Sapphire

The sapphire – from cornflower blue to the color of lotus flowers

When you hear the name sapphire, the first thing that comes to mind is a deep blue
gemstone. In fact, sapphires are especially sought after when they have a vibrant, medium-
light blue hue without a gray veil, reminiscent of the beautiful look of cornflowers. In
addition, the gemstone is also available in almost all other colors, except for the color red.

That’s because sapphires and rubies both belong to the group of co-rounders, with the red
varieties referred to as rubies and all other colored ones as sapphires. Very exclusive is the
gemstone in the orangepink color of lotus flowers – in the technical language it is referred to with
the Indian word for this flower, Padparadscha. A characteristic feature of a sapphire is
pleochroism, which is expressed by the fact that the gemstone takes on different colors in
the eye of the beholder from different directions.

Thus, the appearance of a blue sapphire can vary between a pure shade of blue and a green-blue.

Sapphire

Sri Lanka and India – the sapphire and its most important deposits

Sri Lanka is known for the fact that sapphires have been found there since ancient times,
which stand out for their extremely beautiful blue-violet color.

A sapphire, in which a six- pointed star of light (asterism) can be seen or which reminds of the eye of a cat sparkling in the dark through a narrow light strip (Chatoyance), is a special feature that can also be found in Sri Lanka.

The sites of the highest quality of these gemstones in cornflower blue were located in the Indian region of Kashmir and even today the term Kashmir sapphire is synonymous with the highest quality. However, a sapphire originating from there is a rarity today, as the deposits have long been exploited.

The sapphire – its purity and cut

In general, a sapphire is considered high-quality if it has a high transparency, and thus
sparkles enchantingly. An exception, however, are clouded gemstones, in which unusual
optical effects such as chatoyance or asterisms occur.

The type of cut chosen in a sapphire depends essentially on the purity. Light-flooded and translucent gemstones are faceted to emphasize the brilliance, while a star sapphire is most beautifully accentuated on a smooth, outwardly curved surface.

Sapphire

Individual sapphire jewelry

The sapphire is a particularly popular gemstone. At PLACEOFGEMS you will find a variety of jewelry with sapphires in a wide variety of colors.

However, we are also happy to help you create your dream jewelry with a sapphire in the
color of your choice. In our large selection of loose gemstones, you are sure to find a sapphire in your favorite color and cut shape – whether drop, antique, heart or emerald cut.

If you still have not found the right gemstone, please contact us. We go in search of your
personal jewel.Choose your dream gemstone and let it be set in a unique and personal piece of jewelry. Talk to us and we will find your own personal unique piece.

With us you can also buy loose sapphires. Choose your desired gemstone in the selection
above. If you have any questions about our products or a very special request, simply contact us by e-mail or via our digital contact form.

At PALCEOFGEMS you will of course only receive sapphires of the highest quality and beauty selected and certified according to strict criteria.

Sapphire

Overview

Naming
Sapphire means ‘blue’ in Greek – a meaning of the typical blue tones of sapphire. However,
sapphires are also available in other colors.

Mineral group
The sapphire belongs to the Korunde family, which contains some of the most precious gemstones.

Colour
The sapphire is most often found in a wide variety of shades of blue – from violet to cornflower blue to ink and black blue. That is why the name sapphire always refers to the blue sapphire without addition. Other color variants must be marked by name, e.B. green sapphire or yellow sapphire.

Polish
The sapphire unfolds its beauty best in the facet cut.

Particularities
The sapphire is also known as the gemstone of heaven and, together with the colorless diamond, the red ruby and the green emerald, forms the quartet of the most sought-after jewels.

Sapphire

Quality Factors

Colour
Especially the incidence of light plays a major role in the color or hue of a sapphire. Deviations of the blue sapphires range from colorless (i.e. white), yellow, green to an extraordinary orange or pink.

Purity
Purity also plays a role in the price. The most sought-after and therefore the most expensive is a
sapphire that is as transparent as possible with few inclusions.

Carat
1 carat (ct) corresponds to 0.2 grams – and indicates the weight of a gemstone. The higher the carat
number, the more valuable the sapphire. But it alone does not determine the value. Other factors
such as color, purity and cut play a major role.

Polish
For sapphires, the facet cut is mainly used, as this positively emphasizes the optical properties of the gemstone.

Sapphire

Pleochroism in sapphires

Pleochroism in sapphires
Sapphires sometimes have pleochroism. The gemstone appears in different colors at different
viewing angles. The gemstones usually look most beautiful in natural or fluorescent light.

Special sapphires
A sapphire that is as transparent as possible with few inclusions is usually the most valuable. It shows all its beauty and splendor best in the so-called facet cut.

Occurrence of sapphire
The most important sapphire deposits are mainly located in Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar and Thailand.
Sri Lankan sapphires usually fetate the highest prices on the jewelry market.