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    Is a Sapphire Ring More Affordable Than a Diamond Ring?

    sapphire ring vs diamond ring Price

    Are you getting engaged anytime soon?

    Or do you wish to buy a ring for any special occasion like a wedding?

    Engagement or wedding rings are major decisions that are taken for a lifetime. With the myriad of options available out there, it can sometimes become overwhelming to choose the right one. Diamond rings have been a very popular choice all over the world in the past. However, lately, rings made of other gemstones have also started gaining momentum amongst the millennials – especially when it comes to searching for the right engagement ring or wedding ring.

    People nowadays love sporting new kinds of gemstones for their engagement rings, including blue sapphire rings, ruby rings, emerald rings, amongst others. It’s therefore important to understand the difference between diamond rings or sapphire rings before you make that final call on your own engagement and wedding ring.

    While diamonds are the most popular choices when it comes to engagement or wedding rings, it has been observed that around 11 percent of brides still prefer other gemstones. Out of these, around 20 percent opt for sapphire stone rings. While it is a matter of personal choice, there are certain pros and cons of the diamond as well as sapphire rings that you should be aware of. Based on a wide range of factors, we will help you unravel some of the basic differences between a diamond ring and a blue sapphire ring for special occasions in life.

    4 important differences between a diamond and sapphire ring

    1. Hardness

      sapphire ring Hardness priceThe overall hardness rating of the gemstone is known to measure the resistance when scratched or hit by a hard surface. As engagement rings are supposed to be worn every day, the overall hardness or durability of the stone is a vital factor to consider.

      Both sapphire stone rings, as well as diamond rings, are known to take the heat when it comes to ensuring hardness. As per our experienced diamond experts at Ovadia Jewellery, the leading jewellery store in London’s Hatton Garden, diamonds are rated 10 out of 10 when it comes to measuring them on the famous Mohs gemstone hardness scale.

      At the same time, sapphires are rated 9 out of 10 on this given scale. Unless you aim at wearing the engagement ring daily, it is considered the best to go for the option of a stone that is mostly on the higher end of the Mohs hardness scale. This will ensure a longer lifespan of the ring.

    2. Cost

      When you are buying an engagement ring for yourself, the budget plays a vital role in determining the final decision. As it is quite easy to analyze, sapphire rings are indeed affordable compared with diamond rings. Both diamonds, as well as sapphires, are known to be available in a myriad of price options –depending on the overall design, size, shape, quality, cut, colour, and other factors. On average, as recommended by the jewellery experts at Ovadia Jewellery, a single-carat sapphire stone would cost less when compared with a single-carat diamond.

      In the range of sapphires, blue sapphire stones are the most expensive versions. This is because these are highly sought-after due to the overall aesthetics. In a similar manner, the more beautiful and purer the colour of the stone is, the pricier it will be. Just like all gemstones, sapphires are known to reduce the overall price upon declining in the overall quality or upon getting smaller or cloudier.

    3. Colour

      diamond ring costWhen it comes to buying the engagement rings, bright, shining diamonds are the most popular choices.

      However, most of the brides out there are not aware of the fact that diamonds are also available in a myriad of colour options. You can obtain diamond rings in any colour or shade available in the rainbow.

      When it comes to sapphires, even these gemstones feature a myriad of colour variations. With blue sapphire stones being the most popular ones, the leading gemstone experts at Ovadia Jewellery explain that sapphires are also available in variable shades like green, pink, yellow, violet, orange, purple, and multiple intermediate hues. Some of the sapphire stones are also known to exhibit the property of “colour change”, most likely transitioning from blue in the daylight to purple or fluorescent tones under dim light. Sapphires can also be black, grey, or brown in colour.

    4. Style

      As a bride, if you wish to make a style statement and stand out from the others, blue or white sapphire engagement rings are the best alternatives to the typical diamond rings. The icy-blue or dazzling white sapphire rings are eye-catching, especially when paired with platinum or white gold bands. If you are looking for an engagement ring that is different from the rest, sapphire rings are the best choice for you.

    Which ring to go for at Ovadia Jewellery?

    As far as the overall ring styles are concerned, the Halo and the Solitaire are the most common options with diamond engagement rings. As the style or design starts getting complex, the value of the ring also skyrockets significantly.

    At the same time, the expert jewellers at Ovadia Jewellery know that the cut of a sapphire stone is not as vital as that of a diamond cut. This is because it becomes harder to observe the inclusions of the sapphire stone with one’s naked eye. Sapphire stones can be cushion, oval, and round in shapes.

    One of the most sought-after options while going for a coloured engagement or wedding ring is the three-stone white sapphire ring. This ring, which is easy to spot at the Ovadia Jewellery shop, features a centre white or elegant blue sapphire that is flanked by two smaller diamond rings. Another famous choice that you can go with is the sapphire Halo diamond ring featuring diamonds that encircle the entire sapphire stone in the middle.

    While diamonds are timeless beauties, modern brides as well as millennials, are following new trends to select the vintage & elegant sapphire engagement and wedding rings. Whether you go for a timeless diamond ring or an elegant sapphire ring, our Ovadia team will be by your side to identify the most suitable engagement or wedding ring option for you.

    How to Find the Best Place to Buy Diamond Rings in London

    London is one of the world’s most prestigious fashion capitals with almost all major fashion labels having multiple outlets scattered in this great city. The same can be said when it comes to the profusion of jewellers within the city, with London hosting both international and local jewellery shops.

    It is no surprise when someone looking to buy diamonds in London gets hopelessly confused and overwhelmed by the abundance of choice. This is complicated by the fact that purchasing a diamond ring is considered a long-term investment that requires one to apply the most meticulous of approaches. In anticipation of the numbing mental fatigue that most diamond ring buyers will face while shopping in the city of London.

    Here are diamond ring buying tips on how to identify where to buy the best diamond rings:

    1. The 4Cs diamond grading system

      Diamond Grading System - Ovadia Jewellery

      This is the one thing you must certainly know before you even make your very first attempt to buy diamonds for rings. You will be able to definitively know why seemingly trivial aspects of particular diamonds result in comparatively large differences in price.

      The diamond grading system is rather straight forward as it is composed of 4 precise categories by which a diamond is graded.

      These categories are

      1. Carat

        This is the actual physical weight of a diamond where 1-carat weight is equivalent 0.2 grams. As with most things, the heavier a diamond is, the higher its price tends to be. Small diamonds can be less than 1 carat while a large one can reach up to 30 carats in weight.

      2. Colour

        A pure diamond is a colourless stone. The presence of impurities in the atomic structure of the diamond does, however, cause the transparent stone to acquire a tinge of colour. The more the yellow tinge a diamond has, the lower its price tends to be. The grade starts from D for colourless stones to Z for light yellow diamonds.

      3. Clarity

        As with colour, a pure diamond is transparent. The presence of impurities in the physical structure of the diamond does cause localized opaque spots within the stone. The grade starts with Fl for flawless stones that are completely transparent to me for diamonds within which visible impurities are included, i.e. present within the stone.

      4. Cut

        This refers to the placement of facets on a diamond’s surface, which gives it an identifiable geometric shape. The facets influence the ability of the diamond to reflect and refract light, which results in its overall sparkle. The more common diamond cuts have specific shapes such as Princess, Emerald, Oval, Pear, Marquise, Heart, Round, Cushion and so many others.

    2. Jeweller Certification

      Being able to check the certification of the jeweller from whom you want to buy London diamond rings is the second most important thing after mastering the 4 C grading system. There are several certifying bodies that are affiliated with the jewellery industry. These bodies are ranked below in order of their importance:

      1. GIA

        GIA-Buy Diamond Rings in LondonThe acronym stands for Gemological Institute of America which is the primary global certifying body and hence has jurisdiction even in the United Kingdom. The body enforces global standards by which diamonds are graded and is thus a major influence on price appraisal of diamonds the world over.

        A GIA certified jeweller will sell diamonds which have been certified by the body. These diamonds will have a unique GIA appraisal number laser etched on the stone’s surface at an out-of-the-way location. This number is associated with the diamond even in subsequent transfers of ownership.

      2. HRD

        The acronym stands for the Antwerp Diamond High Council in Dutch and is the European equivalent of the American GIA.  The body is also involved in the grading and certification of diamonds. However, the diamonds that the HRD certifies are of a notably lower value than those certified by the GIA.

      3. RJC

        The acronym stands for Responsible Jewelry Council, which is a body responsible for ensuring jewellers adhere to set codes of practice. The RJC ascertains that diamonds from regions of conflict do not make their way into the hands of buyers. The body also ensures the labour rights of diamond miners are protected and that the mining companies adhere to regulations about environmental protection.

    3. Additional benefits

      Buy Diamond Rings In London - Ovadia JewelleryFinally, if you are looking for the best place to buy diamond rings in the UK and more particularly in London, seek out a jeweller offering extras to their customers. These extras can include insurance and financial packages. You can end up benefiting from flexible purchasing plans which help distribute the financial burden of purchasing the best value diamond over several months. The insurance option would be invaluable in the advent of loss or theft of the diamond. Some diamond jewellery shops offer promotional services such as custom bespoke jewellery where the customer participates in the design and creation of the engagement rings they want, they are offered free sizing, complimentary engraving, and fast order service.

      Follow these tips and you should be able to narrow down your favourite London diamond jewellers and if you happen to come to Hatton Garden, pay Ovadia Jewellery a visit to receive a free diamond ring consultation from our jewellery experts.