Ruby Engagement Rings
Tough enough for a ring worn every day. Hardness 9.
Read guide
Gemstone engagement rings / Sapphire
Is a sapphire engagement ring right for you?
Sapphire is the best coloured stone for an engagement ring. It’s a 9 on the hardness scale, just below diamond, so it’s made for everyday wear. It comes in almost every colour, not just blue. Here’s what it costs and what to ask before you buy.
PK
Parth KananiOctober 2026 · 5 min read
In short: Sapphire is tough enough for daily wear and comes in blue, pink, teal, green, yellow and more. Most sapphires are heat-treated, which is normal, but the seller should tell you. Ask for a lab report that states origin and treatment on any stone over 1 carat.
Blue (and many other colours)
Illustration
Everyday wear
How well does sapphire wear?
Tough enough for a ring worn every dayAs hard as ruby. One of the best coloured stones for an engagement ring.
Sapphire9 / 10 hardness
Diamond10 / 10 hardness
Hardness (Mohs scale) is resistance to scratching. Toughness, how well a stone resists chipping and cracking, matters too, which is why our verdict isn't based on hardness alone.
Not just one colour
Blue
The classic. Look for a rich, even blue that isn’t so dark it looks black indoors.
Teal
Blue-green, and very popular right now. Each stone is a slightly different mix, so no two rings look the same.
Pink
From pale blush to hot pink. A softer alternative to ruby that’s just as hard-wearing.
Green and yellow
Less common in engagement rings and often good value. Yellow sapphire looks warm in yellow gold.
What to know
What jewellers don't always tell you about sapphire
Most sapphires are heated
Heating a sapphire to improve its colour is standard and permanent, and most stones on the market have been treated this way. Unheated sapphires cost more. The seller should tell you either way.
Lab-created sapphires are real sapphires
They are the same mineral as a mined sapphire, grown in a lab, and cost far less. That’s fine as long as you know which one you’re buying, and the price reflects it.
The most famous ring in Britain
Princess Diana’s 1981 engagement ring is an oval Ceylon (Sri Lankan) sapphire, reported at about 12 carats, surrounded by 14 diamonds, by Garrard. The Princess of Wales has worn it since 2010. Searches for “sapphire and diamond” rings still follow it.
The full story, to scale: Princess Diana’s engagement ring.
Prices
What sapphire engagement rings cost in the UK
Real prices, not estimates: the range across 11 UK retail listings we checked in October 2026.
From
£499
Typical
£2,350
Up to
£6,530
From 9ct gold clusters on the high street (£499–£850) to 18ct gold and platinum halos (£2,300 and up). Most listings don’t say whether the sapphire is heated, so ask. Lab-created sapphire rings in gold or platinum ranged £660–£3,250 across 17 listings: the stone’s size and the metal move the price more than lab vs mined.
For comparison: a 1ct round diamond solitaire in 18ct white gold costs about £3,900–£5,600 in Hatton Garden, or £1,650–£2,850 with a lab-grown diamond. See our Hatton Garden price guide.
Before you buy
What to ask and check
- 1Ask whether the stone is natural or lab-created, and heated or unheated. Get the answer in writing on the receipt.
- 2For anything over 1 carat, ask for a lab report (GIA, SSEF, Gübelin or AGL) that states origin and treatment.
- 3Look at the colour indoors and in daylight. Some blue sapphires look almost black under shop lighting at home.
Which metal?
Blue and teal sapphires suit white gold and platinum. Pink and yellow sapphires look warmer in yellow or rose gold.
Which setting?
A diamond halo is the classic “Diana” look. A three-stone with diamonds either side is a quieter alternative.
Ready to look at real rings?
Coloured stones vary far more than diamonds, so see the actual stone in daylight before you commit. Many Hatton Garden jewellers will source a sapphire for a bespoke ring. Compare them in our independent jeweller reviews, or start designing online.
Compare other gemstones
Or see every stone side by side in our gemstone engagement ring guide.
Common Questions
Are sapphires good for engagement rings?+
Yes. Sapphire is a 9 on the hardness scale, second only to diamond among popular gems, so it handles daily wear well. It’s the coloured stone we recommend most.
What stone is in Princess Diana’s engagement ring?+
An oval sapphire from Sri Lanka (then Ceylon), reported at about 12 carats, surrounded by 14 round diamonds in white gold. Diana chose it from Garrard in 1981, and it is now worn by the Princess of Wales.
How much does a sapphire engagement ring cost?+
Across 11 UK retail listings we checked in October 2026, sapphire engagement rings ranged from £499 to £6,530, with a typical (median) price of £2,350. From 9ct gold clusters on the high street (£499–£850) to 18ct gold and platinum halos (£2,300 and up). Most listings don’t say whether the sapphire is heated, so ask. Lab-created sapphire rings in gold or platinum ranged £660–£3,250 across 17 listings: the stone’s size and the metal move the price more than lab vs mined.
How hard is sapphire?+
Sapphire is 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, where diamond is 10. Our verdict: tough enough for a ring worn every day. As hard as ruby. One of the best coloured stones for an engagement ring.