In the gemstone industry, synthetic sapphires are often grouped together with other similar gemstones in order to help distinguish them from each other, but they really are not all that similar in looks, clarity, and color. All gemstones contain within them a signature of other elements that have been integrated within the stone during its formation, whether they be in the form of visible carbon compounds or in the invisible ultraviolet light emitted by silicate. Sapphire" refers to the Latin word "sapiens", which means stone or any other hard transparent mineral. Not all stones of the gemstone family, including the synthetic variety, are composed entirely of carbon.
The composition of a typical synthetic sapphire ranges from only trace amounts of gold and aluminum to multiple colors of aluminosilicate and corundum. Synthetic Sapphire has proven very popular with jewelry designers due to its unique ability to match itself to a wide array of colored gemstones, giving the wearer the appearance that she is wearing many different pieces of the same stone all at the same time. This is most often seen in engagement rings with colored sapphires set in white gold or silver. Synthetic sapphires are also used as accents in many other settings because of the rich array of colors that can be found in the gemstone. They can however still be fairly expensive, making it an affordable alternative for people who cannot afford to purchase a natural one.
The majority of gemstones are categorized into two groups based on their hardness. The harder the gemstone, the more durable and less subject to breakage it will be. Because of this, synthetic sapphires are often grouped along with the other softer types of gemstones in order to provide maximum benefit to the consumer in terms of maximum hardness.