Sapphire is a corundum gemstone beloved for many reasons throughout history. Besides its beautiful colors, people have revered sapphires for their alleged spiritual powers and durability in industrial applications.
It’s difficult to separate sapphire from blue, despite the stone coming in a rainbow of other colors. In fact, the word “sapphire” described lapis lazuli and other blue gems until the Middle Ages. Today, “sapphire blue” is its own color outside the gem, seen in various arts.
What is the rarest color of sapphire? It’s not cut-and-dry, but most gemologists would say Kashmir blue or Padparadscha sapphires are rarest.
Don’t recognize those terms? Don’t worry! This guide will break down every sapphire gemstone color and variety, along with this legendary gem’s history, prices, and meanings.
Regardless of its color, sapphire is one of the four precious gemstones. The sapphire birthstone honors those born in September, though it was historically a birthstone for April. The stone is also a 5th, 45th, and 65th wedding anniversary gem. Astrologically, sapphires are Taurus zodiac stones.
Certain sapphire colors are important in Ayurvedic (or Hindu) astrology. In this practice, blue sapphire, called Neelam, is a Saturn star stone while yellow sapphire, or Pukhraj, is a Jupiter stone.
Sapphire is the official state gemstone of Montana, USA, and Queensland, Australia.
Outside of jewelry, sapphire has some important industrial applications, including:
Watches
Electronic wafers
Semiconductor components
LED substrates
Extra durable windows (including ones used for infrared optics)
If you have a stainless steel or titanium model of the Apple Watch, it might contain sapphire glass!
One reason sapphires are industrially useful is their high ranking on the Mohs mineral hardness scale, one of the properties we’ll discuss next.
Sapphires are one of the two varieties of corundum, the other being ruby. Corundum minerals are composed of aluminum oxide.
Typically, sapphires form as flat-ended prismatic, barrel-shaped, or bipyramidal crystals.
Below, we’ve listed sapphire’s mineral properties.
(For specific sapphire color properties like pleochroism or luminescence colors, check out each sapphire color guide linked in the next section.)
Mineral family: Corundum
Color: All colors but red; Possible color-zoning
Crystal structure: Hexagonal (trigonal)
Luster: Vitreous (glassy) to sub-adamantine
Transparency: Transparent to opaque
Refractive index: 1.757-1.779
Density: 3.99-4.10
Cleavage: None
Fracture: Conchoidal
Streak: White
Luminescence: Fluorescence present in all but black, green, and most blue sapphires (natural), varying degrees in all colors (synthetic); X-ray colors in some specimens from Sri Lanka, Kashmir, and Montana - dull red or yellow-orange
Pleochroism: Present & very strong in most sapphire colors
Birefringence: 0.008-0.009
Dispersion: 0.018
Optical effects: Asterism, chatoyancy, color-changing
Now, what are the colors of sapphire?
All non-red corundum is considered sapphire, meaning sapphires come in virtually every other color. Different hues are rarer, more popular, or more valuable. Each color comes from different impurities.
Let’s start with the most common sapphire color: blue.
There’s no doubt that blue is sapphire’s most popular color, tied to the stone throughout history. This color comes from iron and titanium impurities, with more titanium causing darker shades.
Any secondary undertones (like violet or green) can only make up 15 percent or less of the overall color for the stone to classify as a blue sapphire.
Blue sapphires are in high-demand, making their prices steeper than other colors, despite not being that rare.
That said, certain shades are rarer and more valuable than others.
The main types of blue sapphires are:
Kashmir: Widely regarded as the best sapphire color, deep cornflower blue with a velvety appearance due to silk inclusions, sourced from the Himalayas but extremely rare.
Cornflower Blue: Pure blue (cornflower) shade, distinguished from Kashmir by coming from other sources.
Royal Blue: Deep, vivid blue with purple to violet undertones.
Ice Blue: Pale, glacier-like blue often with green undertones.
Yogo: High-quality, cornflower blue sapphires from Yogo Gulch in Montana, USA.
Ceylon (Sri Lankan): Pale to rich blue sapphires with great saturation, sparkle, and brightness, sourced from Sri Lanka.
Of course, this doesn’t cover every shade. You’ll see lots of descriptors like baby blue, indigo, navy, twilight, and more.
All the remaining non-blue sapphires are called “fancy” or “fancy color” sapphires.
Pink sapphires have light red hues due to small amounts of chromium impurities. Common undertones are purple, orange, or yellow. Popular shades are baby pink and magenta.
Gemologists don’t agree on the exact difference between rubies and pink sapphires. Some classify pink-colored corundum as rubies, while others only classify dominantly red corundum stones as rubies.
Since rubies are rarer, many sellers may opt to label pink corundum as “ruby” to mark up the price, so keep that in mind while shopping.
Purple sapphires are fairly rare. Their purple hue can come from vanadium or a combination of chromium, titanium, and ferrous iron. Common undertones are red, pink, blue, and gray.
Value-wise, purple sapphires fall below blue but above yellow and green.
One famous (or infamous) example is the Delhi Purple Sapphire, which is actually an amethyst.
Available in light to dark tones, the most valuable yellow sapphires are vibrant canary yellow being most valuable. The yellow hue comes from ferric iron (Fe3+) impurities. Common undertones are green, orange, brown, and pink.
Yellow sapphires in Hindu astrology are called Pukhraj and work with Jupiter.
Orange sapphires are best in bright, red-orange or pure orange hues. The color can come from a combination of chromium and iron impurities or exposure to irradiation (natural or lab-induced). Common undertones are yellow, red, brown, or pink.
Some orange sapphires have been treated with beryllium diffusion, which turns light green to yellow sapphires into vibrant orange ones.
Ranging from pastels to deep forest greens, green sapphires are versatile and abundant. The color comes from a mixture of ferric iron (Fe3+) and ferrous iron (Fe2+) impurities. Common undertones are yellow, gray
Being abundant and under-the-radar makes green sapphires more budget-friendly, even as emerald substitutes.
White sapphire can be white or colorless depending on its transparency and clarity. This is the purest form of corundum, with little to no impurities present. Natural ones are quite rare, so most on the market are synthetic or treated.
This sapphire is a common non-diamond engagement ring alternative.
Black sapphire is a less sought-out, opaque type colored by iron and lots of titanium. It may actually be very dark blue, green, purple, or gray. Most jewelers consider black sapphires low-quality unless they’re black star sapphires.
Uniquely, black star sapphires get their “star” from hematite and ilmenite inclusions. Occasionally, these star sapphires are 12-rayed with white and gold rays.
Among sapphires, black ones are the only strongly magnetic type.
Brown sapphires only started becoming popular recently with the rise of chocolate diamonds. Gem-quality brown sapphires are somewhat rare. Their color comes from iron and sometimes titanium.
Deep, rich specimens are often labeled “chocolate sapphires.” Another trade name is “cognac,” for reddish-brown or reddish-orange sapphires. Other potential undertones are yellow, pink, and black.
Next, we’ll go over some rare, exciting sapphire varieties.
Besides being classified by single colors, certain sapphires are known for other traits, be it color combinations, notable sources, or optical effects.
Padparadscha sapphires are among the rarest, most valuable sapphires. They’re traditionally from Sri Lanka, named from the Sanskrit term for “lotus blossom.”
Exact color requirements are debated, but it’s definitely a combination of pink and orange, sometimes described as “sunset,” “apricot,” or “peach.”
Teal sapphires have dominant blue and green hues, sometimes with yellow undertones. These have seen recent spikes in popularity.
The blue-green ratio can vary. If it’s a 50-50 mixture, you get a “peacock” or “mermaid” sapphire that can resemble Paraiba tourmaline. Most come from Montana, USA.
Rather than blending two colors, some sapphires show two distinct colors at once due to color-zoning. These are called bi-colored, bi-color, parti-colored, or polychrome sapphires.
Bi-colored sapphires are quite rare. The majority are green and yellow, while the rarest (and most valuable) are blue and purple or tri-colored. A distinct color separation in the center of the stone yields greater value.
A rare, sought-after variety is color-changing sapphires that shift in color under different lighting (typically daylight and incandescent lighting).
Most are blue or purple in daylight and violet or reddish-purple under incandescence. Rarer types shift:
Green to red or reddish-brown
Red to brown
Green to yellow-green
The top value factor here is the strength of the color-change (i.e. weak, moderate, or strong).
Certain inclusions (usually parallel bundles of diaspore or rutile) can create a star-like light reflection, an optical phenomenon called asterism. The result is an asteriated “star sapphire.”
Star sapphires come in most colors, though orange, green, and yellow ones are quite rare. Most have a six-rayed star, but some very rare dark blue or black star sapphires can have a 12-rayed star.
The most desirable star sapphires are transparent and deep blue with a bright, distinct, more uniform star.
A similar-looking variety to star sapphires is trapiche sapphires. These also have a 6-rayed star-like pattern due to inclusions, but the “star” doesn’t reflect light. It more closely resembles wheel spokes.
This effect happens when carbonaceous inclusions settle between growth zones during uncommon formation conditions. A famous example is Brazilian trapiche emeralds.
Stepping into the stone’s spiritual side, what do sapphires symbolize?
Overall, sapphires generally symbolize wisdom, heaven, and loyalty, but each color carries specific symbolism.
The sapphire colors and meanings are:
Blue: Honesty & commitment
Pink: Love & forgiveness
Purple: Spiritual wisdom & reliability
Yellow: Success & knowledge
Orange: Creativity & joy
Green: Serenity & balance
White: Intuition & freedom
Black: Strength & power
Brown: Protection & resilience
What about sapphire’s cultural meanings?
Being around for thousands of years, sapphires have gained plenty of legends.
In Islam, the seventh heaven is described as containing sapphires. Jewish scripture lists sapphire among the twelve stones of the High Priest’s Breastplate and describes God’s throne in heaven as being made of sapphires.
The Christian New Testament includes sapphire as one of the twelve foundation stones of New Jerusalem. Christians believed sapphires represented purity, godliness, and heavenly blessings. One legend states that the Ten Commandments were engraved on sapphire.
Additionally, some Christians call star sapphires “Stones of Destiny,” believing the three crossbars of their six-rayed star represent the virtues of faith, hope, and destiny.
Ancient Greeks honored Apollo, god of the sun, with sapphire. They also believed the stone reached the spirit realm, so many wore it when consulting with the Oracle of Delphi. One 12th-century Greek legend states that Helen of Troy was so desirable because she possessed a large star sapphire.
Regarding sapphire’s origins, an ancient Persian legend asserted that Earth sat on a huge sapphire, its reflection making the sky blue.
Royals in ancient times believed wearing sapphires protected them from jealousy and poison. In fact, sapphire’s use as a protective talisman was widespread.
Pictured above: Signet stone of King Alarich II (484-587). This signet is counted among the oldest Germanic royal signets. The mirror-image circumscription reads: ALARICVS REX GOTHORVM = Alarich, king of the Goths. | Image credit: James Steakley, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license
The oldest record of sapphires is jewelry from 600-275 BC worn by ancient Italians called Etruscans. The sapphires came from Sri Lanka, the oldest and most significant source of sapphires.
Wider awareness came around 1200 AD after Marco Polo wrote about Sri Lankan sapphires in his work, Book of the Marvels of the World. Medieval kings wore sapphires for protection, a consistent historical trend among nobles.
Circa 1100 AD, Pope Innocent III established that bishops wear unengraved sapphire rings. Clergymen also wore blue sapphires to symbolize heaven.
Around the same time, Muslim scientist Al-Biruni discovered sapphires and rubies were the same mineral long before modern mineralogists.
One thread from ancient to modern times is sapphire engagement rings. The modern type of engagement ring practice started in the 1400s to 1500s when the wealthy and royal popularized it.
Sapphire was a popular stone of choice, as non-diamond precious gems were considered more valuable. In fact, blue sapphire engagement rings were the most common center stone of choice in the US before diamonds became the standard in the early 1900s.
While sapphire jewelry today extends beyond wealthy elites, royals have kept the popularity going. One famous example is the Marguerite ring, Princess Diana’s engagement ring sporting a 12-carat Ceylon sapphire.
Besides adorning royals and common folk alike, what is sapphire good for today?
Sapphire has remained a treasured healing stone into modern times.
Some nicknames for sapphire as a healing crystal include:
Stone of Mental Focus & Order
Stone of Destiny
Stone of New Love
Stone of Prosperity
Stone of Commitment
Continuing past traditions, sapphires are still popular third eye chakra stones, opening this energy center to improve your intuition and spiritual awareness.
Purported physical sapphire stone benefits include treating or helping problems with:
Vision
Migraines
Insomnia
Fevers
Immune system function
Sapphires are also believed to improve your senses.
Emotionally, sapphires are said to:
Provide relaxation
Dispel anxious thoughts
Increase concentration
Promote self-discipline
Boost creativity
Encourage bravery
Next, we’ll move on to how experts determine sapphire value via grading.
Sapphire value depends on the stone’s color, cut, clarity, carat weight, treatments, and origin (natural vs. synthetic).
Color is the number-one sapphire value factor. Strong to vivid saturation and medium to deep tone is best. Too-light, too-dark, or grayish colors are less valuable.
Hue-wise, the most valuable colors are Kashmir blue, Padparadscha, and bright pinks. Next are teal, then purple/violet, followed by green, yellow, and brown. Black (non-star) sapphires are the least valuable.
Rare color-changing and bi- or tri-colored sapphires are also valuable.
Lapidarists (gem cutters) must consider color zoning, pleochroism, sparkle, and optical effects when cutting sapphires. The best cuts display the sapphire’s inherent traits well with proper symmetry and no dark zones.
Standard round, cushion, and oval faceted cuts are the most popular. More valuable shapes, in descending order, are emerald, marquise, and pear.
Star sapphires must be cut as cabochons. Lower-quality sapphires may also become cabochons. Other sapphire cuts include carvings and beads.
Sapphires are Type II colored gems, meaning minor visible inclusions are expected. Generally, sapphires have better clarity than rubies. Some jewelers grade sapphire clarity in diamond clarity terms — IF, VVS, etc.
The most valuable have VVS clarity — no visible inclusions under 10x magnification — but these are incredibly rare. The lowest-value clarity is SI to I (slightly included to included). Most sapphires fall in the middle, from VS to SI (very slightly to slightly included).
Common sapphire inclusions include:
Silk (long, fine, and thin threads, often of rutile)
Hexagonal color banding or growth lines
Fingerprints (hollow, web-like, cloudy areas filled with gas or fluid, creating fingerprint-like patterns around other included crystals)
Zircon crystals, often with dark “halo” fractures
Overall, more visible inclusions lead to lower values. Inclusions that cause asterism or the velvety look of Kashmir sapphires are exceptions, though.
Pictured above: Logan Sapphire | Image credit: Chip Clark, Smithsonian staff; Public Domain
Sapphire carat weight depends on the color and source. Blue sapphires come in many sizes, but their quality tends to decrease with larger sizes. Large, high-quality stones are the most valuable.
The price-per-carat of most sapphires will increase with larger sizes, usually at 2, 3, and 4 carats. Options over 5 carats have significantly higher price-per-carat rates.
Some record-setting large sapphires include:
Blue Giant of the Orient: 486.52 carats, cornflower blue; World’s largest faceted blue sapphire; Discovered in Sri Lanka, 1907
Lone Star: 9,719.5 carats, deep blue; World’s largest star sapphire; Discovered in North Carolina, USA, 1989
Star of Adam: 1,404.49 carats, light blue; Second largest star sapphire; Discovered in Sri lanka, 2016
Black Star of Queensland: 733 carats, black; Third largest star sapphire; Discovered in Australia, 1938
Blue Belle of Asia: 392.52 carats, cornflower blue; World’s most expensive blue sapphire (sold for $17,305,996 in 2014); Discovered in Sri Lanka, 1926
Logan Sapphire: 422.98 carats, violet-blue; Discovered in Sri Lanka
Queen Marie of Romania Sapphire: 478.68 carats, cornflower blue; Formerly largest sapphire ever sold in 2003
Star of India: 563.35 carats, gray-blue; Fourth largest star sapphire; 6-rayed stars on top and bottom; Discovered in Sri Lanka, early 1700s
Stuart Sapphire: 104 carats, blue; Part of British Crown Jewels; Likely from Asia
The Priceless Sapphire: 451,500 carats, white and blue; World’s largest carved sapphire
Roughly 95 percent of sapphires are heated to improve color and clarity, a practice dating back millennia.
Though high-quality untreated sapphires can be over 50 percent more expensive than treated ones of similar quality, heat treatments don’t significantly affect value often.
Diffusion treatments happen occasionally to enhance the “star” in star sapphires or change a sapphire’s color. Rarer are irradiation treatments, which can make colorless sapphires light blue, orange, or yellow. Flux fracture-healing may be done to improve clarity.
We recommend avoiding sapphires treated with thin film coatings, oil treatments, or fillings.
Corundum was the first synthetic (lab-grown) gemstone created for commercial use, starting with Marc A. Gaudin’s first synthetic rubies in 1834.
The first synthetic sapphires came in 1873, created via the flux method, followed by the development of the flame fusion method in 1902.
Sapphires can be synthesized through solution processes (growing from a seed crystal) or melt processes like the Czochralski process or Verneuil flame fusion method.
Besides appearing more flawless than natural material, synthetic sapphires will also often contain curved striae or air bubbles inside.
Synthesizing star sapphires started in the late 1940s with Union Carbide’s “Linde Stars.” These were created by heating synthetic sapphires with titanium to create artificial rutile inclusions. Most Linde star sapphires had an “L” on the bottom (though not all), making them easy to identify. However, their production stopped in the 1970s.
Luckily, there are still indicators for identifying other synthetic star sapphires. The first indicator is color, which is often more vivid and evenly distributed than it is in natural star sapphires. Many synthetic star sapphires will also have a more flawless and uniform star than those that form naturally.
Value-wise, lab-grown sapphires are significantly less expensive than their natural counterparts, up to $10,000 less per carat.
Corundum stones form inside metamorphic or igneous rocks.
In igneous rocks, the stone crystallizes as the rock cools from magma. The igneous rock must be aluminum-rich and silica-free.
In metamorphic rocks, the crystals often form when ancient sea beds undergo metamorphism from hot, aluminum-rich waters.
Often, outside forces like weathering break down the rock surrounding the sapphire. The stone is then carried by water to alluvial deposits like riverbeds.
The best sapphire source can depend on what color you’re looking for, even which specific shade of blue. The most significant source historically and into present-day is Sri Lanka.
Besides Sri Lanka, the top sources for sapphire gems are:
Australia
Kashmir, India
Kenya
Laos
Madagascar
Montana, USA
Myanmar (Burma)
Tanzania
Thailand
Vietnam
You’ll often see a sapphire’s original source as a trade-name descriptor, such as “Burmese,” “Kashmir,” or “African.” High-quality sapphires from certain regions can have common characteristics, but this doesn’t represent all sapphires from that source. Plus, locale-based trade names aren't always accurate. A reputable gemstone certification is better for ensuring authenticity.
Sources aside, is sapphire expensive? Sometimes, but prices range.
Sapphire gemstones start at $5 per carat and reach over $40,000 per carat. Below, we’ve outlined different sapphire price-per-carat ranges in descending value. These prices encompass all carat-weight ranges.
Faceted Kashmir sapphire prices listed by quality:
Top: $9,000-$50,000 per carat
Very Good: $7,000-$42,000 per carat
Good: $2,400-$22,500 per carat
Non-Kashmir faceted blue sapphire prices:
Top: $1,400-$10,500 per carat
Very Good: $480-$8,100 per carat
Good: $250-$6,300 per carat
Fair: $210-$4,800 per carat
Blue sapphire cabochons fetch $20-$300 per carat.
Next in value are faceted Padparadscha sapphires:
Top: $1,000-$25,000 per carat
Very Good: $950-$22,000 per carat
Good: $900-$20,000 per carat
Onto faceted pink sapphires prices:
Very Good: $160-$8,400 per carat
Good: $140-$7,800 per carat
Fair: $50-$1,050 per carat
Prices for other faceted, fancy color sapphires:
Purple Sapphires: $280-$1,840 per carat
Yellow Sapphires: $50-$1,625 per carat
White Sapphires: $50-$800 per carat
Green Sapphires: $20-$240 per carat
Black Sapphires: $4-$290 per carat
Faceted color-changing sapphires range from $120 to $5,000 per carat.
Star sapphire prices:
Fancy Color: $100 to $500 per carat
Blue: $20 to $1,200 per carat
Black: $13 to $30 per carat
Before we wrap up, we’ll teach you how to care for your sapphires.
Given their durability, most sapphires are suitable for daily wear and require minimal gemstone care.
In terms of color-fading, almost every sapphire will fade somewhat with prolonged sun exposure. Yellow and sometimes Padparadscha sapphires are more susceptible to sun-exposure fading. Interestingly, many jewelers leave yellow sapphires to richen their color, which does work. Yellow sapphire’s color stability depends on the coloring agent.
Fractures, abundant inclusions, fracture-filling, and oil treatments make sapphires weaker. Keep these types away from harsh chemicals or mechanical cleaning systems.
You can clean most other sapphires with mechanical systems like ultrasonic or steam cleaners. However, the safest cleaning method is with a soft toothbrush, warm water, and mild soap.
Sapphires are hard, so they can scratch most gems. It’s best to store them separately from other gems.
By now, you can see why sapphires have maintained their esteemed status for centuries. With legends, benefits, and colors galore, what’s not to love?
Ready to find your favorite? Shop sapphire gemstones today!
Safir je dragi kamen iz porodice minerala korunda, najpoznatiji u safirno plavoj boji. Međutim, dragi kamen dolazi u nizu boja, što ga čini poželjnim izborom za nakit. Ima mnogo toga za naučiti o ovom poznatom dragulju, poput uloge koju minerali igraju u boji, kako podrijetlo utječe na vrijednost te živih boja i simbolike dragulja.
Poznato po svojoj bogatoj boji, drago kamenje safira ima poželjan sjaj, izdržljivost i tvrdoću. Uz dijamante, safiri su najtvrđi minerali draguljaste kvalitete na svijetu. Kada govorimo o safirima, najčešće mislimo na prepoznatljivu plavu boju dragog kamena. Uz to, različite vrste safira premošćuju dugu, što ćemo detaljnije razraditi kasnije.
Sakupili smo sve bitne informacije o safirima u ovom opsežnom vodiču kako bismo vam pružili sveobuhvatan pregled karakteristika, značenja, podrijetla, boja i vrijednosti dragulja.
Safir je poznati dragulj iz klase minerala korunda, uz svoj sestrinski dragulj, rubin. Međutim, čisti korund je bezbojan. Prisutnost nečistoća u tragovima u kemijskoj strukturi kamena utječe na boju svakog dragog kamena. Inače bi svi safiri bili bezbojni.
Poznati po svojoj tvrdoći i izdržljivosti, safiri se najčešće koriste u dizajnu nakita jer, osim što su prekrasni, napravljeni su da traju kroz svakodnevno trošenje. Zapravo, mnogi ljudi odlučuju nositi zaručničko prstenje od safira, ali kamen također lijepo pristaje uz naušnice, ogrlice, privjeske i narukvice.
Plava je prava boja safira, koja se još naziva i safirno plava, plavi safir, kašmirski safir i različkoplavi safir. Safir je dragocjen dragulj, zajedno s rubinima, smaragdima i dijamantima.
Safir je službeni kamen rođenja u rujnu i kamen zodijaka za Bika (21. travnja – 20. svibnja), Djevicu (24. kolovoza – 22. rujna) i Vagu (23. rujna – 23. listopada).
Prosječna težina safira u karatu je oko 1 karata, međutim, nema ograničenja na njihovu veličinu, kao što pokazuje jedan od najvećih safira na svijetu: Logan safir od 423 karata.
U nastavku ćemo navesti važne detalje sastava safira.
Kemijska formula safira: Al2O3
Grupa minerala: Korund
Tvrdoća safira na Mohsovoj skali: 9
Boja: plava, zelena, ljubičasta, narančasta, žuta, ružičasta, bijela, bezbojna, smeđa, siva, crna, Padparadscha, s promjenom boje
Sjaj: staklasto-adamantin
Prozirnost: od prozirne do neprozirne
Indeks loma: 1,76-1,77
Dvostruki lom: .0008
Specifična težina: 3,99-4,1
Dekolte: Nema, ali neki pokazuju razdjeljak duž osjetljivih područja
Oblik kristala: Heksagonalne piramide i tabloidni oblici
S čvršćim razumijevanjem gemologije safira, zaronimo u kulturno i povijesno značenje safira.
Postoji razlog zašto ovaj klasični kamen obožavaju kraljevske obitelji i cijeni ga diljem svijeta. Safiri imaju svetu važnost i značajno značenje što povećava njihovu privlačnost. Ime dragulja potječe od latinske riječi sapphiru, što znači plavo.
U srednjem vijeku safiri su korišteni za očuvanje čednosti, nanjušivanje izdaje i zaštitu od prirodnih bolesti. Svećenici su nosili safire kao simbol neba, neprijatelji su koristili dragulje kao adut za pregovaranje, a proročišta su ih koristila kao kanal za proricanje budućnosti.
Značenje kamena safira predstavlja nebesku mudrost i božanstvo koje obuhvaća kulture - od hebrejske predaje do grčke mitologije do budističkog prosvjetljenja.
Kraljevski plavi safiri odaju počast kraljevskoj obitelji i ugravirani su u antičku i srednjovjekovnu povijest. Safiri su posebno popularni stavljani u prstenje za monarhe i značajne ličnosti, kako povijesne tako i moderne.
Čuveni 12-karatni safirni prsten princeze Diane (vrijedan super 500 tisuća dolara) proslijeđen je vojvotkinji od Cambridgea, Kate Middleton.
Safir je i dragi kamen i referenca boje, s najranijim zapisima koji prikazuju safir kao boju koji sežu do 1430. godine.
Ako ste ikada čuli za neplavi safir koji se naziva "orijentalnim", to je zato što su jedno vrijeme ovi dragulji od korunda nazivani potpuno različitim dragim kamenjem. Savršen primjer je "Orijentalni smaragd" koji je zapravo samo zeleni safir. Kao što možete zamisliti, ovo je bila zavaravajuća praksa koja je otežavala razlikovanje smaragda od safira.
U Knjizi proroka Ezekiela u Starom zavjetu, Bog je prikazan na sjedištu prijestolja od safira na nebu.
Popularni brend gina, Bombay Sapphire, ima bocu boje safira.
U staroj Grčkoj safir se povezivao s olimpijskim bogom Apolonom.
Plavi safiri predstavljaju planet Veneru i njegov dan u tjednu, petak.
Safir je popularno žensko ime koje na hebrejskom znači "plava".
Američka spisateljica i pjesnikinja Ramona Lofton pisala je pod pseudonimom Sapphire.
Najvažniji čimbenik vrednovanja kamena safira je njegova boja. Boja nije definirana samo kao plava, zelena ili žuta. Da bismo dobili dubinsko razumijevanje boje safira, moramo pogledati nijansu, zasićenost i ton.
Nijansa je boja dragog kamena, tj. plavi safir ima plavu nijansu.
Zasićenost se odnosi na čistoću boje dragulja na ljestvici od jarke do slabe. Prisutnost smeđe i sive diktiraju čistoću boje.
Ton opisuje bogatstvo i dubinu boje od svijetle do vrlo tamne.
Upotrijebimo gornje pojmove da opišemo izmišljeni plavi safir. Za posebno bogat kamen mogli bismo reći: "Safir ima plavu nijansu sa živom zasićenošću i vrlo tamnim tonom." Ili, recimo da je dragulj bio zelenkast, svijetao i neproziran, mogli bismo ga opisati kao "blago zelene nijanse sa slabom zasićenošću i vrlo svijetlim tonom."
Razumijevanje nijanse, zasićenosti i tona safira pomoći će nam dok ispitujemo svaku boju safira.
Pitate se koje je boje safir? Ranije smo spomenuli da je plava prava boja safira, ali osim plave, dragulj obuhvaća golemi kotač boja. U ovom odjeljku istražit ćemo sve boje safira.
Neki safiri su tretirani kako bi se poboljšala boja, zasićenost i jasnoća. Još jedan utjecajan faktor na boju safira je podrijetlo svakog kamena. Na primjer, safiri sa Šri Lanke su svijetli i svijetli, dok su nigerijski i australski safiri obično tamniji.
Također, elementi u tragovima poput željeza, titana, kroma, bakra i magnezija mogu obojati safir briljantnim nijansama ružičaste, plave, žute, ružičaste, narančaste, zelene itd.
Kada općenito govorimo o safirima, mislimo na plave safire. Plavi safir je izraz koji se koristi za opisivanje dragog kamena i njegove boje. S obzirom na ton i zasićenost, najcjenjeniji plavi safiri imaju ljubičastu i baršunasto plavu nijansu. Dubina ovih safira kreće se od srednje zasićene do duboke, tamnoplave, nudeći iznimnu svestranost za dizajn nakita.
Međutim, tama plavog safira ne bi trebala nadjačati njegovu jasnoću. Drugim riječima, tamni safiri koji zadržavaju intenzitet i svjetlinu postići će najvišu cijenu po karatu.
Nasuprot tome, plavi safiri sa sivkastom nijansom ili su previše svijetli ili tamni su manje vrijedno kamenje. Ipak, to ne znači da su odbačeni; oni samo spadaju u nižu cjenovnu kategoriju.
Žuti safiri prvenstveno dolaze sa Šri Lanke, a kreću se od svijetlih do duboko zasićenih. Ovi dragulji toplih nijansi imaju podtonove u rasponu od narančaste do zelene.
Zahvaljujući svojoj svijetloj, veseloj boji, žuti safiri iskaču s prsta, što ih čini poželjnim izborom zaručničkog prstena. Žuti safiri često imaju inkluzije poput perja koje je najbolje prikriti srednjim tonom.
Ružičasti safiri intenzivno su zasićeni svijetlom i privlačnom bojom u rasponu od dječje ružičaste do živopisne fuschia boje. Boja odiše modernom ženstvenošću, što ih čini estetskim zaručničkim prstenima koje vole slavne osobe poput Blake Lively i Lady Gage.
Ovaj sjajni brus dragulja igra veliku ulogu u njegovoj sposobnosti da isijava optimalnu svjetlost i boju. Vješt lapidarij će odrezati inkluzije kako bi omogućio da što više svjetla uđe i reflektira se kroz kamen.
Padparadscha safiri boje zalaska sunca iznimno su rijetki i blistavi, variraju od svijetloružičaste do ružičasto-narančaste. Riječ padparadscha dolazi od sanskritskog izraza tropski lotosov cvijet. Možda jedino što može parirati ovoj zadivljujućoj slici je sam dragulj.
Padparadscha safiri nisu rijetki samo kod safira , već i kod dragog kamenja općenito. Znate li što to znači? Padaju u puno višu cjenovnu kategoriju. Isplati se uložiti, s obzirom na živopisnu i intenzivno zasićenu mješavinu ružičaste i narančaste, koja nudi savršen spoj sjaja i romantike.
Također poznati kao ljubičasti safir ili safir šljive, ovi dragulji variraju od plavkasto ljubičaste do ružičasto-ljubičaste, ali pretežno imaju ružičaste nijanse. Smatrani rijetkima među safirima, prirodno ljubičasti safiri ne zahtijevaju toplinsku obradu ili poboljšanja kako bi istakli svoju sjajnu boju.
Zlatni safiri su svijetli i puni topline, u rasponu od žuto-narančaste do žarko narančaste. Ovi dragulji nalik karneolu imaju jaku, postojanu narančastu boju koja izgleda gotovo crvenkasto.
Za boju kamena možemo zahvaliti spoju elemenata u tragovima: krom daje crvenu boju, a željezo žutu, što rezultira vatrenim narančastim safirom boje jantara.
Zeleni safiri su popularni, ali nisu toliko vrijedni kao druge sorte zbog svoje prigušene zasićenosti. Za razliku od smaragda, zeleni safiri variraju od mente preko maslinaste do šumsko zelene boje.
Zeleni safiri mogu imati žute podtonove, što rezultira maslinastom bojom, ili plave podtonove, koji više naginju prema spektru boja mente ili vode.
Nekoć rijedak kamen, zeleni safiri posljednjih su godina postali sve popularniji. Zeleni safir nazivaju "kamenom spokoja" zbog njegove mirne, spokojne boje - što je zasluženi nadimak za tako miroljubiv kamen.
U svom najprirodnijem obliku, korund je bezbojan, što rezultira bijelim dragim kamenjem safirom . Bijeli safiri imaju visoku vrijednost jer su čisti korund, tvrdi kristalni mineral koji im daje bistrinu i čistoću. Ovi bezbojni dragulji popularna su alternativa dijamantima zahvaljujući svojoj tvrdoći i povoljnoj cijeni.
Međutim, neki bijeli safiri pokazuju slabe nijanse poput smeđe, plave i žute, što smanjuje vrijednost. Zlatari popularno koriste bijele safire za naglašavanje drugog kamenja u komadima nakita ili kao središnji kamen za zaručničke prstene.
Ako ste mislili da su dijamanti djevojčini najbolji prijatelji, možda biste bolje pogledali bijele safire!
Kameleonski safiri su drago kamenje koje pokazuje pleokroizam, efekt kada dragulj mijenja boje pod različitim osvjetljenjem. Na primjer, usred bijela dana kameleonski safiri variraju od plave do boje lavande ili ljubičaste. Međutim, pod svjetlom lampe ili žarulje, čini se da isti kamen ima ljubičaste ili crvene tonove.
Dobar trik, zar ne?
Safiri kameleon popularni su i ocjenjuju se prema dubini promjene boje u uvjetima osvjetljenja. Na primjer, je li promjena dragog kamena jaka, srednja ili slaba diktira njegovu vrijednost.
Zvjezdasti safiri prirodno imaju vlaknaste inkluzije poput svile koje reflektiraju svjetlost u obliku zvijezde. Zvijezda može imati između šest i dvanaest zraka koje bljeskaju mliječnim sjajem preko površine kamena.
Ova značajka se zove asterizam i evocira upečatljiv kontrast između tona tijela dragulja i mliječnog oblika zvijezde. Međutim, ponekad je zvijezda presvijetla, što je čini manje vidljivom i u konačnici manje vrijednom.
Iako je ovaj prirodni fenomen jedinstven, zvjezdani safiri relativno su česti. Samo imajte na umu da će one koje pokazuju jasnu zvijezdu nasuprot jake osnovne boje imati najveću vrijednost.
Pokrili smo sve boje safira, ali što je s crvenim safirima — postoje li? Rubini i safiri potječu iz iste klase minerala korunda. Međutim, prisutnost kroma pretvara dragi kamen u živo crvenu boju.
Važno je razumjeti da se smatra rubin dragim kamenom ako je safir pretežno crven. Ako je crvena nijansa blijeda i naginje prema ružičastoj, to je ružičasti safir. Srećom, lako je razlikovati to dvoje: rubin crvena je nepogrešiva boja.
Uključci dragog kamenja općenito se smatraju "greškama". Međutim, uključivanja također mogu dodati vrijednost kada stvaraju rijetku ili jedinstvenu značajku. Sjećate se Star Sapphirea? Optički efekt svjetlosne zrake naziva se asterizam.
Asterizam nastaje zbog sićušnih mineralnih vlakana unutar dragulja koja tvore guste inkluzije, stvarajući efekt praska zvijezda. Međutim, ne rezultiraju svim inkluzijama urednog geometrijskog oblika.
Igličasti uključci rutila koji se zovu svila najčešći su i zatamnjuju prozirnost kamena. Međutim, kada se formiraju u paralelnim skupinama, postaju zvjezdani safiri.
Prilično zapanjujući fenomen, zar ne?
Kada nastaju safiri, oni često troše svijetle do neprozirne minerale u tragovima poput cirkona, spinela, tinjca, hematita i kalcita. Ove inkluzije su gotovo nevidljive u bijelim safirima. Što znači, što je safir tamniji, to su inkluzije (ako ih ima) vidljivije, a dragi kamen neprozirniji.
Druga varijanta su tekuće inkluzije: tekućine ugljičnog dioksida zarobljene unutar safira iskopanog iz metamorfne stijene. Zapravo, možete pratiti podrijetlo safira ispitivanjem njegovih posebnih inkluzija.
Šri Lanka/Cejlon: Uključci poput oreola iz elemenata u tragovima tinjca, pirita i cirkona .
Kašmir, Indija: Kristali turmalina prisutni su unutar strukture
Burma: duge iglice od rutila, kristali apatita, uvijeno perje, svila, a ponekad i šesterokutna zona boja.
Safiri nastaju milijunima godina u metamorfnim i magmatskim stijenama. Safiri počinju kao korund, ali kada naiđu na obližnje minerale, dobivaju novu boju.
Nalazišta safira postoje diljem svijeta, a primarni rudnici nalaze se u:
Šri Lanka
Kašmir (Indija)
Mianmar (bivša Burma)
Tajland
Montana (SAD)
Kako cijenimo safir? Ušli smo u detalje o boji, koja je najvažniji detalj koji utječe na vrijednost safira. Safiri koji pokazuju živopisnu zasićenost i pravu plavu nijansu su najpoželjniji, a time i najvrjedniji. Uz plavi, padparadscha safiri su najskuplji, zahvaljujući toj opojnoj nijansi zalaska sunca.
Ali vrijednost safira je više od boje.
Kao i dijamante, safire ocjenjujemo prema 4Cs: rez, boja, čistoća i karat.
Što se tiče boja, najcjenjeniji su najintenzivniji i najživlji dragulji. Ako je ton safira previše taman, neće dobro proći na ljestvici vrijednosti. Kada istražujete safire, uzmite u obzir poboljšanja. Iako je većina tretmana uobičajena, ipak želite znati pojedinosti o povijesti i podrijetlu dragulja kako biste platili poštenu cijenu.
Gotovo svi safirni dragi kameni tretirani su kako bi se poboljšala njihova prirodna boja i čistoća. Najpopularnije poboljšanje je toplinska obrada, ali pojedino kamenje ima koristi od različitih metoda obrade.
Toplinska obrada: inkluzije rutila (svile) tale se na nižoj temperaturi od korunda. Primjena topline tijekom kontroliranog razdoblja pomaže apsorbirati inkluzije rutila u kristalnu strukturu. Zauzvrat, to poboljšava jasnoću i boju safira.
Difuzija: Nanošenje tankog sloja boje na vanjsku površinu kamena uvelike poboljšava i boju i asterizam. Difuzija se uglavnom koristi za plave safire i ne može se otkriti osim ako nije uronjena u tekućinu za refrakciju.
Zračenje: Tretiranje svijetlih safira zračenjem pojačava ih toplim tonovima poput žute i narančaste, ali taj je postupak (iako se ne može pratiti) rijedak.
Sintetički safiri izumljeni su početkom 1900-ih postupkom koji se naziva plamena fuzija. Osim plamenom fuzijom, gemolozi mogu stvoriti sintetičke safire pomoću fluksa, Czochralskiora ili hidrotermalne otopine.
Ovi procesi učinkovito uzgajaju safir u laboratoriju rekreirajući prirodno okruženje u kojem safir raste. Koristeći iznimno visoku toplinu i intenzivan pritisak, safir raste iz otopine.
Alternativno, gemolog može rastopiti prah aluminijeva oksida koji se prvenstveno sastoji od korunda kako bi se stvorila kapljica safira.
Iako sintetički safiri nisu tako vrijedni kao pravi safiri, prevladavaju u trgovini dragim kamenjem.
Više o sintetičkom dragom kamenju pročitajte ovdje.
Postoji dobar razlog zašto su safiri tako popularni: postoji boja za svakoga! Da ne spominjemo izdržljivi sastav i široku dostupnost dragulja.
Želite li kupiti visokokvalitetne safire online? Bez obzira tražite li pravi plavi safir, rijetki padparadscha, bijeli safir ili varijaciju otmjenih boja, Gem Rock Auctions je izvor svih vaših snova o safirima.
Danas pregledajte drago kamenje safira!
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