You can also try to scratch it yourself with a coin. If the gem has a lot of scratches, then it is probably not a natural sapphire. They have a hardness rating of 9 on the Mohs scale, harder than glass or even cubic zirconia. They are next to diamonds as the hardest gem out there. Sapphires exist, naturally, in basically every color - though, as we said above, a red corundum would actually be called a ruby.Ī better indication is scratching.

If you are trying to figure out if a sapphire is real or synthetic, then the color won't be of much use. However, red corundum is more commonly called - yup, that's right - a ruby. And fun fact: corundum also comes in red. For example, yellow sapphire or green sapphire.

The more unusual colors are referred to with the specific color. Because this is the traditional color, these are simply called sapphires. Most people think of sapphires as a deep, rich blue. There is even a colorless version called a white sapphire or leukosapphire. These include yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, green, and black. What Are The Different Colors of Sapphires?įor a little technical background, sapphires belong to a family of gems called corundum. What color is the rarest? What color is the most valuable? Plus, you may notice that red didn't make the list - is there a red sapphire? Keep reading to find out! Keep reading to learn more about all these colors. The color changes due to trace amounts of minerals in the stone. While royal blue sapphires are typically the most desirable and valuable, sapphires come in basically all colors. But what if you want something different? Are sapphires only the rich royal blue that you picture? We've checked with several gemologists for all the colors that sapphires can come in. Sapphires are also durable and known for their bright, vivid color. They are a bit more unique and personable than diamonds. Sapphires are becoming increasingly popular lately, even becoming a favorable choice for an engagement ring! Their meteoric rise is for a lot of reasons.

Colors of blue sapphires