Some people wonder if a sapphire would be a suitable replacement for a diamond. Given that a sapphire is significantly less expensive than a diamond, this makes it to be an excellent choice. To arrive at a final conclusion, we will examine all of the benefits and drawbacks of sapphire in this post.
Grading Sapphires and Diamond
Many people anticipate a sapphire grading system similar to that used for diamonds. As a result, they anticipate having to examine sapphire cut grades and exact proportions.
However, there is no cut grading system for sapphires.
Typical colored sapphires have a specific body color, which is largely responsible for the sapphire’s beauty and value. Whether or not a colored sapphire is cut to super ideal proportions has little effect on the sapphire’s beauty.
The importance of brilliance, fire, and scintillation in colored gemstones is greatly reduced because the main factor is the gemstone’s color. Colored sapphires are similar to fancy colored diamonds in this regard. The inherent body color of fancy colored diamonds also contributes to their value.
As a result, your eyes will be the only reliable tool you have to determine the beauty of a sapphire.
Another benefit of a diamond over sapphire is that it is much less likely to get scratches on the surface. Sapphires are made of corundum, which is the second hardest material on the planet.
A substance’s hardness is measured in Mohs, and it indicates how susceptible a stone is to scratches and abrasions. Diamonds have a Mohs hardness of 1500, whereas sapphires have a hardness of 400. As a result, they are nearly four times less likely to scratch the surface.
As a result, a sapphire necessitates far more constant attention than a diamond. As a result, a sapphire is much more likely than a diamond to require re-polishing. However, due to its crystalline structure, a diamond is more likely to chip than a sapphire.
Sapphire is less expensive than diamonds, as you may have guessed. However, determining how much fewer sapphires cost than diamonds is difficult.
Because the value of a diamond is heavily influenced by factors such as cut, clarity, color, and grade, diamond pricing is quite variable. Diamond price charts, as seen above, are one option. It appears complicated because it is. The chart above depicts how diamonds are priced and indexed based on all of the characteristics we’ve discussed. The value of a diamond is also affected by inclusions or flaws.
A one-carat diamond can cost anywhere from two thousand to seventeen thousand dollars; however, a diamond engagement ring costs around six thousand dollars on average.
Sapphires can be expensive, but for the sake of simplicity, we’ll look at what’s considered ‘high quality’ sapphires in terms of color and cut. The price per carat is usually between $500 and $1500.
On average, diamond engagement rings cost around $3,000, so a sapphire engagement ring could save you nearly half the price of a diamond engagement ring.
Part of whether white sapphire is a viable alternative to a diamond, as is often the case, depends on what you’re looking for. Choose sapphire instead of diamond if:
- You want a more affordable, long-lasting option, or you want to be able to purchase a larger carat size.
- You want a gemstone that is stable and durable but has a unique appearance.
- You prefer a white to clear stone look and aren’t as concerned with a diamond’s gleam.