Subject: Fancy Sapphires

From: [email-masked]
Date: 8 Apr 1995 17:22:54 GMT

I have been getting so many questions via E-mail, I have decided to post
this for those you interested in Fancy sapphires:

FANCY SAPPHIRE
Although most people tend to think as sapphire as being blue, actually,
sapphire comes in a wide variety of colors.  They range in hues from
orangy-pink-salmon, pink, orange, golden, purple, yellow, color change,
and green.  The major source for these gems are Sri Lanka, Thailand, and
Burma, Australia, East Africa, and even Montana in the United States.

The rarest  and most valuable collector fancy sapphire is the
padparadscha, which is Sinhalese for ³lotus flower².  This gem is
occasionally found in Sri Lanka.  A gem padparadscha will range between
$5000-10,000 per carat.  Large padparadschas can exceed these prices. 
Some unscrupulous dealers have been selling some of the new African fancy
sapphires as padparadscha.  However, these stones have too much
orange-brown to be properly labeled as padparadscha.  

The second most valuable sapphire is the electric pink.  The best of these
stones have a pure vibrant color without violet or purple.  What makes
these stones exceptional is an electric intensity and a tone that pushes
it way above a pastel color.  Although technically pink sapphires in
America, some cultures, such as the Japanese and Europeans, buy and sell
these stones as ³Burma rubies².   This makes it very difficult for US
collectors.  The main source of these gems are Burma and Sri Lanka.
Commercial quality pinks sell from $500-$1500 per carat.  Gem pinks sell
from $1500-$3000 per carat.  Large multi-carat sized pinks can exceed
$4000 per carat.  

Yellows and golden sapphires are an interesting gem to collect for
collectors on a moderate budget.  These stones should look like a canary
diamond-bright, vibrant goldens, and electric orangy yellows.  They should
not look pastel.  Sometimes, collectors may find a non-heated stone from
Africa.  These gems are relatively unknown by ³the public².  Many
collectors believe that once they receive more exposure, they will be a
favorite among connoisseurs.  Yellow sapphire is available for $250-$500
per carat in two to five carat ranges.  Ten carat sized stones can reach
$750 per carat.  Goldens are available for $350-$600 per carat for two to
five carat sized gems.  Large goldens can reach $1000 per carat for ten
carats sizes.  

Sapphires are also discovered  purple. Some exceptional purples are found
in Africa.  They are often describes as intense cherry-orchid purple. 
Exceptional one carat purples range from $375-$475 per carat.  Two to five
carats can reach $750-$1000 per carat.  

For the collector who cannot afford an alexandrite, Africa also mines a
color change sapphire.  They tend to go from a grayish blue in daylight to
a cranberry red in incandescent light.  These stones are hot collector
items.  

Finally, green sapphire is a relatively abundant stone.  The problem is
that usually has black or gray colors which dramatically reduce its
value.  These gems sell below $50 per carat. 

In conclusion, you must assume that all sapphires, unless otherwise
confirmed by the American Gemological Laboratory (AGL), are heat treated. 
This is acceptable in the trade because the heating of these stones is
permanent.  If left in the earth for another couple of hundred years,
these heated stones would have probably turned this color eventually, due
to the heat of the earth.  However, being impatient and difficult to
find,  they are heat treated today.  Without this alchemy, it would be
impossible to meet the world demand for ruby, sapphire, and fancy
sapphires.  Some yellow, golden, and orange sapphires are irradiated. 
This is not acceptable.  The simple way to detect this is what is called a
fade test.  Simply place your stone in the sun for a few days.  If it
fades, it is irradiated.

National Gemstone
Robert Genis, President
PO 42468
Tucson, AZ  85733
1-800-458-6453
1-502-577-6222
COMING SOON: WWW
Editor of The Gemstone Forecaster Newsletter (Please E-mail for free copy)
Author of The Rrivacy Report
Recommended by The Dow Jones-Irwin Guide To Fine Gems and Jewelry
" You can carry enough gems on you body to set you up for life"  Iam Flemming

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From: [email-masked] (Sunnyway)
Date: 8 Apr 1995 21:35:43 -0400

A family friend in her seventies showed me her jewelry collection.  One of
the rings inherited from her mother is a large (er, make that HUGE) star
sapphire mounted in platinum or white gold with pave diamonds on each
side. The sapphire is now a pale lavender, but the rays are still
apparent.  She insists it was once a brilliant blue, but it has faded from
being kept in the dark in a safety-deposit box for over 25 years.  

Can this be true?  Will a sapphire fade in the dark, and can it be
restored to its original color? 

Ingrid Halvorsen
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 14 Apr 1995 14:12:27 GMT

> >> [email-masked]
> 
> >Dear Sunnyway:
> 
> >If a  sapphire is heated it is permenant.  It will not change color.  I
> >believe your  family friends  memory has faded.  A sapphire will not fade
> >because it is kept in a safety deposit box.  Sometimes when I see
> >blueish/greyish stars more than once ( say once every couple of years),
> >they sometimes do not look like the color I thought they were.  However I
> >think that it may be more a function of the lighting that day, or maybe I
> >am getting old.:-)
> 
> >Bob
> 
> >National Gemstone Corp.
> >Robert Genis,President
> >PO 42458
> >Tucson, AZ   85733
> >1-800-458-6453
> >1-602-577-6222
> >Author of The Privacy Report
> >Editor of The Gemstone Forecaster Newsletter
> >" You can carry enough gems on your body to set you up for life" Ian Flemning
> > Recommended as reputable by the Dow Jones-Irwin Guide to Fine Gems and
> >Jewelry. 
> >COMING SOON:  WWW.  An extensive diamond and colored stone research
data base.
> 
> 
> Yes, Bob, you are getting old.  One trick you forgot to mention 
> concerning cab style stones is coating the back with a coloring
> agent.  Not really done much anymore but you see it occaisionally
> on antique jewelry.  When the coating comes off over time you 
> see the real color.
> 
> By the way, your  Gemstone Forecaster is great.
> 
> Regards, Kurt W. Arens, G.G.

Dear Kurt:

Where the heck have you been?   Do you have any plans for a gem
newsletter????? Talk to us!
Plus, what is your opinion of the new Chatham diamonds?  You can find the
diswcussion under the rec. crafts. jewelry newsgroup.
Bob

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From: [email-masked] (Kurt W. Arens)
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 1995 13:31:26 MST

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] writes:
>From: [email-masked]
>Subject: Re: Fancy Sapphires
>Date: 10 Apr 1995 22:40:09 GMT

>In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] (Sunnyway)
>wrote:

>COMING SOON:  WWW.  An extensive diamond and colored stone resaerch data base.