Pink Sapphires - The Fanciest of Gemstones

For a long time, the general public was not really aware that pink sapphires really existed. This is because the pink sapphire was considered so special by jewelers that pink sapphire jewelry was only really traded by insiders. As far as the general public knew, a sapphire did not really come in any other color but blue.

The truth is that the sapphire comes in many colors including yellow, green, pink, purple orange and of course blue. A sapphire that is any other color but blue is called a Fancy Sapphire. Some of these sapphires also have their own names. For instance, the orange sapphire, which hails from India, is called Padparadsha. Red sapphires are classified as rubies.

Pink sapphires are also sometimes called the girly sapphires. They become very popular after Paris Hilton was spotted wearing an enormous pink sapphire ring and pendant framed by two yellow canary diamonds. This led to a flurry of interest in pink sapphires, especially on the Home Shopping Network which had companies specializing in both natural and lab created pink sapphire jewellery. Currently the trend seems to be towards the large brass knuckle type ring that is paved with scores of tiny pink sapphire stones.

There is something very cheery, youthful and optimistic about pink sapphire jewelry. It is a feminine stone but it is also one of the strongest and hardest stones in the world registering at a MOH scale hardness of 9. In this sense you could say it is a symbol of "the velvet glove" - feminine strength.

It is the ideal precious stone to give to a younger woman perhaps as a present for a birthday or for graduating from college. Pink sapphire jewelry is hip these days because the off color sapphires (ones that are not the usual dark blue) epitomize the eclectic taste. They are also the ideal gift for any individual that collects rare, but precious gemstones especially if you can find a pink sapphire ring or pendant that boasts a particularly odd or bright shade of pink.

The pink sapphire is just as valuable and sometimes even more expensive than a high quality blue one. It is a durable stone that lasts for years. Like all sapphires it belongs to the corundum group of minerals, which are second only to diamonds in terms of their hardness. As they don't scratch or chip easily, pink sapphires are also the ideal stone for the busy working woman as it is highly unlikely she will damage the stone. The pronged settings of a pink sapphire ring are more likely to wear out than the gemstone itself.

Its beauty, magnificent colors, its transparency but also its resistance and permanence are characteristics which gemstone lovers and experts assign to this gemstone - however, this does not only apply to blue Sapphire as will be pointed out later on. Sapphire belongs to the corundum group, which is set apart from other gemstones by their very good hardness (Grade 9 on the Mohs' scale). They are second in hardness to diamonds only, and diamonds represent the hardest mineral on Earth! Because of their good harness, sapphires are easy to care for as gemstones and demand from their wearers only the usual and normal care.

The corundum group consists of pure aluminum oxide and other elements that make the stones different colors. The more chrome a gemstone in this family contains the redder it will be. Rubies, also known as red sapphires have a great deal of chrome and that is what gives them their blood red color. Pink sapphires have less chrome, but just enough to give them their gorgeous blush. Iron is the element that gives common sapphires that true blue color.

Sapphires and especially pink sapphires can be considered to be a "cut above" other gemstones. This is because they are mined from very deep within in the earth. Cutters of sapphires must be the best as it is a stone that can contain several hues in one rock. In order the stone to really sparkle and for the depth of its color to be brilliant and consistent, a real expert must handle it. Otherwise the stone will be dull.

Like rubies and sapphires, pink sapphires can be heat treated in order to get rid of a dark core or an uneven color. The least expensive pink sapphire ring and pendants tend to be set with these heat-treated gemstones.

The fact that natural pink sapphires do vary so much in color from stone to stone makes them truly individual. The pink sapphire can range in hue from an almost purplish pink, to rosy pink to pink with a yellowish cast to baby pink. Even if you don't like pink that much, there is a pink sapphire gemstone out there in a hue to suit you.

Sapphires can be a bit odd in the way that they reflect light. Before you buy a pink sapphire ring, see if it sparkles as much in daylight as it does in artificial light. A peculiar feature of this family of gemstones is that some only really glitter in sunlight and others only glitter in artificial light. Look for a gemstone that is satiated in pink and even in color it will be most likely to reflect both types of light.

The oldest Sapphire mines are situated in Sri Lanka, which used to be known as Ceylon. These mines are being rapidly depleted so the next best three natural sources of pink sapphires are from Burma, India Thailand, Australia and Brazil.

Like all precious gemstones, the value of a pink sapphire depends on size, color and transparency. It also depends where the pink sapphire is from. Those mined in Kashmir are considered to be the most precious followed by ones from Burma and Sri Lanka. Heat treated gemstones are much less expensive as they are not as "natural." The absolutely cheapest pink sapphire jewelry usually contains lab created pink sapphires, which are absolutely perfect. These are the types of stones you are most likely to find in discount pink sapphire jewelry.

Learn more about pink sapphires at http://www.genuinegemjewelry.com/pinksapphireengagementring.htm