonable because the cut of sapphire does not in any way influence its beauty like it is the case with diamonds. Instead of paying too much attention to the cut, you simply need a good set of eyes to tell a good value sapphire.

Before buying any given gemstone you are interested in, it is important to take a closer look. Diamonds and sapphires are relatively expensive stones compared to others, but you can still find very reasonable prices, especially from online stores which have lower operating costs compared to brick and mortar stores.

Engagement rings come in very attractive designs and carry different gemstones to complete their beauty. Blue sapphires and white sapphires make some of the best for engagement rings, but you can choose from the rest of sapphire colors.

You may find out more informative articles about sapphires and jewelries at https://allsapphires.com/.