Padparadscha - a marriage between a Ruby and a yellow Sapphire.
A gem stone I want to bring to your attention is the Padparadscha. A sapphire so rare and unique it has it's own name. Derived after the sanskrit 'Lotus colour' and is a reference to the lotus flower colour.
The Padparadscha is a striking orange/pink colour. Originally mined in Sri Lanka (Ceylon - known for the largest and most unique sapphires). However fine stones can also be found in Vietnam's Quy Chau district, Tanzania's Tunduru's district and Madagascar. Stones from the latter three can often be heat treated and many purists believe the term should be restricted to stones from Ceylon.
Below is an example of a high quality Padparadscha, which has pink/reddish shine. The exact colour has always been a matter of debate. Perhaps this is because the Lotus blossom comes in a variety of shades.
Padparadscha's are cleaner than Ruby's. As the stones tend to be pastel shades one should make sure there are no visible inclusions to the naked eye. One should view Sapphires with a fluorescent light or under daylight.
Padparadscha's can be bought in a variety of different shapes. Due to the shape of the rough stones
they are often cut with deep pavilions. The most common are oval and cushions, with some rounds and emeralds. Slight premiums are paid for the round stones.
A good Padparadscha can reach a similar price to a fine Ruby or an Emerald. Like all gem stones the prices vary according to size and quality. At the very top end they can reach as much as $30,000 per carat!
Today many Padparadscha's are heat treated to improve their appearance. Untreated stones can fetch a premium that is sometimes 50% or more compared with treated stones of similar quality. A fraudulent treatment that can be used is when a pink stone is irradiated to give it a Padparadscha colour. This colour is unstable and will fade with exposure to the sun. As with all precious gem stones, we advise you have them tested by a reputable lab to determine if the gem has been enhanced.
Please contact SoL if you need some recommendations.
Keep a look out for a new SoL design using a beautiful untreated Padparadscha - coming soon!!
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