The Australian sapphire is extremely valued by gem collectors, jewellers and wearers alike. The crystals can vary in size which may influence value, but the average sapphire measures to be about three carats.
Additionally, Australian Sapphires are an extremely durable stone with a hardness of nine on Mohs' scale, which makes them an extremely versatile and high quality piece for everyday wear.
The basaltic, volcanic rocks in Eastern Australia are a major source of corundum, sapphire and ruby, however, the minerals are rare and not commonly mined directly from these rocks.
Blue Sapphires
Color has the greatest influence on a sapphire's value, and preferred sapphires have strong to vivid color saturation. The most valued blue sapphires are velvety blue to violetish blue, in medium to medium-dark tones. Sapphires with these qualities command the highest prices per carat.
In general one can say that lighter pastel colours are always cheaper than rare intensive sapphire colours. Blue and intense pink sapphires have always been rare and reflect the current and future higher value. Yellow and brighter pink sapphires are inexpensive, as are white and purple sapphires.
You want to look for a sapphire that has no inclusions visible to the naked eye. experts look at the size, location and number of inclusions to judge clarity. The less visible the inclusions are, the higher the grade. Cut: The cut is essentially what makes a sapphire really sparkle.
Ceylon sapphires tend to be lighter in colour than Australian sapphires, from light powder blue to a medium blue. It is the ceylon sapphire which a generally known as 'blue sapphires'. Dark Ceylon sapphires are a Diamondport favourite.
Ceylon stones have a true cobalt blue color, unlike an Australian or Thai stone that has more of a black-blue color. Because Ceylon sapphires tend to be on the lighter side of the color spectrum, they are generally cut very deep in order to bring out the saturation of color.
Of all the Australian sapphires, the parti sapphire is among the most valuable due to its unique colour.
As with any gemstone, per carat prices increase with overall carat weight. Expect steep increases in the price per carat at the one, three, five, and ten-carat levels. Fine blue, pink, orange, or padparadscha sapphires that exceed fifteen carats are especially valuable and can fetch very high prices at auction.
In terms of the non-linear character of sapphire pricing in relation to the larger carat, when the weight of the gemstone hits and then starts to go past the 1.00-carat mark the prices will increase considerably. In fact, prices can at times or increase exponentially, depending on the increase in carat size.
Everyday Sparkle: Sapphire birthstone jewelry and studs
Diamonds are the only thing to surpass sapphires, meaning they're the only natural material to be able to scratch or cause damage to this gemstone. Thanks to their durability, sapphires are safe to be worn every day.
Sapphires. Blue sapphires are the standard but pink and yellow colored sapphires are rising in popularity. A sapphire without any visible inclusions or chips can hold its price indefinitely. Pristine sapphires can easily reach $11,000 per carat.
The rarity and quality of a gemstone are decisive for its current and also future value. It is no secret that the 'Big 3' - the colored gemstone rubies, sapphires, emeralds as well as colored diamonds are ideal for investment as loose stone or processed in a piece of jewelry.
Regardless of trends, there are some minerals for which a continuous price increase over several years can be assumed. These include, of course, the best-known colored gems – ruby, sapphire and emerald –, which are also known to laymen, but also stones such as alexandrite and tanzanite.
Sri Lanka (Ceylon) & Madagascar
The quantity and quality of blue sapphires coming from Sri Lanka is only rivaled by new deposits found in Madagascar. The sapphires from Madagascar are in many cases almost indistinguishable against sapphires from Sri Lanka.
Kashmir Sapphire; Kashmir sapphires are widely considered to be the most valuable and desirable sapphires in the world. They are named after the region of Kashmir, where they were first discovered in 1881. Kashmir sapphires are known for their rich, velvety blue colour and their exceptional clarity.
Most gemologists would nominate Sri Lanka while others might suggest Montana or Madagascar. Blue Sapphires from Sri Lanka are known as “Ceylon” sapphires. The sapphires from Montana's Yogo Gulch in the United States have an unusual and attractive color of blue that leans into the teal color range.
Padparadscha Sapphires are the rarest of sapphires. These extremely rare stones are unknown to most, but when discovered usually become an absolute favorite. They are strikingly beautiful and almost no other colored stone compares to this unique mix of pink and orange.
The typical Australian sapphire is dark blue in color with a strong green dichroism , and color zoning . The most famous types of stones coming from Australia are parti-colored. These stones contain a mix of green, blue, and yellow and are considered highly valuable due to their unique composition.
The two main sources for sapphire in Australia are the New England fields, in northern New South Wales, and the Anakie fields, in central Queensland. Large-scale com- mercial mining has been successful at these two fields only. Geographically, the two areas are quite different.
If you have sapphire jewelry, the best way to be one hundred percent sure of your sapphire's authenticity is to have it examined by a professional jeweler, who can look at it under a loupe. At Dover, we have a team of experts who can tell you if your stone is natural, synthetic or fake.
The ideal weight of the Blue Sapphire neelam stone should be between 4 to 5 carats. Some astrologers also recommend wearers to select a stone size that is 1/5th their body weight.
To identify if your "sapphire" stone is real, stay in total darkness and use a flashlight to shine a light on it. If you have a genuine sapphire, the same color as the sapphire stone should reflect back. However, if it is a fake sapphire (usually made of glass), you will see other color reflections in the crystal.