Helena | Montana Sapphire Engagement Ring | American Gemstone

Montana sapphire engagement ring, set with a moody light yellow-green-tan sapphire. Solid 14k gold; choose white, rose, or yellow. The band is slender and vintage-inspired with interwoven milgrain and decorative floral scrolls. 

Montana sapphires are "mined" by sifting through the gravel of certain Montana river beds to find the precious stones. Such mining has taken place for decades, and the rivers have been depleted making the discovery of gems large enough to set in rings a rarity. There are not too many of these gems around, and they are widely sought-after collectibles. Montana sapphires tend to be very changeable stone and can appear to shift colors in different lighting and angles. Multiple colors (for example, zones of green and yellow) in a single stone are not uncommon.

The setting is made to order by Stuller in Louisiana, USA from 100% recycled precious metals. It then comes to our rural Oregon studio for stone setting and brilliant hand polishing before being shipped, fully insured, to your door! Socially and environmentally sound American quality jewelry you'll be proud to wear. 

Montana Sapphire:

• 5.52mm, .81 carat round pale yellow-green sapphire.

• Mined in Montana, USA.

• Conflict free and ethically sourced; your purchase benefits individuals and tiny businesses around the globe.

• Genuine, natural, and verified by our in-house gem lab.

• One of a kind; the stone pictured is the stone that will be set in your ring.

Vintage Inspired Band:

• Floral / vine scroll design accented with milgrain detailing.

• Four-prong setting.

• Solid precious metal. 100% recycled; refined, alloyed, and cast in the US. "New" gold used by many major jewelry retailers cuts costs but supports toxic, environmentally destructive mining practices and in some cases, slave labor.

• Choose your size.

• Want a metal you don't see? Ask us about additional options.

Why Distinction Jewelry?

We are woman-owned and operated, a US small business, and we believe fair trade principles should apply to Americans, too. Our goal is to build a business that benefits employees with good jobs, buys from other quality small businesses, and refuses to join the race to the bottom.

• We use sustainable US-recycled and refined metals.

• We use ethically sourced gems from small businesses and individuals around the world.

• We always put quality ahead of cost.

Distinction Jewelry will never be your cheapest option, because we don't exploit cheap labor or materials. We will always provide you with the quality and radiant beauty of clean luxury you can feel good about wearing. Bring the beauty of true fine jewelry into your life.

Ring and Gemstone Images:

For the main product image, we take a picture of the actual gem that will be used in this ring. Then we edit that gem photo into a CGI render of the ring so that you can get a realistic idea of what the finished design will look like. In general, our gems look better in person than in photographs.

The rest of the pictures are photo-realistic CGI renders from our CAD program, a ubiquitous practice that most online jewelry sellers won't even tell you about. The gems in these secondary images aren't realistic; please refer to the main product image and our photo of the actual gemstone for a realistic view of the stone.

Buying a Gemstone Engagement Ring? Avoid This Scam:

It's common for jewelry sites to call everything they sell an "engagement ring." That's unethical, because engagement rings are purchased with the expectation that they will be worn for a lifetime. Very few gems are durable enough to survive that long in a ring without cracking, wearing, and scratching. If someplace tries to sell you an opal or pearl engagement ring in particular, run. A pearl is roughly as hard as your fingernails.

So what gems make the short list for engagement ring durability? 

• Diamonds
• Moissanite
• Alexandrite
• Chrysoberyl
• Sapphire
• Ruby

Speaking of durability: Even though they look cool, we do not sell so-called "black gold rings." There is no such thing as a black gold alloy, and rings being sold as black gold are just regular gold with black plating. The black coating will quickly wear and scratch.

Building a Dream

A note from the owner:

I grew up in poverty, and now embody the "American Dream." With no education, no connections, and no funding, I built Distinction Jewelry while working full time as a security guard, a dog trainer, an emergency dispatcher, and later, a manager. Today I own a house (albeit a modest one whose mortgage I struggle to pay), a car, and a business. My dream is financial stability for myself and my employees - the two we have now and many others in the future.

The dream is a company that:

• Employs Americans at fair wages. Provides health coverage and generous benefits, plus working conditions like working from home, flexible hours, and bringing pets to the office.
• Purchases goods and services mindfully. If we purchase from an overseas mega-corporation, our purchasing power makes the rich richer. But if we buy from small American companies, and individual miners in Africa, and small family businesses in India, our purchases can boost more than the economy: they can boost people.
• Hires qualified people without regard for college degrees, acknowledging that a lack of job openings targets the financially disadvantaged who cannot afford college.
• Makes customer service a priority and an honorable profession. I argue that such a key position warrants the very best people, and they should be hired and paid as such.
• Benefits people, communities, and the earth we live on.

Can one small brand do that? Take a path long abandoned by profits-first corporations, in a fiercely competitive market? That depends on you, our customers. Will you buy that cheaper megastore ring that supports toxic mining and slave labor? Or will you choose to build the world you want, one purchase at a time?

 I believe in humanity. I believe we can do this.

- Jessi

Caveats and Addendums*

Custom made items such as this ring cannot be returned. Please be sure of details like metal and stone choices, size, etc. before you order. Thanks for your understanding!

Ring images are photorealistic renders from my CAD system. Consider them a really amazing preview sketch! Diamonds tend to render accurately, but colored gemstones are often markedly different in appearance from the renders. Whenever possible I’ve included an example photo of the actual gem variety for a more realistic presentation. Unique designs even include a photograph of the exact gem that will be used in the ring.

All values for stone size and weight are approximate.

* Yes, that is a Firefly reference.