The difference between diamonds and sapphires
Diamonds and sapphires can appear very similar to the untrained eye, yet they are incredibly different gemstones. Both stones are highly valuable and a popular choice for jewelry, including wedding rings, engagement rings, and solitaire pendants. Both are also used to symbolize love, faith, commitment, and trust. So how can you tell the difference between these gemstones when buying or selling diamonds and sapphires? Here’s a look at the differences between these two gemstones in terms of structure, formation, and price.
structural differences
While this difference won’t be noticeable to the naked eye, diamonds and sapphires have very different structures. A diamond is made of pure carbon that crystallizes into cubes. This compact structure makes diamonds the hardest gemstone in the world, with a hardness of 10 on the Mohs scale. Pure carbon diamonds are absolutely colorless, although their structure may contain small amounts of other elements that produce yellow, brown, blue, pink, red, and green diamonds. Sapphires, on the other hand, have a hexagonal shape made up of aluminum oxide crystals. Sapphires are the second hardest gemstone in the world with a hardness of 9 on the Moh’s scale. Sapphires also come in many colors when other elements make their way into the crystal during formation.
Differences in training
These prized gemstones are also formed in completely different ways. Sapphires naturally form in a hexagonal shape in rocks such as granite, gneiss, and schist due to changes in heat and pressure. They can be found in igneous (cooled magma) and metamorphic (transformed) rocks. The color of the sapphire comes from the presence of other minerals. Iron produces yellow or green sapphires, vanadium produces purple sapphires, and titanium creates blue sapphires. Sapphire gems can also be red, although they are called rubies, not sapphires.
Diamonds, on the other hand, require very precise conditions to form deep within the earth with extreme pressure and relatively low temperature. There are two places on earth where diamonds can form: deep in the earth’s lithospheric mantle and in places where a meteorite has struck the earth. These precious stones slowly work their way to the surface through volcanic pipes, and the diamonds mined today are between 1 billion and more than 3 billion years old.
Price difference
The price of these gemstones is determined by their carat weight, cut, clarity, and color, whether you are buying or selling diamonds and sapphires. In general, sapphires tend to be much more affordable than diamonds because they are easier to mine and more abundant on the earth’s surface.
Both gemstones make beautiful jewelry, so choosing between the two depends on your preference and budget. However, if you plan to buy and sell diamonds, it’s important to make sure you don’t buy colorless sapphires which are generally not worth that much.
