A Pink Sapphire’s “cut” is not only its shape, but also to how prettily the gem is faceted. Sapphire is cut to enhance its color, which makes analyzing its cut different than analyzing a diamond, which is cut for sparkle. In other words, Sapphire is not judged by its angles and proportions. Instead, gemologists analyze Sapphire cut by how pretty its shape is, how symmetrical its facets are, if it flashes light and dark in a pleasing way, and if it loses light in the center at all. Here’s a brief chart on things to look for in a great Sapphire cut:

Color is the most important factor when choosing a gemstone, like Sapphire. Pink Sapphire can be hot pink, pastel pink, and anything in-between! It can also be purplish-Pink or orangey-Pink. The most valuable Pink Sapphire is vivid, hot Pink. However, many of our couples like the idea of a lighter tone for an engagement ring, as it is more traditionally “bridal” looking. It just depends on what you want!

Your Pink Sapphire’s “color” is described in terms of hue (pink, purplish-Pink or orangey-Pink), tone (how light or dark the color is) and saturation (how vivid or brownish the stone is). Your gem’s quality is also affected by how consistent the color is. As you can imagine, having a vivid pink gem with a pale pink corner will detract from its beauty. Likewise, having a soft pastel stone with a vivid orange streak would be distracting.

The chart below gives some guidance on judging Sapphire Color:

Sapphires naturally contain a few birthmarks, called “inclusions.” However, they are also regularly “eye clean.” This means that although a stone may have some inclusions under magnification, you cannot see them with your naked eye. So, when looking for an engagement ring, we suggest that couples only consider Eye Clean gems (or possibly Slightly Included stones, if the slight inclusion is barely noticeable). Here is some guidance on how to choose the right clarity for you: