Sapphire is one of the two gem-varieties of corundum, the other being ruby (defined as corundum in a shade of red). Although blue is the best-known sapphire color, it occurs in other colors, including gray and black, and can also be colorless. A pinkish orange variety of sapphire is called padparadscha. Significant sapphire deposits are found in Australia, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Cameroon ...
Besides blue sapphire and ruby, the corundum family also includes so-called “fancy sapphires.” They come in violet, green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, and intermediate hues.
Explore the world of sapphires - from vibrant colors like Padparadscha and Kashmir blue to spiritual meanings, current prices, and care tips. Updated for 2026.
Sapphire, transparent to translucent, natural or synthetic variety of corundum (q.v.; aluminum oxide, Al2O3) that has been highly prized as a gemstone since about 800 bc. Its colour is due mainly to the presence of small amounts of iron and titanium and normally ranges from a very pale blue to deep
Sapphire: Meaning, Colors, and the Complete Guide to This Royal Gemstone Gemstone Education 8 min read There is a moment, holding a fine sapphire up to the light, when the world seems to slow. The stone drinks in everything around it — the soft gold of late afternoon, the warmth of a room — and gives back something richer. A blue so alive it almost breathes. For thousands of years ...
Sapphire is the most precious and valuable blue gemstone. It is a very desirable gemstone due to its excellent color, hardness, durability, and luster. In the gem trade, Sapphire without any color prefix refers to the blue variety of the mineral Corundum. However, the term Sapphire encompasses all other gem varieties and colors of Corundum as well, excluding Ruby, the red variety of Corundum ...