White Sapphires, an introduction to this amazing gemstone

White sapphires have been increasing in popularity year after year as an affordable alternative to diamond while keeping with the engagement ring tradition of a colorless center stone. White sapphires are actually colorless sapphires, the purest form of corundum (the mineral species name for sapphire). Sapphire's chemical composition is aluminum and oxygen; when trace elements - chemical impurities - are introduced into the crystal structure in certain quantities, they affect how light is absorbed and transmitted and that causes us to see the stones as blue or yellow or green or a myriad of hues. It is only when the crystal is free of these chemical impurities that it can be colorless. A pure form of corundum. Rarely in nature do things attain perfection or come in their purest forms and that's true of white sapphires; it's very difficult to find white sapphires in larger sizes and clean enough to be faceted into gemstones. Not to mention, many very light tone sapphires have tinges of other hues from very small amounts of trace elements, like very light blue or yellow tints of colors. When looking for a white sapphire, the more valuable stones will be as close to colorless as possible. With most sapphires, the hue of the stone can help mask internal inclusions and make them more difficult to see, particularly when the hue is darker. Since white sapphires don't have this inherent ability to hide clarity characteristics, the clarity of the stone is an important value factor. Many white sapphires are heat treated to remove the tinges of other hues and to improve clarity when a crystal has some natural inclusions in it as well. These heated white sapphires are more common than their rare natural counterparts, so as with all other sapphires, the natural untreated varieties of white sapphires will command higher prices. Because of their popularity as an alternative to diamonds in engagement rings, shapes like the traditional round brilliant or a more modern square cushion cut are really popular. We offer many of these in different sizes, though we also have a really great selection of more unique cuts. Emerald cuts are a great way to show off the white sapphire's transparency and unique facet arrangements, while radiant cuts combine the sleek lines of the emerald cuts with some sparkle and life offered by brilliant cut facets. If you're looking for a more traditional engagement ring or if you're drawn to the subtle beauty of a clear, pure sapphire, then white sapphires are a great choice for you.