Exploring the Spectrum of Sapphire Colors

When you think of a sapphire, it’s hard not to imagine a brilliant blue gemstone. After all, the name sapphire is derived from the Latin word “saphirus” and the Greek work “sapheiros,” both meaning blue. But sapphire naturally occurs in a myriad of other colors as well, including pretty pinks and purples, gorgeous greens and bright yellows. This vibrant and diverse color palette is a big reason why sapphire is so popular among jewelry lovers. Whether worn as an engagement ring, regular ring, pendant necklace, pair of earrings or tennis bracelet, it’s sure to make a bold personal statement and give off plenty of sparkle. Keep reading to explore the spectrum of sapphire colors in greater detail, and get ready to swoon!

But First, What is Sapphire? 

Sapphire is a precious stone in the corundum mineral family, making it a sibling gem to ruby. Its chemical composition is primarily aluminum and oxygen with trace amounts of other elements, such as iron, titanium and chromium. In the jewelry world, sapphire is part of a trio of colored gemstones known as the “Big Three” (the other two are ruby and emerald), revered for their beauty, rarity and durability. Sapphires are sourced from nearly every corner of the globe, including Asia (Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos), Africa (Madagascar, Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria and Ethiopia), India (Kashmir), Australia and even Montana in the U.S.

What Color is Sapphire? 

Sapphire is blue, it’s true. But it also comes in all the colors of the rainbow (except red, which is a ruby). Sapphires that are colors other than blue are called “fancy sapphires” and may be pink, green, orange, purple, violet, yellow, black, brown, grey and even colorless (white). Some sapphires are multicolored and can feature a mix of two or three distinct colors (known as bi-color and parti-color sapphires, respectively). It’s also possible for certain sapphires to exhibit more than one color at different angles or change colors under different lighting. For example, a stone may display a blue-to-violet hue in the daylight but shift to a violetish-purple or reddish-purple under incandescent light. 

What Affects Sapphire Color? 

Six key factors determine a sapphire’s color: 

1. Trace elements present in the corundum

A sapphire gets its distinct color when certain trace elements or chemical impurities get trapped within the corundum crystal structure during its formation in the earth. Different trace elements produce different colored sapphires. For example: 

• Titanium + iron = blue sapphire
• Iron + titanium = green sapphire
• Chromium + iron = orange sapphire
• Chromium + titanium + iron = purple and pink sapphires
• Iron = yellow sapphire 

2. Hue

Hue refers to the base color of a sapphire. It can be a single dominant color like blue, pink or green, or a combination of colors such as violet-blue, pinkish orange or greenish blue. 

3. Tone

Tone describes the depth of a sapphire’s color or how light or dark it is. The tone of the color is often scaled from “very light” to “light,” to “medium light,” to “medium dark,” to “dark,” to “very dark.” 

4. Saturation

Saturation refers to the intensity and purity of a sapphire’s color or how vibrant it is. Saturation grades given to a sapphire may be “weak,” “fair,” “medium,” “strong,” “intense” or “vivid.” The most valuable sapphires have a high color saturation in the strong to vivid range. 

5. Heat treatments

Roughly 90-95% of natural sapphires available today are heat-treated to enhance their color and clarity. Unheated sapphires are very rare and command higher prices. When buying a sapphire, make sure to get a lab report to verify the treatment used. 

6. Cut

How a sapphire is cut can affect how light interacts with the stone, making the color saturation duller or more intense. Sapphire cuts that are known to make color pop include oval, round brilliant, and cushion cuts.

Types of Sapphire Colors: 12 Spectacular Shades

Blue Sapphire 

Blue sapphire is the most recognizable and desired type of sapphire. These blue beauties are timeless yet trendsetting and have a regal, romantic and mysterious aura. Although highly prized throughout history, blue sapphires only became a mainstream sensation once Princess Diana debuted her iconic blue sapphire and diamond engagement ring (now worn by Kate Middleton) in the 80s. Blue sapphires remain one of the hottest gems on the market, beloved by brides and everyday jewelry wearers alike. 

The color scale of a blue sapphire ranges from a barely-there blue to a deep, midnight blue. The most coveted colors are cornflower blue and vivid velvet blue to violetish-blue, in medium-to-medium dark tones. 

Pastel Blue Sapphire

Blue sapphire is available in soft and airy pastel blue shades. These colors have light tones and low saturation. “Light Blue Sapphire,” also known as “Silver Blue Sapphire” or “Sky Blue Sapphire,” has a delicate baby blue hue, often with faint gray or lavender tones. A “Ceylon Light Blue Sapphire” has a slightly darker and more luminous pastel blue tone, which can be categorized as “water blue.” Pastel blue sapphires are primarily mined in Sri Lanka and Montana in the U.S.

Cornflower Blue Sapphire  

Cornflower Blue Sapphire is the “belle of the ball” when it comes to blue sapphires. It is considered a “true blue” with a hint of violet, reminiscent of the petals on a cornflower plant. On the blue color spectrum of sapphires, cornflower blue is situated between lighter blue pastel colors and deeper, more vivid royal blues. Cornflower blue sapphires come from Kashmir, India, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and Tanzania mining regions. 

Royal Blue Sapphire

Royal blue sapphires exhibit a deeper shade of blue that is more heavily saturated than cornflower blue sapphires. Their color is often characterized as a rich, velvety blue with violet or purple undertones, making it “violetish-blue.” As the name suggests, royal blue sapphires are often associated with royalty, luxury, and elegance. Royal blue sapphires are primarily sourced from Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Kashmir, and Madagascar.

Teal Sapphire

Teal sapphires, sometimes referred to as “peacock sapphires” and “mermaid sapphires,” display an eye-catching blend of electric blue and green colors, like the exotic color of a peacock’s neck and iridescent tail feathers. The most valuable teal sapphires have a nearly perfect 50/50 split of blue and green hues. These dreamy gems are produced in Australia, Madagascar, Thailand and Montana in the U.S.  

Padparadscha Sapphire

Believe it or not, the rarest sapphire color of them all is not blue but a peachy mix of pink and orange, similar to a rainbow sherbet or summer sunset. This is known as the padparadscha sapphire, which in Sanskrit refers to the colors of a tropical lotus flower. Padparadscha sapphires range in color from light to medium pinkish orange to orange-pink. They are primarily found in Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and Tanzania.

Pink Sapphire

Pink sapphires come in a variety of pretty shades, from pale pink to bubblegum pink to hot pink to deep fuchsia. Some stones may include secondary colors like purple or orange. A pink sapphire is a worthy ruby alternative and generally costs less, too. Pink sapphires come from Sri Lanka, Madagascar and Tanzania. 

Yellow Sapphire

Yellow sapphires can shine as bright as a ray of sunshine–so blinding that they can rival the sparkle of the most beautiful yellow diamonds (they’re less expensive, too!). The most popular yellow sapphire color is a bright and cheerful canary yellow. Still, a yellow sapphire can also be greenish-yellow or orangish-yellow. Fine-quality yellow sapphires are found in Sri Lanka, Australia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Madagascar.

Orange Sapphire

Orange sapphire is one of the rarest color varieties of sapphire. Its color range is pale orange to tangerine to vivid reddish-orange to a deep orange with brownish overtones. The finest orange sapphires are pure orange to red-orange with medium tone and vivid saturation. Orange sapphires are predominantly mined in Australia, Madagascar, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Tanzania.   

Green Sapphire

The color palette of a green sapphire will surely make you green with envy. It’s an excellent emerald alternative featuring an array of green shades ranging from seafoam or mint green to soft sage to olive green to bright grass green and dark forest green. In the jewelry trade, however, don’t be surprised if green sapphires are categorized as being either “Light Green,” “Medium Green” or “Vivid Green.” Some green sapphires have light to dark bluish tones, while others may display a yellowish green. You can expect to generally pay less for a green sapphire than other colored sapphires.

Purple Sapphire

Passionate about purple? Purple sapphires can be anything from a soft violet or lavender to a bluish-purple to a deep plum or reddish-purple. Purple sapphires typically command higher prices than yellow and green sapphires but are generally more affordable than blue sapphires. They are sometimes mistaken for amethysts but are more durable and brilliant. The lion’s share of top-quality purple sapphires comes from Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Myanmar. Still, smaller deposits can be found in Australia, Cambodia, Thailand and Montana in the U.S. 

White Sapphire

If you prefer the look and feel of a colorless diamond but at a more affordable price point, you may want to consider a white sapphire. White sapphires are transparent but often have an icy white or milky white lustrous glow. They display less brilliance or fire than diamonds but still reflect light quite beautifully. The finest white sapphires are procured from Sri Lanka but may also come from Australia, Myanmar, Madagascar, and Tanzania.