All about sapphire

The term “sapphire” comes from Hebrew “sapphire"meaning"blue stone” and which formerly designated blue gems.

The history of jewelry is inseparable from this noble gem, due to its quality which ensures excellent durability, and the appeal it has aroused among amateurs and collectors. Do you want to know everything about sapphire, its origins, the evolution of its price? Read our article on the subject!

History and general features of sapphire

Sapphire is a stone formerly called precious (the term is no longer used to differentiate stones that are called fine) from the corundum family, just like ruby. Their difference lies in the range of their colors: sapphire can be any color of the rainbow, except red which is reserved for ruby.

The word “sapphire” without a color qualifier refers to blue sapphire. Otherwise, the color is specified: pink sapphire, green sapphire, etc. There are highly sought-after sapphires such as the pink-orange sapphire “padparadscha”, the blue-green sapphire “teal" or even the colorless sapphire "leucosaphir”.
Its original blue color is due to the presence of iron and titanium in its chemical composition. 

Synthetic sapphire is considered a precious stone because it is very hard and scratch-resistant, it ranks 9th on the Mohs scale, just after diamonds. This characteristic therefore explains its strong presence in the jewelry world, since this stone is easily set and can subsequently be worn daily without risk.

In addition to these well-known characteristics, there are others that are just as fascinating and yet little used in jewelry. In particular, the presence of asterisms on certain sapphires, which draw a star of 6 branches on the surface of the stone most frequently, which can go up to 12. This phenomenon is due to the interference of light with a large quantity of inclusions called “silks”, which are in reality fine needles of rutile (titanium dioxide). This phenomenon is highlighted by the cabochon cut corundums. Thus, while in jewelry, precious stones are mostly cut with facets, the cabochon cut is necessary to highlight the asterism.

Deposits, colors of sapphire

Ceylon sapphire, the best known

Sapphires from Sri Lanka, formerly called Ceylon, are undoubtedly the best known. Despite the increasing presence of sapphires from Madagascar on the market, Sri Lanka remains today the main producer of high-quality sapphires for jewelry. These deposits mainly offer blue sapphires containing a hint of mauve, which gives them a characteristic blue-lilac appearance. In Sri Lanka, we also find orange sapphires with a hint of pink called “Padparadscha".

The deposits of Sri Lanka are easily accessible (with a depth not exceeding 6 meters), they are extracted in an artisanal way: wells are dug to access the gemmiferous gravel. This is then washed to be separated from the clay with which it is mixed. The final sorting, on the other hand, is always done by hand. The sapphires obtained are then sculpted on site before being transported to Colombo, the capital, where wholesalers export them around the world. Unfortunately, at present, the production of Ceylon sapphires is decreasing year by year, which also leads to an increase in its price.

Sapphire from Madagascar, close to that of Ceylon

Blue sapphires from Madagascar are of a similar quality - and therefore price - to those from Ceylon; this is why the distinction between the two origins is very difficult, even with a magnifying glass. It is often necessary to have them appraised in a laboratory to ensure the exact provenance.

Madagascar's mines also offer sublime pink sapphires and currently rank first in the world in their production; attracting the interest of buyers from all over the world. The main deposits are in the Ilakaka region in the southwest of the island, where extraction is very artisanal and carried out in the same way as for Ceylon sapphires. 

Burmese sapphire, rare and prestigious

Burmese sapphires, like those from Kashmir with their intense, velvety blue, are highly prized and sought after by major jewelers. Their mines are now exhausted, and yet their demand is only increasing, which is pushing prices to new heights. The finest sapphires are currently selling for more than $20,000 per carat. 

The Burmese deposits are located in the Mogok region in northern Burma, known for its rubies; the sapphires are mostly extracted by hand in wells 5 to 30 meters deep, despite the emergence of some modern techniques. During the monsoon, these wells become submerged by rain, which is then channeled by miners to increase their flow. These gravels are then sorted, cut and sent to Thailand to be sold.

Kashmir Sapphire, for collectors

Kashmir sapphire is still the most sought-after sapphire in the world today for its unique blue, with a trace of violet, the favorite color is cornflower blue called "Cornflower".

Although their mine is extinct, they were once mined in the Zaskar region, over 4,000 meters above sea level, towards the end of the 19th century. As an alternative, we find sapphires from Ceylon and Madagascar, which sometimes produce sapphires of a very similar tone, however they are also becoming increasingly rare and their prices tend to increase.

Mozambique sapphire, more recent

Although the mines of Mozambique are famous for their magnificent rubies, they also produce beautiful pink sapphires that compete with those of Madagascar. Their difference is that those of Mozambique display a slight touch of red, which is not common elsewhere.

Sapphire (Siam) from Thailand, hub of the world market

Thailand is more famous for being the world's leading market for colored stones than for the quality of the gems it produces. However, it plays a major role in the export of sapphires of all hues, which come from two distinct regions: Chantaburi, located southeast of Bangkok, and Kanchanaburi, located in the northwest of the country, near the Burmese border. Extraction is done over large areas, using machines.
Thai sapphires are commonly traded as Siamese. Sometimes considered too dark, it requires improvement by heating, which will lighten it.

Historical Sapphires in Chronological Order

• 1669 : The 135.8-carat “Grand Saphir” that belonged to Louis XIV and which has the particularity of having six faces and is known for its rhomboid shape. It becomes the third gem in the Crown Jewels of France, just after the Bleu de France (a blue diamond).
• 1877 : The “Mackey”, 159 carats, large blue sapphire mounted on the “Feuille necklace” designed by Frédéric Boucheron for Marie-Louise Mackey.
• 1937 : The “St Edward”, (named after the lapidary Edward the Confessor) and the “Stuart” which were both placed on the Imperial State Crown of England 
• 1950 : The “Ruspoli” of 137 carats, of similar weight to that of the “Grand Saphir” but with different faceting, called “in double lace cushion". According to François Farges, mineralogist at the National Museum of Natural History, it is possible that this sapphire was mounted on the front of a kokoshnik that belonged to Duchess Pavlovna and then to Marie of Rouamnie and her daughter, who then sold it to an American jeweler in the 1950s.
• 1987 : The “Star of Bombay”, a sapphire from Sri Lanka weighing 182 carats; it was given by Douglas Fairbanks to his wife Mary Pickford, who bequeathed it to the institution run by the American Government.

Exceptional sapphires in terms of weight 

• The “Star of Asia”, a 330-carat star sapphire
• The 423-carat “Logan”
• The “Blue Giant of the Orient”, 486 carats
• The “Star of India”, the largest star sapphire 516 carats
• The “Black Star of Queensland”, a 733 carat dark brown star sapphire
• The 1404 carat "Star of Adam", which is the largest sapphire ever found today. This is a record dating back to 2015

Synthetic sapphire

A synthesis is, by definition, the reproduction of a stone according to its physical and chemical characteristics, with the difference that one is produced by nature and the other by man.

1) Verneuil process: synthesis by simple or dry fusion

Developed at the end of the 19th century, this process is used to produce synthetic sapphires and spinels: it is now the cheapest and fastest
Aluminum oxide (dry material) is sprayed and melted by an oxyhydrogen torch and then forms drop by drop at the seed level. To obtain the desired color, metal oxides (iron, titanium, etc.) must then be added.

2) Czochralski process: synthesis by pulling

Developed in 1919, this process is used for corundums and spinels. The aluminum oxide (liquid material) is already molten and pulled upwards by the seed (which can be natural or synthetic)

3) Synthesis by anhydrous dissolution

Developed in the 1970s, this process is used for corundum, emerald and quartz, it is one of the longest and most expensive (8 to 12 months, the gem crystallizes by 2mm). Aluminum oxide is mixed with fluxes (allowing to lower the melting temperature)

4) Synthesis by hydrothermal dissolution.

This process is used for corundum, emerald and quartz. The crystals grow in high temperature (500 degrees) and high pressure (1000) water to simulate the natural conditions found underground when the crystals are created.

Evolution of sapphire prices 

Among colored gemstones, it is clear that sapphire is THE dominant gemstone. the market, representative of 49% purchases of colored gemstones for jewelry. The rubies come in second place, then emeralds complete the trio of the most purchased stones.

In terms of price appreciation, in addition to the quality and the presence of treatment, we focus on the geographical origin of the sapphire (also read above, the different sapphire mines).
The Kashmir origin remains the most sought after due to its velvet blue color called "Royal Blue" or "Cornflower" and its rarity (the mines are now exhausted), which makes it the most coveted at auctions, for gems without heat treatment.

Among the origins, the Burmese sapphire, of similar color, is also among the most prized origins,

Then comes the Ceylon sapphire (Sri Lanka) which often contains a hint of purple or even tends towards lilac. The sapphire from Madagascar, whose exploitation is more recent, is comparable in quality to Ceylon. These are qualities that are appreciated in jewelry.

Sapphire from Thailand (or Siam, which includes Cambodia) can be a little dark, and therefore often enhanced by heating, but some mines are of fine quality.

Finally, Australian sapphires are often dark and highly included, and therefore of lesser value.

To illustrate the point, in 2024, a Royal Blue Cachemire sapphire (17.29 carats) was sold for nearly CHF 3.5 million, or per carat 6 times more expensive than a sapphire of Ceylon origin (23.65 carats) during the same sale, and approximately 4 times more expensive than a Burmese sapphire (18.31 carats) sold a month later.

Find our entire collection of sapphire-adorned jewelry: 
Sapphire jewelry

As well as our exceptional gems: 
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