Back to Top Size
Sapphires come in all sizes. They are readily available under 1ct and can come as large as 20+cts in fine quality,
but these stones are exceptionally rare. Specimen grade sapphire can come in huge sizes of thousands of
carats, but this material has little or no value at all.
Back to Top Untreated vs. Treated (A Quick Introduction)
The Natural Sapphire Company is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and availability of fine untreated sapphires. Within this website there will be much discussion and education of the very large differences between a 100% truly natural sapphire and the many treated sapphires that are commonplace in all but a few sources.
In very short detail, an untreated sapphire is one that has been taken from the ground in which it came and faceted. Nothing at all was done to the stone to alter the natural beauty which only the earth created naturally. These
sapphires are exceptionally more rare and valuable.
For this reason, sapphires are extraordinarily unique from one to the next. No two are exactly the same; rare
and unusual sapphires are almost irreplaceable, even one that is only 1 or 2 carats in size.
Back to Top Rarity
Rarity means that something cannot be replaced easily. When something is rare and a market demand is
present, naturally prices will rise. The market for untreated sapphires has continued to rise as more and more
consumers become more aware of the treatment of conventional sapphires in the marketplace.
Sapphires of fine quality are in fact very rare. Diamonds, for example, are in almost every type of jewelry, in
every jewelry store, and on websites around the world. The world production and use of diamonds proves that
diamonds are not at all rare, and in fact are in extraordinary supply. Prices are held up by a combination of highly
inflated profit margins as well as controlled release of supply reserves by the diamond cartels.
Sapphires are mined heavily in gem producing countries, by traditional and mechanical methods. Even with heavy
mining the rate of return on fine sapphires is exponentially less than the production and availability of most other
gem stones. For this reason, specifically natural untreated sapphires are a safe investment for retaining and
attaining long term value.
In the case of natural untreated sapphires, rarity represents opportunity.
Back to Top Origins
Corundum (sapphire) comes from all over the world. Commercial sapphires are used in industry for abrasive and
cutting purposes. Emory paper is one example of how the hardness of a sapphire crystal is used in everyday
industry. Of course the fine gem quality stones are found in very small quantities in very few places. Most notably
are the sapphires from Sri Lanka. For thousands of years fine sapphires have been found in this special place.
Sri Lanka (formally called “Ceylon”) is still the top producer of fine untreated stones in the world.
Most of the sapphires that are found in gem producing locations are worthless; and need to be treated to be
marketable. Good quality sapphires over 2cts are scarce. Pure colors that are free of inclusions are very difficult
to produce on a consistent basis. Only a handful of fine stones are produced world wide on a daily basis. The
market is far greater than what can be produced and prices continue to rise. This is why natural untreated
sapphires are a far better investment when considering making a sizeable stone or jewelry purchase.
Back to Top
More Sapphire Details
Blue Sapphires
Pink Sapphires
Yellow Sapphires
Padparadscha Sapphires
Unique & Rare Color Sapphires
Star Sapphires
Cabochon Sapphires
 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. Burma and Origins
Burma (now called Myanmar since gaining independence from the British) is another long time producing country of fine blue sapphires. Usually Burmese sapphires are described as royal blue, typically on the darker side of royal blue. Many gemologists, retailers, auctioneers, and other stone houses will talk very highly of Burmese sapphires being the very best quality sapphires; we do not necessarily agree that this is true and fair. Each sapphire should be graded by its visual appearance for sheer beauty. Burma does produce excellent stones, usually in smaller quantities but larger sizes. Burmese sapphires will almost always cost 50% - 100% more than a sapphire from Madagascar or Ceylon.
At the Natural Sapphire Company we do not believe that origin is a reliable factor worth paying for in sapphires. We recommend primarily grading a stone based on its inherent natural beauty and in almost all cases to put little value on “origin”. With our extensive experience specializing in natural untreated sapphires we urge that pure natural beauty remain the absolute priority.
Grading a sapphire o norigin is not a reliable science. Our experience using the best gem laboratories in the world for origin certification has resulted in an approximate 50% margin of error. Reasons for error are simple; sapphires from most prominent locations all have characteristics internally that cross over with each other from one “origin” to the next.
Inclusion types associated with Madagascar also are seen in Kashmir sapphires. Ceylon sapphires very often have identical inclusion types found in Burmese sapphires. Madagascar and Sri Lanka have almost all the same characteristics. Our experience with so many incorrect origin identifications from the laboratories have resulted in our company only buying stones that are:
- Untreated
- Beautiful
- Well priced
Paying a premium for “origin” is often proven an unwarranted expense. We do state the origin of our sapphires based on where we purchase the material, but it is not a guarantee that the stone is in fact from that location.
To prove that reputable gem labs have a very hard time determining origin, we will be adding examples of contradicting results on the same sapphire. Click here to see examples.
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. Other Producing Locations:
Other producing countries of blue sapphires such as Thailand, Tanzania, Australia, Montana (USA), and Cambodia do produce sizeable quantities.
They are generally viable for commercial jewelry use only. They do produce fine rare sapphires on occasion that can be expensive, but this is not reliable production. Most blue sapphires coming from these locations normally have secondary color tones and need to be treated to be saleable.
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.
Back to Top
 Pink
Sapphire
Pink sapphires have recently become widely available by new deposits found in Madagascar in the late 1990’s. Until this time, fine pink sapphires were exceptionally rare and only found in a few locations in Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Burma. The recent find of fantastic quality and quantity in Southern Madagascar has allowed the popularity to explode. Madagascar pink sapphires come in a full range of color tone from a very pale baby pink to a vivid almost magenta intense pink. Demand for the full tone spectrum is now equal.
Pink Sapphire Origins
Madagascar is truly the leader of pink sapphires today. The quantity and quality are unrivaled by any other
source. Small sapphires under 1ct size are 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.
For the first time, this unique color in sapphires is available in reasonably reliable supply. Most of these
sapphires come out of the ground with good clarity as well, leaving the customary extreme heat treating to a
minimum. But the color of these pink sapphires can have a secondary purplish color tone that can be slightly
reduced by low temperature heating. There is great amount of detail of natural vs. treated sapphires on our
website and we do only recommend purchasing 100% untreated sapphires, but there is a slight exception made
specifically with pink sapphires from Madagascar.
Pink sapphires from Madagascar are treated in a far different manner than the traditional long term, high
temperature heating of blue and yellow sapphires. Blue and yellow sapphires are heated at extreme
temperatures for a long period (3-10 days at up to 1800C) with fluxes and other coloration additives.
Madagascar pink sapphires, however, are heated at a temperature far, far lower (400C), where almost no
internal characteristics of the stone are altered.
Determining if a sapphire has been heated is normally a simple task done by a trained gemologist who is familiar with inclusions within sapphires. When sapphires are heated at high temperatures the internal inclusions change drastically. Viewing these radically changed internal inclusions is the “ID” of a heated sapphire. Madagascar pink sapphires are heated for as little as five minutes at low temperatures where no internal inclusions are affected.
Because no internal inclusions are affected it becomes VERY difficult to determine if a pink sapphire has been heated. High tech equipment can be used to detect trace mineral content changes within the stone. This type of equipment is very costly and only used by high quality laboratories. It is still a new science and in many cases it can be impossible to determine if a pink sapphire from Madagascar has been heated.
We have given multiple laboratories the same exact Madagascar pink sapphire for testing to determine if it had been heated or not. In many cases we were given conflicting results on the same stone from different laboratories. One lab would determine that the pink sapphire was heated and the other would determine it had not been heated. The reputable labs do an excellent job in most cases, but results on heating vs. no heating on pink sapphires from Madagascar can be about as worthy as origin determination.
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