When one thinks of sapphire, a picture of a deep royal blue gemstone usually comes to mind. An alluring stone adorning the ring of Kate Middleton or other members of the British royal family might also flash. Sapphire has long been famous for both its aristocratic connections and the color blue. While the blue hue of sapphire has indeed been celebrated over many years for the thing of beauty that it is, you’d be pretty shocked to know that it isn’t the rarest of the varieties of sapphire. When it comes to rarity, and even beauty for that matter, there’s a type of sapphire that isn’t quite famed as per its competence: padparadscha sapphire.
If you feel it’s tough to pronounce, I can tell you you’re not the first. The word is a jawbreaker, pronounced as pad-pah-raj-ah. Padparadscha sapphire holds the title of the rarest variety of sapphire and flashes a pinkish-orange hue that reminds me of a lotus blossom. Despite offering a mesmerizing blend of orange and pink, padparadscha sapphire was unknown to the lion’s share of people for a long time.
It was not until 2018 that the stone stirred a sensation amongst the folks, with Princess Eugenie flaunting her padparadscha sapphire flower ring. Since then, padparadscha sapphire rings or other jewelry embellished with this gemstone has been everyone’s apple of the eye.
This blog enlightens about some of the crucial things that you need to know before buying padparadscha sapphire, of which GemsNY has a phenomenal collection that wouldn’t fail to satiate your fancy.
What’s in the name?
As the color of padparadscha sapphire reminds of the lotus flower, this light to medium-toned corundum got its name from the Sanskrit “padma ranga”, padma means lotus, and ranga signifies color.
Where’s it available?
Padparadscha sapphire was first found in Ceylon, currently known as Sri Lanka, hundreds of years ago. However, the gemstone has also been uncovered in Madagascar and Tanzania.
The crux’s the color
The exemplary and intensely saturated color of padparadscha sapphire is akin to that of a mix of sunset and lotus. As far as color is concerned, the color stability test of a padparadscha sapphire is a must as it’s the only way to determine its color permanence, apart from the pink-orange combination.
What’s the chemical makeup?
What makes a padparadscha different from the other sapphires is its chemical makeup. While the archetype blue sapphires get their color from the presence of titanium and iron in the corundum, what makes padparadscha sapphires unique is the addition of chromium and iron.
Heat treated?
Imperfectly colored pink sapphires can also exhibit the hues of a padparadscha sapphire when heat treated in the presence of beryllium. It happened in the 1990s when the gemstone market got infused with a sudden inrush of such padparadscha sapphires. However, when the consumers discovered the reality, it became an outrage. Therefore, before buying padparadscha sapphire, it’s always ideal to consult the seller regarding its treatment, if any.
2 of the 4 Cs
Due to the light-colored stone that padparadscha sapphire is, it becomes extremely important to sacrifice clarity to obtain its true brilliance. Moreover, the stone’s light tones easily reveal its inclusions, which is one of the key reasons why it’s frequently cut asymmetrically.
1 of the 4 Cs
Padparadscha sapphire is commonly available in weights of two carats or less. The gemstone weighing five carats or above is considered world-class and auction-worthy. The American Museum of Natural History, New York, has the largest padparadscha sapphire. It weighs 100.18 carats.
Have a ring setting in mind
Setting plays a crucial role in defining the beauty of a ring . And if you’re buying a padparadscha sapphire engagement ring, then you probably need to think a bit extra. Explore many options and udentify a few to match your vibe. Or you can go for a custom ring if you have any specific design in mind. The salmon-pink-colored padparadscha sapphire ring with a halo setting is beyond comparison in our opinion.
Price of a rare gemstone
Padparadscha sapphires are one of the most expensive gems in the market because of their rarity and scarcity. They are sold at a premium, nearly matching the price of blue sapphires. Of all the padparadscha sapphires, the unheated ones are of great value.
Documentation is a must
Before buying padparadscha sapphire, you must insist on verifying some precise documentation regarding its color, clarity, weight, origin etc. Checking the independent examination report beforehand is imperative since it keeps both parties on the same page.
Padparadscha is a rare gemstone, and to buy a rare one takes a remarkable amount of confidence in the seller. With more than three decades of experience in our sphere, we fully understand your financial & emotional investment. Through our fine jewelry, we have brought smiles on many faces. Visit GemsNY to buy a padparadscha sapphire of your dreams.
