Star Sapphire Value, Price, and Jewelry Information

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.

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.

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.

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

Data	Value
Name	Star Sapphire
Is a Variety of	Sapphire
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.

by International Gem Society

Star Sapphire Value, Price, and Jewelry Information