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Fancy Sapphire

Introduction
 

	Since the dawn of time Sapphires have captivated and mesmerized Jewelry connoisseurs the world over.
	Called the “Gem of the Heavens” for their ability to mirror the many colors of the sky, from hot pink to forest green, Sapphire’s spectrum of colors is truly kaleidoscopic.
General Facts

Sapphires derived their name from the Latin word “Sapphirus”, meaning “Blue”, and are often referred to as the “Gem of the Heavens”.
 

The word Sapphire, stated without a prefix, implies Blue Sapphires only. Sapphires of all other colors are assigned a color prefix or are collectively termed “Fancy Sapphires”.
 

Legend has it that the first person to wear Sapphire was Prometheus, the rival of Zeus, who took the gemstone from Cacaus, where he also stole fire from heaven for man.
 

The ancient Egyptians associated White Sapphire with the all-seeing eye of Horus, while the Greeks linked it to their god Apollo, using it in the prophesizing of the oracles at Delphi.
 

The Ancient Persians believed Sapphires were a chip from the pedestal that supported the Earth, and that its reflections gave the sky its colors.
 

Sapphire was one of the 12 holy gemstones set into the breastplate of the high priest Aaron, documented in the Exodus book of the Bible.
 

The guardians of innocence, Sapphires symbolize truth, sincerity and faithfulness, and are thought to bring peace, joy and wisdom to their owners. Fancy Sapphires are considered to be an ideal gift for loved ones as they promote chastity in virgins, fidelity in marriage, enhancing love and banishing jealousy.
 

In ancient times it was believed that when the wearer of a Sapphire faced challenging obstacles, the gem's power enabled them to find the correct solution.
 

In India it was believed that Sapphires immersed in water formed an elixir that could cure the bite of scorpions and snakes. Alternatively, if it were worn as a talisman pendant, it would protect the wearer against evil spirits.
 

Fancy Sapphires get their unique colors from the iron, chrome, titanium and other trace metals present within the corundum.
 

Fancy Sapphires, coming in a kaleidoscopic range of colors from passionate orange to hot pink, are one of the world’s most desirable gemstones.
 

Today, Fancy Sapphires are mined all over the world with Australia, Thailand, Madagascar, Vietnam, Cambodia and Tanzania offering brilliant specimens.
 

Fancy Sapphires are extremely beautiful and very affordable. Some of the most popular colors for Fancy Sapphires include: yellow, pink, purple, lavender, white, green, orange, bi-color, tri-color and party (many different colors in the one gem).
 

With none of the iron, chrome, titanium and other trace metals that give Fancy Sapphires their unique colors, White Sapphire is a popular alternative to diamonds.
 

While Sapphires have mesmerized Jewelry connoisseurs since the dawn of time, there is one Sapphire variety that mesmerizes above all others, the mysterious and coveted Padparadscha Sapphire.
 

Padparadscha Sapphire derives its name from its resemblance to the beautiful and famed pinkish orange red lotus flower known to the Sri Lankan people as “Padparadscha ” or getting botanical Nelumbo Nucifera Speciosa.
 

Deftly combining yellow, pink and red, with striking flashes of orange in one tropical jewel, the color of Padparadscha Sapphire is best described as the delicate blended shades of a Sri Lankan lotus flower beautifully married with the soothing hues of a tropical sunset. One way to picture the color is to imagine sitting in front of a lazy fire on a tropical beach just as the sun is beginning to set. You then hold a fragrant lotus bloom to you nose and at that instant, the colors meld creating an aurora of orange, red and pink. This is Padparadscha Sapphire!
 

Wonderfully romantic and delightfully seductive, Padparadscha Sapphires are so rare and beautiful that they are highly prized by collectors. But what are the origins of the word Padparadscha?
 

Often misunderstood, with no universal agreement as to its meaning, the modern word “Padparadscha” was in fact adopted from a German gemological text early in the 20th Century. The word Padparadscha is actually a corruption of two Sanskrit and Singhalese words “Padma Raga”. While “Padma” means lotus, the word “Raga” is a more complex meaning color, attraction, desire and musical rhythm all in rolled into one! Interestingly, the original term had much broader applications and was even used in ancient times to describe a variety of Ruby. A medieval Prakit text on gemology called the Thakkura Pheru’s Rayanaparikkha describes Padparadscha Sapphires as “that which spreads its rays like the sun, is glossy, soft to the touch, resembling the fire, like molten gold and not worn off is Padma Raga”.
 

Although the exact description is often debated, the beauty of these rare gemstones is not. While some continue to narrowly define Padparadscha as a Sri Lankan Sapphire, today Padparadscha Sapphires are also recognized as hailing from Madagascar, Vietnam and Tanzania. Regardless of the locale, Padparadscha Sapphires, especially in larger sizes, are almost impossible to find and prices reflect this.
 

Pink Sapphires are often used in tandem with blue sapphires to make interesting alternatives to accent diamonds displaying bright, colorful but harmonious contrasts within a single piece of Jewelry.
 

“Asterism” or the “Asteric Effect” is caused by sets of parallel needle-like inclusions of foreign minerals within the gemstone. Sometimes known as “silk”, the needles are oriented in all or some of the directions of the crystal structure. These needles are responsible for reflecting intersecting bands of light back to the eye.
 

Color Change Sapphires present gem lovers with an opportunity to own the rare and stunning color change effect in a gem other than alexandrite.