The most valuable Sapphire’s display an intense cornflower blue hue and have come to be known as Kashmir Sapphire. Sapphire’s are often cut with a deep center and most of the weight of the stone remaining above the girdle. Higher quality Sapphire’s are cut into a wide range of shapes chosen to highlight where color is most concentrated within the rough. When held up to the light, the star or asterisk shape moves when rotated. These inclusions have been known to exhibit asterism when carved into cabochons, which is a star-like formation.

These Sapphires contain dense, parallel groupings of Rutile needle-like inclusions causing a clouding of the stone. While the more transparent the better, 'silk' Sapphire is still valued and cut into cabochons. The only gemstone harder than Sapphire is the diamond with a Mohs hardness of 10.Ĭut and Clarity for the September birthstoneīlue Sapphires are typically expected to display at least minor inclusions. Sapphire is a safe stone to use in all jewelry applications due to its high Mohs hardness at 9.

Some mid-grade Sapphires have been known to display a greenish pleochroism which means when the gemstone is held up to light at certain angles, multiple colors are displayed.

Aside from Sri Lanka, Sapphires are mind all over the world including Thailand, Madagascar, Australia, USA and more. The specific Padparadschah Sapphire from Sri Lanka comes in orangey pinks and is highly valued for its unique coloring. Typically the term 'Sapphire' references all shades of blue while 'fancy Sapphire' could indicate any other color. Sapphires come in a wide variety of colors including: yellow (sometimes called golden), pink, white (also known as colorless), green, purple, orange and even black. Named from the Greek word 'for blue,' Sapphires have been highly appreciated for centuries.

Sapphire september birthstone