
Sapphire is a tough and durable gem, and the only natural gemstone harder than Sapphire is Diamond. Some Sapphire gemstones may even be multicolored such as purple and blue. Color zoning is responsible for certain Sapphires having lighter and darker colors in different parts of a crystal. Color zoning, which forms from growth layers that build up during the formation of the stone, may also be present in certain Sapphires. Viewed at one angle, and purple at a different angle. Sapphire is pleochroic, displaying a lighter and more intense color when Star Sapphire exists in six ray stars, though twelve ray stars are also known. Sapphire gems displaying asterism are known as " Star Sapphire", and these can be highly prized. When in dense, parallel groupings, these inclusions can actually enhance by allowing polished Sapphires to exhibit asterism. When present, these inclusions decrease the transparency of a stone and are known as silk. Sapphire often contains minor inclusions of tiny slender Rutile needles. Sapphire with a color other than blue is often called a "fancy" in the gem trade.

However, the word "Sapphire" in its plain context refers only to blue Sapphire, unless a prefix color is specified. The same holds true for all other color varieties of Sapphire. What was once called "Oriental Emerald" is now called "Green Sapphire". The practice of applying the name of a different gemstone to identify the sapphire was misleading, and these names are no longer used. For example, green Sapphire was called "Oriental Emerald". Going way back in time, Sapphires (excluding blue) were often called the same name as a popular gemstone of that color with the prefix "oriental" added to it. Yellow and pink Sapphire have recently become very popular, and are now often seen in jewelry. Light, Color Changing Sapphire is blue, but in artificial light, it isĮffect is the same phenomenon well-known in the gemstone Alexandrite). An exotic type of sapphire, known as Color Changing Sapphire, displays aĭifferent color depending on its lighting. AnotherĮxtremely valuable Sapphire form is the very rare, orange-pink Known as Kashmir Sapphire or Cornflower Blue Sapphire.

The most valuable color of Sapphire is a cornflower blue color, White, Colorless, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Pink, Purple, Gray, Black, Multicolored
