


Padparadscha from the Singhalese word for lotus flower, is a very rare sapphire which exhibits two colors simultaneously, pink and orange, and like Ruby and unlike all the other fancy coloured Sapphires has its own name. The prized Kashmir and Burmese Sapphires have a deep intense almost velvety blue colour, and represent the pinnacle of colour perfection Blue is however the most famous and desired of the sapphire colors. While the inclusion of Chromium in the lattice produces a pink colour in the stones. When the trace content of Iron is very low, yellow and green tones are produced. In Blue Sapphire the causal agent is trace amounts of Iron or Titanium, a violet hue being caused by the presence of Vanadium. Sapphire - The Legend Sapphire - What Causes The Colour Sapphire is the birthstone for those whose birthday falls in September, and for those born under the star sign of the Taurus. Corundum is second only to Diamond in terms of its physical hardness, (although exhibiting only 1/140th of the hardness of Diamond), This hardness (9 on the Moh's scale) in relation to all other gemstones has ensured Sapphires position with Ruby and Emerald as one of the so called "precious gems". So while we traditionally think of Sapphires as being only blue stones, they actually come in all colours from black to white. All other colours of Corundum are termed Sapphires. If Corundum exhibits a colour from slightly pinkish red, through red to slightly reddy brown then it is called a Ruby. Sapphire and Ruby are members of the Corundum family. The name Sapphire come from the Greek word for blue, although in the middle ages the name was applied more to what we know today as Lapis Lazuli.

Namibia, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Mali, India Kenya, Zambia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Russia, MadagascarĬolour change occurs at moderate to high heat
