Loose Untreated Sapphire for Sale - In Stock, ready to Ship

What is an untreated Sapphire?

An untreated sapphire is one that has not undergone any enhancing process other than the skilled cutting and polishing into the gorgeous gemstones we know and love.

Sapphires are a form of the mineral, corundum, just like the ruby, the only difference is that rubies are red and sapphires are every other color.

It is estimated that at least 90% of all sapphires on sale today have received some sort of treatment to boost their appearance. The most common form of treatment is heat which can dramatically improve the color and clarity of a sapphire. Heat treatment has been a traditional process for at least a 1000 years and is totally accepted in the gemstone market.

There are other types of treatment used to improve the appearance of sapphires including beryllium diffusion, surface diffusion and fissure filling.

Are untreated sapphires expensive?

Untreated sapphires are exceptionally rare and highly sought after so they are generally more expensive than treated sapphires. Of course, they are still subject to the usual price factors such as color, size, clarity and so on.

An untreated vivid blue sapphire with a slight violet undertone and a velvety look would be a very valuable item indeed with a price tag sure to exceed $10,000 per carat. Untreated sapphires are also available in other colors and while not as expensive as top grade blue examples, do tend to be more expensive than heated stones.

Untreated Sapphire Colors

Just like treated sapphires, untreated sapphires can be found in a variety of colors and the general rule is that if all other factors such as cut, clarity and size are equal then the untreated sapphire will demand a much higher price.

With untreated sapphires, any color other than blue or colorless is known as a 'fancy sapphire'. The exception to this rule is red, in which case it is a Ruby.

How can you tell if a Sapphire is untreated?

Without sophisticated laboratory equipment it is very difficult to determine whether or not a sapphire has been treated. If you are going to spend the amount of money needed to buy an untreated sapphire then we would highly recommend getting a full gemstone certification to ensure that no treatment has taken place.

Certain sizes, shapes and colors of untreated sapphires are to be found at very affordable prices which may not warrant the money spent on certification. In this case we would suggest making sure you buy the gemstone from a reputable seller.

Why choose an untreated sapphire?

The decision to choose an untreated sapphire over a treated one is a personal preference. If you are a purist with an appreciation of Mother Nature in its most unaffected state you may feel drawn towards an untreated stone.

Or if you are looking at a gemstone as an investment that will increase in value, then the exceedingly rare untreated option brings a potentially higher ROI opportunity.

Some feel that the spiritual influence of a gemstone is much greater with a totally natural untreated gemstone.

There is no doubt that untreated sapphires are one of the world's rarest treasures - add to this their incredible beauty and you have something very special.

What size are Untreated Sapphire Gemstones?

Any sapphire which weighs more than a carat or two is very rare and very expensive. Finding an untreated sapphire of a significant size is even more difficult so expect to pay quite a premium and as they increase in size the price per carat jumps dramatically.

What kind of jewelry is Untreated Sapphire suitable for?

Untreated sapphires are rated at a very impressive 9 on Mohs hardness scale which is second only to diamonds. This means it can be used in all types of jewelry items including daily wear pieces.

If you are investing in such a rare and beautiful gemstone it would make sense to have it placed in an exquisite custom designed setting such as a ring or pendant.

The stunning 12 carat blue sapphire engagement ring worn by both Princess Diana and Catherine has made it a very popular choice for engaged couples.

Large untreated sapphires are particularly hard to come by but smaller gemstones are slightly more readily available so multi-stone designs are an option such as bracelets, necklaces and brooches or used as side stones and accent stones.

Where are Untreated Sapphires found?

Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand have been traditional sources of untreated sapphires for centuries and Tanzania, Mozambique and Madagascar in Africa have developed into a major supplier in more recent times. Montana in the USA and Inverell in Eastern Australia are also famous for their untreated sapphires but are difficult to find.

Birthstones and Anniversaries

Untreated Sapphires are birthstones for September and the traditional gemstone gift for the 5th and 45th wedding anniversary, giving you two opportunities to buy one for the love of your life.

Read All

Gemstone Information

Over 19 Years in the Gemstone Business!

Thank you for trusting us with your purchase!

Overall Rating -> 10

I loved the opportunity to shop on a website that I could trust 👍

Posted By Will J. Lover in September, 2023

Source: Bizrate

Overall Rating -> 10

Very pleased with shopping on this site. It's easy to navigate and information about gemstones is very good.

Posted By Kate in December, 2023

Source: Bizrate

Overall Rating -> 10

Easy to find the stones I was looking for. Always good quality stones

Posted By Erin in June, 2023

Source: Bizrate

Overall Rating -> 10

I was looking for ammolite for my husband. Other websites are not always clear about whether they have genuine ammolite or simulated ammolite. I have purchased from GemSelect before and trust that the stones are genuine. Finding the stones I want is easy, and I love all of the search filter options!

Posted By Ana in September, 2023

Source: Bizrate

Overall Rating -> 9

Good interaction with site

Posted By Brick in September, 2023

Source: Bizrate

Overall Rating -> 10

The website is well organized and works fast forward and back. Plenty of filters. Each gem is described in detail and you receive the one pictured. Gem material info and sources available. I would like to see more specifics on sources besides country- at least region or state and in the US with Turquiose which mine. Thanks!

Posted By Orchidisle in February, 2024

Source: Bizrate

Overall Rating -> 10

The website is user friendly, has excellent selection. I've always found what I was looking for with Gem Select. When others don't have it they do. And most important, they have a way for you to pay without using PayPal. I cannot use PayPal they closed my account because of no cell phone.

Posted By NJD in September, 2023

Source: Bizrate

Overall Rating -> 10

I have had and will always have a great time shopping at GemSelect. It's a great web site with great products and great service.

Posted By Apps in November, 2023

Source: Bizrate

Overall Rating -> 10

The website is very easy to use. The search function, filter and sort functions are very helpful.

Posted By Sboro in August, 2023

Source: Bizrate

Overall Rating -> 10

Always have good experience

Posted By Ginnie in September, 2023

Source: Bizrate

Overall Rating -> 10

Selection and purchasing online was very easy

Posted By Aggy in January, 2024

Source: Bizrate

Overall Rating -> 10

I really enjoy browsing through GemSelect. The selection is always marvelous and I love how detailed everything is described. The only thing I noticed is that when browsing through my phone, the videos of the gems do not load. If there were more videos of the gems, that would be amazing, though I understand that is a lot of work on GemSelect's part! Checking out is also very fast and easy, and I love that the return policy is very good, though I hope I don't have to use it anytime soon.

Posted By ChiChi in January, 2024

Source: Bizrate

Overall Rating -> 10

Great site

Posted By Lord of Bananas in November, 2023

Source: Bizrate

Overall Rating -> 10

I enjoyed browsing though different varieties of rubies. I felt that the experience was simple and easy to navigate!

Posted By Daws in July, 2023

Source: Bizrate

Overall Rating -> 8

I did not realize how small the stone was. I cannot use it for the project I wanted, but I am keeping the stone and tru to use it in something else.

Posted By Mark in March, 2024

Source: Bizrate

Untreated Sapphire

Gemstones A-Z

5.47 ct Loose Round Cut Sapphire, 2.6 mm From Tanzania

1.4 ct Loose Square Cut Sapphire, 2.3 x 2.2 mm From Tanzania

0.68 carat Blue Sapphire, Oval loose Sapphire from Tanzania, Natural Gem, 6.1 x 4.2 mm

0.68 ct Loose Yellow Sapphire, 3.7 x 3.6 mm Princess Cut From Tanzania

0.58 ct Loose Yellow Sapphire, 5.9 x 4.2 mm Oval Cut From Tanzania

0.9 ct Loose Pink Sapphire, 5.1 x 4 mm Oval Cut From Tanzania

0.78 ct Loose Orange Sapphire, 6.2 x 4.6 mm Oval Cut From Madagascar

0.6 carat Blue Sapphire, Diamond-Cut loose Sapphire from Madagascar, Natural Gem, 5 mm

1.1 ct Loose Purple Sapphire, 6 x 5.5 mm Cushion Cut From Tanzania

0.51 ct Loose Purple Sapphire, 5.6 x 4.5 mm Oval Cut From Tanzania

0.59 carat Violet Sapphire, Pear Shape loose Sapphire from Tanzania, Natural Gem, 6.5 x 4.3 mm

1.13 carat Bi-color Sapphire, Pear Cabochon loose Sapphire from Madagascar, Natural Gem, 5.9 x 5.2 mm

0.51 carat Orange Sapphire, Pear Shape loose Sapphire from Tanzania, Natural Gem, 6 x 4 mm

0.49 ct Loose Yellow Sapphire, 5.7 x 4 mm Oval Cut From Tanzania

0.48 ct Loose Orange Sapphire, 5.8 x 4 mm Oval Cut From Tanzania

0.83 carat Green Sapphire, Pear Shape loose Sapphire from Madagascar, Natural Gem, 7.1 x 4.9 mm

0.64 carat Orange Sapphire, Pear Shape loose Sapphire from Tanzania, Natural Gem, 6 x 4 mm

0.62 ct Loose Yellow Sapphire, 4.6 x 4.6 mm Cushion Cut From Tanzania

0.58 ct Loose White Sapphire, 4.8 x 3.2 mm Oval Cut From Tanzania

0.49 carat Orange Sapphire, Pear Shape loose Sapphire from Tanzania, Natural Gem, 5 x 4.3 mm

2.32 ct Loose Yellow Sapphire, 4.9 mm Round Cut From Tanzania

0.52 ct Loose Violet Sapphire, 6.3 x 4.4 mm Oval Cut From Tanzania

1.52 ct Loose Yellow Sapphire, 6 x 5 mm Oval Cut From Tanzania

0.55 carat Orange Sapphire, Pear Shape loose Sapphire from Tanzania, Natural Gem, 6.2 x 4.1 mm

0.56 ct Loose Orange Sapphire, 4.4 x 4.4 mm Cushion Cut From Tanzania

1.31 carat Blue Sapphire, Diamond-Cut loose Sapphire from Madagascar, Natural Gems, 5.2 mm

3.25 ct Loose Princess Cut Sapphire, 2.8 x 2.7 mm From Tanzania

1.3 ct Loose Purple Sapphire, 3.5 x 2 mm Baguette Cut From Tanzania

0.37 ct Loose Purple Sapphire, 5.6 x 4.1 mm Oval Cut From Madagascar

0.55 ct Loose Orange Sapphire, 5.7 x 4 mm Oval Cut From Tanzania

0.3 carat Pink Sapphire, Pear Shape loose Sapphire from Tanzania, Natural Gem, 5.7 x 4.5 mm

0.52 carat Yellow Sapphire, Pear Shape loose Sapphire from Tanzania, Natural Gem, 6 x 4.2 mm

What is an untreated Sapphire?

Are untreated sapphires expensive?

Untreated Sapphire Colors

How can you tell if a Sapphire is untreated?

Why choose an untreated sapphire?

What size are Untreated Sapphire Gemstones?

What kind of jewelry is Untreated Sapphire suitable for?

Where are Untreated Sapphires found?

Birthstones and Anniversaries

Gemstone Information

Gemstone SHOP

POLICIES

WHO ARE WE?

Gemstone EDUCATION

WE ARE LOCATED AT