About SapphiresThe perfect gift for any princessThe oldest jewel of the British Crown Jewels is a sapphire, originally owned by King Edward the Confessor in the 11th century. And then, of course, there’s that other one. Princess Diana’s engagement ring, which has been inspiring brides-to-be for more than 25 years, was a sapphire. Sapphire is the birthstone for lucky people born in September. Color and pedigreeMost people think of sapphires as ranging from light to dark blue, sometimes with a hint of green or violet. But sapphires also come in pink, white, yellow, purple or green. Southeast Asia and Madagascar are leading sapphire producers, as well as Australia, Sri Lanka and Africa. We offer a selection of beautiful lab-created sapphires, which are made with the same minerals that Mother Nature uses. Taking it homeOne reason sapphires are so prized is their legendary hardness. Sapphires rate a 9 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, second only to diamonds. Their resistance to chipping and breaking is excellent. Clean sapphire jewelry with liquid jewelry cleaner or just mild soapy detergent and water. Ultrasonic cleaning is usually safe. Visit the Learning Guide for more information on sapphires. About GoldGold is more than just a pretty facePeople don’t just love gold because it sparkles; for centuries, it’s been cherished for being strong. Gold is also malleable enough to suit endless designs, so it’s an excellent foundation for all types of jewelry. And because it’s resistant to corrosion, tarnish and rust, your gold jewelry will look new for a long time. Gold is very malleable making it ideal for jewelry designs, but to give it the strength needed for it to withstand wear it must be alloyed with other metals such as copper, silver, zinc or nickel. The percentage of pure gold to alloys is expressed in karatage. 24k would represent pure gold. 14k represents 14 parts gold and 10 parts alloy. In the United States fine jewelry is generally created using 18k, 14k or 10k gold. Yellow GoldThe shade of yellow gold can vary based on the alloy. As the amount of gold increases, so does the brightness of the yellow color. Visit the Learning Guide for more information on yellow gold. White GoldWhen yellow gold is mixed with nickel and zinc, it becomes white gold, which looks similar to platinum. White gold is often finished by plating it with rhodium, which will give it an even whiter, more brilliant appearance. Visit the Learning Guide for more information on white gold. | 
