What are Montana Sapphires?

MONTANA SAPPHIRES

Montana Sapphires, a naturally rare and precious gemstone, are America's treasure, and are exclusively extracted from the state of Montana. They are known for their incredible rarity and unique color palette, ranging from light pastels to deep blues and greens, and smoky greys. These gemstones are considered a collector's item due to this rarity. With a mining history of just over 100 years, Montana Sapphires are a relatively new and exclusive addition to the gem world. Montana, one of the only locations in the United States where sapphires can be found, is truly a treasure.

AMERICAN MINED & MADE

At Montana Sapphire Ring Co., we take great care in selecting our local partners, ensuring they align with our values. We do not work with overseas production houses, but rather a small crafting house in the Pacific Northwest. The stones we offer are hand-selected from small businesses, often small-scale, family-run operations. Additionally, we partner with suppliers dedicated to restoring the mined land with native vegetation, ensuring a sustainable future for our industry. As an eco-conscious company, we are proud to plant one tree per purchase through our partnership with Plant-It-2020. We are pleased to report that many of our partners share our commitment to the environment.

4.06ct Oval Bicolor Montana Sapphire Coral Six Prong Solitaire in 14k Yellow Gold

HISTORY OF MONTANA SAPPHIRES

Montana Sapphires were first unintentionally discovered in the 1860s as crowds of people migrated west in search of gold. Initially, the stones were unrecognized as sapphires because their colors were predominately shades of yellows and whites. Once identified, they were (mistakenly) thought to have little value.

It was in the 1880s, nearly two decades after their initial discovery, that a deposit of bright cornflower blue sapphires was found in Yogo Gulch. Despite being initially undervalued, a local Montana gold miner, Jake Hoover, sent a box of these 'little blue pebbles' to Tiffany & Co. in New York. To everyone's surprise, an appraiser there declared them to be some of the finest and most uniquely colored precious gemstones ever discovered in the United States. This marked a turning point, and Montana—the Treasure State—became home to the rarest and most beautiful sapphires naturally available in North America. In 1969, sapphires were rightfully declared the state gemstone of Montana.

WHERE MONTANA SAPPHIRES ARE LOCATED

The majority of Montana Sapphires are located in the southwest part of the state. There are four primary locations where sapphires are mined; each location is marked on the map below:

MISSOURI RIVER

The Missouri River is home to many sapphire deposits in Montana. They can be found at various gravel bars along the river including Spokane Bar, Dana Bar, American Bar, French Bar, Metropolitan Bar, and El Dorado Bar.

YOGO GULCH

Located in the center of the state, the Yogo Gulch, or the Yogo sapphires mines, produce a bounty of beautiful blue sapphires. Many of the stones range from a naturally vibrant blue to violet color and typically do not require heat treatments.

ROCK CREEK

Known as Gem Mountain, Rock Creek, is home to a rainbow of sapphires. This mountain range located in Western Montana produces the largest array of colored sapphires found in a single location.

DRY COTTONWOOD CREEK

While this site has been mined off and on for many years, a fair amount of high-clarity fancy sapphires have been excavated at Dry Cottonwood Creek. Of special note, these sapphires span a range of colors and contain very few, if any, inclusions or cavities. This results in even coloring and uniform clarity.

WHY WE LOVE MONTANA SAPPHIRES

Montana Sapphires hold a very dear place in our hearts here at Montana Sapphire Ring Co. We love sourcing stones close to home and as one of the only natural sapphires in the United States, we can't get much closer than our (almost) neighbor state! Our pieces are small batched, as we carefully select each stone for color, cut, clarity, and rarity.

Montana Sapphires are renowned for their distinct colors, ranging from ethereal watercolor pastels to vibrant blues, teals, and smoky greys. Their diverse palette is a testament to the wonders of nature. These earthly treasures are the perfect choice for an antique or nature-inspired ring. The deep teals evoke the lush greenery of Washington-state evergreens, serving as the inspiration for our hand-carved Evergreen texture. Montana sapphire rings finished with an Evergreen texture are the epitome of a nature lover’s dream ring. Discover the allure of these unique Montana Sapphires, as seen in our Best Seller, the beautiful Montana Sapphire Solitaire with an Evergreen Finish:

2.06ct Oval Precision Cut Teal Blue Green Oval Montana Sapphire Evergreen Carved 4 Prong Solitaire in 14k Yellow Gold

A STUNNING SAPPHIRE ENGAGEMENT

Many of our customers are happily choosing sapphires for their engagement ring:

If you, like Katherine and Ashley, favor a stone that resembles nature, or simply want an alternative to diamonds for an engagement ring, sapphires are the way to go! These beautiful rings are truly unique, highly durable, and best of all—the sapphires come from Montana! Shop ready-to-ship Montana Sapphire rings or select a loose Montana gemstone and build your own ring.