Sapphire
At 9 on the Mohs scale, sapphire is the most practical colored stone for a ring worn every day — and it comes in far more colors than the blue everyone pictures.
About Sapphire
Sapphire and ruby are the same mineral, corundum. Trace chromium makes it red and we call it ruby; every other color of corundum is a sapphire. That includes the teals and greens that have become so sought after, the peachy-pink padparadscha, and the yellows and colorless stones that make excellent accents.
Hardness is the practical argument. At 9 on the Mohs scale, sapphire is bettered only by diamond and moissanite, and it has no cleavage plane to worry about. A sapphire engagement ring will look substantially the same in thirty years as it does the day it is finished, which is not something that can be said of most colored stones.
Most sapphire on the market is heat treated, a stable and long-accepted practice that improves color and clarity. Unheated stones with fine natural color command a significant premium, and the distinction should always be disclosed. Montana sapphire, mined in the United States, has developed a strong following for its steely blues and teals and for the traceability of its supply.
Why Sharon works with sapphire
Sharon uses sapphire wherever a client wants color with no compromise on durability, and she has a particular fondness for the teal and parti-colored material that shows more than one color in a single stone. Treatment status is disclosed on the piece and on the appraisal.
Caring for sapphire
Sapphire is easy to live with. Warm soapy water and a soft brush, and it tolerates ultrasonic cleaning well unless the stone is significantly included or fracture-filled.
Common questions about sapphire
Is a sapphire engagement ring a good idea?
It is one of the best. Sapphire is hard, has no cleavage, comes in every color, and costs considerably less than a diamond of comparable size and quality. Sharon builds a great many sapphire engagement rings for exactly these reasons.
Are sapphires heat treated?
Most are, and heat treatment is stable, permanent and accepted throughout the trade. Unheated stones of fine color are rarer and more expensive. Whichever you are buying, it should be disclosed in writing.
What is a teal sapphire?
A teal sapphire sits between blue and green, often showing both depending on the light and the angle. Much of the finest teal material comes from Australia and Montana, and it has become one of the most requested colors for engagement rings.
Sapphire jewelry by Sharon Teaman
Each piece is one of a kind and made by hand in State College, Pennsylvania.
14k Ceylon Sapphire Ring 2.06 carats - Oval Cut - Perfection with 5 channel set Diamond accents (earth mined)
Sapphire$9,990
14k "Party" Sapphire 4.47 carat with Mixes of Tea & Blue in a perfect Pear Cut Ring, accented with Bezel set Diamond Accents
Sapphire$5,735
Cushion Cut Ceylon Sapphire Ring in a classically tailored style. Perfect "Ceylon blue" color accented with 3 channel set Diamonds (earth mined)
Sapphire$4,995
14K Pink Sapphire Ring - Rectangular cut faceted Elegant Solitaire
Sapphire$4,880
14K Y Oval Faceted Midnight Blue Sapphire Ring with 4 channel set Diamond accents (earth mined)
Sapphire$3,990
Canary Yellow Sapphire Stud Earrings - Earth Mined - UNHEATED - Perfectly Matched!
Sapphire$3,665
14K W Midnight Blue Sapphire Classic Bar Set Ring Clean, Regal, Sexy
Sapphire$3,450
Ceylon Sapphire Ring Faceted Oval with "Perfect Ceylon Blue" Color accented with 3 channel set Diamonds (earth mined)
Sapphire$3,450
Ethiopian Opal Pendant with rare/unusual colored accent gems
Opal$3,100
Pink Sapphire Channel Band - Solid Channel set with 10 Round brilliant cut Pink Sapphires
Sapphire$2,565
Blue Australian Sapphire Pendant Round Faceted in 14K Yellow gold
Sapphire$2,445
Ceylon Sapphire Stud Earrings Round
Sapphire$1,390
Ceylon Sapphire Stud Earrings
Sapphire$1,190
Ceylon Sapphire Stud Earrings Round 4.20 mm
Sapphire$970
Dainty Blue Sapphire Bezel Ring
Sapphire$225
Sapphire pieces Sharon has made before
Sold, but a good indication of what is possible. Any of these can be a starting point for a commission.
Commission a sapphire piece
Tell Sharon the color, the shape or the budget you have in mind. She sources sapphire year round and will find the right stone before a single sketch is made.