If you’re buying or selling, everybody’s asking: what are sapphire rings worth? Today, we’ll take a look at some different kinds of sapphire rings and see if we can’t find out.

Let’s start out by establishing the different kinds of sapphire.

Different kinds of sapphire

There are a range of different kinds of sapphires, and this definitely impacts their value. Of course, most sapphires are blue, but some blue tones are more valuable than others. Blues that are too dark or too light, for example, are typically less valuable than mid-range blue hues. The most valuable blue-coloured sapphire is called the cornflower blue sapphire. This colour is very intense and bold, and the more saturated the colour is, the more valuable the sapphire.

Another colour for sapphires is called padparadscha. This unique colour is somewhere in between pink and orange. There are a lot of different colours for sapphires, ranging from pinks, to yellows, to greens, but this specific padparadscha colour is unmissable and very valuable. Coloured sapphires are typically called fancy sapphires, and the padparadscha sapphire is the most valuable of all the fancy sapphires.

One last thing to consider when assessing the value of sapphires is the origin. Most sapphires will come with a certificate of their origins, and some origins are more highly valued than others. Ceylon sapphires in particular – that come from Sri Lanka – are the often the most valuable. Many of the world’s sapphires originate from Sri Lanka, and they are given such value because of their exceedingly high quality and the richness of their colouring.

Now let’s take a quick look at the different ages of sapphires.

Antique sapphire rings

An antique sapphire ring can be highly valuable, depending on the quality of the stones within it. An antique sapphire that has seen significant damage will obviously not be as highly valued as a brand-new sapphire ring. However, an antique sapphire ring in good condition can actually fetch a higher price than a brand-new sapphire.

This is doubly true if the sapphire ring has any traceable history, for example proof of ownership that spans several decades, or perhaps once belonging to someone of significance. Antique jewellery with a history is always sought after, perhaps simply due to the appeal of an old story being told through something beautiful like jewellery.

Particular styles of antique sapphire rings can also be more or less valuable than others. Popular styles like Art Deco and Art Nouveau are generally valuable pieces of jewellery, and so an antique sapphire ring that exemplifies one of these styles and is from the era in which they originated will be more valuable than a generic-looking ring whose age is difficult to place.

Modern sapphire rings

Modern jewellery, meaning jewellery that has been made and sold on the high-street today, varies in its value. There are certain brands like Van Cleef & Arpels and Cartier whose hallmarks immediately increase the value of an item, and so even a simple sapphire ring with one of these well-known brands will hold a higher value than a similar item with no specific branding.

Other elements can contribute to the overall value of a sapphire ring also. Are the gemstones conflict-free, for example? Conflict-free stones ensure that everyone involved in the process of mining and cutting the sapphire was fairly treated and fairly paid. This is especially important in the jewellery world, as there is a long and sinister history of slave labour and severe mistreatment of workers in the process of mining gemstones of all kinds.

Final word

And there we have it, a few ways we can attempt to distinguish between the highly-valued sapphire rings and the less-valued sapphire rings. If you have inherited a sapphire ring, however, it’s worth is impossible to distinguish, naturally. Receiving something as beautiful as a sapphire ring – whether it’s an inheritance or simply a gift – is a truly priceless present.

Read the benefits of preloved jewellery next!