3.83ct Natural Cushion Blue Sapphire Double Halo Ring in 14K White Gold

The specifications on this listing say which, in plain words. We sell both and we never blur the line between them.

They are the same mineral with the same hardness, and a well-cut lab stone can be every bit as beautiful in the hand. What differs is how they were made and what that is worth. A natural stone formed in the earth and is priced for its rarity, its colour and its individuality. A lab-grown stone was made in weeks under controlled conditions, which is why it costs a fraction of the same size and colour, and why the colour is usually more even.

Neither is the right answer for everyone. If you want the largest, cleanest colour your budget allows, lab-grown wins. If the stone’s origin and rarity are part of the point, natural does.

Most coloured gemstones on the world market are treated in some way, and heat is by far the most common. Heating a sapphire or ruby is an accepted, permanent, centuries-old practice that improves colour and clarity — it is not a defect and it does not need special care.

Untreated stones of good colour are considerably rarer and priced accordingly. We tell you which you are looking at. If a stone's treatment status has not been laboratory-confirmed, we say that too rather than guess.

Our photographs are of the actual ring, not a render and not a stock image. But every coloured stone shifts with light — brighter and cooler in daylight, deeper and warmer under indoor lighting. That shift is the stone behaving normally.

If colour is the deciding factor, come and see it, or book a video call and we will show it under both.

It depends entirely on the stone, and this is the question worth asking before you buy.

• Sapphire and ruby — 9 on the Mohs scale, harder than everything except diamond. Excellent for daily wear.
• Emerald — 7.5 to 8, but usually included and oiled. Beautiful, and best treated with more care than a sapphire.
• Opal, tanzanite and pearl — softer and better suited to occasional wear than to a ring worn every day.

We will tell you honestly where a stone sits. If you want a coloured centre you never have to think about, sapphire is the answer.

Every ring comes with a certified appraisal for the complete piece — stone, metal, workmanship and replacement value. That is the document your insurer asks for.

Coloured stones are not graded on the diamond 4Cs, so there is no equivalent standard grading report. Where a stone carries a gemmological laboratory report, it is listed in the specifications and the report comes with the ring.

Because with coloured stones, colour carries almost all the value — then cut, then clarity, and carat weight last. Two sapphires of identical weight can be many times apart in price if one is open and vivid and the other is dark and grey. The same is true of ruby, emerald, spinel and the rest, and in some of them the spread is even wider.

Origin and treatment move the price too. An unheated stone of good colour is far scarcer than a heated one, and certain sources carry a premium of their own.

There is no price-per-carat chart for coloured stones the way there is for diamonds, which is why a good one cannot be comparison-shopped down to the dollar. You are buying a specific stone, not a specification.

Warm water, a drop of dish soap and a soft toothbrush on the underside of the stone. What dulls any ring is a film of soap and hand cream beneath the stone, not the stone itself.

Take it off for cleaning products, chlorinated pools and the gym. Avoid ultrasonic cleaners on emerald, opal and any stone that has been fracture-filled — if you are unsure, bring it to us instead. Your annual clean and prong check under the Care Plan is free.

Most rings can be taken up or down a few sizes, and we do that free of charge. How far depends on the design — a plain shank moves easily, while a ring with stones set around it has less room.

Tell us roughly the size you need and we will confirm whether this piece can get there before you buy, along with the turnaround. One thing to know in advance: once a ring has been resized for you it can no longer be returned.

Not off the shelf. Halo and split-shank designs in particular will not sit flush against a straight band, so we design a contoured band to fit the actual ring — in the same metal, with matching diamond quality.

Ask us when you order and we will price it alongside.

Not this ring — it is the single physical piece shown, and the setting was built around that specific stone. But we design and build in our own workshop, so we can make something close to order with a stone of your choosing. Expect a different price and about three weeks. Start a custom piece.

Please do. A coloured stone is worth seeing in daylight before you decide. Book an appointment and we will have it out ready for you, or we will show it to you live over video if you are not close by.

Yes. Free insured shipping across Canada and the United States. A signature is required on delivery, and we do not ship to PO boxes. We ship to Canada and the US only.

Within 30 days of delivery, unworn, in original condition, with the ring box, appraisal, care card and all packaging, and with the security seal intact. Each order is sealed at dispatch — a broken or removed seal means the piece is treated as worn.

Not eligible for return:

• Rings that have been resized, engraved or otherwise altered for you
• Custom and made-to-order pieces
• One-of-a-kind pieces where the listing states it
• Final sale and clearance items
• Pieces showing any sign of wear — scratches, skin residue, a bent or stretched shank, polishing or third-party repair

All returns are inspected on arrival before approval, and return shipping is the customer’s responsibility unless the item arrived damaged or defective. None of this affects your rights where a piece has a genuine manufacturing fault.

Full details in our return policy.