Sep 9, 2021

Happy Birthday, Sapphire!

Did you know that sapphires exist in almost every colour of the rainbow?

When the word “sapphire” is used alone it refers to BLUE sapphire.

Any colour other than blue falls into the “fancy” sapphire category and is called by its colour, eg. purple sapphire, green sapphire, blue-green sapphire etc.

sapphires of different shapes and colours

Let's take a look at some fun facts about these wonderful gems:

The word sapphire come from Latin and Greek words for “blue”
Some believe that sapphires protect their wearer from evil
Sapphires in all colours are a part of the “corundum” family (red corundum is called a ruby)
Sapphires are often associated with royalty
The most famous sapphire is considered to be Princess Diana's 12 carat oval sapphire engagement ring. It is now worn by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

Princess Diana and Kate Middleton Catherine Duchess of Cambridge wearing sapphire engagement ring

Napoleon gave Josephine this sapphire and diamond toi et moi engagement ring in 1796 (featured below). In 2013, it was sold at an auction for almost $1million

Napoleon Josephine sapphire and diamond toi et moi engagement ring in red box

Padparadscha (“Pad-pa-rad-sha”) is considered the most rare variety of fancy sapphire and is the centre stone in Princess Eugenie’s engagement ring. Padparadscha shows a unique combination of pinkish orange to orange-pink colour and is named after a lotus flower

This Tsarina Gems Anastasia Ring featuring a Padparadscha sapphire is sure to make you feel like royalty!

oval padparadscha and diamond halo rose gold engagement ring

This one-of-a-kind ring is available for purchase from our Ready-to-Wear collection.

To schedule a viewing, please get in touch via: info@tsarinagems.com

woman's hand wearing oval padparadscha and diamond halo rose gold engagement ring and wedding band

Fancy popping the question with a pop of colour?

Visit my previous blog post here to find out if a coloured gemstone ring is right for you

oval dark blue sapphires lined up in a row

What is the most popular sapphire shape?

Although sapphires of all colours are cut into a variety of shapes, the shape of a rough sapphire crystal influences the finished stone’s shape and size.

As the rough crystal is elongated, sapphires are typically cut into elongated shapes such as oval and cushions to save as much weight as possible.

The process of cutting sapphires into round shapes loses the most weight, which is why large round stones are very rare.

woman's hand wearing a cushion sapphire and diamond halo white gold engagement ring

Pro Tip: If you are on a hunt for a sapphire larger than 1 carat, you will have more options available in shapes like ovals and elongated cushions rather than rounds.

Sapphire Clarity

As most natural gemstones, sapphires typically have some inclusions. Regardless of their colour, common sapphire inclusions are crystals, needles, fingerprints and colour zoning.

Although when it comes to diamonds, inclusions are often seen as a negative feature, when selecting a coloured gemstone such as a sapphire, it is the colour that plays a more important role.

This green sapphire shows a stunning colour and a variety of unique inclusions.

close up of loose round green sapphire inclusions held in tweezers

Concerned about inclusions in your gemstone?

Check out my previous blog post Let's get some clarity on gemstone inclusions

Source

Sri Lanka is a major source of blue sapphires, fancy sapphires as well as rubies. No wonder it is known as the “island of gems”.

Other sources of fancy sapphires around the world include Madagascar, Tanzania, Kenya, Thailand, Vietnam and USA.

Blue-green or teal sapphires from Montana have become extremely popular in the last couple of years, although they are also mined in other sources around the world.

This stunning blue-green sapphire was ethically sourced in Madagascar.

oval blue green teal sapphire and diamond halo white gold engagement ring in a blue velvet hexagonal ring box held in woman's hand

Treatment

Heat treatment is an industry standard. In fact, almost 99% of sapphires are heat treated to enhance and stabilise the colour, it is a permanent process. Non-treated sapphires are more rare and difficult to find, typically they are also more expensive.

As most sapphires undergo heat treatment, do not be surprised if you do not see a mention of it in your appraisal or grading report. Typically, appraisals and grading reports will only state “no indication of heating” in case of unheated stones.

This unique blue-green sapphire in Tsarina Gems Serena Ring has not undergone treatment and is stated as so on the third-party appraisal.

oval blue green teal sapphire and diamond halo white gold engagement ring

This one-of-a-kind ring is available for purchase from our Ready-to-Wear collection.

To schedule a viewing, please get in touch via: info@tsarinagems.com

woman's hand wearing oval blue green teal sapphire and diamond halo white gold engagement ring and stacking wedding rings

September Birthstone

Sapphire is also known for the following traits:

the wisdom stone, stimulates concentration and promotes depth of thought
grants serenity and patience
decreases mental fatigue and mental tension
a reminder that when you seek with a true heart, you will discover spiritual treasures