Sapphire: Birthstone for September
Sapphire is one of the most popular gemstones, and is used extensively in Jewelry. Fine colored Sapphire with a deep blue color and excellent transparency can reach several thousand dollars a carat. The blue variety is most often used in jewelry, but the yellow, pink, and orange "fancies" have recently become very popular. Green and light blue Sapphires are also known, but are less commonly used in jewelry. Opaque Black Sapphire is also used a minor gemstone.
Sapphire is used in all forms of jewelry, including bracelets, necklaces, rings, and earrings. It is used both as centerpiece gemstone in pendants and rings, as well as a secondary stone to complement other gemstones such as Diamonds. Star Sapphires are polished as cabochons, and, if clear, are extremely valuable.
The rare orange-pink variety, known as Padparadschah, can be even more valuable than fine blue Sapphire. Blue Sapphire is sometimes carved into cameos or small figures, especially the less transparent material. Synthetic Sapphire is often used as a cheap substitute for the natural material.
Sapphire is the birthstone of September.
Sapphire is used in all forms of jewelry, including bracelets, necklaces, rings, and earrings. It is used both as centerpiece gemstone in pendants and rings, as well as a secondary stone to complement other gemstones such as Diamonds. Star Sapphires are polished as cabochons, and, if clear, are extremely valuable.
The rare orange-pink variety, known as Padparadschah, can be even more valuable than fine blue Sapphire. Blue Sapphire is sometimes carved into cameos or small figures, especially the less transparent material. Synthetic Sapphire is often used as a cheap substitute for the natural material.
Sapphire is the birthstone of September.
Besides for the varieties of Sapphire listed below, Sapphire with color other than blue are prefixed with their color names. The main gemstone colors in addition to blue Sapphire include:
- Yellow Sapphire (sometimes also called "Golden Sapphire" if intensely colored)
- Pink Sapphire
- White Sapphire (describes Sapphire that is colorless)
- Green Sapphire
- Purple Sapphire
- Orange Sapphire
- Black Sapphire
Note that there are several other less-commonly used variety names of Sapphire. This list can be seen on the extended gemstone list page.
- Yellow Sapphire (sometimes also called "Golden Sapphire" if intensely colored)
- Pink Sapphire
- White Sapphire (describes Sapphire that is colorless)
- Green Sapphire
- Purple Sapphire
- Orange Sapphire
- Black Sapphire
Note that there are several other less-commonly used variety names of Sapphire. This list can be seen on the extended gemstone list page.
- Color-Change Sapphire - Sapphire that exhibits a different color in natural and artificial light.
- Cornflower Blue Sapphire - Describing Sapphire with a cornflower-blue color, which can be better described as an intense, velvety-blue color. This term is often used in conjunction with Kashmir Sapphire to describe the Sapphire of that region, but it can also be used to describe any Sapphire with such color. Cornflower blue is the most desirable color in a Sapphire.
- Fancy Sapphire - Describing any Sapphire with a color other than blue.
- Kashmir Sapphire - Sapphire with an intense, velvety-blue color, described from the Kashmir Province of India. Kashmir Sapphire is considered to have the finest color of all Sapphire.
- Padparadschah - Orange-pink variety of Sapphire that is found in Sri Lanka; highly regarded and one of the most valuable forms of Sapphire.
- Star Sapphire - Well-known form of Sapphire displaying asterism in the form of a distinct, six-rayed star. Of all the gemstones that display asterism, Star Sapphire is most highly regarded and well-known.
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