Besides blue sapphire and ruby, the corundum family also includes so-called “fancy sapphires.” They come in violet, green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, and intermediate hues. Some stones exhibit the phenomenon known as color change, most often going from blue in daylight or fluorescent lighting to purple under incandescent light. Sapphires can even be gray, black, or brown.
Kashmir
Intensely saturated and velvety, rare sapphires from Kashmir set the standard for blue.
Royal Blue
The world’s most famous engagement ring: Kate Middleton’s and Princess Diana’s sapphire.
Padparadscha
A rare and valuable pinkish-orange sapphire named from the Sinhalese for lotus blossom.
Facts
- Mineral: Corundum
- Chemistry: Al2O3
- Color: Every color but red
- Refractive index: 1.762 to 1.770
- Birefringence: 0.008 to 0.010
- Specific gravity: 4.00
- Mohs Hardness: 9