All you need to know about sapphire prices

The price of sapphire is influenced by many factors, but is based on the 4Cs: clarity, carats, color and cut. Discover some useful benchmarks, to better understand the value of this resplendent stone.

How do you estimate the price of a sapphire?

Carats are a major price driver, but 1 carat of sapphire (0.20 grams) has no fixed price. Several factors influence the quality and therefore the price of sapphire. Quality depends not only on purity (inclusions visible or not to the naked eye), but also on cut, country of origin and color, which can be more or less sought-after depending on the period.

Rare sapphires are expensive, especially when the quality is admirable and they weigh more than 2 or 3 carats, as with padparadscha sapphire. Sapphires are more common, but a stone can have remarkable characteristics and if, on top of that, it's an unheated sapphire, the price soars.

About the price per gram of a sapphire

Rough sapphires and cut stones, whatever their origin or color, are priced in carats, not grams.

It's fair to say that if you see a sapphire with a price in grams, it's highly suspect. This is not the practice of gem market professionals anywhere in the world.

If people are looking for a blue sapphire with a price per gram, for example, it's usually due to confusion with the price of gold or other metals, which are valued according to a weight in grams, at least for those who use the metric system. It would be totally atypical to talk about the price of sapphire in grams, in a buying or selling context.

1 carat of sapphire at what price?

You can find a 1-carat sapphire for under €1,500 or over €6,000.... That's why it's crucial to be well advised and to buy a sapphire with a gemmological certificate.

The price per carat of sapphire is determined in part by the size of the stone. In other words, the larger the stone, the higher the price per carat. For gemstones, the price per carat increases with the volume of the stone. And sapphire is a stone whose price varies greatly according to provenance, more so than for other gemstones. The same applies to color.

What is the price of blue sapphire?

The best-known is blue sapphire, but it comes in several shades, the rarest of which is called "royal blue". Overall, the price of a dark blue sapphire is higher. This is never the only parameter, but pale sapphires are not highly prized.

Of course, carats increase sapphire prices tenfold, but their origin can also have a strong influence: for the same color and quality, a Ceylon sapphire is generally more expensive than one from Madagascar. That said, the highest prices tend to be for sapphires from Kashmir, where the most beautiful and generous gems are found.

Overall, blue sapphires of excellent quality command the highest prices.

The price of pink sapphire

Pink sapphire is growing in popularity. It doesn't match that of blue, but this makes it a popular stone, and prices are rising. A 1-carat pink sapphire can cost €1,500 to €3,000 or more, if it is a beautiful, intense, even (and unheated) color. Less expensive pink sapphires tend to be quite light in color, but this doesn't prevent them from being lovely, sometimes with pastel hues.

How much does a teal sapphire cost?

Again, the price of a teal sapphire depends on the 4Cs, but like each of the sapphire colors, it has its own specificities. There are, for example, highly prized two-tone teal sapphires.

As a rule, this color of sapphire is (relatively) affordable, although some prices are above average, for stones of unusual clarity and particularly well-cut.

Green sapphire prices

Green sapphire prices can be significant. They are not common stones, even in sapphire-rich countries.

This color comes in a variety of shades, so there's plenty of choice. It's not unusual for the price of a green sapphire to be higher than for other colors of the same quality and weight, although certain criteria can change this.

Violet sapphire prices

As with other sapphires, there is not necessarily a striking difference between the prices of violet sapphires and others, judged by the same quality criteria. It's possible to find a purple sapphire at an affordable price. However, exceptional stones of this color, weighing around 2 carats, sell for almost €10,000 (and much more for rare gems).

How much does a yellow sapphire cost?

When it comes to yellow sapphires, you're more likely to be looking for a bright canary yellow, which can make all the difference, especially if it's unheated and beautifully cut. However, many yellow sapphires are superb without necessarily commanding high prices. In fact, yellow sapphires cost a little less than many other sapphires, especially blue.

How much does an orange sapphire cost?

The most expensive orange sapphires are darker and more intense, but definitely not brown. Most are heated stones. They are among the rarest of sapphires and can show pinkish nuances. Genuine, pure orange sapphires are very expensive, even more so with carats, as they are mainly found in small sizes. But there are few truly exceptional specimens, with prices higher than those of blue sapphires.