Whilst sapphires make the cut to the category of precious stones, there are multiple ways in which the value of the stone can be determined, and later on increased. This is a nuanced process, with a lot of characterization and a lot of aspects that contribute to the composition of sapphires.
One way of initiating the process comprises treatments, which are a separate class of their own. Under this umbrella, there are heated and unheated sapphires. The price of sapphires that undergo treatments constantly fluctuates as it is not possible to place a value on them. However the rough natural stone is vastly different to the treated stone and as such the value is detracted from them. The price of natural stones increases annually on the basis of the colour and size, which determine its rarity. As such, colour is an important aspect to be considered when valuing sapphires. The deeper the colour of the stone is, the more valuable it is. The easiest example to illustrate this is the Ceylon cornflower blue sapphire which is extremely precious due to its rich colour. However, certain stones are treated in order to enhance the colour. While this does make the stone more vibrant, it does not increase its value as the natural, untreated stones are always more in value.
While it is true that the stone value increases with its carat size. At Lustre, we are determined to revolutionize the idea of basing the value on weight and size. Our aim is to bring together custom cut sapphires that are unique and different. The value of our cuts is based on the hours of research and the creativity put in to deliver innovation. As such, our stones are very valuable because it's like nothing you would have seen before.
Sapphires are supposed to be contaminated with inclusions, as they are sourced. Due to this, the stone may tend to appear cloudy. These stones are lesser in value than the crystal clear sapphires that display brilliance and a clear show of light. Sapphires with clarity are very rare and thereby very valuable. Certain treatments are applied to the stone to remove these inclusions, so the stone appears clearer.
As a brand, Lustre strives to increase the value of the sapphires it utilizes for its designs. All sapphires go through a preforming procedure where they are refined and polished. Each cut is produced using majority of the stone so that the value of the cut doesn't drop, as such we transcend through the boundaries of traditional cuts and deliver unique shapes where most of the final outlook is unique and brings out the best in a stone. Our cuts are high in value because despite inclusions, we are able to display our distinct creativity that sets it apart from the rest. This is possible due to the extensive research and development carried out for custom cut sapphires, coupled with our exceptionally skilled lapidary artists who deliver utmost perfection with not just sapphires but all stones that we work with.