Blue Sapphire

Sapphire

History & Mythology:

Sapphire and Ruby comprise more than half of all Gemstones sold worldwide. Sapphire's popularity is not based on color alone. Its hardness of 9 places it next to Diamond (10), making it an excellent choice for jewelry worn daily. It is frequently featured in engagement rings. Most people relate Sapphire to the color Blue. But this form of Corundum is readily available in an array of other colors: Pink, Golden, Green, peachy Orange, Purple and Colorless. Fancy colors in Sapphires are described as being variations of the standard hues. Color change Sapphires are those which have two colors which are distinct when the light source is changed from fluorescent to incandescent. Generally, the more clear and vivid the color, the more valuable the fancy sapphire. If the color is in the pastel range, the clarity should be good: because in lighter tones inclusions are more noticeable, the trade usually prefers the gemstones to be cleaner with fewer visible inclusions. In a lighter colored gemstone, the cut is also more important: it should reflect light back evenly across the face of the stone, making it lively and brilliant. With darker more intense colors, the cut isn't as critical because the color creates its own impact.
The ancient Persians believed that Earth rested on a giant sapphire and its reflection colored the sky. The most famous and valuable sapphires, such as the St. Edward's sapphire and the Stuart sapphire, part of the English crown jewels, are a rich, intense blue. Although large sapphires are rare, there are several large, famous sapphires on display in museums. The Star of India, credited to be the largest cut star sapphire at 53 carats, is displayed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York The Star of Asia, a star sapphire of 330 carats, is owned by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C..

Treatments:

Desirable, intense blue sapphires have become more available in the past 20 years because some light, cloudy or over dark sapphire can now be heated at very high temperatures to improve the color or clarity, according to the International Colored Gemstone Association. This process, which dissolves trace elements already present in the sapphire, has excellent stability. Occasionally, gems are subjected to diffusion, in which a combination of chemicals and heat are used to produce color or asterism-producing inclusions.

Care:

Sapphire is one of the toughest and most durable gemstones. With a hardness of 9 on the Moh's scale, sapphire is equal to ruby and second only to diamond in hardness, and it has no cleavage plane so it cannot be cut with a single blow like a diamond. In fact, synthetic sapphire is used for scratch-resistant watch crystals, optical scanners and other instruments because of its superior durability. Sapphires that are heat-treated require no special care. Stones that are chemically colored should not be repolished or recut.

Color:

The most valuable sapphires have a medium intense, vivid blue color. The best sapphires hold the brightness of their color under all different types of lighting. Any black, gray, or green overtones mixed in with the blue will reduce a stone's value. In general, a more pastel blue would be less preferred than a vivid blue but would be priced higher than an over dark blackish blue color. As with all gemstones, sapphires that are "clean" and have few visible inclusions or tiny flaws are the most valuable. However, some very fine sapphires, in particular those from Kashmir, have a velvety, Mist like texture that enhances the richness of the blue. In addition to blue, sapphires are available in every color but red-simply because a red sapphire would be called a ruby.

Kashmir Sapphire / Ceylon Blue Sapphire : Although everyone has heard of the fabled Burmese Kashmir Sapphire, few have ever seen one. We constantly see appraisals that refer to Kashmir Sapphire, but it's just about always refers to a top gem quality Deep Royal Blue Ceylon Sapphire from Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon). Once in a great while we are able to acquire a real one, but since the mine has been depleted and these highly prized stones are old stones that are simply brought back onto the market, they don't last long. Authentic Kashmir Sapphires carry a particularly high cost per carat and are very highly valued Collectors Gemstones.
Kashmir Blue Sapphire from Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) also carries a particularly high cost per carat and these are very highly valued Collectors Gemstones, especially when they are in the super rich Velvety Royal Blue color.
The Blue Sapphire color next on the popularity scale is Cornflower Blue. The Cornflower Blue color shades vary but all usually allow more light into the stone for a brighter appearance, so these stones are usually cut in the Cushion or Oval shape to make it as brilliant as possible. Price per carat reflects the size, evenness of the color, the clarity and the brightness of the stone.

Color Change Sapphire: A color change Gemstone is one that changes from one color to another due to the light source. The color change comes about in a Gemstone due to the atomic structure of the stone. The ultraviolet rays in sunlight or fluorescent light excite the atoms in a color change Gem, but artificial (incandescent) light does not. Sapphire is one of the few Gemstones that can have a color change. The more dramatic the color change, the rarer and more expensive the stone. All of our Color Change Sapphires are very highly valued Collectors Gemstones.

Green Sapphire : These Sapphires are generally a strong, bright green color, sometimes from green to bluish green or yellowish green pleochroism. They are not the same tone of Green as the Chrome Tourmaline, Tsavorite Garnet, or Emerald, but can at first glance look very similar. The mixed Oval and Cushion cut are the most common, but you can sometimes find square or rectangular step cuts. Green Sapphires are excellent choices for mounting in jewelry as well as in any Collection. Due to the rarity of Green Sapphire it is difficult to find stones of any size.

Pink Sapphire : Pink Sapphires are one of the HOTTEST of the fancy color Sapphires. The Hot Pinks have seen the largest increase in value over the past 5 years of any of the Sapphires. True Hot Pinks are very rare. Pink Sapphires are treasured Gemstones in any Collection. Price per carat reflects the size, evenness of the color, the clarity and the brightness of the stone.

Padparadscha Sapphire : Padparadscha is the Sinhalese word meaning "lotus blossom". Padparadscha is Corundum in the pastel shades of delicate Orange-Yellow-Pink. Padparadscha can run from a more predominant Pink with nice Yellow-Orange mixed in, to the darker tones of predominantly Red with Yellow-Orange mixed in, this means the Pink or Red would be the more predominant color in the stone but the others are present and visible. At the other end of the color spectrum Padparadscha can run from a more predominant pastel Orange with nice Pink-Yellow mixed in, to the darker tones of Orange with Red-Yellow mixed in. One color can be more predominant than the others, but never without the others. We know there are dealers passing Orange Sapphires off as Padparadscha, probably since the synthetic Padparadscha Sapphires on the market are basically just synthetic Orange Sapphires, but in order to be a true Padparadscha, Orange-Yellow-Pink all must be present and visible no matter the varying intensity. Most Padparadscha tends to have slight inclusions, especially in the rich tones, so if you see one that is a well cut and eye clean (or better) stone, with rich pastel blended color having all three colors evenly balanced and saturated throughout the stone, you are looking at the most expensive and sought after Top quality Padparadscha available from the mines in Sri Lanka (Ceylon). These stones should also be "Untreated" which adds to the premium price, nearing and sometimes surpassing the price for a fine Kashmir (royal) Blue Sapphire. Padparadscha Sapphire is rarer than fine Ruby with a great investment potential!

White Sapphire : White or "Colorless" Sapphires have a great deal of brilliance, are attractive, durable and well priced. Colorless Sapphires are not common. In fact they are very difficult to obtain, so prices should continue to move upward in the market. Some Colorless Sapphires have a very light tint of Blue, Yellow, or Pink but are still considered colorless.
Colorless (white) Sapphire (corundum) is a 9 on the Moh's scale, and a refractive index of 1.76 and Diamond is a 10 on the Moh's scale, and a refractive index of 2.41, the highest for colorless minerals.

Colorless (white): Sapphire has been used as a substitute for Diamond for years, but despite it's luster, it is very easily distinguished from diamond since it has less dispersion and fire. We often suggest Colorless (white) Sapphire as the accent stones in jewelry pieces, and the larger gems make excellent main stones in pendants and rings, but we do not recommend it if you expect it to be as brilliant as a diamond. White Sapphire is a natural precious gem, and as such, stands on it's own merit as a beautiful precious gemstone. Brilliant and Clean Colorless (white) Sapphires are gaining popularity as a highly valued Collectors Gemstone.

Yellow Sapphire : Yellow Sapphires are intense, bright stones ranging from medium light Yellow to deep golden Yellow. These faceted Gems are exceptional in jewelry and have become quite popular as an alternative color for Blue.

History:

Sapphires primarily come from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Australia and Cambodia. Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, China, Vietnam, Madagascar and the United States also produce sapphire. The deposits in Montana produce a range of fancy colors-mostly from alluvial deposits in the rivers-and deep blue sapphires from one of the world's largest deposits at Yogo Gulch. The most famous sources for sapphire are Kashmir and Burma, which is now known as Myanmar. Sapphire is traditionally thought to be the stone on which the Ten Commandments were carved. It is said that sapphire will refuse to shine when worn by the wicked or impure.

TREATMENTS

Almost all (99%) Sapphire is routinely treated with "heat" to enhance and stabilize the color. The typical heat treatment process is a permanent process that does not adversely affect the performance and durability of the gemstone, so there's no need to worry when you see this enhancement disclosed. The typical heat enhancement procedure performed on Sapphire from Sri Lanka (Ceylon) normally refers to the lower temperature heat method, and the typical heat enhancement procedure performed on Sapphire from Burma, and other countries in that region, usually refers to the higher temperature furnace fired method that is performed at another location, both heating methods have been accepted trade practices for generations.

CARE

It is usually safe to clean Sapphire in an Ultrasonic cleaner, but risky to use a steamer. We recommend ionic cleaners and/or warm, soapy water and a soft brush as the best way to clean Sapphire jewelry.

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Last modified: August 27, 2008