A white sapphire is a colorless form of sapphire used in a extensive range of jewelry as a diamond substitute. Sapphires tend to be much less expensive than diamonds, and socially awake purchasers who are concerned about conflict diamonds can avoid political issues by purchasing sapphires instead. Most white sapphires are heat treated to obtain the desired clear color, as it is very rare to find physically occurring white sapphires. Some may also be chemically treated, depending on the superiority of the stone and its intended use.

Sapphires are a kind of aluminum oxide which forms in a crystalline pattern. There are various uses for sapphires, ranging from industrial lasers to fine jewelry, and the stones also come in a wide range of colors, despite the traditional association with the color blue. Sapphires also come in purple, yellow, and brown, and they may have strange properties which cause them to reflect light in a star pattern or change color under certain lighting conditions.
There are two main sources for white sapphires. Grey to light yellow natural stones may be treated to become clear, and some companies also grow their own stones, creating synthetic sapphires which are chemically equal to the real thing. A synthetic white sapphire tends to be less expensive, because consumers distinguish lab-grown gems as inferior, but it may sometimes be of better quality, thanks to the controlled growing conditions. Normal sapphires are found in Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, parts of Africa, the Middle East, and in the Western states of America.