Pinkness is a naturally occurring element of sapphires, and so pink sapphires have existed for as long as the blue stones to which we are familiar. The pink stones have become more readily available in recent years, however, as new gemstone deposits were discovered in Madagascar in the late 20th century.

Ancient Asian cultures, pink sapphires are regarded as symbols of love and beauty, often being related to the lotus flower because of their perceived delicacy and purity. The contemporary Western interpretation of pink sapphires is that they are innately regal and romantic.

These feminine gemstones convey a softness and warmth that always goes down a treat for anyone lucky enough to see them in person. Given the inherent sparkle that sapphires have, pink sapphires are often utilised as more affordable stand-ins for pink diamonds, which are exceptionally expensive.

Just like blue sapphires, pink sapphires make a great choice for engagement rings. On the Mohs scale (a way of measuring the 'hardness' of minerals) sapphires place as a 9 out of 10. With diamonds taking the top spot at number 10, this means that sapphires are very strong and hardwearing gemstones.

Pink sapphires in particular have beautiful colours and tones that are hard to come by in other stones of the same strength. If you or your future bride-to-be have September birthdays, sapphires are actually your birthstone, so you can combine the beautiful colouring and romance of a pink gemstone with the sentimental value of matching your engagement ring to your birthstone.