Sapphire

The term sapphire used alone refers to the blue variety, coloured by intervalence charge transfer between iron and titanium. The term fancy sapphire encompasses all other colours, including yellow, green, and purple. Historically, the most revered blue sapphires originated from the marble-hosted deposits of Kashmir, noted for their velvety, cornflower blue, and from the alluvial gravels of Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Significant deposits also exist in Madagascar and Montana (Yogo Gulch). Standard heat treatment is a traditional and widely accepted manufacturing process used to dissolve rutile silk and intensify colour; unheated material is graded and valued separately.

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