Of all the Australian sapphires, the parti sapphire is among the most valuable due to its unique colour.
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.
The most valuable sapphire is the very rare Padparadscha Sapphire in the colour combination orange-pink. 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.
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.
What is the rarest sapphire color? The two rarest sapphire colors are Padparadscha and cornflower blue. The most prized sapphires are Kashmir sapphires of a bright, velvety blue from the mountains in India. The last Kashmir sapphire was mined in 1927.
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.
Blue is the most common sapphire color. Blue sapphires can range from a pale baby blue to a rich royal blue. Trace elements of iron and titanium are what cause those blue colors.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Even though a tanzanite is much rarer than a sapphire, the latter is more expensive because of its beauty and eternal association with royalty. The sapphire is also exceptionally durable which further works in its favor and makes it a popular choice for wedding jewelry and engagement rings.
Ruby: Untreated natural rubies are extremely rare. They are actually significantly rarer than sapphires, which is why they are even more expensive. Emerald: Like sapphires and rubies, emeralds are among the rarest of all gemstones. They are rarer than sapphires but not quite as rare as rubies.
Sapphire Price
Sapphires can come as cheap as $25 per carat, to over $11,000 per carat.
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.
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. We look for stones with a medium depth.
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.
Australia's national gemstone is the opal, a stone famous across the world for its brilliant colours. In Indigenous stories, a rainbow created the colours of the opal when it touched the earth. Opal, also known to Indigenous people as the fire of the desert, is a powerful symbol of Australia's arid interior.
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.
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.
The density or specific gravity (SG) of the material will also affect the weight. For example, a 6.5 mm round diamond, sapphire, and opal, all cut in the same proportions, will all weigh different. The diamond, with an SG of 3.52, will weigh 1 carat. The sapphire, with an SG of 4, will weigh 1.14 carats.
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.
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.
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.
Comparing the sapphire vs. aquamarine price range, aquamarines are less expensive than blue sapphires.