The Sapphire Guide

Three concrete arguments, none of them symbolic.

Durability. Hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale, excellent toughness, no cleavage planes. Only diamond performs better — yet diamond has cleavage planes that corundum does not. A sapphire ring can be worn for thirty years without particular precautions.

Uniqueness. Two diamonds with the same 4Cs are interchangeable; two sapphires of the same weight and origin never look quite alike. No grading scale standardises a sapphire’s colour, which is a disadvantage when buying and an advantage when wearing it.

Dimensions. With a comparable budget, sapphire often makes it possible to consider a more generous centre stone. The difference depends greatly on the quality, weight and treatment of the two stones being compared — it is not automatic, but it is common.

Sapphire comes in every colour except red — which then bears another name. We offer ten families, from classic blue to bi-colour. Three reference points are enough to avoid mistakes.

For details on each family — thirty real stones, their shade codes and the corresponding ring —, our complete sapphire colour chart takes over from this guide.

Shape determines the ring’s overall look; millimetres, its true presence. Carat weight, on the other hand, says almost nothing — corundum is denser than diamond, so at equal weight it appears smaller.

A few measurements taken from our stock rather than a theoretical table: a round of approximately 1 ct measures 5.6 to 6.7 mm in diameter; an 1.5 ct oval, from 6.7 × 5.1 to 8.4 × 6.6 mm; a 2 ct cushion, from 6.6 × 5.6 to 8.1 × 6.5 mm. The variation within the same weight comes from cutting depth — many stones are cut deep to retain carat weight.

One question takes precedence over all others: do you prefer a discreet, spectacular or decidedly graphic ring? Here are the three families we most often design around a sapphire.

The most sought-after

The floral

Marquise diamonds as petals around the colour. It enlarges the stone without enclosing it — and requires exacting matching.

1.01 ct · €4,800

 

The most balanced

The flanked

Diamonds on either side broaden the visual presence of the stone. Particularly well suited to elongated cuts.

2.17 ct · €8,880

 

The most graphic

Art Deco

Aligned baguettes and a bezel setting: the stone is framed and the edges protected. Reserved for step cuts.

1.65 ct · €4,680

 

Available creations, prices noted in September 2026.

Two other designs recur frequently. The solitaire, one stone and a band, the most timeless setting — the one that leaves all the space to colour. And the daisy surround, a halo of diamonds that visually enlarges the stone and intensifies its colour through contrast: the most spectacular, and the one that requires a notched wedding band.

A point rarely mentioned in boutiques: white gold is rhodium-plated. Rhodium is a surface layer that wears away in two to three years — when the ring turns yellowish grey, it is not the stone that has dulled, but the metal reappearing. Platinum settles the question permanently: more expensive to buy, worry-free for life.

The setting accounts for 1 250 € for a simple design at 10 000 € and more for substantial pavé or calibrated-stone work. The remainder is the stone — and that is where the trade-off lies.

Our consistent advice: colour before weight. An unheated 1.5 ct teal sapphire with a vivid blue-green hue makes a far more beautiful ring than an unremarkable 2 ct blue. The figures, colour by colour, can be found in our sapphire price guide, based on 262 stones from our stock.

The three great coloured gemstones, placed side by side without complacency.

Ruby and sapphire are the same mineral — corundum — and sometimes come from the same deposit. Only the concentration of chromium separates them, and the tipping point is debated among laboratories. Everything said here about sapphire’s durability therefore applies word for word to a ruby engagement ring.

The difference lies elsewhere: ruby is the rarest of the great gemstones above two carats, which explains the difference in starting price. As for an emerald engagement ring, it starts at a lower price but imposes a constraint the other two do not — a setting that protects the stone’s edges.

A stone almost never gets dirty: it is the underside of the setting that becomes clogged, and this is where the loss of brilliance attributed to the gemstone comes from.

Once a month, warm water, mild soap, a soft brush — paying particular attention beneath the setting and between the prongs. Rinse with clean water and dry on a lint-free cloth. Plug the sink before you begin.

Remove the ring for sport, gardening, household cleaning and swimming. The main risk is not scratching — at 9 on the Mohs scale, nothing commonly encountered can scratch a sapphire — but impact on a prong, which can loosen the setting without any visible sign.

Have the setting checked every two years, or after a significant impact. It is the only truly essential intervention, and it is offered for life on our creations.