Like diamonds and rubies, sapphires are among the world’s most coveted gems, for a variety of reasons. This precious stone is of rare beauty. What’s more, it’s highly resistant to scratches, making it an ideal choice for engagement rings and everyday jewelry. From ancient times to the present day, sapphire has been a gem evoking wisdom, nobility, truth and loyalty. While blue sapphire is the best-known color, it can also be adorned in other hues (orange, violet, purple, yellow, green…). What are the different colors of sapphire?
Where does sapphire’s color come from?
Like ruby, sapphire belongs to the corundum family. It’s made up mainly of aluminum and oxygen oxide crystals. It is formed by the combined action of temperature, pressure and the forces generated by the subsoil. In fact, it takes shape in the lithosphere at a depth of 25 to 50 km, during a complex chemical process. During this process, temperatures can reach 1,100°C.
In its pure state, sapphire is essentially colorless. Its final color depends on the trace elements or atoms (titanium, chromium, etc.) that bind to those of the parent rock. Also known as transition elements, these can replace all or part of the aluminum atoms in the rock. Depending on the elements added to the sapphire’s original structure, its color can be blue, yellow, orange, green, black, violet…
Most of the gems on the market come from Australia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Some are mined in Madagascar, Brazil, Cambodia, Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania. Before being exported to the market, some gems are heat-treated. This treatment enhances their brilliance and beauty.
What are the different colors of sapphire?
From blue to green to pink, sapphire can take on many colors as a result of chemical alterations.
Blue sapphire
Blue is sapphire’s best-known hue. It is obtained by adding iron and titanium oxides to its structure. Depending on the proportion of these oxides, you can obtain :
- deep blue,
- light blue,
- bright blue,
- violet-tinted blue.
The rarest shades are royal blue and cornflower blue. In general, Myanmar and Sri Lanka export the most blue sapphires.
Pink sapphire
Much admired by jewellers, pink sapphire is indeed a stone associated with purity and beauty. In lithotherapy, it is a gem that symbolizes fidelity and commitment. Its pink color is conferred primarily by chromium. The quantity of this metal can vary from one sapphire to another. This makes it possible to obtain different shades of pink. Some are pale pink, while others are deep pink.
Purple sapphire
Purple sapphire is said to have many virtues, both physical and spiritual. It is said to relieve joint pain and rheumatism. These stones are also said to help strengthen the nervous system.
A good alternative to violet sapphire. Although not very popular, they look good on jewelry in general and engagement rings in particular.
Padparadscha sapphire
Padparadscha sapphire is a corundum with a specific mix of pink, orange and yellow colors. It is a highly coveted gem in the world of jewelry.
It is mined mainly in Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Vietnam. So it’s the gem to choose if you want to give your life partner an absolutely gorgeous promise ring.
Yellow sapphire
Since ancient times, this sapphire has been considered a gem of eternal joy. According to myth, this stone grants wealth and healing to its wearer. Above all a symbol of purity, justice and wisdom, the virtues attributed to it are enormous.
Its yellow color is due to the strong presence of iron in its structure. There are also many shades of yellow sapphire (pale and pure) on the market.
Orange sapphire
Like yellow corundum, it is the presence of iron that gives this sapphire its orange color. Today, it is very rare to find an orange sapphire, as the deposits that used to produce them have become barren. Most commercially available orange gems are not natural in color.
What’s more, they are usually treated. To avoid being taken in by ill-intentioned sellers, demand a recognized certificate for the orange sapphire you wish to purchase.
Violet sapphire
Violet sapphire owes its hue to chemical impurities in the form of vanadium. Depending on the concentration of this metal in the sapphire, various gradations of violet color are obtained. From light tones to pastels and darker, more intense shades, there is indeed a wide choice of violet hues.
For many generations, these gems have been produced by mining sites in Sri Lanka and Madagascar. Other regions, such as Tanzania and Kenya, contain huge quantities of violet sapphires.
Green sapphire
Green sapphire is one of the least coveted gemstones. Although less well known to the general public, these gems are nonetheless hard-wearing and fascinatingly beautiful. Like all corundum, they have a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale.
Those looking for an alternative to emerald can indeed opt for these green stones. In lithotherapy, green sapphire has the power to inhibit negative tensions. Its origins lie mainly in Tanzania, Madagascar, Australia and Sri Lanka.
Black sapphire
Although it comes in a multitude of colors, black sapphire is undoubtedly the most mysterious stone. At first glance, this gem seems to absorb the glow that passes through it. Most of these gems are exported from Australia. Since they are considered low-quality stones, they are sold at affordable prices.
You can buy bracelets or pendants set with this superb stone. It is not, however, the gem to choose for a proposal ring.
Two-tone sapphire
A sapphire with two distinct hues is called a “ bicolor sapphire ”. These types of stones are in the minority compared to single-color models, but remain great options for those who want to stand out from the crowd.
Given their rarity, these stones command high prices. Whether in terms of size or carat count, you’re sure to find the two-tone sapphire you’re looking for.
Colorless sapphire or Leucosaphir
With the exception of colored corundum, colorless sapphires undergo no chemical alteration. In fact, no transition elements enter the parent rock to modify its structure during transformation. Also known as Leucosaphir, these stones are rare in their natural state.
Most Leucosaphirs on the market are the result of a long transformation process. They are heated and treated so that the inclusions are dissolved. Yet these stones look strangely like diamonds.
Star sapphire
Considered one of nature’s wonders, star sapphire is a gemstone distinguished from others by its convex, rounded surface. In fact, it contains fibrous mineral micro-particles of the “rutile” type. Light passing through these inclusions reveals a luminous star, usually with 6 points.
Some sapphires feature 12-pointed stars. It looks like a cabochon. Star sapphires come in a variety of colors. When it’s a bold color, it looks its best.
Color-change sapphire
In the world of gemstones, color-change sapphire is known as chameleon corundum. This variety of sapphire takes on different colors under the effect of light (natural or artificial). In daylight, this sapphire can take on a violet color. Under artificial or incandescent light, however, the color can vary from violet to pink.
Some sapphires change from green to reddish-brown. The color change observed in these stones is in fact due to the presence of chromium and vanadium in their structure.
Imperial sapphire
An object of curiosity for many gem experts, imperial sapphire is a stone that sparkles with intensity. If you’re a sapphire lover, it’s a must-have in your collection. Among its virtues, it promotes sleep and helps combat insomnia. It is also said to soothe depression and stimulate creativity. It’s an excellent choice if you want to buy jewelry with a sparkling sapphire.
What’s the best color for a sapphire?
It would be misleading to designate a sapphire as the most beautiful according to its color. Even among gem and jewelry experts, this question is fairly controversial. Opinions differ, but most experts agree that Padparadscha sapphire is the most prestigious. This stone has a magnificent color (a mixture of orange and pink) and can be perfectly matched to a ring or any other piece of jewelry. This variety of sapphire is the only one with its own name.
For other experts, sapphire from Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) is the most beautiful of gems, because its color is the most balanced. With its brilliant blue, this stone is coveted by jewelry collectors and top jewelers alike.
We can’t mention the most beautiful gems without mentioning Kashmir and Burmese (Myanmar) sapphires. As well as being rare, these two types of stone have a deep blue color. They fetch thousands of dollars per carat.
