Sapphire is a gorgeous and memorable gemstone. It’s a variety of the mineral corundum and can be found naturally in certain rock formations or sediments. Significant sapphire deposits are found in China, Madagascar, East Africa,  Eastern Australia, Thailand and Sri Lanka.  They can be discovered in North America but mostly in Montana. Rubies and Sapphire are mostly accumulated in the same geographic environment.

The third hardest mineral, sapphire is a nine on the Mohs scale! Due to this they are usually used for non-ornamental applications. From infrared optical components to high-durability windows, movement bearings and wristwatch crystals, sapphire is a tough act to follow.

Usually costly, natural sapphires are priced based on size, cut, color, clarity, geographic origin and overall quality. Blue sapphires are mostly evaluated on the purity of their color. Violet, purple and green are the most common secondary shades found in blue sapphires. Green and yellow sapphires are also frequently found. With pinkish sapphire the deeper the hue of pink, the higher the price. Colorless Sapphires are used as diamond substitutes in certain jewelry. Natural Padparadscha that is a pinkish orange colored sapphire are now quite popular and more have appeared on the market due to a new artificial treatment called “lattice diffusion”. Natural Padparadscha can be even more expensive than the finest blue sapphires.

Sapphires are quite the gem to behold, and one of a gem enthusiasts favorite!

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