Have you just been presented a truly gorgeous 18 carat gold sapphire diamond ring? Do you find yourself not knowing enough about the gem to actually talk about it at length? Below is a look at why this is the favorite engagement ring gem, second only to diamonds. Sapphires are primarily blue, and in fact get the name from the Greek translation of the word. It comes in a wide range of colors, from the deep royal blue, to cornflower blue, to pale blue. The first is every jeweler’s favorite, because it is the most popular hue of the stone in existence. Other colors of sapphire include pink, green, yellow, and purple. The most alluring thing about sapphires is that they are pleochroic, or able to change intensity based on the angle of viewing. This lends these stones a unique sort of layering that few would fail to appreciate. They can be presented in an endless number of ways, with the setting and cut kept simple, overstated or anywhere in between. Plenty of families pass down heirlooms from generation to generation. Oftentimes, they feature sapphire as the main stone, which shows how popular the gem has remained through the centuries. Sapphires also make for beautiful statement pieces, prompting a lot of buyers to pair them with diamonds when selecting or designing a ring.