Types of Sapphires Explained

While sapphires are typically thought of as royal-blue gems, they also come in pink and white varieties. In truth, there are sapphires with various hues, tones and values, and different personalities and determining factors of value. Here are the most common types of sapphires and what makes each one unique and how to distinguish one from another.

What Is a Sapphire?

It is a type of the mineral corundum, which is the same family of mineral as ruby. The distinction is colour. Any gem-quality corundum that is not red is referred to as sapphire.

Sapphires are extremely desirable, due to: 

• Durable enough for daily wear

• Available in many natural colors

• Often more affordable than diamonds of similar visual impact

• Rich in symbolism, including wisdom, loyalty, and protection

They are very hard and are popular for rings, earrings, pendants and heirloom jewellery. 

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Blue Sapphires: The Classic Choice

The most popular and traditional one is blue sapphire. The color is quite variable, from light blue of the sky to deeper navy hues, but the best stones have rich, vivid blue hues without being too dark. 

What to Look For in Blue Sapphires

A good blue sapphire should be quite saturated, free of color clustering and bright enough to exhibit life when lit. Even if a stone is technically “blue” and is too black or too dull, it may not look as good.

The best blue sapphires come from countries like Kashmir, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar, but only a particular stone is not necessarily the better stone. 

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Pink Sapphires: Soft, Romantic, and Modern

The popularity of pink sapphire stones has increased as they have become a new alternative to conventional gemstones. They may be light blush pink or a hot pink.

The deeper and more uniform the pink hue, the better the stone generally is. They enjoy being used in modern designs with minimalism theme and considerable emphasis on the selection of pink sapphire also receives its use for romantic jewelry. 

Yellow Sapphires: Bright and Elegant

A yellow sapphire will be known for its warm, sunny look. Their colours are light lemon to golden yellow.

An authentic yellow sapphire gem should be bright, clean and alive. It might be a case of stones with brownish or overly muted tones appearing less valuable. Yellow sapphires are sought after in both fine jewellery or in a cultural gemstone context.

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White Sapphires: A Diamond Alternative

White sapphires are colorless or nearly-color sapphires. They have also been employed as a substitute for diamonds due to their shades and sturdiness.

But there's a difference between the sparkle and fire of a white sapphire compared to that of a diamond. They are more gentle and delicate. But this is the best for those who prefer a clear, refined design with less flash. 

Green Sapphires: Earthy and Understated

Green sapphires are not that much seen in people's daily wear but are natural beauties all the same. Their color may be light mint green to dark forest green.

Or sometimes green sapphires are harder and fit better for wearing every day, unlike emeralds. For buyers looking for something classy, but not too traditional, they make for a great choice. 

It can be a good choice for first wedding anniversary present!

Padparadscha Sapphires: Rare and Highly Prized

Padparadscha sapphires are some of the least common sapphire varieties. They are pinkish-orange, or "lotus" in color.

True padparadscha sapphires can be costly for the same reason that they are rare. Color balance is very important. By strict Gemological standards, a stone that is too pink or too orange may not be considered a true padparadscha stone. 

Color-Change and Fancy Sapphires

Certain sapphires have the property of changing color when placed under various lighting conditions! They are also called as color changing sapphires. For instance, a stone can look bluish in daylight, but purplish under indoor lighting.

The term “fancy sapphire” is used to describe sapphires that are not blue, but purple, orange, violet, gray, or teal. It is this rare-effect that makes this type of sapphire particularly interesting to those who desire individuality in their jewelry 

How to Compare Sapphire Types

Just seeing that color is not enough when examining any sapphire. The prime quality areas are: 

• Color: The most important value factor

• Clarity: Fewer visible inclusions are generally preferred

• Cut: A good cut improves brightness and balance

• Carat weight: Larger fine sapphires are rarer

• Treatment: Heat treatment is common, but untreated stones are usually more valuable

The Bottom Line

Many people don't know that sapphires come in a wide variety of types. Pink sapphires, yellow sapphires, green sapphires, white sapphires, padparadscha and colour change sapphires are altogether different, but all are equally fashionable.

The "best" sapphire is not necessarily the rarest or the costliest. It is the stone of your own colour, clarity, cut, and nature to suit your fancy and use. After learning the most common sapphire varieties, it will be much easier and more fun to select the right sapphire. 

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