Diamond is the first choice of every woman when it comes to engagement rings. Many women choose real diamonds to make their special moments more memorable for their lifetime. But not every woman prefers diamonds for an engagement ring. Some women also choose sapphires for engagement or wedding rings.
Both diamonds and sapphires have their own properties and characteristics. They both look attractive and charming on any occasion. Choosing one gemstone between both is a very tough decision.
This blog helps you to view the differences between diamonds and sapphires. It also helps to choose valuable gemstones from both of them.
Major Differences Between Diamonds and Sapphires
If you want to pick a valuable gemstone, it is important to look at the major differences between both stones. Let us have a look at the differences between both the gemstones in detail:
1. Hardness
One common question that every girl has in her mind is how hard are sapphires compared to diamonds? Well, it is important to know that diamond is the hardest mineral on the planet. It has a score of a full 10/10 on the Mohs scale while sapphires get only 9/10.
Diamonds are harder than sapphires. Only a diamond can scratch a diamond and no other mineral or stone. On the other hand, sapphires might be damaged due to use or force. So, diamonds are better than sapphires when it comes to hardness. Moreover, diamonds are safer than sapphires to make jewelry and have a longer life than sapphires.
2. Composition
The next thing we will look at is the composition of both gems. Diamond is a combination of carbon elements. It does not contain any other element whereas sapphire is a combination of corundum which is a form of aluminum oxide.
3. Shades
Many women do not know that diamonds come in a variety of colors such as rose pink, red, yellow, and others. But women choose only colorless diamonds for their engagement rings.
Sapphires come mostly in blue shade. But experts say that even sapphires come in a wide range of colors such as yellow, purple, violet, green, pink, orange, and mixed hues. Some sapphires have a color-changing property while some of them look blue in daylight. You can also find sapphires in shades such as brown, gray and black.
4. Clarity of Gems
Now, we will look at the differences between these two stones in terms of clarity. Sapphires contain a lot of flaws like crystals, minerals of different types, gases, and liquids.
Diamonds have many inclusions. The rarest and costliest diamonds are FL-Flawless. In terms of clarity, diamonds are better than sapphires.
5. Price
Budget is the most important factor that every woman looks for while designing an engagement ring. Those rings with sapphires are costlier than engagement rings with diamonds. If you want to gift a unique ring to your partner, pick a ring with sapphires.
Blue sapphires are the costliest gemstones because they contain authentic and rich blue colors. But the cost of a sapphire decreases if it becomes cloudier or worse in quality.
6. Birthstone and Zodiac Sign
The official birthstone for people born in April is a diamond. It is also a gemstone for the Aries zodiac sign. You can gift a diamond ring or pair of diamond earrings on the 60th or 75th wedding anniversaries.
Sapphire is a zodiac stone for people with the Virgo zodiac sign. It is an official birthstone for people born in September. Sapphire rings can be gifted to the couple on the 5th and 45th wedding anniversaries.
7. Style
Now, we will look at the style factor of both stones. Sapphire is one of the most attractive stones to make any jewelry look class apart. If you want to look different from other brides, choose engagement rings with blue sapphires. Apart from rings, you can also get a pair of earrings made from blue sapphires with platinum or white gold bands. Sapphire is not a common kind of stone like diamonds.
If you want to gift a stylish ring to your partner, pick an engagement ring with sapphires. It will replenish your memories even after many years.
8. History of Both the Stones
Some experts say that diamond deposits were first discovered 900 million years ago in the crust of the earth. But some other historical records say that diamonds were firstly discovered in India around the 4th century B.C. Many people also used to trade diamonds for business purposes.
Diamonds indicated the wealth and richness of the people. Greeks used to believe that diamonds were created by the tears of God. They are unbeatable when it comes to sparkle and shine. Diamonds indicate abundance, love, and prosperity.
Even sapphires have an attractive history. They were found before million years. Different historians have different beliefs about sapphires. For many years, sapphire jewelry was worn by aristocrats and royals. They used to believe that sapphires protect them from harm.
Sapphire is a symbol of nobility and sincerity. Many people still choose sapphire rings for engagements and weddings.
9. Gemological Properties
Now, we will look at the gemological properties of both stones. A sapphire can show various colors when you view it from different angles and sides. You may also view a star-like effect in many sapphires while some stones may also show a chatoyancy effect. Diamonds show color changes in the presence of UV rays. In terms of gemological properties, the sapphire wins the race.
10. Brilliance
Brilliance is nothing but the brightness of a stone. It is the white light emitting from the stone. Diamonds have a refractive index of 2.42 while sapphire has a refractive index between 1.76 and 1.77.
Looking at the refractive index of both stones, we can say that diamonds are brighter than sapphires. They also produce more colorful flashes than sapphires when exposed to white light.
11. Cut
The cut is also an important factor in both stones. The round cut is the most common shape in a diamond as it shows more brightness and fire. You can also get a diamond in different cuts such as pear, oval, marquise, and emerald-cut.
Even sapphires are found in different shapes such as cushion, oval, pear, and round for a ring.
Final words
From the above differences, it is good to say that sapphire wins the race. It looks beautiful and enhances the look of any jewelry. However, the choice may vary according to the customers. You can also pick diamonds with different hues for your engagement rings and wedding jewelry.