Star Sapphire Value, Price, and Jewelry Information

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Star Sapphire

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

Accompanying value information:
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An Interview with Sapphire Expert Jeffery Bergman

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Sapphire Value, Price, and Jewelry Information

Kashmir sapphire

Ruby and Sapphire Origins

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
Colors All except red.
Crystallography Hexagonal (trigonal).
Refractive Index 1.757-1.779
Luster Vitreous to adamantine.
Polish Luster Vitreous to subadamantine.
Fracture Luster Vitreous.
Hardness 9
Wearability Excellent
Fracture Conchoidal, Frequent parting
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.
Luminescence Present Yes
Luminescence Type Fluorescent, UV-Long, UV-Short, X-ray Colors
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.
Typical Treatments Heat Treatment, Irradiation, Lattice Diffusion
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 (-).
Optic Sign 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
See other articles

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