Sapphires come from a mineral variety called corundum. Though largely thought to be of blue color, sapphires are available in other colors such as yellow, pink, teal, white, among others. A sapphire owes its color to the presence of other elements such as aluminum, iron, titanium, chromium, vanadium, and magnesium in the mineral corundum.
Sapphire is a very hard gemstone that measures 9 out of 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness, making it suitable for every type of jewelry. In addition, it is also used in other components that require its scratch resistant characteristic, such as infrared optical components, crystal wristwatches and movement bearings.
Sapphires are generally associated with royalty and in astrology are used to provide protection against negative energies and bring abundance of wealth.
Princess Diana’s 12ct sapphire ring inherited by Catherine Middleton is one of the most talked about pieces of jewelry. Princess Eugenie engagement ring featuring a rare padparadscha sapphire is another testament to the popularity of sapphire.
The primary sources of Sapphires are India (Kashmir), Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Madagascar & Australia. The others are Cambodia, China, Colombia, Kenya, Laos, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria & Pakistan. The finest quality sapphires are the Kashmir sapphires but they are extremely hard to find due to almost negligible supply.
Sapphire is the birthstone for the September born and it is also the anniversary stone for both 5th and 45th wedding anniversaries.
The price of a sapphire is directly related to its quality which depends on three major factors: color, clarity and transparency. Other price factors include origin, weight and treatment.
Whatever color of sapphire it may be, it’s the color saturation that primarily drives its value. The price of a sapphire increases with the increase in color saturation to a point where it doesn’t become overtly dark or oversaturated. At that point its price drops significantly. A very light color sapphire and extremely dark / opaque sapphires will have almost the same price.
Clarity refers to the presence or absence of internal and external imperfections in a gemstone. Unlike diamonds, color gemstones do not have any universal clarity grading system. We evaluate the clarity of a sapphire in the following manner.
The clarity grades for sapphire which we use and are common in the trade, are given hereunder.
| Grading | Description |
|---|---|
| Eye Clean | 100% clean to the eye, but not necessarily under magnification |
| Very Slightly Included | Very tiny inclusions are eye visible under close inspection or when tilting the gem |
| Slightly Included | Tiny inclusions are eye visible |
| Moderately Included | Inclusions are eye visible |
| Included | Significant inclusions are eye visible |
Transparency refers to the attribute of a gemstone to let the light pass through. The more light passes through, the more transparent the stone. Everyone loves transparent gems because the colors appear vivid. The only problem with higher transparency is that the flaws in the gemstone are more visible as compared to less transparent stone.
The rough of sapphire is cut in a way to obtain the desired color saturation of the sapphire since the price is primarily dependent on its color. Lighter material is cut deeper to allow the gem to hold more light and increase saturation, whereas darker material is cut shallower to allow more light to pass through the stone.
Cutting a gemstone requires a high degree of skill which is mastered with years of practice and patience.
Carat (ct) is the primary unit to measure the weight of a gemstone. One carat equals one-fifth of a gram or one gram has five carats. The deep or the shallow cut of a sapphire will have a bearing on its apparent size, thereby making it important to consider its physical measurements,. length and width, which are expressed in millimeters. A 7x5mm Oval can weigh 0.80cts or 1.5cts, depending on its depth and cutting style.
Sapphires are mined in many different countries around the world. Gemstones of varying quality can be found in all origins. The sapphire’s origin might affect its value, especially in higher quality gemstones. Even if they are mined from a rare and prestigious location, sapphires that are low in quality, will not receive a significant premium. Major sapphire origins are listed in the table below.
| Sapphire Origins | |
|---|---|
| Kashmir | Kashmir sapphires are considered the best but the mines have been exhausted and no new Kashmir sapphires are mined. |
| Ceylon | Ceylon is another name for Sri Lanka. Ceylon sapphires are known for their rarity and exceptional quality, transparency a pleasant blue color. |
| Burmese | Burmese sapphires are known to offer very nice royal blue color but generally will not offer excellent transparency. Most stones have good to very good transparency. |
| Madagascar | These sapphires are very similar to Ceylon sapphires in terms of quality. They offer excellent transparency and vivid blue color. |
| Thailand | Sapphires from this mine are rare and generally have a pleasant navy blue or royal blue color. |
| Australian | Australian sapphires are generally of commercial grade. Sapphires from this mine are used in a significant amount of world's sapphire jewelry and are generally midnight blue in color and have fair to good transparency. |
Sapphires from coveted mines such as India (Kashmir), Myanmar, Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and Madagascar generally command a higher price than those from other countries. As the quality improves and the size of a gemstone increases, the premium goes up. Gemstones of low, medium, and high quality are produced by all origins. For the most part, provenance should not influence a customer's decision but rather the quality of gemstone that is desired.
Sapphires are treated in many ways to enhance their color and make them visually more appealing. Untreated sapphires are extremely rare and very difficult to find. Most local jewelry stores sell only heat treated sapphires due to limited sourcing available.
| Sapphires are treated in the following ways: | |
|---|---|
| Untreated | A gemstone is cut and polished traditionally in order to improve its appearance & durability, |
| Heat | Sapphire is heated at a temperature between 800 and 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit to increase color saturation. It is a permanent treatment and is so common that in the trade if an individual asks for a sapphire it is understood they want a heated gemstone. Heating a sapphire requires a great deal of expertise and if performed inappropriately, it may result in loss of color and even damage. |
| Diffusion | This treatment uses a combination of chemicals and high temperature to induce color change. It is very common for yellow sapphires wherein Beryllium is used as the agent. However, in general, this is not an accepted treatment and must be disclosed. |
| Irradiation | This treatment uses radiation to induce color change. Because this treatment is not stable and is temporary, it is not a generally accepted treatment in the trade. |
A top quality treated gem will reach a maximum price point whereas an untreated gem is not restricted to such boundary due to its becoming rarer with each passing day.
A letter grading system is used by several local jewelers to educate their consumers about the quality. We've included an overall grade to help our customers understand the jeweler's grading system. It's worth noting that most jewelers don't offer untreated sapphires, therefore their AAAA grading isn't the highest.
To differentiate the heirloom quality untreated sapphire, we’ve devised the AAAAA grading system. Please see the full grading scale and description below:
| Quality Grade | % of All Sapphire | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
AAAAA (Untreated Heirloom) | Extremely Rare | These UNTREATED SAPPHIRES are the rarest and highly sought out by collectors. These gems have rich color, are very slightly included to eye clean clarity and exhibit nice sparkle. These gems tend to appreciate most in value over time due to rarity and high demand. |
|
|
AAAA (Heirloom) | Top 1% | Fine quality sapphires that are typically found at higher end boutiques. They have rich color, slightly included to eye clean clarity and tend to exhibit nice sparkle. These gems are typically heated. |
|
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AAA (Excellent) | Top 10% | High quality sapphires that are typically found in high end stores such as on 5th Avenue. They have vivid to medium color and from slightly included to very slightly included eye clarity. |
|
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AA (Very Good) | Top 25% | Medium to light color gems that exhibit nice sparkle. They typically have moderate to slightly included eye clarity. These gems are usually found at medium to high end jewelers. |
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A (Good) | Top 50 to 75% | Very Light to very dark gems that tend to be opaque. Typically found in commercial quality jewelry. |
AAAAA (Untreated Heirloom)
Extremely Rare
These UNTREATED SAPPHIRES are the rarest and highly sought out by collectors. These gems have rich color, are very slightly included to eye clean clarity and exhibit nice sparkle. These gems tend to appreciate most in value over time due to rarity and high demand.
AAAA (Heirloom)
Top 1%
Fine quality sapphires that are typically found at higher end boutiques. They have rich color, slightly included to eye clean clarity and tend to exhibit nice sparkle. These gems are typically heated.
AAA (Excellent)
Top 10%
High quality sapphires that are typically found in high end stores such as on 5th Avenue. They have vivid to medium color and from slightly included to very slightly included eye clarity.
AA (Very Good)
Top 25%
Medium to light color gems that exhibit nice sparkle. They typically have moderate to slightly included eye clarity. These gems are usually found at medium to high end jewelers.
A (Good)
Top 50 to 75%
Very Light to very dark gems that tend to be opaque. Typically found in commercial quality jewelry.
Sapphire is a pretty hard gemstone and doesn’t require much care. But here are a few things that you can do to keep your sapphire jewelry looking new.
