Many Sapphires (one of the 3
Precious Gemstones) that you find in the Jewelry Stores today are very dark in tone. So dark in fact, that these
Sapphires (I'm talking about Genuine stones, not the
Lab-Created Stones) don't even look Blue. A good portion of them
look Black!
Black? It's true!
These Black Sapphires are imported mainly from Australia and trust me, they are NOT desirable! Sapphires that look so dark blue that they appear black are cheap and low grade. Steer away from these stones.
Sapphires (Always referring to Blue Sapphires unless specified) should look Blue! Now the shade of Blue and the saturation of Blue may vary (some are more Purplish or Greenish in hue) but they should still be Blue.
Sapphires actually come in just about every color of the rainbow: Pinks, Yellows, Greens, Oranges... Black? Nope! Black is NOT a color! Black is a Tone!
Some Sapphires are so black and dense that they look more like
Black Onyx Gemstones instead. (See Picture left) The only good think about Black Sapphires is that they are durable, while Onyx is not.
Also note that if you're buying a loose Sapphire, that Sapphire will always tend to look even darker once they are mounted. The Prongs and the Mounting covering the stone block light from entering the sides and bottom and makes it appear darker!
Not good!
Always strive for Sapphires that definitely look like Sapphires. You don't want people looking at your new beautiful ring and saying "What stone is that?"
It should be apparent! Otherwise it's a waste.
Blue Sapphires should be blue and the more intense blue, the better. I prefer a strong, vivid, intense, medium shade of blue (See Picture above). Ceylon Sapphires are the best! I love those stones!
So if it's Sapphire you're after, spend the extra money and buy blue ones. Sapphire is one of the best gemstones to ever purchase because of its hardness (9 on the Moh's Scale), and it can be worn with anything and everything, and that makes Sapphire a very versatile Gem. Plus, it's the official Birthstone for the month of September. Go blue!
Blue is Blue, unless you buy Black! And in that case, you should just buy Created! (At least Created is cheaper... And Blue!)
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