But semiprecious has been banned from the jewelry lexicon. The value of any stone is based on its availability and quality. Color, says the ICGA, is the key factor in determining value. A common misperception is thinking that darker is better. In the bride's colored gemstone hit parade, sapphires are the first choice after diamonds, followed by ruby and emerald.
Sapphires have a royal legacy as engagement ring choices.
Most notably, Princess Diana received a gorgeous sapphire surrounded by diamonds from Prince Charles. Sapphires are the closest stone to diamonds in measure of hardness, and their mythology is pure romance. In ancient Persia, it was believed that the reflection of sapphires gave the heavens its blue color, and some of earliest jewelry found anywhere, dating to around 2500 B.C., featured sapphires. Using the 4 C's as a guide, remember that better color, clarity and cuts cost more and so do bigger carats. Many contemporary jewelry designers have joined Hardy in the creation of colored gemstone engagement rings.