It is no secret that traditional marketing campaigns have linked carat weight of the center stone to self-worth and pride leading to the notion of bigger being better.
While there is no need to convince that size does not matter, we always try to encourage people to consider colour, lustre and brilliance of the sapphire over carat size.
In most cases, the ‘right’ sapphire size largely depends on finger size, center stone shape and the overall ring design.
Here are some things to keep in mind:
Finger Size
The size of the finger is directly proportional to the size of the sapphire. In case she has small hands, you might not need a larger sapphire.
For example, if she is UK J½ / US 5, an approx. 1.10 carat (6.20 MM) sapphire would look not too big and definitely not small.
Finger size being one of the most important aspects, it is worth finding her ring size early on in the process.
Center Stone Shape
If your partner has a specific center stone shape in mind, this can also influence the carat size of the sapphire.
For example, due to cutting proportions of pear and marquise cut sapphires, these shapes visually look much bigger than the other shapes.
An approx. 1.00 carat pear cut sapphire would visually look similar to an approx. 1.50 carat oval shaped sapphire and a 1.00 carat marquise cut sapphire would have a similar length to a 2.50 carat oval sapphire.
Ring Design
Apart from the finger size and center stone shape, the overall ring design can also influence the size of the sapphire especially in a halo or a three stone setting.
Halo Setting – The center stone in a halo design would appear slightly bigger as the halo of tiny diamonds around the sapphire would cover more surface area of the finger.
Three Stone Setting – In case she prefers a three stone setting design, it might be worth reviewing the size of center sapphire keeping the size and shape of other two side stones and ring size in mind.
Although it can be tricky to determine the ideal carat size, if you can find her preferred ring style, center stone shape or most importantly an approximate ring size, you’ll have a recipe for success.
If you are still finding it hard to figure out an appropriate size, going for a sapphire with stunning colour, brilliance (bling bling) and depth will always be the safest route!