Tag: sapphire
Visit David Craig Jewelers and expect to be dazzled. Our stunning collection of diamonds and gemstones can be custom designed into the kind of engagement ring that totally stands out from the crowd. While about 80% of our engagement ring business still features diamonds as a center stone, we know that many folks today may not want to follow the patterns of previous generations. They may want a ring that’s slightly less conventional.
The Center of Her Universe
In a 2021 survey of 5,000 couples on the wedding planning and inspiration website The Knot, 10% of readers responded that the center of their engagement ring featured an eye-catching precious gemstone instead of a diamond. Brides magazine threw in their two cents with their list of beautiful diamond-alternative center stones, like sapphires, amethysts, rubies and names you may not have heard of like moranite (a feminine pink stone) and moissanite (similar to a diamond).
Iconic Royal Ring
Kate Middleton wears a gorgeous 12-carat sapphire engagement ring surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds. It’s the dazzler that previously belonged to Prince William’s mother, Princess Diana. The ring is reportedly reminiscent of the blue sapphire brooch surrounded by diamonds that was gifted to Queen Victoria by Prince Albert. Queen Elizabeth inherited the brooch which is thought to have inspired this famous engagement ring.
Says David: “Why not show off your favorite colors, or your birthstone and let us custom design an engagement ring that really expresses who you are?”
Stop into David Craig Jewelers and let us show you some of our gorgeous gemstones. We can help you build an engagement ring around a gemstone set on your choice of precious metals—white gold, yellow gold, platinum – anything goes! Call today to set up an appointment: 215-968-8900.
When we think of sapphire, we often picture a vibrant blue gemstone. But these precious gemstones, varieties of the mineral corundum, can come in a rainbow of beautiful colors, including pink, green, gray, brown, salmon-colored and more.
Origin
The name “sapphire” seems to have connotations across the board, from the Greek “sappheiros” (blue stone), to the old French “safir” and the Sanskrit word “sanipriya.”
The America Link
Sapphires, like many of the other lovely birthstones we write about, are found in various places in the world, including Sri Lanka and Myanmar. But they’re also mined right here in the good ol’ United States, in the state of Montana.
History from the International Gem Society tells us that sapphires were first discovered in the U.S. by gold rush prospectors digging around the Missouri River in 1865. It’s one of the reasons Montana is known as the “Treasure State.” The state has rich mineral resources of gold, silver, platinum and agate as well as sapphire.
Stunning Gifts
The most highly valued of these brilliant gemstones are vivid blue, an almost violet color. Less valuable sapphires may be lighter or more grayish in hue, although the stone can come in almost any color other than red, which are classified as rubies. The American Gem Society (AGS) reminds us that sapphires are usually heat-treated to improve their color and clarity, and that untreated stones, if you can find them, are even more valuable.
Care
Sapphires are relatively hard stones that are hard to scratch, ranking a sturdy “9” on the Mohs scale (diamonds are rated as 10). That’s probably one of the reasons sapphires are a popular choice for engagement rings, often enhanced by diamonds.
Healing Powers and Meanings
Medieval Europeans may have attributed the gemstones to having all sorts of metaphysical and/or healing properties. These include:
- Curing boils from the plaque
- Serving as an antidote to poison
- Offering protection from harm in general
- Facilitating self-expression
- Regulating glands
- Assisting in communication
- Healing eye problems and blood disorders
- Reducing infection and fever
- Lots more!
Custom Design Your Own Sapphire
David Craig Jewelers can create a unique Sapphire ring for you, incorporating, if you like, other gorgeous gemstones that we stock for this very purpose. We can use your ideas or start from scratch and come up with our own creative suggestions. There’s no end to the possibilities when we put our heads together! Nearly any precious metal can be used.
Stop on in. Let’s gab about gemstones!
Be sure to check out our full line of Sapphire and Sterling Silver jewelry HERE.
You might think the concept of purchasing diamond engagement rings goes back centuries. But it really hasn’t. While the idea of giving a ring to show a love connection has indeed been a long-held tradition, the real popularity of diamonds can be traced to a simple De Beers marketing campaign from 1938.
Some studies show that, prior to World War II, only 10% of engagement rings were diamonds. The story is that De Beers hired an ad agency who created the “A Diamond is Forever” campaign. By 1941, the company is said to have reported a whopping 55% increase in sales of diamonds in the U.S.!
Diamonds aren’t just popular because of their incredible sparkle. On the Mohs scale of mineral hardness and resistance to damage, diamonds rank “10” as the most durable stone. David Craig Jewelers carries hundreds of varieties and shapes and sizes of diamonds in brands like our popular Forevermark.
Lovely Alternatives
Despite today’s rightful popularity of diamonds, other gemstones can make fabulous engagement rings for the non-traditional bride looking for something stunning, but non-traditional.
While diamonds are the sturdiest gemstones, many other stones rank nearly as high, such as rubies and sapphires which both rank as “9” on the same Mohs scale. Kate Middleton, and before her, Princess Diana, showed the world that blue sapphire makes for a gorgeous engagement ring. While sapphires are known for their vibrant blue hue, the stone also comes in lovely colors like yellow and pink.
Stones with a 7.5 – 8 Mohs rating include aquamarine (gorgeous green-blue) and emeralds. With special care, other stones with lower hardness rankings (pearls and opals, for instance), can also last a lifetime.
Whether you’re looking for a diamond or a beautiful alternative gemstone, you can rely on your local jewelers at David Craig for a lovely, unique engagement ring that will suit your style and serve as a cherished reminder of your love. We promise complete satisfaction!
David Craig Jewelers is excited to congratulate our clients Neil and Ruthie on their engagement. Neil popped the big question on September 20, 2015 at the Philadelphia Eagles vs Dallas Cowboys game. The Birds may have lost, but Neil scored big when Ruthie said “Yes.” Continue reading Love Story: Neil and Ruthie’s Game-day Engagement