Your Comprehensive Guide To Different Sapphire Colours

Derived from the Ancient Greek word ‘sáppheiros’ meaning “precious gem”, sapphires are valued for their durability and associations with royalty. Chemically made up of corundum, sapphires are the third-hardest mineral on the planet with a 9 on the Mohs scale, following diamond and moissanite (10 and 9.25 hardness, respectively). 

While most famous for their royal blue variety, not all sapphires are blue. Fancy sapphires (that is, gemstones in colours other than the expected colour, which in the case of sapphire is blue) naturally form in an extremely wide variety of colours. In fact, the September birthstone comes in all colours except for true red; these are labelled as rubies.

Like all gem-grade stones, sapphire quality is based on four factors: colour, clarity, cut, and carat weight. However, sapphire stones are most valued for their rarity and depth of colour, similar to the way emeralds are primarily valued for their colour.

This colour grading system ranges from AAA on the higher end, to AA, A, and finally, B. It considers hue (the actual colour), tone (how strong or weak the colour is), and saturation (how light or dark the colour is, which depends on how much light is let through the stone).

AAA sapphires have the most true hue, intense tone, and bright saturation. Because sapphires come in so many different colours, hue is a major consideration. For example, a true blue sapphire is much more valuable than a blue sapphire with grey undertones.

Other factors affecting the luxurious appearance of sapphires, such as needle-like inclusions, which make them appear ‘silky’, and an aesthetic characteristic called asterism, a shimmering quality resulting from parallel inclusions, can increase their valuation.

Sapphire stone colour is primarily determined by the varying levels of ‘trace elements’ in the foundational corundum stone. These trace elements, meaning chemical elements that are only present in very minute amounts, include chromium, magnesium, iron, titanium, and vanadium. 

The saturation is also determined by the gem’s clarity; a beautiful, rare colouration can be severely downgraded by heavy inclusions which cloud the stone.

In the following sapphire colour list, let’s dive into how the different colours arise and each sapphire colour’s meaning and symbolism.

Let’s start with the most well-known sapphire hue. Blue sapphires range from light teal to dark blue, depending on the amounts of titanium and iron inside them:

• Pastel;
• Cornflower;
• Peacock;
• Velvet;
• Royal;
• Indigo;
• Twilight.

Blue-coloured sapphires represent loyalty, focus, and creativity. These romantic symbolisms lend themselves to blue sapphires often being seen in alternative engagement rings. Because there are so many varieties of blue sapphire, they are considered by some as the least rare sapphire colour.

Pink-coloured sapphires are a result of the presence of trace amounts of chromium. This delicate, feminine colouration is often associated with love, compassion, and emotional healing. The differentiation between pink sapphires and red sapphires (i.e. rubies) is quite subtle, and the former can sometimes be considered the latter in certain countries.

Pink sapphires can be subjected to heat treatment to remove any blue tints and make them appear more purely pink.

Yellow sapphires arise from tiny amounts of iron. This sapphire colour ranges from pale corn yellow, to canary yellow, to a whisky yellow that borders on orange. Yellow-coloured sapphires can actually have their tone intensified using low-level radiation, which can occur naturally in the bowels of the earth or through human intervention.

This sapphire variation typically has fewer inclusions, so it appears more transparent and clearer than some other sapphire stone colours. Yellow sapphires are associated with ideas of joy, wisdom, divine grace, and not surprisingly, wealth.

Like yellow sapphires, green sapphires arise due to trace amounts of iron. Typically, a higher concentration of iron results in a deeper green. Ranging from pale to dark green, notably, they can have various undertones including blue, yellow, and brown. The most common tone is the olive-green tone. Comparative to emeralds for their colour, green sapphires are sometimes called “Oriental emeralds”.

Green-coloured sapphires are dichroic, meaning they show two different colours based on the angle at which they’re viewed and the angle at which light enters the gem. This sapphire variety recalls nature and solidness, often symbolising truth, rebirth, and harmony.

This regally coloured variety of sapphires are given their hue by iron, chromium, and titanium. Ranging from pale lavender (which can even look slightly pink) to deep violet. Following blue sapphire, pink and purple also rank highly in price.

You’ll rarely find large purple sapphires. However, compared to other sapphire colours, they commonly exhibit high saturation even without heat treatment. Purple sapphires are associated with healing, intuition, and spirituality.

Padparadschas are an especially unique sapphire colour that presents as orange-pink. The colour can appear consistently salmon-like throughout the stone, or with different pink and orange colour zones. This vivid hue, which holds the title of most rare sapphire colour, arises from a combination of iron and chromium in the corundum.

Known by some as the “king of sapphires”, padparadscha sapphires are often associated with spiritual growth and purity of the heart. This sapphire variety is named after an aquatic lotus flower which is the national flower of Sri Lanka. Indeed, padparadschas were originally believed to be native only to Sri Lanka, but have since also been found in Vietnam, Tanzania, and Madagascar. 

Due to their extreme rarity, padparadscha stones of high clarity fetch higher prices than most other sapphire colours.

Until recent years, brown sapphires were not considered gem-quality minerals. Some have attributed their rise in popularity to the increasing demand for ‘cognac’ or ‘champagne’ diamonds, which have hints of brown or yellow, for which brown sapphires can serve as a lower-cost alternative. 

Brown-coloured sapphires can attribute their hue to tiny amounts of iron and titanium. They are typically connected to symbolisms of stability, security, and grounding. Not typically set alone, they are sometimes used as accompanying or complementary stones with other, more vividly coloured gems.

Black-coloured sapphires aren’t truly black – their opaque appearance is due to high amounts of inclusions (which can be internal scratches, external scrapes, or bits of other elements stuck inside the stone during formation) and iron trace elements that prevent light from passing through them, effectively absorbing the light rays. This opaque sapphire variety is associated with protection and releasing of negative energy.

Sapphires can also form nearly without colour. Perfectly colourless sapphires do not exist in nature, but get close enough to appear so to the naked eye. These are sapphires that are free of trace elements and chromophores, the colour-causing component in molecules.

Their transparent appearance lends them qualities of elegance and class, leading to the associated symbolisms of purity and focus.

Also known as bi-coloured sapphires or polychrome sapphires, these are sapphire stones which clearly show two or more different colours. Understandably coveted for their almost magical appearance, parti sapphires containing blue, green, and yellow colour zones are typically the most desired of this category.

Inter-Pacific, under the trademark BIRON®, produces and sources ethical lab-grown gemstones, including blue sapphires and padparadschas, in coveted hues and high clarities without the use of heat treatments. The share of lab-grown gemstones in the gem market is growing exponentially and quickly; get a head-start as the demand for sustainable precious stones continues to grow. Contact us for a free consultation about how we can help you establish or grow your ethical gem-related business.