Diamond vs Sapphire Engagement Rings - A Comparison

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We are being asked this question more frequently because this pandemic has led many people to face financial strain; they are asking for alternatives to diamonds - Sapphire are such gems! Read below to understand the differences between diamonds and sapphire rings to make the best decision for yourself.

Colored Diamond or Colorless Sapphire

Yes. Diamonds do have colors. It’s rather rare though but they do sometimes have hues of blue and sometimes hues of pink. Those diamonds are extremely rare and therefore command exorbitantly high prices in the market. These are commonly called ‘Fancy Color Diamonds’.

The color saturation in these fancy color diamonds is the primary driver of value though like a white diamond, they are judged on the 4Cs. You can go for the most popular white diamond engagement ring or you can also select any fancy color diamond engagement ring if your budget allows!

Just to keep things in perspective, the biggest pink diamond was mined by De Beers in 1999 in South Africa. When rough, it weighed a whopping 132.5 carat but still weighed 59.60 carat after faceting. It was named ‘Pink Star’ and it earned the distinction of being the largest vivid pink diamond ever. This flawless diamond was auctioned for USD 71.2 million in 2017.

There are also some unique and unmatched blue diamonds around but perhaps the most famous of them all is the “Hope” diamond. This 45.53 ct VS1 greyish blue diamond was donated by Harry Winston to the Smithsonian in 1958. It is valued at USD 250 million.

Something which is so rare in diamonds is quite common in sapphires – it’s range of colors. Sapphires come in blue, pink, yellow, purple and white colors. Many people prefer a white sapphire to a diamond primarily because of its affordability compared to a diamond.

Sapphires are known for their colors and so it is the primary driver of their value. The higher the color saturation, the higher it will be valued.

There are many famous sapphires known for their association with royalty, the prominent being the Princess Diana’s Ring where the center stone is a 12-ct vivid blue sapphire surrounded by a halo of small diamonds. Sapphires are used as center stones as well as side stones in engagement rings.

At GemsNY, you will find a huge collection of natural and certified sapphires for your perfect engagement ring. You can also customize your diamond engagement ring with either a natural or a lab-grown diamond.

Strength and Durability

Both diamonds and sapphires are very sturdy gemstones. Diamond is a bit harder than sapphire meaning it’s comparatively harder to scratch a diamond. On the Mohs scale of hardness a diamond scores 10/10 whereas a sapphire scores 9/10. So a sapphire is not far behind a diamond in terms of hardness.

Diamonds are made of carbon crystals whereas sapphires are made of a mineral called corundum. But both can easily withstand the wear and tear of everyday life and last for generations. You can comfortably choose either a sapphire engagement ring or a diamond engagement ring without worrying about their longevity. Also, you don’t need to take any extra care of these gemstones except keeping your ring clean if you want it to be sparkling all the time.

Symbolism Associated with Diamond and Sapphire

Diamonds are unsurpassed due to their hardness, sparkle and brilliance. Perhaps that was the reason why the Greeks called them ‘adamas’, which means invincible. The Greeks used to go to the battlefield wearing diamonds with a belief of becoming unconquerable.

There is a lot of symbolism associated with diamonds. Red diamonds symbolize courage whereas black diamonds symbolize eternal and unwavering love. The diamond is the birthstone for April and it is the tenth & sixtieth anniversary stone. Customise your own diamond engagement ring here.

Like diamonds, sapphires also have a lot of meaning associated with them. Blue Sapphires are believed to bring protection, good fortune and spiritual insight to its wearer. Similarly yellow sapphire is considered auspicious and supposed to bring success in career and business ventures. The sapphire is the birthstone for September and is the fifth and forty fifth anniversary stone.

Both sapphires and diamonds have their own aura and they go quite well with any metal. A diamond is generally preferred in white gold or platinum whereas due to the bright colors sapphires are available in, the choice of metal becomes more versatile. Irrespective of which color sapphire you like, you can always get it set into a stunning engagement ring whether it is a blue sapphire engagement ring or a padparadscha sapphire engagement ring.

You might be wondering why we haven’t considered price as one of the factors above. The simple answer is that both diamonds and sapphires are quite valuable gemstones and contrary to a common belief sapphires can cost more per carat depending upon their size, clarity and other factors. So what matters is not the price of the gemstone that you want but the budget that you have for your engagement sapphire ring or diamond engagement ring. Let us give you a helping hand in picking the best engagement ring. In case you change your mind later on, in favor of another design, you can return it or exchange within 30 days as per our hassle free return policy!