SAPPHIRE

SAPPHIRE STATISTICS

Not all sapphires are blue

In fact quite the opposite! Sapphires come in more colours naturally than any other gemstone. Every colour of corundum except red is sapphire (when red it's claased as a ruby) and pink, yellow, green, orange, and recently teal are all popular jewellery options.

Sapphire was believed to protect against envy and harm
Medieval kings wore sapphires as they believed it guarded against poisoning and betrayal. For them, sapphire wasn’t decorative, it was strategic.

Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness
On the Mohs hardness scale, sapphire is a 9 (diamonds are 10, the maximum). This is why it’s so commonly used in luxury watches.

Synthetic sapphire is so hard, its also used for smartphone camera lenses,

and even in aerospace optics.

RARITY

7/10 Sapphires are more common than rubies and emeralds. However, untreated vivid blue sapphires from Sri Lanka, Kashmir or Burma are extremely rare.

Untreated means they look like this when they come out the ground - no heating or artificial enhancements.

VALUE

7/10 Fine sapphires can reach six figures per carat. They have a strong resale value due to their durability and timeless demand. In fact, investment-grade sapphires had the biggest proportional price increase in both 2024 and 2025.

GEMSTONE FAMILY

Sapphires belong to the corundum mineral family, the same as rubies. They are formed of aluminium oxide (Al2O3).

Sapphires contain trace amounts of iron and titanium to give them their blue colour. Sapphires form 6 to 18 miles underground when intense heat (800°C–2,000°C) and pressure force aluminium and oxygen to crystallise. This requires a rare, silica-poor environment. Over millions of years, these crystals are pushed to the surface by tectonic shifts, or volcanic activity, where they are usually found in riverbeds.

EARLIEST USAGE

The earliest recorded usage of sapphires was in Ancient Persia 500–300 BC. Persians even believed that the sky was blue because it reflected a giant sapphire beneath the Earth.

Sapphires are also extensively referenced in Greek and Roman texts, and even the Bible, associated with divine favour and truth.

Ultimately sapphire has been associated with wisdom and heaven for well over 2,000 years.

SIGNIFICANT DEPOSITS

Sri Lanka (Ceylon) - Ratnapura produces blue, pink, yellow, and white sapphires, some of the most transparent, prized sapphires in the world.

Kashmir (India) – Kashmir sapphire mines, in the Padar region, are legendary, but unfortunately now the mines are virtually exhausted. They're known for the mythical 'cornflower blue' with a unique, velvety glow.

Myanmar (Burma) – Mogok Valley produces deep, royal blue sapphires with exceptionally strong saturation. A true classic aesthetic.

Madagascar – Ilakaka & Andranondambo emerged as a modern supplier, with a wide colour range, but fairly inconsistent quality.

USA (Montana) – Yogo Gulch is home to naturally deep blue stones that often need no heat treatment. Fine colour, typically not so fine clarity/quality.

SAPPHIRE

SAPPHIRE STATISTICS

SIGNIFICANT DEPOSITS

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