Universal Shades: A Guide to Gemstone Colours Part II

Why do some gemstone colours have special names and others are just ‘blue’, ‘red’ and ‘green’? It’s an interesting question and one that I started answering with the help of gem dealers and brands in part one of this article. Next, we are moving on to other brand-like gemstone monikers, including a trio of tourmalines, an Aztec-inspired opal, and a shade of sapphire that’s evocative of European summer days…

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Who has the power to ‘brand’ a gemstone? If you’ve read part one of this two-part feature, you’ll know that this isn’t an easy question to answer. Sometimes, gemstones are named for their point of origin, the characteristics of their colour or the person who discovered them. When these names stick and stand the test of time, becoming a recognisable trade name among gem dealers and collectors, then we can say they’ve become like gemstone brands. In part two, I would like to draw your attention to five more identifying names that have taken types or shades of gems and turned them into the jewellery industry’s versions of ‘household names’. Let’s meet some gemstone celebrities…

Cornflower Blue

Go ahead and Google a cornflower and then return to this article! A ‘cornflower blue’ sapphire, although typically referring to those from Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka), is a moniker that encapsulates a pure blue that’s more intense than pastel-hued but less striking than a royal blue. A cornflower sapphire in person is remarkably striking, largely because it is closest to ‘true blue’, and this is one of the rarest colours in nature.

Michelle Althöfer of German gemstone lapidarist, Karl Faller, explains: Cornflower blue sapphires are rare and popular because of their bright, highly saturated and ‘open’ colour with a good lustre, which is reminiscent of the valuable Kashmir sapphires. It looks fantastic in every light; therefore, these stones are perfect to wear in the evening without looking too dark. An unheated ‘cornflower blue’ sapphire from Sri Lanka is approximately 30% higher in price than a ‘blue’ one.

Rubellites have become more and more popular the last few years, says Nicole Ripp of Idar-Oberstein-based lapidary, Groh + Ripp. At the same time, though, really nice precious material is hard to acquire. Although prices have increased tremendously, the demand continues to stay high.