Star Sapphire Value, Price, and Jewelry Information

Star Sapphire
"Star-Saphire". Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

Star Sapphire Value

See our article called Phenomenal Gems to read more about the grading and valuation of stones with asterism.

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

Sapphire Value via Gem Price Guide

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. Top Grade: vB 5/6, 6/6. B 5/6, 6/6.
Top Grade 1 to 2 carats 2 to 3 carats 3 to 4 carats 4 carats plus
VVS ,000 to ,650/ct ,000 to ,000/ct ,000 to ,500/ct to ,000/ct
VS/SI ,000 to ,000/ct ,000 to ,700/ct ,000 to ,000/ct to ,000/ct
SI/I ,000 to ,000/ct ,000 to 24,600/ct ,000 to 27,600/ct to ,000/ct
Very Good Grade: V 4/6, 5/6, 6/5. bV 5/6, 6/6; vB 5/5, 4/6, 6/5.
Very Good Grade 1 to 2 carats 2 to 3 carats 3 to 4 carats 4 carats plus
VVS ,000 to ,300/ct ,600 to ,400/ct ,000 to ,000/ct to ,000/ct
VS/SI to ,100/ct ,000 to ,700/ct ,000 to ,000/ct to ,500/ct
SI/I to ,300/ct ,000 to ,000/ct ,400 to ,600/ct to ,500/ct
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.
Good Grade 1 to 2 carats 2 to 3 carats 3 to 4 carats 4 carats plus
VVS to ,200/ct to ,700/ct ,000 to ,000/ct to ,000/ct
VS/SI to /ct to ,200/ct ,000 to ,000/ct to ,000/ct
SI/I to /ct to ,500/ct ,000 to ,000/ct to ,900/ct
Fair Grade: V 3/4, 3/5, 4/4, 4/3, 5/3, 6/3, 7/4; bV 3/5, 4/4, 5/3, 6/3, 7/4, 7/5; vB 3/4, 4/3, 7/4, 6/2, 5/3; B 3/4, 4/3, 7/4 6/2, 5/2, 5/3.
Fair Grade 1 to 2 carats 2 to 3 carats 3 to 4 carats 4 carats plus
VVS to /ct to ,200/ct to ,500/ct to ,500/ct
VS/SI to /ct to /ct to ,000/ct to ,000/ct
SI/I to /ct to /ct to ,500/ct to ,700/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. Top Grade: vB 5/6, 6/6; B 5/6, 6/6.
Top Grade 1 to 2 carats 2 to 3 carats 3 to 4 carats 4 carats plus
VVS to /ct to /ct to /ct to ,500/ct
VS/SI to /ct to /ct to /ct /ct
SI/I to /ct to /ct to /ct /ct
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.
Very Good Grade .5 to .75 carat .75 to 1 carat 1 to 2 carats 2 carats plus
VVS to /ct to /ct to /ct to /ct
VS/SI to /ct to /ct to /ct to /ct
SI/I to /ct to /ct to /ct to /ct
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.
Good Grade .5 to .75 carat .75 to 1 carat 1 to 2 carats 2 carats plus
VVS to /ct to /ct to /ct to /ct
VS/SI to /ct to /ct to /ct to /ct
SI/I to /ct to /ct to /ct to /ct
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.
Fair Grade .5 to .75 carat .75 to 1 carat 1 to 2 carats 2 carats plus
VVS to /ct to /ct to /ct to /ct
VS/SI to /ct to /ct to /ct to /ct
SI/I to /ct to /ct to /ct 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 No trade data available 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.
Very Good Color .5 to .75 carat .75 to 1 carat 1 to 2 carats 2 carats plus
VVS to /ct to /ct to /ct to ,500/ct
VS/SI to /ct to /ct to /ct to /ct
SI/I to /ct to /ct to /ct to /ct
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.
Good Color .5 to .75 carat .75 to 1 carat 1 to 2 carats 2 carats plus
VVS to /ct to /ct to /ct to /ct
VS/SI to /ct to /ct to /ct to /ct
SI/I to /ct to /ct to /ct to /ct
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.
Fair Color .75 to 1 carat 1 to 2 carats 2 carats plus
VVS to /ct to /ct to /ct
VS/SI to /ct to /ct to /ct
SI/I to /ct to /ct 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.
Yellow Sapphire to 2 carats 2 carats plus
Top Color to /ct to /ct
Very Good Color to /ct to /ct
Good Color to /ct to /ct
Fair Color to /ct 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.
Green Sapphire to 1 carat 1 carat plus
Top Color to /ct to /ct
Very Good Color to /ct to /ct
Good Color to /ct to /ct
Fair Color to /ct 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: .
Purple Sapphire to 2 carats 2 carats plus
Top Color to /ct to /ct
Very Good Color to /ct to /ct
Good Color to /ct to /ct
Fair Color to /ct to /ct

Other Sapphires

White Sapphire .5 to 3 carats 3 to 5 carats 5 to 15 carats
to /ct to /ct to /ct
Color Change Sapphire .5 to 1 carat 1 to 7 carats
to /ct to /ct
Blue Cabochons .5 to 1 carat 1 to 7 carats
to /ct to /ct
Star Sapphire .5 to 1 carat 1 to 5 carats
Blue to /ct to /ct
Fancy Colors to /ct to /ct
Black to /ct to /ct

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Star Sapphire Information

DataValue
NameStar Sapphire
Is a Variety ofSapphire
Crystallography Hexagonal (trigonal).
Refractive Index 1.757-1.779
Colors All except red.
Luster Vitreous to adamantine.
Polish Luster Vitreous to subadamantine.
Fracture Luster Vitreous.
Fracture Conchoidal, Frequent parting
Hardness 9
Specific Gravity 3.99-4.10; usually near 4.0
Birefringence 0.008-0.009
Cleavage None
Dispersion 0.018
Luminescence See "Identifying Characteristics" under the Sapphire main gem listing.
Wearability Excellent
Enhancements Heat treated: common. Diffusion treatment (places a thin blue coating on colorless sapphire): occasional. Irradiation (turns colorless gems yellow, orange, or light blue.): rare.
Transparency Transparent to opaque.
Absorption Spectrum See "Identifying Characteristics" under the Sapphire main gem listing.
Phenomena Asterism.
Birthstone September.
Pleochroism Very pronounced.
  • Blue sapphire: intense violet-blue/blue-green
  • Green sapphire: intense green / yellow-green
  • Orange sapphire: yellow-brown or orange/colorless
  • Yellow sapphire: medium yellow / pale yellow
  • Purple sapphire: violet/orange
  • Brownish-orange sapphire: brownish-orange / greenish
  • Padparadscha sapphire: orange-yellow / yellowish-orange
Optics RI: o = 1.757-1.770; e = 1.765-1.779 (usually 1.760, 1.768); Uniaxial (-).

Star Sapphire is a type of sapphire displaying an optical star-like effect. This effect is caused by asterism. You can read more about asterism in our Phenomenal Gems article.