How to Buy Australian Sapphire
Most people think a sapphire is blue. Australian sapphires come in blues, teals, greens, yellows and gold, and sometimes in two or three colours at once.
We sat down with Ros from Sam’s Group Australia to learn what makes a great Australian sapphire, and what to look for when you buy one.
Where Australian Sapphires Are Mined
The New South Wales field has the best blues. In Queensland, the Rubyvale and Emerald area gives us greens and yellows, and stones that mix green with yellow, or blue with green.
Australian Sapphire Colours: Royal Blue, Teal, Green and Gold
Royal blue is the most desired colour, and it commands the premium price.
Teal is one of the most popular colours right now: a strong, vivid bluey green.
Australian yellows are up there on the world stage too. Some lean golden, and some go into orange. The stronger golden colours are rarer, and worth more than the lighter ones.
Many Australian sapphires show a second colour, so a blue stone might carry a hint of green. Turn the stone and the colour can shift a little. As Ros puts it, the stronger colours are “the true Australians”. Sam’s Group created a colour chart for Australian sapphires, and you’ll see it in the video.
What Is a Parti Sapphire?
A parti sapphire shows two or three colours in one stone, such as blue and green, or green and yellow. Three colours is the most you’ll find. A teal can be a parti too.
A parti usually costs less than a solid yellow or a solid green.
Are Australian Sapphires Heated?
About 90% are, according to Ros. Heat clears away the fine silk inside the stone, so it looks much clearer. It’s accepted worldwide, and the result is stable.
Unheated stones do turn up. In the video you’ll see a 4.83 carat golden sapphire that has never been heated.
Why Large Round Sapphires Are Rare
Cutting a round wastes a lot of the rough, so large rounds are rare. An 8 mm round is a big one.
Choosing a Sapphire for a Ring
Sapphires are very durable, which makes them practical to wear every day. For engagement rings, I hunt the finest Ceylon sapphires from Sri Lanka, in vivid royal blue and cornflower blue. See our sapphire engagement rings, and pull the levers to see what makes one sapphire worth more than another.
Building a gemstone collection? I’d love to help you find the right stone.
Short on time? Here’s the one-minute version.
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Got gold or jewellery you no longer wear? I also buy gold in Canberra.
Frequently Asked Questions About Australian Sapphires
What colours do Australian sapphires come in?
Blue, teal, green, yellow and gold, plus parti sapphires that show two or three colours in one stone. Royal blue is the most desired colour and commands the premium price.
Where are Australian sapphires mined?
The New South Wales field has the best blues. Queensland’s Rubyvale and Emerald area gives greens, yellows and parti sapphires.
What is a parti sapphire?
A sapphire that shows two or three colours in one stone, such as blue and green, or green and yellow. A parti usually costs less than a solid yellow or a solid green.
Are Australian sapphires heated?
About 90% are. Heat clears the fine silk inside the stone, so it looks much clearer. It is accepted worldwide, and the result is stable.
Got gold sitting in a drawer? Here’s how selling it works in Canberra.
