Sapphire origins: Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Kashmir, Madagascar and more
· GemColony
Why origin matters
Origin affects how a sapphire is described and priced. Stones from historic sources can carry a premium, but only when the origin is supported, usually by a gemological laboratory report. A seller's say-so is not enough.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has produced sapphire for centuries, mostly from alluvial gravels in areas such as Ratnapura and Elahera. It is known for blue sapphire, padparadscha, star sapphire and a wide range of fancy colours.
Myanmar (Burma) and Kashmir
Myanmar is a historic source of fine blue sapphire and is better known for ruby and spinel. Kashmir sapphires, from a small mining area in the Himalayas in the late 1800s, are famous for a velvety blue and are very rare today.
Madagascar, Thailand and Cambodia
Madagascar became a major source from the late 1990s, with large finds such as Ilakaka. Thailand and Cambodia (Pailin) have long produced darker blue sapphire, and Thailand is also a major centre for heating and trading stones.
Other sources
Australia, Tanzania, Kenya, Montana in the USA and other places also produce sapphire, in a range of colours and qualities.
Recording origin
Store the origin stated on the lab report, the lab and the report number, and keep a separate note of where you bought the stone. If the two differ, say so.