Blue Sapphires and Blue Diamonds are popular stones for bridal jewelry. Both stones are popular as center stones for diamond engagement rings.

The color blue symbolizes loyalty, strength, wisdom and trust. It represents the sky and the sea which are vast and gives a feeling of openness and freedom.

Blue is also known to have a calming effect on the psyche. How relaxed and peaceful do you feel when you seat on the beach watching the sky and listening to the waves? This is the reason many hospitals and baby rooms choose to use the color blue.

Blue diamonds grading scale varies from faint blue, very light blue, light blue, fancy light blue, fancy blue, fancy intense blue, fancy deep blue and fancy vivid blue. Fancy blue colored diamonds are extremely rare and each shade is exquisite. Natural blue diamonds derive their color from boron impurities. As the content of boron increases, so does the intensity of the blue color. Blue diamonds can also be color enhanced.

 While blue is the most traditional and classic color for sapphire, Sapphires are found in a variety of different colors.  The most highly valued blue sapphires are velvety blue to violetish blue.They are bright with vivid strong color saturation. Sapphires with these qualities command the highest prices per carat. Only a small percentage of natural sapphire exhibit those qualities without some type of treatment or enhancement, most common being heat-treatment.

At the other end of the price scale are commercial-grade sapphires Less valuable blue sapphires might be grayish, too light, or too dark.

BlueSapphires can be found in more countries.
Important Sapphire sources include Sri Lanka, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand,Cambodia, Madagascar, Tanzania, Australia, and the U.S. (Montana). The Kashmir region of India/Pakistan was famous for its Kashmir-blue Sapphire, but little material comes from there today.

Perhaps the most important aspects to discuss when you make a decision between blue diamonds and sapphires are their fire and brilliance. As diamonds refract more light than sapphires, they boast a more dazzling appearance - that instantly attracts and mesmerizes the viewer. Even when they are somewhat dirty on the surface, they will still glitter and gleam in a remarkable way. This, in addition to their rarity, is in great part a reason why they are so valuable and desirable.
Sapphires still sparkle nicely - but the fire can't quite compare due to their different cut and inferior refraction of light. When sapphires get dirty, they may look slightly clouded and their brilliance can become hampered.

Blue diamonds and Blue Sapphires are very close to one another in terms of hardness and durability. On the Mohs scale, a parameter of judging the hardness of mineral; Diamond, being the hardest occupies the 10th position while Sapphire scores a 9.

A major reason why some consumers may opt for blue sapphires over blue diamonds is that they are often much more affordable. This is because sapphires are easier to come by.

The return on high-quality sapphires is significantly higher then on many other gemstones. Still, natural blue diamonds are exceptionally rare - far more so than sapphires - and are becoming increasingly more difficult to find. This is why blue diamonds have been achieving record prices at auction in recent years. In fact, according to the Natural Color Diamonds Association, the prices of blue diamonds have increased in average of 12%-17% per year over the last decade.

The increased demand for blue sapphires has lead to a gradual increase in value of this gemstone. But, unlike blue sapphire, buying a blue diamond as investment is clearly the better choice. When you are planning on buying a diamond as investment, you will always receive a GIA certificate. This certification is very important. It is a guarantee of the diamond’s quality, and therefore the only way to make sure your investment is recoup-able  at a market value price.

It seems that the answer will be dependent on:

• The budget

• What kind of blue do you prefer

• Are you buying it for Investment or not

All of our Engagement Rings can accommodate Blue Diamonds and Sapphires.