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Pink Sapphire Gemstones Buying Guide |
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Pink Sapphire Gemstones Buying Guide |
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Pink Sapphires are one of the HOTTEST of the fancy color Sapphires. The 4 photos above reflect the variance in color, from Light Pink similar to the Fancy Pink Diamond color, to very Hot Pinks similar to the Fancy Vivid Pink Diamond color. Light Pinks are very very hard to find, customarily the medium pinks are the most commonly found. Light pinks have become extremely popular, since they are so close to the color of a Fancy Pink Diamond, and a few Hollywood celebrities have been seen wearing them. The Top Quality Hot Pinks are getting very rare, and as a result they have seen the largest increase in value over the past 5 years of any of the Sapphires. Pink Sapphire carries a premium price nearing and oftentimes surpassing the price for fine Ceylon (kashmir and royal) Blue Sapphire. Pink Sapphire is a treasured Gemstones in any Collection. Price per carat reflects the size, evenness of the color, the clarity and the brightness of the stone.
ALTERNATE BIRTHSTONE for OCTOBER (Pink)
The 5th and 45th ANNIVERSARY STONE
The 70th ANNIVERSARY JUBILEE STONE
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MOH's scale of hardness : 9 |
Specific Gravity : 3.99-4.00 |
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Refractive Index : 1.766-1.774 |
Double Refraction : -0.018 |
Sapphire and Ruby comprise more than half of all Gemstones sold worldwide. Sapphire's popularity is not based on color alone. Its hardness of
9 places it next to Diamond (10), making it an excellent choice for jewelry
worn daily. It is frequently featured in engagement rings.
Most people relate Sapphire to the color Blue. Sapphire is a form of Corundum, readily available in an array of other colors: Pink, Golden, Green,
peachy Orange, Purple and Colorless. These alternate colors are called 'Fancy
Sapphire', or simply variations of the standard hues. Color change
Sapphires are those which have two colors which are distinct when the light
source is changed from fluorescent to incandescent. Generally, the
more clear and vivid the color, the more valuable the fancy sapphire.
If the color is in the pastel range, the clarity should be good: because
in lighter tones any inclusions are more noticeable. The trade usually recognizes gemstones with fewer visible inclusions
to be more valuable than gems with visible inclusions. In a lighter
colored gemstone, the cut is also more important: it should reflect light
back evenly across the face of the stone, making it lively and brilliant.
With darker more intense colors, the cut isn't as critical because the
color creates its own impact.
Ceylon (Sri Lanka) positively produces the finest all-round Sapphires
in the world today. The very name commands a premium, and Ceylon Gems have constantly
increased in price. We have always been on top of the Gem market
in Ceylon and stay up with current prices and new discoveries. It
is a very difficult market due to political unrest. It IS dangerous to
go there, and it's more dangerous to go outside the capital city into the
countryside where the stones are hand dug from the pits. We constantly
buy fine Ceylon Sapphires when the price is "right." To be "right"
we have the connections to know who needs quick and ready cash. Every
stone is negotiated differently, thereby affecting the price per carat.
We work hard to bring these highly valued Gemstones to you at very very
affordable prices. Sapphire of lesser quality comes out of Australia,
Thailand, Colombia, Kampuchea (Cambodia), Kenya and Tanzania (Africa), and Montana
(USA),
and we do not usually offer these stones.
TREATMENTS - Almost
all (99%) Sapphire on the market is routinely treated
with 'heat' to enhance and stabilize the color. The typical heat treatment
process is a permanent process and it does not normally
adversely affect the performance, and durability of the gem, but
in recent years demand for natural non-heated non-treated top quality Sapphire
has caused these gems to command a somewhat higher premium, depending on the
gem. When we disclose a gem as enhanced with 'heat', we are
typically referring to the heat enhancement
procedure performed in Sri Lanka right near the mines, using the lower temperature
wood heat method. This 'blow' heat method typically is used on very very
good quality Ceylon gems, only to slightly enhance the color and/or to
stabilize the color from fading in sunlight. There's no need to worry when
you see this enhancement disclosed. Almost all
Ceylon Padparadscha Sapphire and virtually all Ceylon Orange Sapphire on the
market was subjected to 'blow' heat. This 'blow' heating method has been
an accepted trade
practice for many many generations. There are
other types of heat enhancement procedures, however, one of which is a high
temperature furnace fired method. This
'furnace' process is typically performed on Sapphire of a much lesser quality.
The goal is to seriously enhance or alter the color and/or clarity of the stone.
Most of these gemstones are 'cooked' over and over until the gem dealers feel it
is a more desirable color and will fetch a better price in the market.
We normally do not offer gemstones of this type. A
new type heat enhancement was introduced recently, called 'bulk
diffusion', which means the gem is subjected to the high
temperature furnace fired method, and also under high
pressure, then another ingredient is added to the mix to alter and/or change the
color of the gemstone. Typically only the color on the outside layer of
the sapphire is altered with this 'bulk diffusion' method. If the gemstone
is ever scratched when worn the original color would then be visible underneath
the outer layer of the gemstone. These 'gem cooking factories' and 'bulk
diffusion' factories are usually at locations in Thailand. They use gem
material that may originate in Australia, Thailand, Colombia, Kampuchea
(Cambodia), Kenya and Tanzania (Africa), and Montana (USA), but they also may
even use gemstones from Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Since
Asian gem suppliers (and there are many online now) are not subject to the same
disclosure laws as we are here in the US, these enhancement processes are rarely
disclosed to the buyer, so Buyers please Beware. For example, you may see
a premium Ceylon Padparadscha Sapphire advertised on one of those websites for
what appears to be pennies on the dollar. Be assured that stone was most
likely altered by one of these Asian factories. Some of these gem
suppliers even go to great lengths to try to convince the public that there is
no difference in the value of their treated gems, and the value of a natural
non-treated gem, but any experienced jeweler will verify that a statement like
that is totally untrue. We specialize in obtaining top quality Ceylon Sapphires that are natural "non-treated"
gems, not heated or chemically treated in any way. The exception
is Padparadscha, Orange, and some of the darker shades
of Blue Sapphire, which as stated above are typically 'blow' heat enhanced to stabilize
the color.
CARE - It is usually safe to clean Sapphire
in an UltraSonic Cleaner,
but risky to use a steamer. We recommend
Ionic
Cleaners and/or warm, soapy water and a soft brush as the best way to clean Sapphire
jewelry.
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