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Top Quality Padparadscha
Sapphire Gemstones
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Padparadscha is the Sinhalese word meaning "lotus blossom". Padparadscha
is Corundum in the pastel shades of delicate Orange-Yellow-Pink.
Padparadscha can run from a more predominant Pink with nice Yellow-Orange
mixed in, to the intense pastel tones of predominantly Hot Pink with Yellow-Orange mixed
in, this means the Pink would be the more predominant color in the
stone but the others are present and visible. At the other end of
the color spectrum Padparadscha can run from a more predominant pastel
Orange with nice Pink-Yellow mixed in, to the darker tones of Orange with
Pink-Yellow mixed in. One color can be more predominant than the others,
but never without the others. The 4 photos above
reflect the variance in color. The AGTA Lab
recently took a variety of stones that dealers suggested met the criteria of
Padparadscha and scientifically defined the color range using an imaging
spectrophotometer. Unfortunately, the results of that attempt almost
entirely excluded the stones produced from Tanzania’s Umba Valley.
Most dealers and gemologists feel that the
Umba stones do not qualify because of their overly dark tones and strong brown
(’garnet like’) component. The spectacular “aurora” red-orange stones from
Vietnam and Madagascar, even though there are no brown components in those
stones, are also excluded by the AGTA definition because of their oranges of
high saturation and/or dark tones, this is mainly because Sri Lanka has
traditionally never produced such colors. In other words, when it comes to
getting a gem report on Padparadscha, if it isn't from Sri Lanka and in a pastel
shade, it probably isn't a true Padparadscha. Most Padparadscha
tends to have slight inclusions, especially in the rich intense tones, so if you
see one that is a well cut and eye clean (or better) stone, with rich pastel
blended color having all three colors evenly balanced and saturated throughout
the stone, you are looking at one of the most expensive and sought after top quality
Padparadscha gems available from the mines in Sri Lanka (Ceylon). We
only carry the finest natural Ceylon Padparadscha Sapphire which carries a
premium price nearing and oftentimes surpasses the price for fine Ceylon (kashmir
and royal) Blue Sapphire. Padparadscha Sapphire is rarer than fine Ruby
with a great investment potential!
Buyers Beware: There is a new bulk diffusion treatment process being performed
in Thailand that changes a lower quality pinkish Sapphire into the
beautiful "Padparadscha" Sapphire. AGTA and GIA gem labs, after examination of this
'bulk diffused' heat treatment
process reveals that the color does not go all the way through the gem,
but is only in the outer layer, so if the stone is ever scratched or recut the
Padparadscha color layer would be removed and the original color would then be
visible underneath the outer layer of the
gemstone.
Since Asian gem suppliers (and there are many online now)
are not subject to the same disclosure laws as we are here in the US, these
enhancement processes are rarely disclosed to the buyer, so Buyers please
Beware. For example, you may see a premium Ceylon Padparadscha Sapphire
advertised on one of those websites for what appears to be pennies on the
dollar, but be assured that the stone was most likely 'bulk diffused" by one of these
Asian factories. Some of these gem suppliers even go to great lengths to
try to convince the public that there is no difference in the value of their artificially colored and/or
treated gem, and the value of a natural Padparadscha gem, but any experienced
jeweler will verify that a statement like that is totally untrue.
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