Australian Sapphire
Reviewed by David van Niekerk FGAA — Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Australia, qualified valuer.
Sapphire is famous for blue, but Australian sapphire has a palette all its own: inky blues, teal and green, gold and yellow, and two-toned "parti" sapphires.
Illustration — rough and cut sapphire.
What sapphire is
Sapphire is corundum, a crystal of aluminium oxide. At 9 on the Mohs scale it is second only to diamond in hardness, which is why it has long been chosen for rings worn every day. Red corundum is called ruby; every other colour is sapphire.
Our sapphires are untreated. Heating is a long-accepted treatment for sapphire around the world, and a heated stone is just as durable. If a sapphire we sell has been heated, we tell you.
Where it comes from
Australia has two main sapphire regions:
- Central Queensland gemfields — Anakie, Rubyvale and the town of Sapphire.
- New England, New South Wales — around Inverell and Glen Innes.
Australian sapphires came from ancient volcanic basalts. As the basalt weathered away, the hard sapphire crystals were left behind in gravels, where they are still mined today.
What to look for
- Colour: a rich, even colour that is not too dark. Australian blues can be very deep, so look at them in daylight.
- Parti sapphires: two or more colours in one stone; each is unique.
- Clarity: clean to the eye.
- Cut: a good cut makes the stone sparkle evenly across its face.
Wearing and care
Sapphire is very hard and tough, so it wears beautifully every day. Clean with warm soapy water and a soft brush, or have it cleaned professionally.
See Australian sapphires in the shop
Visit our boutique at Opera Quays, beside the Opera House, or browse our gemstone jewellery online.