Padparadscha sapphires get their name from the Sinhalese word ( Sri Lankan) for “lotus colored.” This rare and elusive gem generates some debate among gemologists, so learn about its quality factors before your own padparadscha sapphire buying excursion.
Buying and the Four Cs
Color
By far the most important factor in padparadscha sapphire quality is its color, but assessing padparadscha color isn’t straightforward. The lotus flower for which it’s named, Nelumbo nucifera, has deep pink petals with a yellow pistil. Unlike most gem colors, the definition of padparadscha proves elusive. Gemological laboratories use different grading criteria to determine whether a stone qualifies.
Most Western standards agree that a padparadscha sapphire should be light to medium in
tone (30-65%) with a mix of pink and orange hues. Brown hues are undesirable. Yellow or purple tertiary hues may be acceptable to some, but for others, the presence of any tertiary hue would disqualify the stone from the padparadscha label. In addition, color should be evenly distributed, with no face-up
zoning. However, many-faceted padparadscha sapphires have a yellow or yellow-orange hue around the edges. While American consumers prefer gems that tend toward sunset orange hues, Eastern societies usually favor a pink hue with slight orange.
The light to medium tones of a padparadscha sapphire disqualifies the most highly saturated orange-pink stones from the name, in favor of more delicate hues. However, Eastern cultures would still call a deeply saturated orange-pink sapphire a padparadscha. Indeed, the more saturated specimens are often more valuable.
Clarity
Because of the rarity of these stones, clarity imperfections are tolerated. However, inclusions that detract from the beauty of the gem are undesirable. Dark inclusions will negatively affect the price of these stones, especially lighter-toned specimens.
Cut
Cut quality isn’t a major price factor, due to the rarity of padparadscha sapphires. However, asymmetrical stone with the proper proportions will be more attractive than a poorly cut gem. Oval and cushion shapes are common, as are emerald cuts. Because of the shape of rough gems, round brilliant cuts sell at a premium.
Carat
High-quality padparadscha sapphires are rare at any size. Gems above two carats are very rare, and anything above five carats is museum-worthy.
Origin
Some purists believe only stones from the original deposit in Sri Lanka should have the name“padparadscha.” However, attractive stones from Madagascar, Tanzania, and Vietnam challenge this definition. Sri Lanka stones may command premium prices due to their more traditional origin, but beautiful gems can come from any of these locations. Most of the orange-pink stones from Songea, Tanzania have darker tones and brown hues. Thus, they may not find acceptance as true padparadscha sapphires. However, these stones can still be quite attractive, even if they aren’t as delicate as stones from the original deposit. In addition, a very small proportion of Montana sapphires can be classified as padparadscha.
