Best Places to Buy Sapphire Engagement Rings Online

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With gemstone engagement rings becoming increasingly popular, sapphires are at the forefront as the second most popular rock after diamonds. Apart from the aesthetics, sapphires are also extremely durable with excellent wearability making them an ideal choice for engagement rings.

Taking your sapphire search online will give you access to a worldwide inventory as well as allow you to compare prices and features of stones without ever having to leave your house. However, it is essential that you purchase from a reputable and licensed dealer to avoid headaches down the line and being ripped off.

One of the most important features to look for is the quality of images that may be available. When it comes to sapphires (or any gemstone) the value lies mainly in its color. This means that you need to see the actual stone and not just a stock image before you decide to buy it.

What’s more, good customer service, creative designs and a wide range of options are all factors to note when choosing a retailer.

Taking all these into account, here are our top online sapphire retailers.

1- James Allen Sapphire Engagement Rings

James Allen is known for their presence in the diamond industry but this online giant has recently expanded into the sapphire market as well. Known for their commitment to quality and excellent customer service, James Allen understands the pitfalls that come with shopping online for gemstones.

This is why they have attempted to streamline the process as much as possible by providing customers with all the information they require prior to purchase and solid after sales services for risk-free buying. If you aren’t into blue sapphires, you can check out their range of pink and yellow sapphires.

Why we like James Allen

• James Allen has an impressive range of blue sapphires, with over 1077 blue sapphire engagement rings and 2500 loose blue sapphires listed on their site at the time of writing. This gives you ample choice to pick one that suits you.
• There is something for every budget as the sapphires range in price from around $300 to $150,000. These include natural and heated sapphires with varying degrees of color.
• HD photos and 360 degree view videos of the actual gemstone allows you to closely inspect the sapphire for flaws, blemishes and color.
• They have a wide range of creative engagement ring styles and settings to suit all tastes.
• The customer service is exceptional, with 24/7 chat service. The staff are professional, friendly and knowledgeable.
• The website is easy to navigate and user friendly, even for the technologically challenged!
• There is the option to build-your-own ring as well as to browse through recently purchased sapphire engagement rings for inspiration.
• Your order arrives in classy and sophisticated packaging.
• James Allen offer free engraving services, which most other vendors charge a separate fee for.

What we don’t like

• While James Allen provides free shipping to get your order to you, they don’t provide free international shipping if you wish to return your purchase, which means you will have to bear this cost.
• James Allen has showrooms but these are only available in NYC.

2- Blue Nile Sapphire Engagement Rings

Blue Nile has an outstanding collection of sapphire jewelry, including rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets. While their collection is fairly small, the quality and beauty of each ring is undeniable. They also have a great collection of sapphire birthstone jewelry at very reasonable prices.

Unlike the other sites listed here, Blue Nile does not offer loose sapphire gemstones for sale. Their sapphires are already mounted in settings and are ready to go.

Why we like Blue Nile

• The sapphire rings at Blue Nile come in a range of prices, providing something for most budgets. Blue Nile’s founding principal has been to keep prices of their stones low and provide the best value to the consumer.
• Blue Nile has clear HD images of all their rings and offer 360 degree videos for most. You can also zoom into the image, making it easy to inspect the setting details as well as the sapphire.
• Blue Nile has exclusive deals with high profile designers such as Monique Lhuillier and Zac Posen. If you are after a designer ring, then check out their small but exclusive collection which includes stunning sapphire rings as well.
• There’s a range of high quality sapphire birthstone jewelry that make great gifts.
• There are instalment plans and financial options if you need to avail yourself of these.
• Customer chat is available during business hours.

What we don’t like

• While Blue Nile provides images on most of their rings, not all their sapphire engagement rings have 360 video. For someone who wishes to see the ring in all angles, this can be off-putting.
• Returning items over $500 can be a lengthy process and involves a lot of paperwork. What’s more, you will also have to shoulder the cost of the return shipping and the insurance.
• We aren’t in love with Blue Nile’s packaging. While it’s not bad, it simply does not stand out in anyway and is pretty nondescript looking.

Because sapphires are highly popular, you will generally have many sapphire engagement ring options at your local brick and mortar jewelry stores, including lab-created stones. But taking your search online will allow you to compare prices and quality easily and conveniently.

3- Lieibish Sapphire Engagement Rings

Leibish is one of the best in the gemstone business, known for their impeccable quality, untreated and unenhanced gemstones and their stunning settings. Not every sapphire makes it past the Leibish’s rigorous selection process. The sapphire must be of exceptional quality and is hand-selected and subjected to an individual quality assessment before it is listed on the site.

While Leibish does not have a very large inventory of loose sapphires or sapphire engagement rings, their inventory is fast moving, meaning that you have to get in quick to lay claim to your sapphire. Leibish offer outstanding quality, unique designs, excellent customer service and after sales policies making them one of the best on the market.

Check out Leibish’s selection of sapphire engagement rings here

Why we like Leibish

1. The sapphires listed on Leibish are all natural and unenhanced. While this means that they can be pricier, they are also more valuable and will retain this value in years to come.
2. Leibish offers high quality images and 360-view of most stones which lets you check out the actual sapphire (and not simply a stock image). There is a zoom-in feature that also lets you see the gemstone closely for inclusions and any undesirable features.
3. What if you buy the sapphire and decide that you don’t like it after all? No worries, because Leibish offer a 30 day money back guarantee – no questions asked, so you can purchase your stone risk free!
4. As you could probably tell from the image above, Leibish have stunning ring settings and designs to choose from. They understand color and how to maximize the beauty of a gemstone. While their settings can be somewhat expensive, they are also among the best and the impeccable craftsmanship and design is worth the money spent.
5. The Leibish website is modern and easy to navigate. Each listing has comprehensive information and for those who would like to learn more about sapphires, their extensive blog and gemstone education section provides a wealth of information.
6. They have great after sales services, with free shipping both ways, 60 day resizing, and a 2-year warranty on all items and a servicing policy.
7. The Leibish packaging is very stylish and elegant. It comes ready to be gifted!

What we don’t like

1. Unlike some of the other sites here, Leibish have a relatively small inventory of blue sapphires (only about 107 at the time of writing). This means that the turnover is pretty quick and you may lose the sapphire you’ve been eyeballing if you don’t get in quick. However, it also means that the quality of the stone is high because they have been thoroughly vetted and are kept in-house.
2. The settings are quite expensive, but as we discussed above, they are worth the money.

4- Zales Sapphire Engagement Rings (US Only)

If you’re looking for greater range and more options, Zales has a very large sapphire ring inventory. With over 2000 rings listed on their site, of varying styles, prices and materials, there is bound to be one that you will like here.

Zales has been around for close to a hundred years now, and have expanded their range from diamonds to include gemstones as well.

Find more sapphire rings at Zales here

Why we like Zales

• The inventory is very large and there is something for everyone here! If you don’t want a natural sapphire, they’ve got lab-created sapphires which are eco-friendly and very economical.
• The prices start from around $30 and ranges to over $15000. However, note that for an engagement ring, which is a piece of jewelry that will be subject to a lot of exposure, it is important to have a durable item so look for stronger metals and protective settings.
• Zales provides clear HD images of their sapphires, with zoom-in features. This lets you inspect the stone closely.
• There is a wide range of ring styles and settings on offer. Whether you’re a maximalist or minimalist, after a vintage or modern style, there is bound to be a ring to suit your taste here.
• You can return your purchase within 2 months of the purchase, which is quite a generous length of time! What’s more, if you purchase online, you can return it to the nearest Zales store.
• There is a Lease Purchase Program which lets you organize financing for your purchase.
• Quick shipping options.

What we don’t like

• Zales does not provide sufficient information about individual sapphires and does not inform the buyer whether the stone has been treated or enhanced in anyway. It is important to contact them for this information and if applicable, request a certificate of authenticity.
• While the shipping is very quick, always double check the processing times as these can extend the delivery dates.
• Unfortunately, Zales only ships nationally and does not offer services internationally.

If you would like to know more about these retailers, read our detailed reviews. They say that the service begins after you purchase the ring, so make sure that the retailer you opt to go with is known for their service and for standing by their products and customers.