White Sapphire: The Rarest
Sapphires, like rubies, are a gemstone subcategory of the material mineral known scientifically as corundum-- a very hard, tough and stable mineral.
Corundum is formed by the crystallization of aluminum oxide.
During its formation, corundum usually contains traces of metals such as titanium, vanadium, chromium and iron. These traces of various minerals in the environment during the formation of sapphires are actually what gives corundum its different color as a gemstone.
Corundum is inherently hard and tough. In fact, among minerals, corundum is second only diamonds in terms of hardness and durability. Check our article on the Moh’s scale for further details if you like but be assured that sapphires and white sapphires are tough enough to stand up to daily wear in jewelry!
Not all corundum are precious stones.
However, there are 2 precious gem varieties of corundum and no doubt you’ve heard of both ?
All red corundum are rubies and all other varieties are considered sapphires.
Rubies are known for their red hue, ranging from light pink to dark crimson.
Sapphires, on the other hand, have more diverse color variations.
The most common color associated with sapphires is blue.
However, available sapphire colors also range from the highly prized orange-pink padparadscha, the valuable pink and green variants and the less prized yellows.
But perhaps, the rarest-- and in our humble opinion, often underrated-- variant of sapphires is the pure white sapphire.
White sapphires are formed when the crystallization of aluminum oxide occurs with the total absence of any trace elements. Do you know how rare that is in nature? There’s always a dead fly in that sweet drink if you leave it open to the elements long enough. In the same way, most conrundum formed in crystals takes on colors from polluting elements.
Not so white sapphire.
It is pure, untouched and unspoiled.
The resulting crystal we call white sapphires are colorless with a slightly milky or cloudy characteristic.
It does not sparkle as brightly as diamonds or diamond simulants such as cubic zirconia, but is, nevertheless, brilliant in its own right.
Although, white sapphires are not valued in jewelry-loving circles as highly as their padparadscha or even their pink sapphire cousins, the rarity of white sapphires is undeniable.
And when set with your choice of precious metal: .925 Sterling Silver; 10K, 14K, 18K White, Yellow or Rose Gold; 950 Palladium; or; pure 950 Platinum, white sapphire jewelry from WhiteSappgire.com can become actual precious treasures that can make any marriage proposal truly special, any occasion graced by this gift really memorable, and we feel these products are worthy to be passed on from generation to generation as a family heirloom.
Whether you're shopping for white sapphire rings, white sapphire earrings, white sapphire pendants or even a custom, design-your-own other custom jewelry piece, WhiteSapphire.com will be your best choice for genuine white sapphires and white sapphire jewelry you'll be surely proud to wear or bestow as a gift to your precious one.
And in addition to genuine white sapphires, we offer some of the best lab-created white sapphire stones available too (surely the best beauty-and-durability-for-dollar value among the options available to consumers today).
- Teather Sanders