Buyer's Guide
Sapphire is one of the Big 3 of jewelry gemstones—the other two are ruby and emerald. Sapphire is a durable stone that’s the best known blue gem, as well as being available in most colors.
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What To Look For
The most highly valued blue sapphires are velvety blue to violetish blue, in medium to medium dark tones. Preferred sapphires also have strong to vivid color saturation. The saturation should be as strong as possible without darkening the color and compromising brightness.
Blue sapphires often have some inclusions. Blue sapphires with extremely high clarity are rare, and very valuable. Price can drop if the inclusions threaten the stone’s durability. Kashmir sapphires contain tiny inclusions that impart a desirable velvety appearance.
To achieve the best overall color, maintain the best proportions, and retain the most weight possible, cutters focus on factors like color zoning, pleochroism, and the lightness or darkness of a stone.
Blue sapphires can range in size anywhere from a few points to hundreds of carats, and large blue sapphires are more readily available than large rubies. However, most commercial-quality blue sapphires weigh less than 5.00 carats.
Sapphire Quality Factors: The Comprehensive Guide
Tips & Advice
1. Work with a jeweler to understand the difference that color makes.
Look at different colors of sapphire side by side to understand the range of qualities available. Dark colors like navy or midnight blue, and less saturated colors like grayish blue or straw yellow are more affordable than vivid colors.
2. Don’t compromise on cut.
The quality of the cut can make a big difference in beauty and brilliance. Your sapphire should sparkle in a lively way, reflecting light back evenly across the entire gem. Poorly cut gems are much less marketable and sell at a discount.
3. Ask about the type of treatment a sapphire has undergone.
A large amount of the sapphire on the market, both blue and fancy colors, has been treated to alter its color by heat or by lattice diffusion. Sapphire treated by lattice diffusion often has vivid color but is less valuable than heated sapphire. When in doubt, get a lab report.
Questions & Answers
Does GIA grade sapphire or other colored stones?
GIA doesn’t grade or provide quality analysis for sapphire or other colored stones. GIA Gemological Identification Reports assess the characteristics of a stone (weight, measurements, shape, cutting style and color), determine if it is natural or laboratory-grown, indicate detectable treatments and, at the client’s requests, will issue an opinion on geographic origin, when possible.
How do I know that a sapphire is a real padparadscha?
The definition of padparadscha has always been debated. GIA has studied the history of the term and its modern use and indicates on a Colored Stone Identification & Origin Report when a sapphire, in our opinion, meets the criteria to be described as padparadscha.
Are sapphires from Kashmir, Burma, or Ceylon worth more?
Every mine produces a wide range of quality. For gems of exceptional quality, an independent determination of origin adds to value. For sapphire, Kashmir receives the highest premium, although Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lanka and Madagascar also produce top-quality gems.
How does heat treatment affect a sapphire’s value?
Heating is an accepted treatment for sapphire. But for fine-quality sapphire, confirmation from an independent laboratory like GIA that there is no evidence of heat adds to a sapphire’s rarity and value.
What are lattice diffusion sapphires?
Lattice diffusion is a treatment process that uses heat and chemicals to diffuse an element into a gemstone to artificially change its color. Lattice diffusion–treated sapphires can be any color. In some cases the added color is shallow. In others, it goes all the way through the stone.
How does lattice diffusion affect a sapphire’s value?
Sapphires treated by lattice diffusion generally cost less than sapphires that have been treated by heat without the addition of color-causing chemicals or sapphires that have not been treated.
Find out more
Sapphire: Questions & AnswersCaring for Your Sapphire
Keep your sapphire beautiful by following simple care and cleaning guidelines.
Durability
Corundum (ruby and sapphire) is relatively hard and tough; a great choice for daily worn jewelry.
Care and Cleaning
Warm soapy water is always safe.
Treatment
Fracture-filled, cavity-filled, or dyed material should only be cleaned with a damp cloth.
