Ten reasons you should ask that important question with a sapphire engagement ring!

Sapphires are increasingly becoming a popular alternative gemstone for an engagement ring.

Here are our top 10 reasons why you should totally go for a sapphire as opposed to a diamond

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1. Ethics: Diamonds which are the traditional standard for engagement ring got a head boot! When the movie “blood diamond” was released. Even though the international community have come together to ensure diamond proceeds are not used to fund war or child labor, this has not done enough to change people’s minds from turning to alternatives.

2. Source: It is easier to trace a sapphire source than a diamond. Hence, it is easier to know that your sapphire was not used to fund terrorism, criminal enterprises, war, child labor, slavery etc.

3. Not a monopoly: The diamond industry is controlled by a few big companies, most prominent among them is DeBeers, which control 50 – 60% of the world’s diamonds supplies. Well, people hate the monopoly! However, the control of sapphires is more decentralized making a monopoly almost impossible.

4. Rarity: According to the Gemological Institute of America, a fine blue sapphire is 10x rare than an equally fine white diamond. Diamonds are made to be perceived as rare in other to control the price, however, this is not true, diamonds are much more common.

5. Durability: Even though diamonds have a hardness of 10 in the Moh’s hardness scale, sapphire are next in line! Meaning they are very resistant to scratch except it is scratched by a diamond or another sapphire.

6. Cost: With $3,000 – $7000 you can get a nice 2 carat blue sapphire. You would struggle to get a 1carat white diamond with such an amount. Almost impossible. Yet with same amount of money you are getting a sapphire that is 10x rarer and beautiful!

7. Royalty: Sapphires and not diamonds have signified royalty. It adorned the fashion of Kings, Queens, Princes and Princesses such as: King Solomon of the Bible, the Wife of Napoleon, Pope Innocence III, Catherine the great (337ct of sapphire on her crown!), late Princes Diana, and now Kate Middleton’s 12 carat sapphire engagement ring.

8. Faith: Sapphires were mentioned as a stone of importance throughout the bible, from being the stuff that the gates of heaven is made up, to a reference on it being laid as a foundation If you are of the Christian faith, Isaiah 54:17 “O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted, Behold, I will set your stones in antimony, And your foundations I will lay in sapphires.”
9. Resale value: Because of the rarity of sapphires, its resell value is almost always higher than its purchase value, (except you bought it at a very wrong price). This is the opposite for diamond – it’s almost an impossibility to make any profit reselling it.

10. Colors: Asides blue being the classic and most-sort-after color for sapphires, other colors are gaining ground! Sapphires come in several colors: Blues, blue-green, green, salmon pink (padparadscha), yellow, orange, white, etc. Diamonds are mostly just white. If you find a blue or a pink, be prepared to punch a big hole in your bank account!