http://pristinegemstonejewellery.com Recent blog posts from my shop. en-US Sapphire Engagement Rings provide couples with endless combinations of colors, shapes and designs to uniquely symbolize their love. Whether it is an oval peach sapphire in a rose gold vintage mount, a blue sapphire in a classic three stone ring, a teal sapphire in halo ring, or a white sapphire in a solitaire rose gold ring, couples have the ability to express the uniqueness of their relationships because natural sapphires are available in an endless array of colors, shapes and sizes. Look at these beautiful colors and combinations!







Not only are sapphire engagement rings beautiful and unique, but they are also an ethical alternative to the traditional diamond engagement ring. Also, as an added benefit for the cost conscious, a sapphire of the same carat size will cost about a fraction of the price of a similar diamond. Finally, sapphires are a 9 in hardness on the Mohs Scale and ideal for a fine piece of jewelry meant to be worn daily for a lifetime.



Really, why would you want anything else?
Before selecting a sapphire for an engagement ring, there are some basic things that customers should consider, such as sapphire treatments. We are often asked about heat treatment. If you would like to know more about what to expect in regards to heat treatment in sapphires, please visit the blog on heat treatment in sapphires.
Another important consideration is the quality of the cut, as it can impact brilliance dramatically. To get a quick overview of the importance of precision cut gemstones, please click here.
One final valuable source of information on sapphires is the Gemological Institute of America’s sapphire buyer’s guide
We, Rogerio and Andrea, are a husband and wife team at Pristine Gemstone Jewelry. We are very knowledgeable when it comes to sapphires. Rogerio has been a wholesale supplier to jewelers and a professional gem cutter since 1992! Wed, 25 Mar 2020 20:46:45 -0400 https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/805129433685/sapphire-engagement-ring-inspiration https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/805129433685/sapphire-engagement-ring-inspiration?pub=1585183605 Blue green sapphires have gained tremendous attention recently in the engagement ring industry. And it is no wonder! Take a look at these beautiful hues!







Of course, there are quite a range of hues and tones available as well as terms to describe the various blue greens; from peacock to teal, to blue green, and then there are parti sapphires, which display two or more separate colors. The best advice that we can give you for choosing your favorite shade is to judge with your eyes! 😍😍😍😍😍. Visit our blue green sapphire collection here.



One thing that we can say for certain, is that by creating an engagement ring with a blue green sapphire as the centerpiece, you are sure to have not only a beautiful engagement ring, but one that is also truly one of a kind! Think about the various combinations of gold colors with the wide range of blue greens! Your possibilities are almost endless.





As is the case with all sapphires (the mineral species corundums), blue-green sapphires get their special hue from trace elements. Pure corundum is colorless, but when it contains trace elements, depending on the elements, it will display colors such as blue, orange, pink, or yellow, etc. Sometimes corundum will have a secondary color, such as a blue sapphire having a secondary green color. If the green accounts for more than 15 percent the color, the stone is then considered “blue-green.”
We at Pristine Gemstone Jewelry offer many natural blue-green sapphires of various sizes, shapes and hues! All precision cut by Rogerio Graca. Please visit our blue green sapphire collection here. Also, feel free to contact us for more details, or to design an engagement ring made especially for you!
~ Andrea & Rogerio Wed, 25 Mar 2020 20:41:43 -0400 https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/805125355709/blue-green-sapphires-for-sapphire https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/805125355709/blue-green-sapphires-for-sapphire?pub=1585183303 Before you buy: Important information on gemstone cut
When shopping for gemstone jewelry, the difference between precision cut gemstones and many native cut gemstones is not something about which most people are aware. However, when comparing a native cut gemstone with a precision cut gemstone, the difference can be very noticeable.


Before – native cut sapphire. After – the same sapphire precision cut by Rogerio.
My name is Rogerio Graca. I am a professional gem cutter/lapidary and founder of Pristine Gemstones since 1991. Having been a gem cutter and a wholesale supplier of colored stones for over 28 years, I feel it is important to educate people about the “cut” in gemstones.


Main photo – sapphire precision cut by Rogerio. Inset photo – native cut prior to being precision cut by Rogerio. Click onto the photo for a closer look
I work exclusively with a precision cut machine when cutting my stones. The main visible difference between precision cut gemstones and native cut gemstones (stones cut in their native countries using traditional equipment) is the extra brilliance and appeal only seen in precision cut gemstones. Precision cut gemstones are cut at their correct refractive index using a digital precision cut machine, whereas many native cut gemstones are cut using rudimentary equipment that cannot accurately cut a gemstone at its correct refractive index. Note: Refractive index is the angle in the very bottom of the gemstone that corrects the bend of the light when it enters the gemstone. The correct refractive index of a gemstone allows light to be reflected back 100% and exit fully from the top of the gemstone (table) hence contributing to the highest possible brilliance.
Many native cut stones look dull and sometimes lifeless since they only partially reflect light. Usually these gemstones are cut very deep in order to retain weight, which also adds to the price of a gemstone without adding value (gemstones are sold by carat weight). Wed, 25 Mar 2020 20:38:42 -0400 https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/805123012829/the-importance-of-a-precision-cut https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/805123012829/the-importance-of-a-precision-cut?pub=1585183122 I can’t think of any other gemstone available in as many different colors as tourmalines. Not mention the popular bi-color or watermelon tourmaline, which can present up to three different colors in one single crystal or gemstone (usually pink, white and green).
Please visit our Gemstone Collection to view our tourmalines as well as other popular loose gemstones
Tourmaline is a boron silicate mineral compounded with aluminum, iron, magnesium and a few other elements. Its name comes from a Sinhalese word which means a “stone of mixed colors”.
If you like a variety of colors or an unusual color in gemstones, tourmalines are good candidates for offering a wide range of colors. In fact, there are many varieties of tourmalines based on their color:
– Pink is one of the most popular colors among the tourmalines. Pink tourmalines are quite affordable when compared to pink sapphires and pink spinels making them a great option for a pink gemstone. Pink tourmaline comes in many different shades from very pale pink to purplish pink, but the hot pink tourmaline is one of the most sought after color.
– Green is the most common color among the tourmalines, and it is available in the widest range of shades. Green is also the most affordable of all the tourmaline colors.
– Rubelite is usually red but the presence of a secondary color is very common. This is one of the few varieties of the tourmaline in which radiation may have been used to improve its color. The treatment is safe and stable. Rubelites are usually more expensive than green tourmalines.
– Indicolite tourmaline, as the name implies, are blue although a secondary green color is usually present to a certain degree. Indicolites can present another secondary color such as grey, which is detrimental to the value of the indicolite. The pure blue indicolite commands the highest price. Indicolite are not as common as the greenish blue colors of many tourmalines. Wed, 25 Mar 2020 20:35:57 -0400 https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/805120843197/tourmaline-the-gemstone-of-many-colours https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/805120843197/tourmaline-the-gemstone-of-many-colours?pub=1585182957 Ceylon blue sapphire engagement ring. Very similar to the ring worn by Kate Middleton and Princess Diana.
Sapphires are beautiful, durable, natural gemstones that come in many brilliant colors making the sapphire for engagement rings and other fine jewelry an ideal choice as a center piece.
Please visit our Sapphire Engagement Ring Collection for inspiration or visit our loose sapphire collection!
Sapphire Color Choices
Sapphire is a variety of corundum made of aluminum oxide. Although the blue sapphire is the most popular corundum variety, colors such as peach, yellow, orange, green, pink and a mix of these colors are also found naturally. The peach sapphire for engagement rings has become the number one choice in recent years. Sapphires even come in red, which is a category on its own, the ruby. There are a number of treatments that have been developed and used to improve the various colors of sapphires, which are discussed below.
“Fancy sapphire” is a general term applied to any sapphire other than blue sapphire or ruby.


Radiant Cut Light Yellow Sapphire for Engagement Rings Makes a nice alternative to yellow diamonds
Small traces of minerals or impurities, also called “color centers” are responsible for the different colors in sapphires. For instance, chromium is the mineral in corundum which contributes to the red color in ruby and iron gives the blue color in corundum known as blue sapphire.


Peach Sapphire or Padparadscha Color Sapphire for Engagement Rings have become very popular in recent years.
A white or colorless sapphire for engagement rings has become the alternative choice to diamonds, and color change sapphire has become the economical alternative to alexandrite (considered one of the most expensive gemstones in the world). White sapphire is the only variety of corundum that is considered pure or free of impurities hence its colorlessness. Color change sapphire is perhaps one of the most interesting of corundrums due to the color change un Wed, 25 Mar 2020 20:32:48 -0400 https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/805118312451/sapphire-for-engagement-rings-and-other https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/805118312451/sapphire-for-engagement-rings-and-other?pub=1585182768 Peach Sapphire Engagement Rings and Padparadscha Sapphire Engagement Rings
Peach sapphire engagement rings have become very popular over the past few years. And no wonder! The warm tone of a peach sapphire is beautiful and feminine, and something worn easily every day.
To view our sapphire engagement rings, just click here.
Visit our Engagement Ring Collection for ready to ship peach sapphire engagement rings. We also have a selection of loose peach sapphires precision cut by Rogerio ready for your design ideas! Just visit our Sapphire Collection.
To learn more about this trend, keep reading!
“Peach” is not an official gemological color term for sapphires. Peach is actually a combination of pink and orange, and even sometimes a bit of yellow. However, for ease of understanding, the term peach or peach champagne has become a popularly used term to describe such a sapphire.
Often what people are looking for in a peach sapphire engagement ring is the morganite color (light pink/peach, or light pink). Morganites are a beautiful and inexpensive stone. However, morganites fall short when compared to the qualities of an orange/pink or peach sapphire.
Most morganites have been irradiated to get their color, as they are in fact often an almost white beryl. Irradiation is not a stable treatment in morganites and can fade over time due to exposure to natural daylight. Therefore, a morganite could return to its natural color after regular wear for only a few months. Another important fact to note is that morganites are 7.5-8 in hardness on the Mohs scale as opposed to sapphires which are 9 in hardness. This difference may not seem that dramatic, but keep in mind that the Mohs scale is not a linear scale but a relative scale, which means that sapphires are substantially harder than morganite. Please visit our blog Morganite Engagement Rings and Alternatives for more information.
Shop Our Engagement Rings > Wed, 25 Mar 2020 20:25:44 -0400 https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/782074507304/peach-sapphire-engagement-rings https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/782074507304/peach-sapphire-engagement-rings?pub=1585182344 Non Heat Treated Sapphires
It is rare to find a sapphire that has not received basic heat treatment. Approximately 95% of sapphires on the market have received basic heat treatment. Heat treatment is a common, stable, well accepted practice. It is basically an extension of the natural formation of gemstones; heat and pressure and it only causes subtle improvements in color and clarity, if at all.



It is such a common practice that it is the only treatment of sapphires that is not required to be disclosed in the industry, as it is just assumed heat treatment is present. All other known treatments must be disclosed. You will often notice in appraisals and gem certificates that heat treatment is mentioned ONLY if it is not present.



Heat treatment is very difficult to confirm even by a trained gemologist. Non-heated sapphires command a premium in price, therefore, it is important to confirm any such claims. The only way to be absolutely certain about whether or not a sapphire has received heat treatment is by testing and certification by the main GIA (Gemological Institute of America), AGL (American Gemological Laboratory), or GRS (Gem Research Swiss)labs. They are the only labs in the world of which we are aware that have the equipment for such testing. This also makes testing cost prohibitive for many of the lower-priced sapphires. Basically, if claims are made about a non heat treated sapphires, there is only one way to be sure, and that is certification from the MAIN GRS,GIA, or AGL aboratories. Otherwise, you can assume heat treatment has occurred.
For more information on sapphires, please visit the Gemological Institute of America section on Sapphires
You can shop our Sapphire Collection here!
We have also written a blog on sapphires, which can be found on this website or by clicking onto this: Sapphires for Engagement Rings and Other Jewelry
If you want to visit our other online locations, you can find us on Etsy as PristineGemstones Wed, 25 Mar 2020 20:18:39 -0400 https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/805107225487/non-heat-treated-sapphires-by-pristine https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/805107225487/non-heat-treated-sapphires-by-pristine?pub=1585181919 Considerations about Morganite Engagement Rings
Morganite Engagement Rings have become very popular due to the lovely soft pink or peach shades of the gemstone. As a gem cutter having worked with gemstones for 25 years, morganite would not be my first recommendation as a pale pink or peach gemstone to be used for an engagement ring. Morganites are not ideal for daily wear. They are approx. 7.5 on the Mohs Scale, and there are more durable colored stones better suited to daily wear. Also, morganite is often irradiated to get its color, and radiation in morganites is not a stable treatment; therefore it can fade over time from exposure to natural sunlight. There are other gemstones that come in similar shades of pink and peach, which are harder (more resistant to scratching) than morganite and that have not been irradiated.



Sapphires are a 9 in hardness on the Mohs scale and the most durable colored gemstone available. Spinels are an 8 in hardness and tourmalines are 7 in hardness. Spinels are one of the few gemstone types that do not receive any type of treatment or enhancement and they have a higher refractive index (more potential for brilliance) than morganite. Tourmalines also come in many lovely shades of pink, and in the paler shades cost about the same as morganite. Sapphires and Tourmalines typically receive heat treatment, which is basically an extension of the natural formation of gemstones (heat & pressure), and the treatment is well accepted and 100% stable.
Sapphires or spinels as center stones for engagement rings would be my recommendation as alternatives to morganite engagement rings due to their relative hardness, refractive index, and colors in which they are available. Please keep in mind that morganites are relatively inexpensive, so these alternatives that I suggest will come at a higher price point. Wed, 25 Mar 2020 20:16:19 -0400 https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/782067727126/morganite-engagement-rings-and https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/782067727126/morganite-engagement-rings-and?pub=1585181779 So, you have decided to make a custom piece of jewelry with Pristine Gemstone Jewelry. We are grateful for your business and your confidence in us!
To help answer some of the questions that may be going through your mind, we have prepared this blog that outlines the steps involved from completion of your order to receipt it at your door. Note that we have also provided estimates on the amount of time each step usually takes. The process generally takes 3 weeks from confirmation of design, plus a week for the appraisal (optional), and shipping is an additional amount of time depending on where you live.
Step One: Gather details to help bring your idea to life
We will be asking you for the following information:
Ring size (recent measurement please)
When are you hoping to have your piece?(note: fine jewelry cannot be rushed, however, we do our best to keep all of our orders moving along steadily and to help you reach a planned date if you have one). Although we do our best, due to the nature of making custom fine jewelry, we cannot guarantee a specific date of completion.
Stone type, color, clarity, cut, carat weight (diamond carat equivalent is fine) or millimeter size.
As many details as you can give us regarding the design of the piece you want – be as specific as possible. Send along photos or sketches if you have them.
An idea of your budget –there are many factors that impact price on a piece of jewelry.If we have a rough idea of your budget, we can narrow down some of the options.
Step Two: Center stone selection (time estimate: 2-3 days)
At this point, we will know what you want to create, so we will start work helping you to choose your center stone. We will go through our inventory, select some candidates and send photos, maybe a video, specifications, etc. Wed, 25 Mar 2020 20:14:16 -0400 https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/805103801551/pristine-gemstone-jewelry-custom-orders https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/805103801551/pristine-gemstone-jewelry-custom-orders?pub=1585181656 Although many people have never heard about spinels, when they see a fine spinel, it is love at first sight!
The Many Attributes of Spinels
Spinels come in many different colors but the red spinel is the rarest and most expensive of all. Spinels are also found in blue, purple, gray, orange, brown, pink, and even an inky green.
Red spinels have been mistaken for rubies for centuries. Some of the most famous large rubies, such as the "Black Prince's Ruby" and the "Timur Ruby" in the British Crown Jewels are actually spinels, and not ruby as thought to be at the turn of the century.
Spinels are very affordable compared to rubies and other precious colored gemstones. Spinels are 8 in hardness on the Mohs scale, which makes them a very durable gemstone for daily wear. They also have a high refractive index, which contributes to their high brilliance. For all of these attributes, spinels are one of the most beautiful, durable and affordable gemstones.
It is my belief that as awareness of spinels grows, and as they come out from under the shadow of rubies, their prices could very well soar. They have so many positive attributes. They are rare, durable, beautiful, and they are one of the very few gemstones that do not typically undergo any type of treatment.
Gemstone dealers and collectors are quite aware of spinels as an investment gemstone. Indeed for a relatively rare gemstone with so many wonderful qualities they still sell at a discounted price.
Origins of the Spinel
Fine grade spinels come mainly from Sri Lanka, particularly in Ratnapura, and from Mogok, Myanmar (Burma).
There are some new discoveries of spinel deposits in the Tunduru region of Tanzania in East Africa presenting some beautiful teal blue color. Tanzania has also produced some rare neon pink spinel considered by many as one of the most beautiful spinel colors to be found.
There are other sources of spinels in places such as Thailand, Brazil, Madagascar, Australia and so on Wed, 25 Mar 2020 20:11:06 -0400 https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/782064083718/spinels-take-a-closer-look https://pristinegemstonejewellery.com/post/782064083718/spinels-take-a-closer-look?pub=1585181466