Rainbow of Sapphires

When most people hear the word Sapphire they think blue, but sapphires really do come in every color of the rainbow except red; red sapphires are actually Rubies. The rainbow sapphires come in either Intense which are a collection of the deep hue, or Pastel, which are the collection of medium hues. These colors of actual sapphires come in everything from the purest white, often resembling the diamond, to almost solid black which is called midnight blue sapphire. Some of the hottest colors are the pink, canary yellow, orange and the collection of rainbow sapphire colors all together.

When buying a sapphire, including the rainbow combination, ask if the stone has been treated in any way. Some common treatments to enhance gems include irradiation, heat treatment, dyeing and coating. Not all of these treatments will devalue the stone, but always ask so you know what you're getting.

Sapphires can be heated at high temperatures to give them a better color and clarity. It is estimated that 90 percent of the Sapphires on the market have undergone some sort of treatment, which does not affect the value of the stone. However, untreated sapphires do command a higher price.

Sapphires are mined all over the world, including several locations in the United States and the location where the sapphires are mined can have a great effect on the price. All sapphires have a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale and are considered very durable to be worn everyday.

Traditionally the sapphire is believed to bring clarity of mind and disintegrates disharmony with healing properties for rheumatism, colic, and mental illness.

*Resources by ebay review and rainbow sapphires.

Blue Diamonds the New Girls Best Friend

Who doesn’t like diamonds!? Only to be known as ‘the girl’s best friend’, they are widely seen in crisp white, but there are a few rare colored diamonds; pink, yellow and blue. Blue diamond is considered to be one of the most expensive and rarest types of diamonds. This blue gemstone became the hottest must have and was in huge demand after being featured in the Hollywood movie Titanic.

The formation of a blue diamond naturally is very rare and also very expensive, which is why it is now artificially created. It evolves under the same conditions as that of naturally formed diamonds, although the treatment can be done in small quantity involving irradiating the gemstone causing the color change and then followed by a heat treatment to stabilize the color. The blue hue colors of the diamonds represent the color of the sea and that of the sky giving a true picture of life. The appealing shade of the blue diamond comes in deep aquamarine, green tinge, rich deep blue to ice blue. These colors of blue give a soothing and appealing feeling to the individual who wears them.

Cuts of blue diamonds are shaped in a different way that enhances the beauty of the gemstone by illuminating the tranquility and beauty of the stones; variations are the cushion cut, and heart-pear-octagon shapes, and even princess and marquise cuts.

The most famous and largest of blue diamonds is the infamous Hope Diamond (pictured to the left), which is now in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. It is colored in deep blue and famed to carry a curse to whomever owns it. The largest weighing around 45.02 carats, it is a cushion cut and radiates dark grayish-blue color. It got its name after Henry Philip Hope of London.

Other famous blue diamonds include the Blue Heart, Heart of Eternity (pictured to the right), and Transvaal Blue & Chard Blue.

A new friend to some, but an old friend to others; the blue diamond is definitely an exquisite and stunning gemstone mixture of nature and man.

*Research from various books and websites.

Two Exotic Gemstones

This brand new design is sure to be a bold eye catcher! It brings together two exotic and rare gemstone mixes in finely cut purple Spiny Oyster disks highlighted by Arizona Ivoryite; wear it short or long with the Sterling Silver toggle extender and silver hoop style earrings.

See our selection of uniquely handcrafted gemstone jewelry at Timeless Designs!