With an amazing increased interest in yellow diamonds and an absolutely unprecedented uplift in the cost of diamonds over the last two years…I have noticed that my clients have become really open to yellow sapphires…the colour suits many skin tones…brunettes, redheads….and on a practical note my clients feel they can wear a yellow stone everyday with different fashion seasons and colours of clothing….
Sassalina design - yellow sapphire and white diamond ring
Last year alone I made three French lemon sapphire rings…we use the description ‘French lemon’ in a way to refer to the softer more natural colour of the genre. Many stones are prized when they are quite a strong intense yellow…really to be close to the colour of a vivid canary yellow diamond, however my clients and I, so far, all favour the softer, more natural colour. On my website and used as my avatar for Twitter is a gorgeous solitaire-cut, natural yellow sapphire (which came with a lab report to say there was no evidence of heating). There is also another 15ct stone with diamond surround, which is an amazing piece. For the most recent ring, about to be photographed, we used a soft champagne coloured diamond to complement the colour. Using combinations of colours is my greatest pleasure as this is really the creative part of what I do.
What is interesting about the yellow sapphire is that until the 19th century it was called an ‘oriental topaz’ and the green sapphire was known as ‘oriental peridot’. However, what is an incredible fact is that many sapphires that appear green actually consist of very fine alternating bands of blue and yellow sapphire, which can be visible under a microscope. The world of gems under a microscope is fascinating and I know is where I start to take on the white lab coated, beardy personality, however I would just love a few readers to become interested in what opportunity there is to learn from what became trapped or was alongside these natural stones when they were being formed millions/billions of years ago.
Finally, white sapphires….or the colourless variety….are relatively rare as it is corundum without any impurities (or metal oxides) such as iron and titanium for blue, vanadium for violet, small amount of iron for yellow and green, chromium for pink and iron and vanadium for orange. As sapphires are hard stones they have a good lustre…something I will explain in another blog…but are basically sparkly….they are often for their own beauty..or to simulate diamonds….in order to make jewellery at a more affordable price.
JADA Fine Jewellery - white sapphire bangle
Jada Fine Jewelleryoften uses diamonds in the beautiful designs, however designer, Ceyda, recently showed me a bangle, which is being launched at Paris Vendome Luxury show, that has a single gorgeous white sapphire as its main gem….
Often sapphires have different areas of different colour in the stone and the way the cutter chooses to orient the stone dictates the colour you see….. a tale for my next blog….
Sassalina 