Blue sapphire has been admired and enjoyed by human culture for more than 1000 years and is still very popular today. The gem combines hardness, high luster, clarity, and fabulous color to entice and encourage the gem buying public to desire owning such a beautiful item.
Sapphires are found in a variety of gem deposits worldwide and the color can vary in tone, saturation, and secondary color based on its location. Australia and Thailand have produced large quantities of over dark blue sapphires. These sapphires are often cut in a calibrated manner and are used extensively in mass produced jewelry. Sapphires that are mined in Burma (Mogok area) in the better qualities exhibit a deep, dense royal blue color. The better qualities from Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) and Madagascar lean toward vibrant colors and transparent stones. Our own domestic or "Montana, U.S.A" sapphires show colors ranging from light blue to steely blue. This variation in color arises from the different localities worldwide. Generally, fine sapphires have iron and titanium that give them a vivid open color. The addition of vanadium adds a touch of violet to the sapphire. A pure cornflower blue color, such as was found in the Kashmir sapphires mined in the last century, is still considered the benchmark for top sapphire color. These gem deposits have been depleted for quite some time, so in the marketplace today, we look to top Burmese or Ceylon sapphires for our comparison.
One thing to keep in mind is that sapphires, because of their molecular structure, will have a different color in different lighting situations. So it is important to look at sapphire in indoor (or incandescent) lighting and outdoors in sunlight. Fine sapphires will hold their luscious blue color in both environments and are worth their price because they are consistent in different lighting situations.
The majority of sapphires have been subjected to different treatments to increase its attractiveness. Ever since Pliny (23-79 AD) reported on the heat-treating of sapphire, it has been considered accepted practice to heat treat rough sapphire to bring out the full beauty of the color. Heat treatment of 3100-3300 degrees F will remove the "silk" or cloudiness often found in sapphire and will yield a bright blue color that turns the material into a very marketable gem. This treatment is considered permanent and the color is stable. Unless your jeweler will guarantee in writing otherwise, assume that most sapphires you buy are treated by this method.
Sapphires are also produced synthetically and a long as they are disclosed as such, consumers can decide whether their pocket book allows for natural or synthetic sapphire. Gemologically speaking, a "synthetic" gemstone has the same chemical, physical and optical properties as it "natural" counterpart. The basic difference being synthetic is man made in a laboratory as opposed to deep within the earths crust millions of years ago.
Not many people know that sapphire comes in a range of different colors such as pink, yellow, green and purple. Blue has always been the most popular. However, recently pink gemstones such as pink sapphire have been in high demand. According to major tabloids, celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez and Barbra Streisand are fond admirers of pink diamonds. While the average consumer probably can't afford to spend as freely as the Hollywood celebrities, there are other alternatives, such as pink sapphire. We frequently get calls asking, "What is the alternative to costly pink diamond." My favorite suggestion is pink sapphire. Believe me, you will pay much less and be just as happy. Besides your friends will never know the difference anyway!
Consumers will continue to ask for sapphire jewelry because it is beautiful, durable and one of the most popular of all colored gemstones.
