Pink sapphire jewelry is making waves
When Princess Eugenie of Great Britain unveiled her rose-orange padparadscha engagement ring in early 2018, neither she nor her then-fiancé, Jack Brooksbank (who confessed to choosing the oval gem), could have anticipated today's craze for pink sapphires . Fashion has been enamored with pink for several years now. In politics, for example, the hat worn at the 2017 Women's March, which now hangs in the Smithsonian. And in diamond jewelry, like the 10-carat pink diamond that rapper Lil Uzi Vert had implanted in his forehead, then removed, earlier this year.
Why pink sapphire is so appealing
The beauty of pink sapphire stems from its exceptional hardness . " Only diamond surpasses it in hardness, " stated Joanna Hardy, author of " Sapphire: A Celebration of Color ," published this fall. The stone's luster is also remarkable, allowing for crisp facets that enhance the sapphire's vibrant color.
Selim Mouzannar , the Beirut jeweler who created a one-of-a-kind white gold cuff bracelet set with pink sapphires and tsavorites, describes the pink sapphire as " soft, silky and bright pink ".
" When the pink sapphire crystal reflects light, your eyes behold something special, " he said. Furthermore, the sapphire's color changes depending on the angle.
This is why Siobhan Bell, 32, an international DJ and producer based in Los Angeles, has said she hopes a pink sapphire will one day be the centerpiece of her engagement ring . After all, pink is her favorite color. According to her, " sapphires are more exclusive " than diamonds.
Madagascar, the new sapphire Eldorado
Ms. Hardy wrote in her book that most pink sapphires come from the islands of Sri Lanka and Madagascar. Sri Lanka's history with the gemstone (including the famous Ceylon blue variety) stretches back thousands of years. Its sources include the Bibile mines in the central eastern region of the island, the Elahera gem deposit in central Sri Lanka, and the Pelmadulla mine in the southwest, where padparadscha sapphires are found. As a side note, padparadscha comes from the Sanskrit word for lotus flower , whose petals share the same pink and orange hues as the stone.
Madagascar only became a significant source of sapphire in 1998, when the gem was discovered in the town of Ilakaka. Now, " you can find every color under the Malagasy sun ," said Ms. Hardy, noting that the stones from the two countries are actually of similar composition " because millions and millions of years ago, Madagascar and Sri Lanka were neighbors. "
As for prices, " when it comes to large sizes, the price is based on many parameters: clarity, luster, size, shape, color, " Mouzannar wrote in an email, adding that sapphires that have not been heated (to bring out their colors) are more valuable than heated stones.
Price of pink sapphire compared to diamond
Based on smaller gemstones under one carat, a pink sapphire is 60 to 75 percent cheaper than a diamond , he said. And “ when you go for a larger size, the difference will be even greater and can reach 90 percent ,” Mouzannar wrote. A 2-carat diamond costs about $15,000, compared to $1,000 for a 2-carat pink sapphire .
However, pink sapphires can be more expensive than emeralds and semi-precious stones. For example, the jeweler JupiterGem offers a 1.11-carat unheated padparadscha sapphire for $2,822, a 1.22-carat unheated pink sapphire for $2,393, a one-carat natural emerald for $2,173, and a 1.32-carat natural aquamarine, a semi-precious stone, for $495.
For Christmas 2022, pink is omnipresent among jewelry
There's a Boghossian necklace in 18-karat rose gold for $13,300 with an ice cube pendant made of pink sapphires. There are also Alison Lou's pink sapphire heart-shaped earrings set with enamel, Anita Ko's pink sapphire ring in rose gold that wraps around a pinky finger, and Sydney Evan's pink sapphire beaded bracelet.
Even this year's high jewelry collections include pink sapphires. Take Dior Joaillerie's Dior Rose collection, where the precious stones sparkle at the center of some of its diamond roses. Or Van Cleef & Arpels, which has adorned its Between the Finger rings with a 27.57-carat cushion-cut pink sapphire from its Sous les Étoiles collection.
And large stones are appearing. For example, the 23.89-carat cushion-cut pink sapphire at the center of Moussaieff's jeweled white gold pendant, which went on sale last month. Alisa Moussaieff, the house's president and owner, bought the stone from a Hong Kong dealer five years ago. She waited until now to use it because, as she said, " people are asking for pink ."
The meaning of pink sapphire
However, women have different perspectives regarding the meaning of pink sapphires. " For me, pink sapphire represents pink and love, " said Ms. Bell, the DJ. " I just think it's a time right now when everyone is trying to be positive and think about love. "
For Maddison May Modupe-Ojo, 27, the pink hue reminds her of " the feminist movements that are developing in all areas. "
Making jewelry with pink sapphires is more complicated than it looks, said independent jewelry designer Suzanne Kalan, 63, based in Los Angeles, who has been using the gemstone since 2009.
“ We need to make sure we’re using the right shades, or if we want different shades on a ring, that we have them all. Usually, it’s two or three different shades, ” she said. And Ms. Kalan uses rose gold or yellow gold, rather than white, because “ those two colors make the rose stand out better .”
Blue or green sapphire, the next trend?
This season, for example, she used pear-shaped pink sapphires for unique 18-karat rose gold earrings with baguette-cut diamonds. " These stones are brilliant, full of life, and a beautiful color—not too pale, not too dark, like red ," said Ms. Kalan.
While designers generally agree that pink sapphires will continue to be popular, several see other colors threatening pink's dominance .
Ms. Kalan predicts that light blue will be the next trendy sapphire color because " it's atypical ." However, she added that this trend won't be as dominant as pink. Mr. Mouzannar stated that green sapphires could break through because, in his opinion, clients are looking for originality.
Alicja Wooles, managing director of Holts Gems in Hatton Garden, London, echoed this sentiment. She stated that her clients have been requesting teal sapphires —stones with an unusual blend of blue and green. Why? Because, she explained, " people want to stand out ."
