identified this stone yet
Orange Sapphire / Padparadscha
| Hardness | 9 |
| Specific gravity | 4.00 |
| Refractive index | 1.762-1.770 |
| Crystal system | 六方晶系（三方晶系） |
Pure orange, golden orange, salmon, peach, and the prized lotus-pink-orange of padparadscha. The classic padparadscha tone is described in Sinhalese as the color of a sunset reflected in still water.
- — confirms natural corundum
- nclusions along healed fractures
- Hexagonal color zoning
- egative crystals in clean stones
- Uniaxial negative
- Weak at high magnification
- Strong — orange and pink-orange directions visible through a dichroscope
- Adamantine luster
- 01nclusions confirm natural corundum
- 02Pink-orange mixed tone in roughly equal balance defines padparadscha
- 03Mohs 9, SG ~4.0 — distinctly denser than any spinel or topaz
- 04Medium orange-red LW confirms chromium chromophore
- Mohs 9 with no — among the most durable gems
- For high-value certified padparadscha, verify any fracture-filling treatment before ultrasonic cleaning
- Stable to light and ordinary chemicals
From a few tens of thousands of yen per carat for ordinary orange sapphire up to tens of millions of yen per carat for unheated certified padparadscha above 5 ct.
Note: Beryllium-diffusion treatment of orange-pink sapphire is widespread and must be disclosed; certified natural unheated padparadscha commands prices that rival fine ruby. Always require a recent (post-2003) report from a major laboratory — GIA, SSEF, Gübelin, AGL, or GIT — for any high-value purchase, and verify the laboratory's specific position on color terminology.
Orange sapphire owes its color to a combination of trace chromium (which contributes pink) and color centers (which contribute orange). When chromium and orange color centers occur together in the right balance, the result is padparadscha — a delicate pinkish-orange named for the lotus flower (Sanskrit padma-rāga, 'lotus color'). The strictest gemological houses (Gübelin, SSEF) require both pink and orange components in roughly equal balance to certify a stone as padparadscha; less balanced material is simply 'orange sapphire' or 'pink-orange sapphire.'
Origins
Ratnapura in Sri Lanka is the historic source of true padparadscha — its alluvial gem gravels produced almost all of the classical material — and remains the benchmark today. Ilakaka and Tuléar in Madagascar opened up as major commercial sources after the 1998 alluvial discoveries. The Umba Valley of Tanzania, Tunduru in the south, and Mogok in Myanmar all produce orange and orange-pink material, though Madagascar and Sri Lankan stones command the highest premiums on the certified-padparadscha market.
History
Padparadscha has been mentioned in Sri Lankan lapidary tradition for at least a thousand years; the name comes from the Sinhalese padmaraga, 'lotus color.' For most of the 20th century the stone remained a regional specialty, but international demand exploded after the 1989 marriage of Sarah Ferguson to Prince Andrew, whose engagement ring featured a Burmese padparadscha-style oval. The 2002 Tucson Gem Show beryllium-diffusion crisis — when chemist John Emmett and gemologist Ken Scarratt of the AGTA Gemological Testing Center disclosed that orange-pink sapphires were being color-altered by beryllium diffusion at Thai cutting houses — forced the trade to develop the rigorous lab certification regime that now governs the padparadscha market.
Lore & symbolism
September birthstone and the 45th-anniversary stone, alongside the other sapphire colors. In Theravada Buddhist tradition, the lotus rising from murky water symbolizes spiritual awakening — padparadscha by extension stands for renewal, creativity, and the warmth of the rising sun.
Tools to confirm this stone
Tools that help confirm Orange Sapphire / Padparadscha. Tap any item to jump to the matching section on the gem tools page.
- 最終確認日
- 2026年4月28日
- 参 考 文 献
- Gem Encyclopedia／ GIA (Gemological Institute of America)
- 宝石鑑別基準／ 中央宝石研究所 (CGL)
- Mineral & Gem Database／ Mindat.org / Gemdat.org
- 宝石学入門／ 全国宝石学協会
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