Finished version of Emerald Cut Color Change Sapphire by Daniel Stair
An Interview with Sapphire Expert Jeffery Bergman
Appraising Blue Sapphires
Ruby and Sapphire Grading Tools
Sapphire Engagement Ring Guide: Something Blue
Sapphire Buying Guide
Why We Love Montana Sapphires and Yogo Sapphires
Ruby and Sapphire Origins
Color Change Sapphire Value
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Kashmir Sapphire
Certified origin. Untreated material. Average brilliancy of 40 to 60%. Add to 20% or deduct to 10% for other cutting. Prices for ovals and cushions. Add 8% to 10% for rounds and pears. Add 10% to 20% for emeralds and marquis.
Kashmir Sapphire - Top Grade: vB 5/6, 6/6. B 5/6, 6/6.
1 to 2 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
2 to 3 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
3 to 4 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
4 carats plus
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
Kashmir Sapphire - Very Good Grade: V 4/6, 5/6, 6/5. bV 5/6, 6/6; vB 5/5, 4/6, 6/5.
1 to 2 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
2 to 3 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
3 to 4 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
4 carats plus
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
Kashmir Sapphire - Good Grade: V 4/5, 5/4, 5/5, 6/4, 6/5, 7/5; bV 4/5, 4/6, 5/4, 5/5, 5/4, 4/5; vB 3/5, 4/4, 6/3, 7/5, 5/4, 4/5; B 3/5, 4/4, 6/3, 7/5, 6/4, 5/4, 4/5.
1 to 2 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
2 to 3 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
3 to 4 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
4 carats plus
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
Other Blue Sapphires
Heat treated material. Average brilliancy of 40% to 60%. Add to 20% or deduct to 10% for other cutting. Prices for ovals and cushions. Add 8% to 10% for rounds and pears. Add 10% to 20% for emeralds and marquis. Note: If certified Burmese and untreated, add 50%, except fair or lower grades. Typically, mid-quality untreated blue sapphire will sell for 20-30% more than a treated stone of the same quality. Top-quality unheated stones could get a premium of 50% or higher, especially if they’re large.
Other Blue Sapphires - Top Grade: vB 5/6, 6/6; B 5/6, 6/6.
1 to 2 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
2 to 3 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
3 to 4 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
4 carats plus
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
Other Blue Sapphires - Very Good Grade: V 4/6, 5/5, 6/6; bV 5/6, 6/7; vB 5/5, 4/6, 6/5; B 4/6, 5/5, 6/5; vslgB 4/6, 5/6, 6/6.
.5 to .75 carat
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
.75 to 1 carat
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
1 to 2 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
2 carats plus
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
Other Blue Sapphires - Good Grade: V 4/5, 5/4, 5/5, 6/4, 6/5, 7/5; bV 4/5, 4/6, 5/4, 5/5, 6/4, 6/5; vB 3/5, 4/4, 6/3, 7/5, 5/4, 4/5; B 3/5, 4/4, 6/3, 7/5, 6/4, 6/4, 5/4, 4/5; vslgB 7/5, 5/4, 6/4, 4/5, 6/5, 5/5; gB 4/5, 5/5, 6/5.
.5 to .75 carat
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
.75 to 1 carat
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
1 to 2 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
2 carats plus
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
Other Blue Sapphires - Fair Grade: V 3/4, 3/5, 4/3, 4/4, 5/3, 6/3, 7/4; bV 3/5, 4/4, 5/3, 6/3, 7/4, 7/5; vB 3/4, 4/3, 6/2, 7/4, 5/3; B 3/4, 4/3, 7/4, 6/2, 5/2, 5/3; vslgB 3/4, 3/5, 4/3, 4/4, 5/3, 6/3, 7/4; gB 3/5, 4/4, 5/3, 5/4, 6/3, 6/4, 7/4; vstgB 4/4, 5/4, 6/4.
.5 to .75 carat
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
.75 to 1 carat
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
1 to 2 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
2 carats plus
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
Fancy Sapphires
Average brilliancy of 30% to 40%. Add to 20% or deduct to 10% for other cutting. Prices for ovals and cushions. Add 7% to 10% for rounds, pears and marquis. Add 15% to 30% for emerald cuts.
Pink Sapphire – Top Color: stpR 3/6, 4/6; RP 4/6; rP 4/6
Not enough trade data available.
Pink Sapphire - Very Good Color: slpR 4/6; stpR 4/5; RP 3/5, 4/4, 4/5; rP 3/5, 4/4, 4/5; P 4/5.
.5 to .75 carat
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
.75 to 1 carat
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
1 to 2 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
2 carats plus
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
Pink Pink Sapphire - Good Color: slpR 3/5, 4/4, 4/5; stpR 3/4, 3/5, 4/4; RP 3/4, 4/3; rP 3/4, 4/3; P 3/4, 4/4.
.5 to .75 carat
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
.75 to 1 carat
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
1 to 2 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
2 carats plus
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
Pink Sapphire - Fair Color: slpR 3/3, 4/3; stpR 3/4, 4/3; RP 2/3, 3/3; rP 2/3, 3/3; P 3/, 4/3.
.75 to 1 carat
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
1 to 2 carats
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
2 carats plus
VVS
to /ct
VS/SI
to /ct
SI/I
to /ct
Yellow Sapphire - Top Color: Y 3/5; oY 3/5. Very Good Color: Y 3/4; oY 3/4. Good Color: Y 3/3, 4/4; oY 3/3, 4/4. Fair Color: Y 2/3, 4/3; oY 2/3, 4/3.
to 2 carats
Top Color
to /ct
Very Good Color
to /ct
Good Color
to /ct
Fair Color
to /ct
2 carats plus
Top Color
to /ct
Very Good Color
to /ct
Good Color
to /ct
Fair Color
to /ct
Green Sapphire - Top Color: vslbG 6/3, bG 6/3, G 6/3. Very Good Color: BG 6/3, vstbG 6/2, 5/3, 6/2; bG 4/3, 5/3, 6/3; vslbG 4/3, 5/3, 6/2; G 5/3, 7/3; slyG 5/3, 6/3; yG 6/3. Good Color: BG 4/3, 5/3, 6/2; vstbG 4/3, 5/3, 7/3; bG 4/2, 5/2, 7/3, G 5/2,6/2; slyG 5/2, 6/2, 7/3; yG 5/3, 6/2, 7/3; styG 5/3, 6/3; styG 5/3, 6/3. Fair Color: BG 4/2, 5/2; vstbG 4/2, 7/2; bG 3/2, 7/2; vslbG 7/2; G 4/2, 7/2; slyG 4/2, 7/2; yG 5/2, 7/3; styG 5/2, 6/2.
to 1 carat
Top Color
to /ct
Very Good Color
to /ct
Good Color
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Fair Color
to /ct
1 carat plus
Top Color
to /ct
Very Good Color
to /ct
Good Color
to /ct
Fair Color
to /ct
Purple Sapphire - Top Color: RP 6/6, 5/6; rP 6/6; P 6/6. Very Good Color: stpR 5/5, 6/5; RP 5/5, 6/5, 7/5; rP 5/6, 6/5; P 5/6, 6/5; bP 5/6, 6/5. Good Color: slpR 5/3, 6/3; stpR 5/4, 6/4, 7/4; RP 5/4, 6/3, 6/4, 7/4; rP 5/4, 5/5, 6/4, 7/5; P 5/4, 5/5, 6/4, 7/5; bP 4/5, 4/6, 5/5. Fair Color: .
to 2 carats
Top Color
to /ct
Very Good Color
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Good Color
to /ct
Fair Color
to /ct
2 carats plus
Top Color
to /ct
Very Good Color
to /ct
Good Color
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Fair Color
to /ct
Other Sapphires
White Sapphire
.5 to 3 carats
White Sapphire
to /ct
3 to 5 carats
White Sapphire
to /ct
5 to 15 carats
White Sapphire
to /ct
Color Change Sapphire
.5 to 1 carat
Color Change Sapphire
to /ct
1 to 7 carats
Color Change Sapphire
to /ct
Blue Cabochons
.5 to 1 carat
Blue Cabochons
to /ct
1 to 7 carats
Blue Cabochons
to /ct
Star Sapphire
.5 to 1 carat
Blue
to /ct
Fancy Colors
to /ct
Black
to /ct
1 to 5 carats
Blue
to /ct
Fancy Colors
to /ct
Black
to /ct
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Color Change Sapphire Information
| Data | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Color Change Sapphire |
| Is a Variety of | Sapphire |
| Colors | Usually, blue, bluish purple, and violet-purple. More rarely, green, yellow, and pink. |
| Hardness | 9 |
| Wearability | Excellent |
| Fracture | Conchoidal; frequent parting |
| Cleavage | None |
| Crystallography | Hexagonal (trigonal). Crystals common, often barrel-shaped, prisms with flat ends, sometimes bipyramidal; also massive, granular, in rolled pebbles. |
| Refractive Index | 1.757-1.779 |
| Birefringence | 0.008-0.009 |
| Dispersion | 0.018 |
| Luminescence | Natural color change sapphires: inert to strong red in LW, inert to moderate red to orange in SW. Synthetic color change sapphires: moderate orange to red in LW and SW, may fluoresce red in LW and mottled blue in SW. |
| Luminescence Present | Yes |
| Luminescence Type | Fluorescent, UV-Long, UV-Short, X-ray Colors |
| Absorption Spectrum | The ferric iron spectrum dominates these stones. In green and blue-green gems, rich in iron, there are lines at 4710, 4600, and 4500 in the blue-green region. Also lines at 4500 and 4600 may seem to merge and become a broad band. The three bands described are generally known as the 4500 complex and are very distinctive in sapphires. Some blue Sri Lanka sapphires also show a 6935 red fluorescent line, and the 4500 line is very weak in these gems. Synthetic color change sapphires show a line 4740. See main Sapphire gem listing for more information. |
| Pleochroism | Very pronounced. See main Sapphire gem listing. |
| Optics | RI: o = 1.757-1.770; e = 1.765-1.779 (usually 1.760, 1.768); Uniaxial (-). |
| Optic Sign | Uniaxial - |
| Luster | Vitreous to adamantine. |
| Polish Luster | Vitreous to subadamantine. |
| Fracture Luster | Vitreous. |
| Specific Gravity | 3.99-4.10; usually near 4.0. |
| Transparency | Transparent to opaque. |
| Phenomena | Asterism, color change, chatoyancy. |
| Birthstone | September |
Color change sapphires are those that change color between light sources.
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