Sapphire
Wholesale sapphire — buying guide for the trade
Corundum's blue (and rainbow) face. The most commercially important coloured stone in fine jewellery, with origin and treatment driving price more than any other factor.
Key properties
- Mineral
- Corundum (Al₂O₃)
- Hardness
- 9 (Mohs)
- Key origins
- Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Madagascar, Kashmir, Thailand, Australia
- Typical treatments
- Heat (standard), beryllium diffusion, lead-glass filling
What to look for when buying wholesale
- Insist on a recent independent lab report (SSEF, Gübelin, GIA, GRS, AGL) for any stone above ~USD 3,000.
- Origin commands a premium: Kashmir > Burma > Sri Lanka (unheated) > Madagascar > everywhere else.
- Confirm "unheated" in writing — it can multiply value 2–10×.
- Beware beryllium-diffused fancy colours: declared and priced very differently.
Certification guidance
SSEF and Gübelin lead for high-end. GIA is the global benchmark on origin and treatment. GRS is widely accepted in the Thai trade — read the treatment line carefully.
Treatment disclosure
Standard heat is the trade default and disclosed but not penalised. Beryllium diffusion, lead-glass filling and surface coatings must always be disclosed and priced far below natural.
Typical wholesale price tiers
| Tier | Wholesale | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial | $50–$500 / ct | Heated, commercial colour, calibrated sizes |
| Fine | $500–$3,000 / ct | Heated, vivid colour, eye-clean, certified |
| Exceptional | $3,000–$30,000+ / ct | Unheated, premium origin, top colour |
Prices are indicative wholesale-to-trade ranges. Actual offers depend on origin, certification and supply at the time of enquiry.
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