Sapphires are one of the top two or three gemstones in the world and have been admired and sought after for thousands of years. They are most famously a velvety cornflower blue color although they can also be found in many other colors and, every now and then, can change color in different lighting conditions.
Color Change Sapphire Colors
As we mentioned, regular sapphires can be found in just about all the colors of the rainbow except red, in which case it would be called a ruby.
Color Change Sapphires tend to feature violet blue colors in natural daylight which change to reddish purple tones under incandescent lighting. More rarely green, orange, pink and brown colors can appear.
It is the molecular structure of the sapphire which causes the shift in color as well as the various mineral impurities within the gemstone and the source of the light. Even the air temperature, the time of day and the season can affect the appearance of the color.
If you are looking at a regular blue sapphire what you are seeing is white light containing all the colors of the rainbow hitting the stone and all but the blue waves being absorbed. The blue waves bounce back to our eyes and we see a blue stone.
Sapphires with a particular crystal structure and mineral composition can look blue in daylight where there are a lot of blue color waves but will take on a more purplish tone in candlelight or incandescent light which contains a lot more red than blue color waves.
Mineral impurities such as iron, titanium, chromium and vanadium present during formation contribute to the colors found in Color Change Sapphires.
Read more about gemstones colors here
Color Change Sapphire Species
All sapphires are part of the corundum mineral species which also includes another famous gemstone - the ruby. Corundum is a very durable mineral rated at 9 on Mohs hardenss scale which puts it just behind diamonds which are rated at 10.
Corundum is first separated into rubies and sapphires. Rubies are a particular red and sapphires are all other colors. In addition to Color Change Sapphires these gemstones are further categorized by color or other optical phenomenon:
- Sapphire - all blue sapphire gemstones
- Padparadscha - a particular salmon pink/orange color
- Star Sapphires - a variety of colors all featuring asterism - a six-rayed star that floats on the surface
- Parti-Colored - a sapphire featuring two or more colors in the same stone - sometimes called bi-color
- White Sapphire - not actually white but colorless or clear - used as a diamond substitute
What are the spiritual benefits of Color Change Sapphire?
Color Change Sapphires will have all the powers of a regular sapphire - which are considerable and highly regarded.
Sapphires are thought of as stones of wisdom and their other virtues include:
- Hope and Faith
- Royalty and Nobility
- Abundance and Prosperity
- Self-discipline and Focus
See our detailed article on Sapphire meaning and uses
Color Change Sapphire and the Chakras
Gemstones are usually linked to Chakras by their color. Color Change Sapphires tend to be a blue to purple color which means they are associated with the Throat and Third Eye Chakras.
Other colors can be used to help with other Chakras - brown for the Root Chakra, green for the Heart Chakra and so on.
If your Color Change Garnet switches between two distinct colors - say orange and yellow - then it can help realign two separate Chakras.
Find more details on Chakra gemstones here
Color Change Sapphire Price
Color Change Sapphires are priced just like regular sapphires on color, clarity and carat size but with an additional factor - the contrast in the two colors. This change can be described as weak, moderate or strong.
In the simplest terms, a Color Change Sapphire which features a deep and intense color as well as a strong color change will have more value than a light colored stone with a weak contrast in colors.
As blue sapphires are generally the most valuable, any Color Change Sapphire with definite blue hues will demand a higher price.
Large carat sizes are very rare so as the gemstones get bigger the price per carat will rise too.
With such a wide range of factors that go into determining the price of Color Change Sapphires it will not be surprising to discover that the price per carat can vary significantly. Small sapphires suitable for multi-stone jewelry items can be purchased for less than $100 per carat while an untreated, blue dominant large sapphire can fetch more than $10,000 per carat. The rest fall within this price range but a nice bluish Color Change Sapphire of around 1 carat will probably be about $500 per carat.
Color Change Sapphire Treatments
The vast majority of all sapphires have been heat treated to enhance their appearance - both in color and clarity. Heat treatment is totally accepted in the gemstone world for sapphires and although completely untreated sapphires can be found they are considered rare and valuable objects.
There are other more intrusive treatments such as diffusion and fracture filling but this is not common with Color Change Sapphires.
Color Change Sapphire History
Sapphires have one of the most illustrious and celebrated histories of all gemstone types perhaps only rivaled by its sister stone, the ruby.
Color Change Sapphires do not have quite such a back story probably because the phenomenon is not so dramatic and impressive in cabochon cut gemstones which were the only style available until the development of the modern facet cut.
For thousands of years gemstones were rounded and polished into shapes with flat bottoms and dome shaped tops - the cabochon. Only in the past few hundred years could skilled gem cutters create the flat planes, sharp edges and multiple facets of modern designs that show off the color change effect so much better.
Where is Color Change Sapphire found?
The best sources for Color Change Sapphires are Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Madagascar, the USA and Thailand.
What jewelry is Color Change Sapphire suitable for?
Color Change Sapphire is rated at 9 on Mohs hardness scale which makes it durable enough for all types of jewelry including daily wear items such as engagement rings.
Birthstones and Anniversaries
Color Change Sapphires are a birthstone of September so if a loved one celebrates a birthday in that month you will know what to buy this year.
Color Change Sapphires are the traditional gemstone gift for a 5th and 45th wedding anniversaries, giving you two opportunities to buy one for the love of your life.
