Think Sapphire. Think Blue? Think again!
The Sapphire gemstone can be blue, green pink, yellow, and a whole lot of other colors!
Sapphire is a mineral called "Corundum". Chemically Aluminium Oxide. Interestingly Ruby is also the same mineral/ chemical compound. Color is what distinguishes ruby from sapphires. Rubies are red and sapphires are either blue, or another color such as green, orange, pink, yellow, purple, colorless or black.
Sapphire when used by itself generally refers to the blue variety. In its highest quality, this blue sapphire is more expensive than other varieties.
Padparadscha Sapphire is a pinkish orange color and is the rarest and most prized of all fancy (non blue) sapphires. Most Dealers agree that pink and orange hues must be present to be a true padparadscha.
Pink Sapphire is the most highly prized next to the padparadscha.
Other colors include Orange, Yellow and Green.
Colorless Sapphire or White Sapphire is made by heat treating light colored sapphire and is a popular diamond substitute.
This week's treasury challenge by
Curation Nation is : Sapphire. Details of the challenge is
here. This is my take on the "Colors of Sapphire".
Reference: Gemstone Buying Guide:
How to evaluate, identify, select & care for colored gems by Renee Newman GG
