Bespoke by Nightingale

Montana sapphire engagement rings

The stunning teal coloured sapphires from Montana are fast becoming one of the most popular engagement ring design trends.

Here's everything you need to know about creating your very own!

Why Montana sapphires?

Uniquely beautiful and ethically mined in the USA

Their stunning beauty and ethical origins make Montana Sapphires the perfect gemstone for Nightingale's ethical engagement rings.

Every ring from our collection can be set with a Montana sapphire and we love using them in our custom designs.

Have questions? Speak to our experts!

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The Quick Guide

What are Montana Sapphires?

Montana sapphires are sapphires mined in Montana, USA. 

But you probably figured that out already.

They are mostly known for their stunning blue and green colours although you can also find many purple, orange and yellow varieties too. 

Due to their unique colours it’s almost impossible to find two that are alike, making them ideal for our bespoke engagement rings.

Characteristics

What makes Montana Sapphires so unique?

Montana sapphires are mined in an area called Rock Creek and it’s this location's geological qualities that give Montana sapphires their unique colours, clarity and brilliance.

George Frederick Kunz, the famous mineralogist once said “At no known locality... has there ever been found so great a variety of rich colors in corundum gems as here[Rock Creek].”

And he was absolutely correct. Most of the sapphires from this area have a beautiful teal colour which you don’t see anywhere else. But they’re not the only colour options, orange, pink and even colourless gems are extracted every day. 

Another unique quality for Montana sapphires is their high level of clarity which only adds to their stunning colour. They also react much better to heat treatment than sapphires from other parts of the world which greatly improves their overall aesthetic.

Are they suitable for engagement rings?

You don't see many Montana sapphire engagement rings in the wild.

And that's a tremendous shame because they're so beautiful.

Montana sapphires are just as hard as other sapphires, measuring 9 on the Mohs scale (diamond is 10 for reference).

That means they're more than tough enough to be worn every day.

Sourcing information

Are they ethically sourced?

Of course! Only the most ethical gemstones make it into a Nightingale ring afterall.

Workers enjoy fair pay and good working conditions in their US operated mines. And the mine to market supply chain ensures no exploitation of workers.

Potentate Mining who run things are also very considerate of the local environments.

Their washing plant which separates gold and sapphires from the extracted earth uses recycled groundwater.

And after an area is mined the land is filled and replanted with native plants and grass to feed the local wildlife!

What ring styles work best with Montana sapphires?

It's very rare to find two identical Montana sapphires, and they can vary wildly in colour. It means you can get truly creative with your engagement ring and be confident you'll find a stone that matches perfectly.

Here's two engagement rings we've made recently, both have very different aesthetics, but look beautiful!

Nightingale Ring stories

Henry's Montana Sapphire Engagement Ring

One of the best things about Montana sapphires is how versatile they are. They look fantastic with any metal colour as Henry's yellow gold trilogy ring shows perfectly!

You can read more about Henry's design here. Interested in creating your own?

Book a design consultation Learn More

Nightingale Ring Stories

Art Deco inspired Montana Sapphire ring

This superb design features a geometric shaped band and mount with melee diamonds.

Taking centre stage is an exceptionally beautiful Montana Sapphire, giving the entire ring a sophisticated design with a totally unique aesthetic.

Book a design consultation Learn More

origins

A brief history of Montana sapphires

If we were to go back in time to 1860s Montana we’d find ourselves in the middle of a gold rush. 

Miners were flocking to the area, the people selling shovels were making a fortune and nobody really cared about the annoying blue rocks which kept clogging up the gold mining equipment.

It took until 1895 when a chap called Ed “Sapphire” Collins took a sample of the rocks to Tiffany & Co. 

They ended up buying the lot for $3,750, over $100,000 in today’s money.

So as you can imagine it didn’t take long for the focus to shift from gold to sapphires when the source of the sapphires was found, an area called the Yogo Gulch. 

The mining rights eventually ended up in the hands of three British businessmen who operated the mine until 1920 when catastrophic flooding damaged equipment beyond repair. 

Over the next century the mine passed between many hands but struggled with profitability.

Eventually it passed to its current owners Potentate mining who have returned to the mine’s roots, extracting both gold and gemstones across 4 mining sites.