Normally, the large pavilions or large crowns top of the stone found on star sapphires are needed to accentuate and preserve as much of the star effect within the sapphires as possible. These synthetic sapphires can be very attractive and in some cases deceptive, as they can look very similar to genuine star sapphires. A Cabochon is one method of cutting a sapphire; but is also a lot more than just a way to shape a sapphire from its rough form. Sapphire crystals come from the earth in many shapes, clarities and colors.
We cut and shape them in various ways to expose as much of the natural beauty that the stones possess. Yes, it is the most ancient and historical way of cutting and polishing a stone, but this unique cut does a lot more. A cabochon cut on a sapphire shows the very distinctive raw beauty of the particular crystal. The look is very unique and not like any other type of appearance in a gemstone. For this reason we do not classify these stones by cut alone. Cabochons are most often seen in blue sapphires.
A true cabochon should not be confused with a star sapphire, as most star sapphires do not have the clarity and look of a clean beautiful cabochon. A star sapphire looks very much like a regular cabochon but it shows a star effect in direct light and usually has less clarity properties. If you are seeking only the raw beauty of color then a star sapphire might not be the right choice, because even though a star sapphire will show color, the star effect can detract from viewing the color alone.
A fine cabochon is for color purists. These stones do not give flashes and dances of light reflection. Cabochons come in many different shapes. Oval, round and cushion shapes are the most common.
The prices can be considerably more than a standard dome height. This is one of the most conservative and popular cuts for a cabochon sapphire. Sapphire cabochons are seen in all the colors of sapphires. Some yellow and pink color cabochons are seen on occasion, but the demand is generally lower and it is highly unusual to see these color sapphires in a cabochon. Rare and unique colors, such as purple, violet, or Padparadscha are almost never seen in cabochons. Cabochons are normally heat treated, as most other sapphires are these days.
We try a great deal to find fine cabochon sapphires, but they are part of a rare breed very seldom seen. This is exceptionally rare, as most very clean material is cut into traditionally faceted sapphires. Heavily zoned or included cabochon sapphires will cost a lot less than clean transparent cabochons. Large cabochons are very difficult to find and should be highly appreciated when seen, as these are a rare look into the raw color beauty that this special cut reveals.
They are extremely durable and brilliant and come in all colors imaginable. Almost no two stones are the same. Uniformity in rare colors is almost an impossible occurrence. Many of these unique sapphires are normally not very expensive. There are no replacements or simulates to duplicate these types of sapphires. They trade on the basis of individual personality and preference of the perspective owners.
Unique and rare colored sapphires normally to go to owners that see personalities within the stones that they themselves exhibit or they simply greatly appreciate the rarity of the colors. Below are a few unique sapphire colors that do tend to be available in various intensities and tones:. These sapphires primarily originate in Sri Lanka and Madagascar. The mixes of purple-blue and pink are found in tone rages from light pastels to more rich and saturated shades.
These are almost always untreated. These sapphires can be quite expensive in very fine qualities in large sizes. The rare colors are reminiscent of Tanzanite, but are far more dependable hardness because they are sapphires. These are the most common unique color sapphires from Madagascar. Many of the pink sapphires that are produced in Madagascar have some tone of purple within the pink coloration. Sapphires from Madagascar come in saturations of very light to very intense, almost magenta colorations.
White sapphires are pure sapphires. These stones are just about the rarest type of sapphire found. A sapphire obtains its color when it has trace mineral content within the crystal itself. The type of mineral within the sapphire will determine what color will show. Example: Titanium in sapphires will be a blue color. A white sapphire has no internal minerals. A chemically pure sapphire crystal is exceptionally unusual.
These stones are pure corundum sapphire. We feel these natural unheated white sapphires are some of the most rare and unusual sapphires. We believe they are highly undervalued.
A white sapphire that is completely untreated and natural is something very much similar to a diamond in appearance, as they show excellent light reflection in direct sunlight. The quantity of natural untreated white sapphires currently being found is so low that we normally have less then a dozen stones at any one time. These sapphires are truly a phenomenon.
Most people do not believe such sapphires exist until they see them in person. These sapphires have the exceptionally rare attribute of changing colors. Color-change sapphires will show one color in fluorescent lighting and another color in incandescent lighting. The most prevalent type of color-change sapphires are ones that show a blue color in fluorescent light and a purple color in incandescent light.
Rare and entertaining, these sapphires are like owning two types of stones for the price of one. Most color-change sapphires come from Sri Lanka and Tanzania, with new material being produced recently in Madagascar as well. These sapphires have various color change intensities from one stone to the next. The stronger the percentage of the color change, the more expensive the sapphire. Large sizes with strong color change can be especially valuable and demand very high prices.
These are true collector stones. Other color-change sapphires occasionally come in red to brown, green to red, and green to yellowish green. These and other rare color changes primarily come from Tanzania. These are the Padparadscha look-a-likes that come primarily from Tanzania and Madagascar. These fantastically beautiful sapphires are very unusual and considered by many to be a sub-category of Padparadscha and Ruby. The rare sapphires that possess reddish coloration are highly undervalued in most cases.
These sapphires still command high prices, but not as much as they would if they were just pink and orange a defined Padparadscha sapphire. Various laboratories used to interpret Padparadscha differently, and many allowed some tone of red to enter into the mix of pink and orange, but today the guidelines are strict from reputable labs, and they do not normally allow reddish-orange or reddish-pink coloration to be labeled a Padparadscha sapphire.
The Natural Sapphire Company believes these reddish-orange or reddish-pink or even reddish-orange-pink color sapphires are equally, if not more, rare than Padparadschas and should be priced in the same category range. Purple sapphires are quite uncommon because fine stones are difficult to find in steady quantities. Most fine purple sapphires have the same color as top quality amethyst, the most common of the purple gemstones.
Purple sapphires should not be thought to look exactly like amethyst by any means. Sapphires reflect and refract light far stronger than amethyst, and are exponentially harder and more durable. Purple sapphires will last a lifetime, whereas amethyst will dull, scratch and possibly fracture with normal wear.
Purple sapphires can range from a pastel tone to an ultra rich intense purple tone. The higher intensity, the higher the price. Most purple sapphires come from Sri Lanka and Madagascar and are usually untreated. Large sizes over 6cts are extremely rare and expensive. Orange sapphires are very rare. These are some of the most difficult sapphires to find in a natural untreated state. The color of most orange sapphires has a secondary tone of yellow as well.
Intense orange sapphires that are untreated and naturally orange color can be expensive. Of all orange sapphires seen in the marketplaces of websites and jewelry stores, These stones are not rare and are not expensive. A true natural untreated orange sapphire needs to have a reputable gem laboratory report if it is to be considered a true unheated rare orange sapphire. Most orange sapphires today are coming from Australia and Madagascar. Sometimes orange sapphires have a secondary color tone of yellow or brown.
The more pure the orange, the more expensive the sapphire. Large orange sapphires are almost non-existent. There is almost no substitute for an orange sapphire of natural color, as these are exceptionally unique sapphires. Green sapphires usually have a color range of light lime green to an olive green color. Green sapphires mostly come from Sri Lanka and Tanzania, with some new deposits being mined in Madagascar as well. These stones can have significant secondary colors mixed in, such as yellow and blue.
Green sapphires are normally not very expensive. Color saturation does not play much of a role in the pricing of these stones. Normally, the lighter brighter green sapphires are more valued, as they show better light and color reflection over darker, more intense green sapphires. This unique color is actually very attractive and in demand. Reddish brown or reddish orange colored sapphires are found mostly in Tanzania and Madagascar.
These stones look best in a medium darker tone. Good cutting is important on these sapphires to show as much color and light reflection as possible. The more reddish color the more expensive the material. Brown sapphires are not considered cognac color, and cost much less. Cognac sapphires are almost always natural and untreated. They do not normally come in large sizes, so a large fine medium intense color is something very unique and in demand, yet very few of these sapphires are readily available.
These are the sapphires that need to be seen in order to be appreciated and admired. Unlimited, yet rare color mixes in blue-greens, yellow-browns, purplish-greens, grayish-blues, golden-browns, bi-colored two colors separated within the same stone , pinkish-browns and all other colors imaginable can be found. Sapphires are exceptional crystals that have endless possibilities, along with durability and popularity that will last the test of time.
This is similar to the lights that are used in most commercial office buildings They are standard 4 foot florescent bulbs, but do not have the yellow tint that is common in older 4 foot florescent bulbs. Lighting is one factor in how color is interpreted. Factors that create color include, Hue, Saturation and Tone. Color is not so simple to define in many situations related to natural untreated sapphires.
Sometimes there can be 5 combinations of color in one sapphire. Here at The Natural Sapphire Company we do our best to give the closest classification of color based on what 2 or more gemologist agree on.
Here are examples of sapphires that were given two different color identifications from well respected labs. Neither lab is correct or incorrect with its assessment. Color interpretation is a matter of opinion and can vary from one lab to the next. Blue Sapphire Engagement Rings.
White Sapphire Engagement Rings. Pink Sapphire Engagement Rings. Purple Sapphire Engagement Rings. Yellow Sapphire Engagement Rings. Green Sapphire Engagement Rings. Blue Green Sapphire Engagement Rings. Peach Sapphire Engagement Rings. Padparadscha Sapphire Engagement Rings. Montana Sapphire Engagement Rings.
Other Colors of Sapphire Engagement Rings. View All Sapphire Rings. Blue Sapphire Rings. White Sapphire Rings. Pink Sapphire Rings. Purple Sapphire Rings. Yellow Sapphire Rings. Green Sapphire Rings. Blue Green Sapphire Rings. Peach Sapphire Rings. Padparadscha Sapphire Rings. Montana Sapphire Rings. Other Colors of Sapphire Rings. Wedding Bands. Emerald Jewelry. Blue Sapphires.
Pink Sapphires. Yellow Sapphires. Padparadscha Sapphires. White Sapphires. Green Sapphires. Purple Sapphires. Unique Colored Sapphires.
Curiosities Sapphires. Montana Sapphires. Star Sapphires. Cabochons Sapphires. Crystals Sapphires. Gemologist Recommended Sapphires. View All Sapphires. Blue Sapphire Pairs. Pink Sapphire Pairs. Yellow Sapphire Pairs. Padparadscha Sapphire Pairs. White Sapphire Pairs. Unique Colored Sapphire Pairs. Star Sapphire Pairs.
Gemologist Recommended Sapphire Pairs. View All Sapphire Pairs. Engagement Ring. Sapphire is one of the Big three of jewelry colored gemstones—the other two are ruby and emerald. Corundum is the mineral species that includes both sapphire and ruby as varieties. Red corundum is known as ruby and all other colored corundum including colorless, or white sapphire as it is known in the trade is sapphire, although blue is the most well-known.
Sapphire is generally known as a blue gemstone but surprisingly it comes in a wide range of colors and quality variations. In general, the more intense and uniform the color is, the more valuable the stone. Sapphires that are not blue are known as fancy sapphires, and may be any color—except red which is a ruby.
The fancy sapphire colors are: pink, orange, yellow, green, purple, and violet. The most valued blue sapphires are velvety blue to violetish blue, in medium to medium-dark tones. Sapphires with these qualities command the highest prices per carat.
Less valuable blue sapphires might also be grayish, too light, or too dark. What is a Padparadscha Sapphire? An extremely rare and collectible variety that is a mix of pink and orange is known in the trade as padparadscha.
Such gems typically have a high value—much higher than many other types of fancy sapphires. Their color can be hard to describe. Some people say padparadscha sapphire colors should be called salmon or sunset. But the word padparadscha itself derives from the Sanskrit language and refers to the rich color of a lotus blossom. Those who deal in these gemstones usually agree that padparadscha sapphires should range from light to medium pinkish orange to orange-pink.
Pink and Purple Sapphires Pink sapphires range from light red pink to light purple with weak to intense color saturation which fall out of the color ranges for ruby or purple sapphire. Purple sapphires always have purple as the dominant color. They range from medium to dark reddish purple to violetish purple with weak to vivid color saturation. The major fancy sapphire color categories are padparadscha, pink and purple, orange and yellow, green, and colorless and black. Each category has its own color range, causes of color, and market.
Yellow to Orange Sapphires Yellow sapphire is also available in a variety color saturations from yellow to orangy yellow and in light to dark tones, while orange sapphires have deep golden, to mandarin, and deep orange colors.
Yellow sapphires may be affected by other colors within the same gem and can range from light to dark greenish yellow to orangy yellow with weak to intense color saturation.
The finest yellow sapphire is yellow to orangy yellow with vivid saturation. Orange sapphires range from yellowish orange to reddish orange. The finest orange sapphires are strong, pure orange to red-orange with medium tone and vivid saturation.
Green Sapphires Commercial-grade sapphires may contain a less desirable greenish blue color or strong greenish blue that is visible as you view the gem. Uniformly green sapphires that are saturated in color are actually rare and many collectors prize them. In green sapphires, a mix of yellow and blue sapphire accounts for the color a person sees. Under incandescent light, it ranges from violetish purple to strongly reddish purple. The sapphire is the stone that Diana will always be associated with, and when she got married, this set of earrings, a necklace, and a bracelet were a gift from the Saudi royal family.
Specialists note that the rarest stones boast a combination of key characteristics such as the absence of treatment and exceptional color and transparency. But it is their place of origin that is the most important element.
T he finest examples hail from three mines: Kashmir in northern India, across its eastern border to Myanmar previously Burma , and Sri Lanka previously Ceylon , and when they appear at auction, they cause a huge buzz in the jewelry world and spark bidding wars in the auction rooms.
By analyzing the types of inclusions—tiny microscopic minerals—within the gem, it is possible to ascertain where the sapphire was mined. Its geographical location is effectively its passport and can add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the selling price.
Photo : Courtesy of Sotheby's. While Sri Lanka has perhaps the longest history of producing sapphires, with discoveries recorded as far back as the second century, and for almost 1, years in Myanmar, it is the Kashmir sapphires that have acquired an almost legendary status due to an extraordinary story associated with the mine.
The first Kashmir sapphires were unearthed in the late s and early s high up in the Himalayas following a landslide in a remote valley in the Kashmir region of India.
The maharaja of Kashmir then purchased the mine and work began to uncover these treasures. The mine was active for just five years, between and , when the supply of sapphires was depleted. Work was only possible during the summer months thanks to heavy winter snowfall. The area was worked sporadically until the late s and early s, but the glory years of the s were never to be replicated. Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor who is wearing her sapphire and diamond sautoir. Photo : Courtesy of the Everett Collection.
Others are locked away in private collections. Below, a look at some most jaw-dropping sapphires to ever hit the block at auction. Rockefeller sapphire ring.
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