Sapphire origin analysis: Sri Lanka, Australia, Tanzania, Thailand, Cambodia, Malawi, Madagascar and the United States

It is true that similar mineral properties exist around the world, but they may have subtle differences in color, contents, etc. For some gemmongers and consumers, one of the reasons why the country of origin may be important lies in brand and history. Sapphires from some producing areas have earned a reputation for their historical high-quality output and have a special charm different from other producing areas. In addition, sapphires from specific countries may be regarded as rare and precious because the production from these producing areas may be less, making these gems more precious.

At the same time, the country of origin is also associated with culture and emotion. For example, the royal family of Britain traditionally uses sapphires from Sri Lanka, so sapphires from this country may carry the symbol of royalty and honor in the hearts of some buyers.

To sum up, the origin of sapphires is indeed a complex and thorny issue, and purchasing decisions should consider multiple factors, including beauty, quality, reputation of the place of origin, and personal feelings. For those consumers who value the origin, ensuring that they buy certified sapphires may be a more reassuring choice. For some gemstone merchants and consumers, they may pay more attention to the inherent quality and beauty of gems.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and Madagascar are the most famous sources of high-quality sapphires. Sri Lanka was once called "Ceylon," and now it is called "Sri Lanka." The sapphires produced by Sri Lanka are only comparable to the new deposits in Madagascar in terms of quantity and quality. In many cases, sapphires produced in Madagascar are almost indistinguishable from sapphires from Sri Lanka. They are similar in color and internal crystal characteristics, and their prices are also equivalent.

Madagascar Sapphire

Madagascar is relatively new to the gemstone industry, but has made a name for itself in the gemstone world since the discovery of major precious mineral deposits in 1998.

It was a former French colony before gaining independence in 1960. Despite its political independence and strong exports, Madagascar, like many other African countries in the region, faces socio-economic difficulties. As a predominantly agricultural society, the discovery of gemstone deposits became a welcome addition to the economic poverty in the country's south at the end of the 20th century.

Other mineral deposits have also been discovered in the north of the country and produce gems of various colors and hues, coupled with a large and growing supply, helping the African island country to become one of the largest trading countries in the world, especially when it comes to sapphires.

One of the unique selling points of Madagascar sapphires lies in its size: gems from this area are known for their relatively large carats. Therefore, in addition to having a variety of colors, the size factor also makes these sapphires uniquely attractive. Due to the wide variety of sapphires, Madagascar has even begun to challenge Ceylon (Sri Lanka), the potential leader of the sapphire world. In fact, it is even able to provide some rare varieties of sapphires, such as the famous Padparadscha, a lotus-colored sapphire found in Sri Lanka.

Myanmar

Myanmar is another country that has long produced high-quality sapphires. Myanmar sapphires are often described as sapphire blue, usually skewed to the dark side of sapphire blue. Some gemologists, retailers, and auctioneers believe that Myanmar sapphires are the best quality sapphires, but this is not an absolutely fair evaluation. Each sapphire should be evaluated based on its pure beauty and appearance. Although the sapphires produced in Myanmar are of higher quality, the production is relatively small and the size is large, so the price is usually 50% to 100% higher than the sapphires in Madagascar or Sri Lanka.

At Natural Sapphire Company, we believe that origin is not a decisive factor that is worth spending a premium when buying sapphires. We advocate that sapphires be evaluated mainly based on their inherent natural beauty. Our experience shows that it is difficult to accurately evaluate the origin of sapphires, even if the best gemstone laboratory in the world is used for origin certification, the margin of error is about 50%. Because sapphires from famous origin all have intersecting internal characteristics.

Kashmir

Kashmir sapphires are known for their fabulous fame. These gems were found in Kashmir, India, in the late 19th century and were usually of excellent quality. "Cornflower Blue" is often used to describe the hue of these gems, and the term is often described as "velvety" or "sleepy" because the color is very soft and charming. However, these mineral deposits have been depleted as early as the 1920s, and no new sapphires have been found in Kashmir.

Therefore, the price of Kashmir sapphires has always been overvalued. And a lot of stones from Madagascar are mistaken for Kashmir sapphires. Therefore, we do not recommend buying the exorbitant price required by "Kashmir certification."

Australian sapphire

Australia's sapphire trade dates back to 1851. At that time, gemstones were discovered near gold mines in Cudgegong and the Macquarie River in New South Wales, laying the foundation for gemstone mining. Later, there were also discoveries of sapphires in other parts of New South Wales. However, commercial gemstone mining did not begin until the early 20th century. With the introduction of mechanized mining in the late 1950s, Australia's sapphire production began to increase rapidly, emerging in terms of quality and availability, becoming a major sapphire and ruby supplier country in the European market.

In the 1960s, the Queensland government actively promoted the development of small independent sapphire miners, which further spawned smaller and more localized gemstone mining communities. The global demand for precious stones and Australia's rise as a top tourist destination further promoted the prosperity of the Australian sapphire industry. With the introduction of heavy machinery, more progress was made in sapphire mining in Australia, contributing to a mining boom in Australian areas such as Queensland, and in some places even formed a small gold rush.

However, more competition ensued from countries such as Thailand and Sri Lanka, which caused the market position of Australian sapphires to begin to decline, and these countries had a large number of high-quality gem resources. On average, Australian sapphires tended to be darker in color and had dual-color properties: the visible light that shone on the gemstone was split into two wavelengths, thus creating a dual-tone effect in the same gemstone. In modern times, Australia was known for its "partial sapphire" varieties, which made it unique in the sapphire market.

American (Montana) Sapphire

Although it may be difficult to regard the United States as a sapphire mining country, with its strong industrial base, mining infrastructure, technological strength, and vast territory, the United States has begun to dabble in the field of sapphire mining. Interestingly, as early as 1865, gold diggers discovered sapphires near the Missouri River in the United States. Although there was little interest aroused at that time, the gold rush in the 1900s indirectly led to the discovery of new sapphire deposits in the area. These gems of various colors soon became a source of fascination for wealth-hungry diggers. Although the mining speed of sapphires was much slower than that of gold, over time, sapphire mining institutions in the United States also gradually emerged.

Montana's sapphires were famous for their light-colored series, under the name "Montana Sapphire." Places such as Dry Cottonwood Creek and Rock Creek became famous sapphire mining centers. The sapphires in the United States were famous for their various larger carat and light-colored sapphires. Although the United States may be relatively new in sapphire mining, with its potential and resources, it gradually took a place in the sapphire market.

Other countries such as Thailand, Tanzania, Australia, Montana and Cambodia also produce large quantities of sapphires, but they are usually suitable for commercial jewelry purposes. Some gems may be produced in these countries and are of outstanding quality and expensive prices, but there are also many sapphires that need to be processed to sell, usually with secondary colors.

Therefore, when buying sapphires, one should mainly pay attention to the beauty and pure nature of the gemstone, rather than placing too much emphasis on the origin. Origin identification is not a reliable subject