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White Sapphire vs Diamond What's the Difference?

• Posted by Navratan Gems January 3, 2023 Filed in Shopping ##diamond  #whitesapphire  #diamond stone  #safed pukhraj  1,663 views
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  What is White Sapphire

  White Sapphires are colorless precious gemstones belonging to the corundum mineral family. This glittering gemstone is the purest form of sapphire as it does not contain any minerals inside like other sapphires, due to which it does not reflect any color and shines brightly. White Sapphires are also referred to as Safed Pukhraj in the Hindi language. This gemstone is the birthstone for people born in September and offers prosperity to the wearers. Natural White Sapphires with no hints of color are very rare to find; hence White Sapphire stones with a little color inside are often heat-treated to make them ornament-ready. White Sapphires are most suitable for people belonging to the Taurus zodiac sign.

  

  What is Diamond

  Similar to White Sapphires, Diamonds are colorless in appearance and are formed by the carbon element arranged in a lattice. Diamonds are said to be the most alluring gemstones and are also referred to by different names, such as Heera, Varja, or Heeram. This gemstone is the birthstone for people born in April and is linked to the brightest planet Venus. The Diamond stone is considered to be the best gemstone when buying engagement rings due to its sparkling appearance and sturdiness. However, not all Diamonds can be used for ornamental purposes, as low-quality Diamonds are rather useful for industrial purposes.

  

  Origin

  White Sapphires were first found in Greece almost a millennium ago. They are referred to as Lueco sapphires as well, which came after the Greek word “leykos”, which depicts the white color. In ancient times the Greeks related these stones with Apollo, the god of light. They are produced in various distinct places all over the world, such as India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Kenya, Cambodia, and Australia. However, White Sapphires produced at distinct places have distinct characteristics. Sri Lankan or Ceylon White Sapphires, because of their exceptional transparency and size, are considered to be the most superior grade White Sapphires all over the world.

  Diamonds were first found in India in the 4th century BC; however, India’s supply came to a standstill around the 1700s when Brazil took center stage in Diamond mining for almost 150 years. Currently, Diamonds are being mined in various countries such as Russia, Canada, and Botswana, among which Russia is the major producer of Diamonds.

  Chemical composition

  Despite looking almost similar in appearance, both Diamond and White Sapphire are entirely different when their chemical composition is concerned. Natural Diamonds are formed when carbon atoms form an isometric crystal system, whereas White Sapphires contain aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and are clear in nature due to the presence of iron, titanium, chromium, magnesium, and vanadium elements. 

  Durability

  Both the White Sapphire and Diamond are highly sturdy in nature; however, the Diamond is considered to be the hardest gemstone of all as its hardness on the Mohs scale is 10 making it perfect for regular use. Whereas the hardness of White Sapphire on the Mohs scale is 9, making it the second hardest gemstone in the world. A pure Diamond gets damaged only by another Diamond, whereas a pure White Sapphire can only be damaged by either a Diamond or a moissanite. The sturdiness of a stone is checked by its resistance to being damaged, and both Diamonds and White Sapphires are quite resilient as both these stones can't get easily damaged in everyday usage. 

  Clarity and color

  When considering clarity, Diamonds are far superior as White Sapphires generally contain small flaws which can be viewed easily when comparing large stones. Therefore when looking for a big stone, Diamond far outmatches White Sapphire. Also, due to the inclusion present in White Sapphires, they do not sparkle brighter than Diamonds. Similarly, when the color is concerned, White Sapphires may look a little dull as compared to Real Diamonds, as light reflection through a Diamond is extraordinarily better than White Sapphires.

  Price

  Diamonds are well-known as the costliest stones all around the world. When considering the price, the minimum price of a real Diamond starts from $300 and can reach as high as $150000 per carat on the basis of their quality and the places they are mined from.

  White Sapphires, on the other hand, are generally affordable as compared to real Diamonds. White Sapphires are priced at a minimum of $100 and a maximum of around $600 per carat. However, the superior grade Ceylon White Sapphires can cost around even more than $1000 due to their superior transparency. Therefore colorless White Sapphire gemstones can be utilized as substitutes for real Diamonds as they are similar in appearance and are economical as well.

  

  Astrological significance and benefits

  In terms of Astrology, both Diamonds and White Sapphires are associated with the planet Venus also known as Shukra Grah. However, both these symbolize quite different astronomical aspects, as Diamonds symbolize love and luxury, and White Sapphires symbolize peace and calmness. Diamonds are mostly seen as symbols of nobility and wealth and offer wealth and fame to the wearer, whereas White Sapphires help negate the negative energies around the wearer so that the wearer can lead a happy life. Despite the different astronomical aspects being associated with the same planet, White Sapphires are regarded as substitutes for Diamonds. Wearing a Diamond or White Sapphire also has health-related benefits as well. White Sapphires are generally worn to help enhance the immune system of the wearer so as to protect from various communicable diseases, and Diamonds, on the other hand, assist the wearer in dealing with ailments related to eyes, kidneys, and throat. When considering wealth both these stones are capable of adding richness to the lives of wearers.

  Therefore the confusion of selecting between a Diamond and a White Sapphire is mostly at the buyer's discretion as these stones have their own ups and downs. When considering the price of White Sapphires can be seen as great substitutes, whereas the alluring look of a Diamond is unmatched. At Navratan, the online gem bazaar, we offer both real Diamonds and Natural White Sapphires that are certified through reliable gemological laboratories so that our customers can get the best deal for their money.