Cornflower, royal, teal and the rare lotus-hued padparadscha — sapphire is the gem of a thousand shades, and of a lifetime of wear.
Our sapphires
Far more than blue
Sapphire belongs to the corundum family, and every colour of corundum except red carries its name. The classic royal and cornflower blues owe their hue to traces of iron and titanium; the pinks, yellows, greens and the celebrated padparadscha come from the same crystal with different guests inside it.
At nine on the Mohs scale, sapphire is second only to diamond for hardness — which is why it wears so beautifully in a ring worn every single day, and why it has been the quiet alternative to a diamond engagement stone for more than a century.
Book a private viewingWhat to look for
Four questions worth asking
Coloured stone is not graded on a single universal scale the way diamond is. These four questions will tell you more about a sapphire than any certificate number.
Colour
Hue, tone and saturation together. A medium-dark, vividly saturated blue with no grey cast is the ideal; brightness matters more than depth.
Origin
Kashmir, Burma and Ceylon carry a premium for their typical look. Any origin claim on a significant stone should be backed by a laboratory report.
Cut
Coloured stone is cut for colour first. A shallow pavilion opens a window through the centre; too deep and the stone darkens.
Treatment
Heat is common, accepted and permanent. Diffusion and fracture filling are not the same thing and are valued very differently.
Interactive guide
The Sapphire Chart
Colour across the whole corundum spectrum, what clarity means for a Type II gem, how the pavilion angle decides between a window and a glow, how size grows with weight, the outlines that suit sapphire rough, and how sapphire compares with the other great gems.
From the collection
Sapphires we are asked for
Each of these can be made to order around a stone chosen with you. We source from Sri Lanka, Madagascar and Montana, and we will always tell you what has been done to a stone.
The Ceylon Solitaire
Oval Ceylon sapphire · slim knife-edge band · platinum
Price on requestEnquireThe Bloomsbury Teal
Cushion teal sapphire · diamond surround · 18ct white gold
Price on requestEnquireThe Farringdon Drops
Pear sapphires · diamond-set tops · 18ct white gold
Price on requestEnquireWear & care
Keeping it at its best
Warm water and a soft brush
Sapphire is hard and chemically stable. Mild soapy water and a soft brush will restore its brightness at home in a minute.
Ultrasonic, with one caveat
An ultrasonic bath is safe for heated and untreated sapphire, but never for fracture-filled stones. If you are unsure what you own, ask us first.
Take it off for heavy work
Hardness is not the same as toughness. A sharp knock on a claw or a girdle edge can still chip a stone that no acid would touch.
By appointment
See sapphire in daylight
Blue changes character under a shop lamp. Book an appointment and we will show you stones in natural light, side by side, and explain exactly what you are looking at.
