Sapphires come in all colours, but what color is sapphire? Most well known is the beautiful range of blues that can be produced in the soil depending on the impurities. Common terms for different types of blue sapphires include:
- Ceylon or Sri Lankan blue
- Cornflower blue
- Australian blue or Royal blue
Sapphires also come in green, yellow, parti (mix of yellow and green), pink, purples, teal, orange, clear, color change and red. However most people know the red sapphire as a ruby. Rubies are also made of the mineral corundum, but the higher presence of chromium in the soil creates the beautiful and rare red color of the ruby.
What is the real color of sapphire?
In its absolute purest form, the sapphire is colorless – “white sapphire”. Impurities in the ground will determine the color of the sapphire during its forming process. Trace of chromium will create gentle pink sapphires to vibrant red sapphires (rubies). Titanium causes the blue sapphire, and ferric oxide is key chemical to create yellow sapphires.
The color of Australian blue is my favorite. It is a rich, deep velvet hue and when unheated is truly spectacular. Heat treating can be used to remove the ‘silkiness’ of the stone, as well as provide stronger, more vibrant hues.
So what color is sapphire? It’s lots of colors! No matter your preference of color, each sapphire is brilliant and rare and a must-have on any ring.