Color Change Sapphire Value, Price, and Jewelry Information

view gemstone encyclopedia

Finished version of Emerald Cut Color Change Sapphire by Daniel Stair

Color Change Sapphire Value

Start an IGS Membership today for full access to our price guide (updated monthly).
See Plans and Pricing

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
to /ct
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
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

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
Accompanying value information:
sapphire expert jeffrey bergan with a trapiche sapphireAn Interview with Sapphire Expert Jeffery Bergman
sapphire ring with tsavorites - appraising blue sapphiresAppraising Blue Sapphires
GIA-certified octagonal mixed-cut sapphireRuby and Sapphire Grading Tools
triangle-cut sapphire - sapphire engagement ring stoneSapphire Engagement Ring Guide: Something Blue
sapphire buying - bluish violet, BurmeseSapphire Buying Guide
montana sapphires - matching ringsWhy We Love Montana Sapphires and Yogo Sapphires
Kashmir sapphireRuby and Sapphire Origins
View Color Change Sapphire Profile

The International Gem Society (IGS) has a list of businesses offering gemstone appraisal services.

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.

by International Gem Society
See other articles

Related Articles

Ready to learn how to identify gems on your own?

Join our mailing list below to download a FREE gem ID checklist tutorial. See what’s inside…

• Discover the 17 practical steps to gemstone identification (even if you’re just getting started with gemology)

• Learn how you can use specific tools to gather data, make observations & arrive at an accurate ID

• Explore a range of gemological tests… not only will you get familiar with the process but also time-saving shortcuts!