Sapphires, Rubies

Sapphires and rubies both belong to a large family : that of corindons. They have the property and richness of forming a rainbow of colours. Blue is often associated with sapphires and red with rubies.
This is not to mention the various shades which these much appreciated gemstones harbour !
In addition to blue, sapphire can additionally be without colour, yellow, orange, pink, violet, green, black, etc.
When red, it is generally called a ruby.
Thanks to imperfections, oxides or other infiltrating elements during their formation, these corindons provide us with a vast array of colours to contemplate.
The imperfections of nature become a beautiful asset.
The diverse nature of these gemstones goes much further : certain sapphires and rubies may be star-shaped or even change colour depending on the lighting.
There are so many treasures to discover due to the beauty of these legendary gemstones...

The family traits of sapphires and rubies...

- Common properties

Both of these varieties of corindons have the same strength : 9 on the Mohs scale (scale of hardness going from 1 to 10, 1 for talc and 10 for diamond).
They are, therefore, highly resistant to abrasions and may be worn on a daily basis, in any form of jewellery whatsoever.

They are aluminium oxides (and are therefore composed of aluminium and oxygen). Their crystals may be in the shape of hexagonal pyramids, barrel-shaped, etc.

The characteristics of sapphires and rubies are, inter alia that they have bands of colours which are intersected, similar to silk threads which give the gemstone a rather silk-like aspect ; they have areas of high concentrations of colour ; small crystals ; liquid inclusions which are similar to fingerprints.

Some of these imperfections may favour colour, or the inverse. It is for this reason that the work of the stonecutter is key, as according to the required size, the shine will be different and the gemstone will be more or less shiny. The goal is to retain a maximum amount of weight whilst showcasing the assets and advantages of the gemstone, which often involves transformation of the defects into assets.

Both originate from a mother rock such as marble, gneiss or basalt and are extracted at high altitude or from river banks.

The sources of these gemstones are distributed across the entire globe, with a high concentration in Asia and Africa.

- Heating our cherished corindons

Of course, nature often manages to achieve things in such manner as no other processing or treatment is required : it is able to create gemstones full of life all alone.
When this is not the case, people continue the work which nature begins.
Many treatments and processes exist to make sapphires and rubies more pleasant to admire. Amongst these, the heating process. This process is a perfection treatment which reveals and reinforces the colour of gemstones. Te majority of sapphires and rubies sold today are heated in this manner, which has existed since the Antiquity in Sri Lanka and does not harm or damage the gemstone in any way. Certain corindons are too pale, do not have enough shine, or are inversely too dark. Artificially heating these does not alter the fact these are natural stones, only their shine is showcased more. Just ass nature allows their colour to develop during formation, people taken over and apply similar conditions in order to further develop their beauty.
Heating is clearly distinct from other treatments and processes which are highly intrusive and which may harm or damage the gemstone (for example : rubies where their cracks are filled with glass in order to improve their appearance). In this instance, a foreign body is introduced into the gemstone, meaning the gemstone can no longer be considered as entirely natural.

- A reputation which speaks for itself...

Sapphires and rubies form the four gemstones considered as the most precious (the two others being diamonds and emeralds). This is not by chance, as these are hard stones which resist well to shocks and trauma.

For several thousand years, these corindons are associated with the garments and crowns of some of the most prestigious figures in the world and inspire strong symbolism, passion, beauty, wisdom for rubies and nobility, belief, sincerity for sapphires.

And of course... their most evident common feature is the attraction and appeal they inspire in lovers of bright and beautiful gemstones. This has been true since their discovery. These are essential gemstones which are not ready to be unseated : how is it possible to grow tired of such colours and shine which nature has so gracefully brandished ?

Sapphires : the hidden face of a corindon which was always believed to be blue...

In its purest form, this is a colour-less aluminium oxide.
Imperfections and other elements will determine its final colour.
When we use the term sapphire, we understand blue sapphire.
In Greek, "sappheiros" means "blue-coloured stone".
The combination of imperfections such as iron and titanium give the stone this coveted and renowned colour.
The higher the iron content of sapphire, the more marked its blue.

- Origins

Just as rubies, Asia is the home of sapphires.
The three sources to have made the deepest mark on the history of Sapphires are Kashmir, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Blue sapphires which originate from these locations are considered to be of higher quality than anywhere else.
Sri Lanka represents one of the richest lands in gemstones in the world.
The majority of sapphires considered to be of higher quality and whose weight exceeds 100 carats come from Sri Lanka.

According to the origins, various terms and characteristics are attributed to sapphires, sometimes incorrectly. And it is not easy to confirm the origin of a stone, simply by going on its shine, inclusions, or the intensity of its colours.

For instance, we use the name "Kashmir Sapphire" to refer to sapphires with colours similar to the blue, due to its dominant violet-blue colour with pure silky blue and its depth, these are typical criteria of sapphires originating from Kashmir.
This type of sapphire is extremely rare.

Other major sources from Asia are Thailand, Vietnam, China and Cambodia.
More generally, sapphires can also be found in Africa (Niger, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania) and in Madagascar, where many sapphires have been extracted for several decades. They are often sold on elsewhere under the name of Sri Lanka sapphire, or Ceylon.
There are other sources such as Australia and the USA (Montana State).

The majority of sapphires are cut in Asia.

- A rainbow of sapphires

Sapphires have a hidden side. They can take on multiple appearances, fulfilling even the strictest of admirers.
One of the most coveted colours is orange-rose : this is the famous Padparadascha, which means "lotus flower" in Sinhalese. This sublime colour, comparable to the flesh of a ripe guava fruit, raises the sapphire to rank as one of the most noble and esteemed gemstones.
Its colour is owed in part to elements such as iron and chromium. The colour of sapphires is unique.
Just as Padparadscha, intense pink sapphires are highly appreciated as they are rather uncommon and of unrivalled beauty. Their colour is in large part due to the chromium.
A combination of iron, chromium and titanium generally contributes to the purple colour of sapphires.
There are also purple-red sapphires whose colour is not due to chromium but rather to the presence of beryllium. Green sapphires take their colour from several elements including titanium and iron. It is not always easy to find green sapphires of such intensity and vibrant shine. Other stones such as tsavorites or tourmalines are generally much brighter green.
Iron is also responsible for the yellow-orange colour of a sapphire. Certain traces of chromium sometimes infiltrate the stone to enhance this colour.
Colour-less sapphire, also called "leucosapphire" (leuco meaning white, colourless in Greek) is the purest of all sapphires given that it is not coloured by any impurity or imperfection. This was often used as a substitute for diamond and is now much more affordable. Just as black sapphires, which experienced a great deal of success with that of black diamonds.

Philippe Tournaire likes to paint with the pallet of colours offered by sapphires, a gemstone full of surprises. By combining these together, the jeweller creates his very own unique harmony : sparkling colours which jump from the image to give life to the work. This is the magic of the rainbow of sapphires !

Rubies - the exclusive nature of red

Rubies are the red corindon par excellence. In Sanskrit, rubies are called "ratnaraj", which means "king of precious stones".
Considered as the most coveted variety of corindons, the colour of rubies comes from chromium. The more present this element, the more intense the redness.
There is much controversy surrounding the origin of the name of this gemstone. There is often a fine line between an intense red ruby and a bright strawberry pink-red ruby.

- Origins

One term is often brandished when describing the best colour of a ruby : "pigeon blood".
It is in reality very rare to see pigeon blood ! This image indicates a redness which is slightly tinged with purple, and is a very specific type of ruby. Philippe Tournaire does not limit himself to this description, he selects his rubies for their vibrant, intense, sparkling and lively colours.
Concurrently, this name also refers to Myanmar rubies, and notably those from Mogok, which is the most notable historical source of rubies.
Despite the established criteria for valuation, it goes without saying that the beauty of a ruby lies in the eye of the holder and is highly subjective.

Rubies are primarily found in Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Africa is additionally an abundant source of rubies, as these are found in Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and also Madagascar.

This unique gemstone, due to its intense red, so coveted across the entire world, can be distinguished from others and will remain rooted in history.
Much coveted since its initial discovery, it is moreover one of the first coloured gems to have been imitated, thousands of years ago, by simple coloured pieces of glass. However, its imperfections which characterise the ruby, just like sapphires, as well as its unequalled colours cannot be replicated. The charm of the imperfections of nature also reside in the fact that they make up the natural character of a gemstone so sublime as the ruby.

- Chameleon and star corindons : "Enigmatic gems"

Sapphire, "rainbow" sapphires and rubies are the major components of the corindon family. However, this is a large family and includes many different types of sapphire, all just as extraordinary and colourful !
Did you know that these gemstones sometimes display some of the most marvellous stars ? Once more, these gemstones transport us into an imaginary world which allows our dreams to run wild...
There are star rubies and sapphires. This physical phenomenon called "asterism" appears in the form of a 6 branch star, most of the time (and sometimes 4 or 12 branches, however these remain rare). This occurs when the light is reflected by small inclusions which are similar to scintillating pins, which interweave in several directions.
These gemstones are cut as cabochon, which showcases this spectacle of a star within an enigmatic gemstone.
A star ruby or sapphire of high quality should display a fine, distinct star which is central at the top of the stone and does not change its shape when viewed from various angles and viewpoints. The more marked the contrast between the colour of the gemstone and the star, the more worthwhile it is to have the stone valued.
On the whole, these star corindons are found in the same regions as sapphires and rubies which do not display a star.

Philippe Tournaire likes to create his works by including star rubies and sapphires with strange and finely selected colours, which often transcend the ring itself. The rare charm of these gemstones is then showcased.

Another rather atypical corindon is the "chameleon" sapphire :
This changes colour depending on the light to which it is exposed.
This intriguing violet-blue gemstone shows a purple colour in daylight, and is tinged with red under artificial light.
Vanadium is the element which triggers such a colour change. This imperfection is rarely present during the formation of sapphires, which makes "chameleon" gemstones even more unique due to their rarity.
These are often compared to gemstones called alexandrite, which display the same particularity.

The family of corindons is not limited to just blue sapphires and red rubies. It includes all colours of the rainbow, and the stars...
This diversity leads to its strength. A single gemstone, with different inclusions, can be transformed and undergo vast metamorphosis. There are so many colours to be viewed, so many journeys through beauty offered to us by nature... The kingdom of sapphires and rubies is constantly rediscovered, with a constantly renewed pleasure.
Philippe Tournaire covets this gemstone with a thousand faces, which constitutes a key element of his various creations. We organise workshops during which you can find out more about sapphires and rubies of various different types. Welcome to the colourful family of the corindons !