Education Center
BLUE SAPPHIRE
Blue sapphires are the most popular and sought after type of sapphire. They have been the prized possessions of emperors, kings, queens and collectors for thousands of years. Still today it is the most well known and in demand colored gemstone. Royalty give sapphires over diamonds as engagement rings because they are known to be far rarer than diamonds.
Blues
Blue sapphires come in various hues from very light pale baby blue to a very rich royal blue. A sapphire that is black should not be called a blue sapphire; this is a commercial quality stone. If a sapphire is to be called blue” it must not have more than 15% secondary color tones within the stone such as yellow, green or purple. Sapphires that have secondary colors that are significant should be classified “greenish-blue” or “purplish-blue” “violet” etc. These are not “blue sapphires”, rather they are “unique” or sometimes called “fancy colors”. These should be classified differently and priced accordingly.
A note on the term “Cornflower Blue”: This is a term used by many people in the jewelry and gem trade. It is our opinion that there is no definite way of defining “cornflower blue” as a color. The reason being, there are many very different color tones that people refer to as “cornflower blue.” Some people believe this color is a darker richer tone of blue; while others believe it is a lighter softer blue tone. Because of this we do not describe our blue sapphires using this term in most cases. Too often it is used as a “buzz word” to increase the impression of a stones quality.
Titanium
The blue color in a blue sapphire comes from the mineral titanium that is within the crystal. The higher concentrations of titanium in the sapphire, the more color saturation. Too much color saturation can create a dull or overly dark effect in the blue sapphire which is not desirable and lowers the price of the stone. Most commercial quality sapphires are in fact not blue but black in color. These should not be called blue sapphires as they do not have any blue color or translucency. These sapphires are very inexpensive.
Origins of Sapphires
Sapphires come from many places around the world but few locations produce fine qualities. The most beautiful sapphires come from the same countries as they have for thousands of years. Only a few new deposits have been discovered in recent times.
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) & Madagascar
The most notable producer of fine blue sapphires is Sri Lanka or “Ceylon” as referred to within the trade (Ceylon was the former name of the country. It has only recently changed to “Sri Lanka” since gaining independence from the British).
The quantity and quality of blue sapphires coming from Sri Lanka is only rivaled by new deposits found in Madagascar. The sapphires from Madagascar are in many cases almost indistinguishable against sapphires from Sri Lanka. Color tone and internal crystal characteristics of Madagascar and Ceylon sapphires are almost identical in most cases. The prices for blue sapphires from both countries are similar.
Kashmir
“Kashmir” sapphires are talked about in almost a mythical way these days. Kashmir sapphires were found in a very remote mountainous region of India in the late 1800’s. The stones were in most cases exceptionally fine quality. The color tone term “cornflower blue” was coined from these stones. The term is generally described as “velvety” or “sleepy” being that the color is very soothing and appealing. The deposit was exhausted by the 1920’s and there have been no new finds in the Kashmir area.
For this reason the prices for Kashmir sapphires have been wildly valued. Prices can be 10 times the cost of a comparable blue sapphire from another country.
Problems with Kashmir Sapphire Today
Stones from Madagascar are very often described to look like Kashmir quality. Many stones are thought to be graded incorrectly by the laboratories as Kashmir sapphires, but actually come from Madagascar or even Sri Lanka. For this reason we do not recommend the extraordinary prices that “Certified Kashmir” demands.
Early 19th century jewelry and Kashmir sapphires played a large role together, and these stones are very beautiful indeed. We highly recommend Madagascar sapphires, as they can look identical to proven Kashmir sapphires. Of course true Kashmir sapphires exist and are documented in famous jewelry. But when a fine velvety Kashmir and fine velvety Madagascar sapphire are put side by side it can be very difficult to determine which is finer.
Treatments, Value & Details
First, natural untreated blue sapphires are in a class of their own. Either a sapphire is treated or it is not. This is the first consideration in determining value. There are so many types of treatments and alterations of sapphires that it is almost impossible to list them all. Therefore it is now a basic matter of either the sapphire being 100% untreated or not. Prices for treated sapphires fluctuate and are not very consistent so it is impossible to put reliable value on them (Please refer to our section on Treatments of Sapphires to see the extraordinary differences between natural and treated sapphires).
The second consideration in evaluating a blue sapphire is sheer beauty. In most cases beauty is agreeable from one person to the next. Something stunningly attractive will always hold value and be in demand. A slight preference in color tone is normal from one person to the next. Normally these personal taste preferences should not be seen as better or worse. It is possible to lean towards a blue sapphire that is slightly darker in color or lighter in color depending on individual appeal. One should not look at “the highest priced” as the defining quality factor. You must love what you buy and it must have value.
Uniform color, light reflection and clarity are all important in grading quality and price of sapphires. Details on shape, cutting style and origin are purely valued by personal taste and should not be labeled “better or worse” when considering a sapphire.
Prices of blue sapphires are dependant on whether they are treated or untreated, their color tone, saturation, the clarity of the sapphire, and size. Loose sapphires are priced by the quality of the stone multiplied by the carat (ct.) weight. Just as you would purchase fine fruit at a higher price per pound over lower quality fruit, sapphires are priced the same. The finer the material the more it will cost per carat. As a person becomes more and more familiar with quality attributes of blue sapphires they develop an accurate “price per ct” trading range of the material. A seasoned shopper of apples in a grocery store can tell you the high and low end range of apples by the pound, as can a seasoned shopper and buyer in sapphires.
Small light blue sapphires (approx. 1ct) can be as little as a few hundred per ct, while a 1ct exceptionally fine blue sapphire can be more then $2000 per ct. Price ranges for larger stones have a comparable price spread, so there is a very large price range for similar sized stones with very different color, clarity and cutting properties. It is important that all of these determining factors are understandable so that pricing makes sense.
As with most things, the more you learn the more comfortable and secure you will feel in making an informed decision when purchasing your sapphire jewelry.
YELLOW SAPPHIRE
Yellow sapphire is a gemstone that ranges from pale yellow to rich gold, is durable, and looks stunning in engagement rings and other fine jewelry. Like many other gemstones, yellow sapphire has been given a range of historical meanings. It’s closely associated with success and luck, making it a common gift for people seeking prosperity and material wealth.
How Are Yellow Sapphires Formed
Yellow sapphire comes from the corundum mineral and develops its unique color from the presence of iron during formation. Over the course of millions of years, traces of iron can color the corundum that makes up the sapphire, giving it a warm, yellow color.
Like other fancy sapphires, yellow sapphires can vary wildly in color. Some have a rich, golden yellow color, whereas others have a lighter, less saturated color.
Yellow sapphire is mined in a variety of countries. The highest quality yellow sapphires are usually sourced from Sri Lanka, although sapphires in this color also come from the USA, Australia, Myanmar, Thailand and Madagascar.
Yellow Sapphire: Hardness
All sapphires, including yellow sapphires, have a hardness rating of nine out of 10 on the Mohs scale. This puts them just one point behind a diamond, which has a 10 out of 10 score. Thanks to their hardness, sapphires are durable stones that are very difficult to scratch or damage.
Color
Like with fancy sapphires in other colors, the color of a yellow sapphire is usually the factor that has the largest impact on its beauty, as well as the price you’ll pay to purchase it.
Because color can vary so much between different yellow sapphires, it’s important to pay close attention to photos before you choose a loose yellow sapphire to add to a setting or a pre-made yellow sapphire engagement ring.
Generally, sapphires with a canary yellow-like color tend to command the highest prices. When you’re comparing sapphires, you’ll want to pay attention to three key factors that affect the color and appearance of a stone.
The vast majority of yellow sapphires are heat treated for enhanced color and clarity. This is a common process that’s also used for other fancy sapphires. Sapphires that haven’t been heat treated are very rare and sell at a significant premium.
Hue
Hue refers to how a sapphire’s color compares to neighboring colors on the color wheel. The two colors that neighbor yellow – orange and green — can both be identified in certain yellow sapphires.
Tone and Saturation
Tone refers to how light or dark a sapphire’s color is. Yellow sapphires with a light tone can be bright and eye-catching, whereas darker sapphires can have an orangey-yellow color that can make the stone appear less transparent.
, vibrant and vivid a sapphire’s color is. Sapphires with a vivid, medium tone color tend to be the most attractive and desirable, especially if they’re a relatively pure yellow.
Unlike with diamonds, there’s no standardized color grading system for sapphires. Because of this, it’s much more important for you to look at a sapphire’s physical color than to rely on color grades to get an idea of its appearance.
Clarity
It’s common for sapphires of all colors to feature inclusions, particularly rutile needles. When a sapphire has no inclusions, it’s quite unusual — in general, a sapphire with flawless clarity will usually be looked at with a certain amount of suspicion by a gemologist.
Interestingly, yellow sapphires usually have fewer inclusions than blue, green, pink and other fancy sapphires.
Unlike with diamonds, where it’s important to pay attention to the clarity grade, with sapphires, the best approach is to check that the stone is “eye-clean.” This simply means that the stone is free of inclusions when viewed with the naked eye.
Any yellow sapphire that’s eye-clean and free of obvious, visible inclusions will look more than acceptable once it’s set into a ring.
Cut
Yellow sapphires come in a wide variety of different cuts. Unlike with a diamond, there are no standardized cuts that are used for sapphires. Instead, the gem cutter will pick an appropriate cut that maximizes the stone’s color, light return and other factors.
The most common cuts for yellow sapphires include oval, round, cushion and emerald. Other cuts, such as princess, heart and pear are also occasionally used for certain stones.
Carat Weight
Yellow diamonds are available in a range of carat weights, with pricing rising exponentially as carat weight increases.
Sapphires, whether yellow or in any other color, are slightly more dense than diamonds. This means that a three carat sapphire, for example, will have smaller dimensions than a diamond with an equal carat weight.
How can I tell if my yellow sapphire is real?
You can tell if a yellow sapphire is real by looking for scratches and tiny bubbles, and verifying the gemstone’s certificate. Yellow sapphires are extremely durable as they rank 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Imitation stones, often made with glass, only rank a 6. That’s why fake yellow sapphires often have scratches on the surface that you can see.
While almost all yellow sapphires have inclusions, high-quality yellow sapphires won’t have blemishes that can be seen by the naked eye. Fake yellow sapphires often have small visible bubbles in the composition. Look closely at the stone to ensure there are no bubbles or scratches (a good indication that it’s a fake yellow sapphire).
Tips for Choosing the Best Yellow Sapphire Engagement Ring
From choosing the right metal to pairing your sapphire with a beautiful setting design, there are a variety of tactics you can use to make sure you get the highest quality yellow sapphire ring for your budget:
· Look for a medium, vibrant, canary yellow color. This is generally the most desirable color for a yellow sapphire. Sapphires with this color command a slight premium, but are still significantly more affordable than diamonds and other fancy sapphires.
· Consider a halo or pavé setting. Yellow sapphires and other fancy sapphires can look especially elegant in a halo setting, where a halo of small diamonds surrounds the large center stone.
· Choose a metal that complements the color of the sapphire. Yellow sapphires look amazing with in a variety of metals, including white gold. They’re particularly impressive in yellow gold settings, especially with halo diamonds to emphasize the sapphire’s color.
· Remember that heat treatment is common. Like many other colored gemstones, it’s very common for sapphires to be heat-treated for improved color and clarity. As such, it isn’t a good practice to avoid stones simply because they’re been heat-treated.
· Check a sapphire’s measurements before purchasing. As we mentioned earlier, the density of a sapphire is higher than that of a diamond. This makes it important to check the stone’s measurements, not just its carat weight, to get an idea of its size.
PINK SAPPHIRE
Pink sapphires have been exponentially increasing in popularity as a modern and extremely flattering colored gemstone. The color pink exudes femininity and delicacy, coupled with an inner resilience and strength. All the various shades of pink sapphires are also some of the most universally complementary to all skin tones.
Pink sapphires are in high demand due to the extremely appealing color and the excellent light reflection inherent in these stones. They have grown in demand to equal that of blue sapphires. Even the various hues of pink sapphires are in equal demand, from light baby pink to “hot,”magenta, and intense.
The Standard For Pink Sapphires
Pink sapphires come in very pale baby pink to vivid, intense magenta. The "superior" tone of pink is highly personal in taste. A lighter pink should not be considered lower quality nor should an intense color necessarily be seen as higher quality. Although more intense colors are more rare than lighter pink tones, and hence more expensive, they are not necessarily more desirable than the lighter baby pink hues.
How Does Cut Affect The Color?
As mentioned above, cut is extremely important to your choice in a pink sapphire, especially when dealing with any stone over 1 carat. The cut allows light and color to shine through at their very best to enhance the beauty of the stone.
Cut is of particular importance in lighter colored stones, as it is going to be the main factor affecting how your sapphires sparkles. If the cut is poor, the stone will look dull and lifeless. Skilled cutters will take all of this into consideration, as well as how inclusions appear in the stone, since inclusions will also be more apparent to the naked eye with lighter colored stones.
Beautiful light pink
Where can they be found?
Madagascar is truly th eleader of pink sapphires today. The quantity and quality is unrivaled by any other source. Small sapphires under 1 carat size is common, with most crystals having good clarity and uniform color. This makes it easy to identify a classic color associated with most Madagascar sapphires. Most of these pink sapphires have a medium vibrant pink color with an almost electric light reflection property.
Beyond Madagascar, pink sapphire are most often found in Sri Lanka, Myanmar and the mines of East Africa.
