Judging quality
Judge blue on saturation without over-darkening. Heat treatment is near-universal and accepted; diffusion treatment, which colors only the surface, is not equivalent and must be disclosed.
Corundum
Sapphire
Every color of gem corundum other than red. Blue comes from iron and titanium; the pink-orange padparadscha is the rarest and most coveted.
Care
Extremely durable. Warm soapy water is safe for untreated and heated stones.
History & lore
Sri Lankan sapphire has been traded since antiquity; Marco Polo described the island's stones in the thirteenth century.
Cultural history, recorded as tradition rather than as medical or scientific claim.
Common questions about Sapphire
- What is Sapphire?
- Every color of gem corundum other than red. Blue comes from iron and titanium; the pink-orange padparadscha is the rarest and most coveted.
- How hard is Sapphire and what is it made of?
- Sapphire is a Corundum-family mineral with the composition Al2O3. It crystallizes in the trigonal system and rates 9 on the Mohs hardness scale. It occurs in blue, yellow, pink, colorless.
- Where does Sapphire come from?
- Notable localities for Sapphire include Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Australia, Myanmar.
- How do you tell good Sapphire from filler?
- Judge blue on saturation without over-darkening. Heat treatment is near-universal and accepted; diffusion treatment, which colors only the surface, is not equivalent and must be disclosed.
- How do you care for Sapphire?
- Extremely durable. Warm soapy water is safe for untreated and heated stones.
Related stones
See it in person
Photographs only go so far
Both rooms are open six days a week, and there is always someone happy to pull pieces out of the case so you can compare them under the light.