Unique Australian Blue Sapphires

Australia is famous for its sapphires – a gemstone that’s becoming more popular and sought after. While most are known for their deep blue tones, Australian sapphires also come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, including rare multicolor types.

There are two major mining regions: Anakie and the New England Fields. Anakie produces mostly darker blue stones as well as green and yellow sapphires. In contrast, the New England region is known for near-colorless to pale blue sapphires free of green hues – and it’s also where some of the most beautiful blue sapphires originate.

The first sapphire was discovered in Inverell in 1854, but mining began about 40 years later, first in the Anakie fields. The nearby villages Rubyvale and Sapphire were named after the local gemstone mining. While other mining sites have been tried, none have succeeded so far. The gems are sorted manually and by machine, often heat-treated, then sold on-site to Thai traders and buyers.

Around 90% of sapphires from Australia display shades of blue – from nearly colorless to vivid royal blue. However, yellow, green, and bluish-green sapphires are also common. Rarer colors include light orange, pink, mauve, and violet.

Some sapphires are multicolored, blending various shades in one stone. Others are star sapphires, which may include shades of bronze, black, blue-grey, green, or gold, with a distinctive star-like pattern. A third rare variety is the wattle sapphire, named after Australia’s national flower, and it glows in yellow, green, and golden hues.

Whether rare or classic, these sapphires make exceptional jewelry pieces. And as sapphire mining slows, their value continues to rise.

Photo:stragems.com, gemadventurer.com,pixabay.com