Overview
About Sapphire
Besides blue sapphire and ruby, the corundum family also includes so-called “fancy sapphires”. They come in violet, green, yellow, orange, pink, purple and intermediate hues. Some stones exhibit the phenomenon known as colour change, most often going from blue in daylight or fluorescent lighting to purple under incandescent light. Sapphires can even be grey, black or brown.
Birthstones & Anniversaries
Sapphire is the birthstone for September and the gem of the 45th and 65th wedding anniversaries.
Kashmir
Intensely saturated and velvety, rare sapphires from Kashmir set the standard for blue.
18 carats
The world’s most famous engagement ring: Kate Middleton’s and Princess Diana’s sapphire.
Padparadscha
A rare and valuable pinkish-orange sapphire named from the Sinhalese for lotus blossom.
Facts
-
Mineral:
Corundum
Chemistry
Treatments
There are a number of processes used to alter the colour or apparent clarity, or to improve the durability of gems.
Learn MoreSynthetics
Some gemstones have synthetic counterparts that have essentially the same chemical, physical and optical properties, but are grown by man in a laboratory.
Learn MoreImitations
Any gem can be imitated – sometimes by man-made materials or by natural materials chosen by man to impersonate a particular gem.
Learn More
Why We Love This Gemstone
Vivid And Saturated
Sapphire’s blue can be vivid and saturated, like it’s lit from within.
Durable
It’s so durable, synthetic sapphire is used for the windows of supermarket scanners and spacecraft.
Delicate Silk
Sapphire often contains delicate intersecting needles of rutile that gemologists call silk.
Quality Factors
Each colour of sapphire has its own quality variations.
Colour
Sapphires come in a variety of colours. Preferred sapphires have strong to vivid colour saturation, regardless of hue.
Clarity
Blue sapphires typically have some inclusions, but they generally have better clarity than rubies.
Cut
Sapphire is often cut with a brilliant pattern on the crown and a step cut pattern on the pavilion.
Carat Weight
Blue sapphires range in size, and large blue sapphires are more readily available than large rubies.
Sapphire Quality Factors: The Comprehensive Guide
Research
Explore sources, gemmological research and the role of gems in history.
Gemmological Characterisation of Sapphires from Yogo Gulch, Montana
Nathan D. Renfro, Aaron C. Palke, and Richard B. Berg , Aug 6, 2018 Read more in English
The Role of Silicon in the Color of Gem Corundum
John L. Emmett, Jennifer Stone-Sundberg, Yunbin Guan, and Ziyin Sun , May 7, 2017 Read more in English
Big Sky Country Sapphire: Visiting Montana’s Alluvial Deposits
Tao Hsu, Andrew Lucas, Robert E. Kane, Shane McClure, and Nathan Renfro , Aug 7, 2017 Read more in English
