Help with sapphire size

[MeganShannon11]

I''m wondering how sapphires usually compare in size to diamonds. I''m more familiar with diamonds and am not sure what size sapphire I should be looking for. The final project is going to be a three stone right hand ring with all round stones and smaller diamond accents. If I want the center stone to be slightly smaller in size than my 1.07 diamond cushion (on my e-ring), what size sapphire should I be aiming for? Are they larger or smaller than diamonds? Thanks for any feedback!

 

[MakingTheGrade]

They are smaller since they are more dense when compared to diamonds.

 

[AustenNut]

If you click on this link and print the page off, you can see what different sizes look like. In looking at colored stones I find it far more useful to look at the dimensions than the carat weight, as the specific gravity of each type of stone will differ. But you can compare the dimensions of one stone to the other, so then you''re comparing apples with apples. And as the link says, "For accurate printed results you must make sure that you do not have “Shrink oversized pages to fit paper size” or “Expand small pages to paper size” selected in the print dialogue box." Have fun!

 

[ma re]

Colored stones are not all cut the same way, like white diamonds. A lot of factors play a role here, color being the most important one. So if a colored stone is quite dark, it''ll be cut more shallow, to make it easier for light to "lighten up" the stone, while the opposite will be done if there''s a very light color to the stone. So you''ll find them cut very differently from eachother, and their sizes will differ accordingly. Therefore it''s best to search for a particular milimeter size, like AustenNut said.

 

[morecarats]

The one thing I would add to the useful replies you''ve already received is that colored gems are usually cut to maximize color, while diamonds are cut to maximize brilliance. So while sapphires are quite a bit denser than diamonds, that is not the only reason they look smaller in the same carat weight. The "face-up" size of a sapphire or ruby often looks even smaller than you would expect because a lot of the carat weight is in the pavilion rather than the crown. Diamonds are quite the opposite. So always buy your colored gems by size rather than by carat weight. Sapphire millimeters are exactly the same as diamond millimeters

 

[chrono]

Sapphires are denser and hence smaller than diamonds. Cutting also plays a part in the measurement of the stone where a 1 ct and 1.5 ct sapphire can be the same face up size. Just as one buys diamonds (mostly) by trying to hit a certain millimeter mark, not just a carat weight, the same goes for gemstones. What is the mm size of your cushion diamond? I expect that the sapphire you are looking for should be close to 1.5 ct thereabouts.

 

[Stone Hunter]

Date: 9/28/2009 7:40:57 AM
Author: morecarats
Sapphire millimeters are exactly the same as diamond millimeters

I just love this statement!!! In my experiences with colored stones I always go for color first and then mm size. But I have learned what mm size I like on my hand. We all have a size that just suits us!

Now I also think that the INTENSE color of gemstones, compared to diamonds, can make them seem a little bigger than they are. They just draw more attention to themselves. So please go try on gemstones the same mm size as your ering and see if they appear too big for you, or just right. Oh and have fun!