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.
Blue Sapphires
Sapphires with these qualities command the highest prices per carat. Less valuable blue sapphires might also be grayish, too light, or too dark.
The Rockefeller Sapphire
The Sapphire was bought by the son of the legendary American business tycoon John D Rockefeller. Rockefeller Jr is known for buying some of the worlds finest gemstones and the purchase of this stunning stone from an Indian Maharaja is one of his best.
Value. A fine quality ruby is generally more expensive than most sapphires and emeralds, with record prices of up to $1,000,000 per carat. Sapphires can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $11,000 per carat, but you'll find good-quality stones at $450 - $1,200 per carat. Emeralds range from $525 to $1,125 per carat.
Painite : Not just the rarest gemstone, but also the rarest mineral on earth, Painite holds the Guinness World Record for it. After its discovery in the year 1951, there existed only 2 specimens of Painite for the next many decades. By the year 2004, there were less than 2 dozens known gemstones.
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.
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.
Though sapphires are rarer than diamonds, they are often a more affordable diamond alternative or accent. The brilliance, durability and timelessness of diamonds keeps them as the more expensive of these two gems. A diamond of similar carat, cut and quality will cost more than a comparable sapphire.
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.
Universal meanings for sapphire include wisdom, nobility, truth, sincerity, and faithfulness–a meaningful combination for an engagement ring. It's this type of romantic connotation that has persevered into modern times.
Sri Lanka has some of the world's oldest sapphire mines; blue sapphires have been mined there as far back as the second century A.D. In the fourth and fifth centuries, these beautiful stones were in high demand and were involved in international trades.
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 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.
Hand mining gems in a creek in north-east Tasmania (Ann Jones) Dark blue Tasmanian sapphires can sell for thousands of dollars and so long as you don't mind spending your days waist deep in bitterly cold water, you can pan for them yourself.
In New South Wales, sapphires and rubies are mined in the New England region, around Inverell and Glen Innes, and north-west of Goulburn, near Oberon. The Kings Plains area, near Inverell, has some of the richest deposits of gem-quality sapphires ever mined.
The Black Star of Queensland, also known as the Brimstone of Queensland, named after its nature and place of origin, is a 733-carat (146.6 g) black sapphire, and was the world's largest gem quality star sapphire until The Star of Adam was discovered.
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 different colors are the result of varying levels of trace minerals. Blue sapphire is, without a doubt, the most sought after, ranging from light blue to dark blue. The darker the color, the more valuable the gemstone.
Color and size or weight are the most important factors that determine the price of a sapphire. The price of sapphires varies greatly depending on its quality. This means a large sapphire of low quality is much cheaper than a small but very high quality sapphire.
The most famous engagement ring in history
Diana chose her sapphire engagement ring from Garrard in 1981. Encircled by a halo of diamonds set in 18 carat white gold, the deep, intense blue of the 12-carat oval Ceylon sapphire is magnificent, enhanced by its exceptional lustre.
Value. In terms of value, Sapphire is generally more expensive than Tanzanite. This is due in part to their rarity and hardness, as well as their long history as a coveted gemstone over the ages. Tanzanite, while still very valuable, are more readily available currently and are therefore not as expensive as Sapphire.
A sapphire's worth exponentially increases with every carat. A 3 carat blue sapphire for instance, can be 5 to 8 times the price of a 1 carat sapphire. Take this 2.12 carat blue sapphire which is priced at approximately $1,650 per carat for example.
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.
For some, Blue Sapphire will bring fortune beyond measure, good health, and a lifetime of prosperity. But for others, the stone will immediately cast darkness and chaos. So, the only way to know its effect is to test the stone. The wearer should spend a few nights with the Blue Sapphire under their pillow.