Padparadscha Sapphire Color Analysis
Om
mani padme hum –
Hail the jewel
in the heart of
the lotus
—Buddhist mantra
A marriage made in heaven The ideal color of a padparadscha has been described by some as the marriage between a lotus flower and a sunset, each shown above. Photos © Richard W. Hughes/RWH Publishing & Books |
Padparadscha sapphire is a special variety of gem corundum, featuring a color that is a mixture of pink and orange - a marriage between ruby and yellow sapphire. The term is derived from the Sanskrit/Singhalese padmaraga, a color akin to the lotus flower. Some define the gem's color as a blend of lotus and sunset. It is among the most beautiful and valuable of the corundum gems. Prices for padparadschas vary greatly according to size and quality. At the top end, they may reach as much as US$30,000 per carat.
The original locality for padparadscha was Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Fine stones have also been found in Vietnam's Quy Chau district, Tanzania's Tunduru district, and Madagascar. Stones from these latter three areas are sometimes heat-treated. Note that we do not issue Padparadscha reports for stones that are treated by beryllium diffusion.
The AGTA GTC has worked closely with the Laboratory Manual Harmonization Committee (LMHC) to establish consistent standards for the definition of padparadscha. To determine if a gem does fall into the accepted range of a padparadscha, it will be compared under controlled lighting conditions to a range of standards, including master stones, printed samples and others. Gems that do fall into the padparadscha range will receive a "Padparadscha Sapphire" notation on our Identification Report.
There is an additional fee for Padparadscha Color Analysis. See our Fee Schedule for details.
Padparadscha Services Offered by the AGTA GTC
The AGTA GTC offers a number of services with regard to sapphires, as follows:
Padparadscha Color Analysis Report
This report includes the identification of a gemstone as a padparadscha and its nature: natural / synthetic, as well as its enhancement status:
- No indications of thermal enhancement, NTE
or... - Indications of thermal enhancement, TE
- Indications of flux healing of fissures (TE1–TE5)
- Presence of any glass fissure (F1–F3) or cavity filling (C1–C3)
Sample AGTA GTC Sapphire Identification Report. Click on the report for a larger PDF image. |
Padparadscha Origin Report
In addition to the information included in the Padparadscha Color Analysis Report, the probable origin of the gemstone is indicated, along with its enhancement status:
- No indications of thermal enhancement, NTE
or... - Indications of thermal enhancement, TE
- Indications of flux healing of fissures (TE1–TE5)
- Presence of any glass fissure (F1–F3) or cavity filling (C1–C3)
- Origin: Sri Lanka, Madagascar, etc
Fees for these services are listed on the AGTA GTC Fee Scale
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