Sapphire Padparadscha
Named after the lotus blossom of Sri Lanka, the orangey-pink Padparadscha sapphire is a favorite of ours and is highly coveted amongst colored gemstone connoisseurs. These striking sapphires are a special member of the corundum family, rare in their optimal color because they are a delicate blend of pink and orange, which rarely occurs in nature.
Historically padparadscha sapphires are found in Sri Lanka, many connoisseurs still insist that only a padparadscha from Sri Lanka is a TRUE padparadscha, however they are found in Madagascar and Mozambique as well.
The large majority of all sapphires are heat treated to enhance color, but because preserving the color is so vital to a padparadscha, it is possible to find more readily available unheated stones.
Sapphire is the birthstone for September and the gem of the 5th and 45th anniversaries.
Specifications
Origin: | Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Burma and various other localities |
Color: | Pinkish Orange to Orangeish Pink with a light tone |
Species: | Corundum |
Hardness: | 9.0 on Mohs Scale |
Birthstone Month: | September |
Anniversary Year: | 5th and 45th |
Refractive Index: | 1.762 to 1.770 |
Birefringence: | 0.008 to 0.010 |
Specific Gravity: | 4.00 (+0.10/-0.05) |