The price of a sapphire is determined based on its quality, which means that a large, low-quality sapphire is much cheaper than a small but very high-quality sapphire. First, the cost of a sapphire depends on carat, or its weight. The bigger the stone, the harder it is to find rough material of that size, which makes the finished ring more expensive.
For larger or smaller stones, prices can be extrapolated to some extent, but there is no linear formula to follow, and prices change with time. A sapphire's cost also depends on its clarity. Just like diamonds, sapphires can have inclusions, or small imperfections, although sapphires generally have better clarity than rubies.
The most common inclusions are long, thin mineral structures called needles, and white, cloudy lines called feathers, which can make the sapphire look opaque. It's rare to find blue sapphires with extremely high clarity, which make those very valuable. Click here to read our complete guide to sapphire grading. Finally, the cost of a sapphire depends on its source.
Sapphires are found all over the world, but valuable, marketable sapphires are extremely rare. Sri Lanka and the Kashmir region of India and Pakistan have historically been important sources of jewelry-grade sapphires. Purple Sapphire Engagement Rings. Yellow Sapphire Engagement Rings.
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Unique Colored Sapphires. Curiosities Sapphires. Montana Sapphires. Star Sapphires. Cabochons Sapphires. Rather, you will have use your own judgment about which colors appear vibrant and alive to you. Besides the renowned blue sapphire , there is the Padparadscha Sapphire, an extremely rare and sought-after pink-orange fancy sapphire originally found in Sri Lanka.
After the blue and Padparadscha, the fancy pink sapphire ranks third in popularity for its prized hot pink hue. These striking pink marvels are generally found in Burma or Sri Lanka. As the amount of chromium increases in the corundum, the shade of pink deepens as well.
It is important to note that there is often a fine line between what is called a pink sapphire and a red ruby. You can find treated sapphires that look nice, like this pendant from Amazon. In the United States, there must be a minimum color saturation in order for the stone to be called a ruby.
In other places, the term ruby may be used more loosely. It is highly unlikely to find sapphires without any inclusions, or imperfections, at all.
If there are no inclusions, gemologists will suspect the sapphire to be fake or treated. Most sapphires on the market today have been heat-treated to improve their clarity and color. The cleaner the stone, the higher the price tag. While the appearance of inclusions are not usually regarded as positive, in the case of asterism, the opposite is true.
When light is reflected off the silk, a star effect is created, making the sapphire appear to have a three or six-point star on the face of the stone. Asterism is rare and also increases the value of the stone. The Black Star of Queensland is said to be the largest mined star sapphire in the world, weighing in at carats. There are no standardized cuts for sapphires as there are with diamonds. This makes the stone appear to have a deeper, darker color. And the opposite is also true: if the sapphire is very dark, then the gem cutter may choose to make a shallow cut to bring more light in and thereby lighten the overall look of the stone.
The most common shapes of sapphires are usually oval, round, cushion, and emerald. The cabochon cut is also prevalent as a non-faceted, polished alternative. Just as gemstones vary widely across the spectrum in terms of their color and hardness, so too they also differ in density. This is apparent when we consider the carats, or weight of the sapphire vis a vis the carat weight of a diamond. Since sapphires are usually heavier, a one carat sapphire will look smaller than a one carat diamond.
It is more accurate to measure the size of the sapphire in terms of its millimeter diameter. A rule of thumb is that a one carat sapphire generally measures 6 mm. Sapphire prices can range greatly, depending on many factors. Color is the biggest factor in price. The most valuable sapphires are those with a powerful deep blue hue.
Lab-created sapphires will almost always come at a cheaper cost per carat than natural sapphires, as naturally-formed stones are rarer and more sought-after. Sapphires from Kashmir, in the Indian Himalayan Region, are particularly cherished, and thus have a higher worth than others.
They come originally from mines in the Zanskar range of the Himalayas, which is notoriously hard to access. Sapphires from Ceylon and Burma are said to have a similar appearance to Kashmir sapphires, however not quite the same standard. In terms of color, pure blue sapphires are the most highly prized, and therefore tend to be the most expensive.
Take this 0. In comparison, look at this similarly sized pear shape from Blue Nile. An example on the high end is this 0. Larger stones 3 carats or more are more rare, and thus will command a higher price tag. One of the reasons sapphires are so fascinating is the many varieties. Several years ago, we had some excellent It difficult to state typical market prices for very fine unheated sapphires , especially since they are so rare.
Several years ago, we acquired some outstanding gems from the Diego-Suarez Mine in Northern Madagascar. One piece was a stunning violet blue color, 2. It was a beautifully-cut round faceted stone, a shape that typically commands a high price.
A second unheated piece was a 6. Dimensions are given as; length x width x depth , except for round stones which are; diameter x depth. Select gems by size, not by weight! Gem varieties vary in density, so carat weight is not a good indication of size. Sign In. Change Language.
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