Sapphire

Sapphire and Ruby are both gem quality Corundum. If chromium is present the stone is termed a ruby otherwise it is termed a sapphire. The amount of chromium and iron present in the ruby will dictate the shade of red to pink to brown to purple. Sapphire also comes in various shades of blue, pink yellow and green.

All gem quality corundum other than red is called Sapphire. It is available from many countries around the world, the most sought after from Cashmere and Burma, as well as Sri Lanka and Thailand. At hardness 9 it is suitable for jewellery that is to be worn every day. Available in a wide range of colours and shades from purple to pink, yellow to green. Sometimes a sapphire will appear to change colour, this is known as pleocloric. The colour of a sapphire will greatly influence the price, the most sought after being a bright blue, rich colour, not too dark that it appear black, but bright with good interplay with the light. It is often thought that the darker the sapphire the higher the value, this is not true, a very dark sapphire simply isn't as attractive as a brighter stone. The price of fancy coloured sapphires can vary depending on demand, the muddy mucky colours are almost always less expensive than the bright crisp colours.

Although essentially the same mineral, sapphires reach a far greater size than ruby. Heat treating is commonly accepted in the jewellery trade.