Sapphire color chart: shades, names and which color is finest

By HeyGema™ · Updated November 5, 2026

In short

Sapphire is gem corundum of any color except red. GIA says color has the greatest influence on a sapphire's value, and that strong to vivid saturation is preferred whatever the hue. A round 1 carat sapphire measures about 6.2 mm.

13shades on the chart
6.2 mm1 carat, round
9hardness (Mohs)

Sapphire colors

Sapphire is gem corundum of any color except red. Blue is the default and the other colors are called fancy sapphires. Red corundum is ruby.

Royal blueA vivid, medium-dark blue. GIA reserves the name for highly saturated blue.
Kashmir-style blueA velvety, slightly purplish blue. Sellers sometimes use the name for the look and not the origin, so ask for a lab report if origin matters.
Cornflower blueA lighter, medium-tone blue. The name is widely overused.
Light blueA pale blue.
PadparadschaA rare pinkish orange. Its exact definition has always been debated, and labs give an opinion on each stone.
PinkA strong pink.
OrangeA pure orange.
YellowYellow to orangy yellow.
GreenA medium green.
Violet to purpleFrom violet to purple.
WhiteNear colorless. Colorless corundum is rare in nature.
Color change, daylightThe blue phase of a color-change stone.
Color change, incandescentThe purple phase of the same stone.

The swatches are illustrations picked to match the color names. Screens and light change how color looks, and a cut stone changes with the light, so judge a stone in person or from a daylight photo.

Which sapphire color is finest

GIA says color has the greatest influence on a sapphire's value, and that strong to vivid saturation is preferred whatever the hue. For blue, the long-standing reference is a velvety, evenly blue stone of medium to medium-dark tone. Very dark or greenish blues, and grayish or yellowish blues, are valued lower.

How gemologists describe color

Gemologists describe the color of a stone with hue, tone and saturation, and look at the three together. For colored stones they also look at how evenly the color is spread.

Hue: The color you would name, such as blue, green or red, or a blend such as bluish green.
Tone: How light or dark that color looks, from pale to very dark.
Saturation: How strong or pure the color looks, from dull (grayish or brownish) to vivid.
Evenness: How evenly the color is spread through the stone. Color zoning is uneven color, such as bands or patches you can see.

Colored stones have no single color scale like the D to Z scale for diamonds, so sellers use their own words. Ask for a daylight photo and for the size in mm as well as the carat weight.

What affects sapphire color

Cause of color: Blue comes from iron together with titanium, and more iron gives a darker blue. Chromium gives pink, and ruby's red.
Treatments: Heat is common and accepted but must be disclosed. Much of the market's sapphire, blue and fancy, is heated or treated with beryllium diffusion. Unheated stones with an independent lab report earn a premium.
Light and angle: Color-change sapphires most often go from blue in daylight or fluorescent light to purple under incandescent light.
Wear and care: Sapphire is very hard and tough, and it has no cleavage.

Sapphire color and size

Large blue sapphires are easier to find than large rubies, but fine-quality large stones are rare. Most commercial-quality sapphires weigh under 5 carats. Carat is weight, not size. A round 1 carat sapphire measures about 6.2 mm, against 6.5 mm for a diamond of the same weight. This table gives the face-up size of a well-cut sapphire.

0.5 ct: Round: 4.9 mm; Oval: 6.1 x 4.2 mm; Cushion: 4.3 x 4.3 mm

1 ct: Round: 6.2 mm; Oval: 7.7 x 5.3 mm; Cushion: 5.4 x 5.4 mm

2 ct: Round: 7.8 mm; Oval: 9.7 x 6.6 mm; Cushion: 6.8 x 6.8 mm

3 ct: Round: 8.9 mm; Oval: 11.1 x 7.6 mm; Cushion: 7.7 x 7.7 mm

5 ct: Round: 10.6 mm; Oval: 13.1 x 9.0 mm; Cushion: 9.2 x 9.2 mm

10 ct: Round: 13.3 mm; Oval: 16.5 x 11.4 mm; Cushion: 11.6 x 11.6 mm

Weight	Round	Oval	Cushion
0.5 ct	4.9 mm	6.1 x 4.2 mm	4.3 x 4.3 mm
1 ct	6.2 mm	7.7 x 5.3 mm	5.4 x 5.4 mm
2 ct	7.8 mm	9.7 x 6.6 mm	6.8 x 6.8 mm
3 ct	8.9 mm	11.1 x 7.6 mm	7.7 x 7.7 mm
5 ct	10.6 mm	13.1 x 9.0 mm	9.2 x 9.2 mm
10 ct	13.3 mm	16.5 x 11.4 mm	11.6 x 11.6 mm

See the full sapphire size chart for every shape, or use the carat to mm calculator for any weight.

Sapphire properties

Hardness (Mohs): Value: 9

Refractive index: Value: 1.762 to 1.770

Specific gravity: Value: 3.95 to 4.03

Property	Value
Hardness (Mohs)	9
Refractive index	1.762 to 1.770
Specific gravity	3.95 to 4.03

Corundum, the same mineral as ruby. Denser than diamond, so it faces up smaller for its weight.

How to compare sapphire stones

Look at each stone in daylight and under indoor light. Color shifts with the light.
Ask for the size in mm as well as the carat weight. A sapphire of the same weight can differ in size by shape and cut.
Ask whether the color is natural or treated, and ask for the answer in writing.
For a stone that matters, ask for an independent lab report.

Designing with a colored stone? HeyGema lets you choose the stone shade and renders your design with it.

Questions

Blue is the default. GIA lists violet, green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, black, brown and in-between hues as fancy colors. Red corundum is called ruby.

A rare pinkish orange sapphire. The name comes from the Sinhalese word for lotus blossom. Its exact definition has always been debated, and a gem lab gives an opinion on each stone.

A velvety, evenly blue stone with strong to vivid saturation and a medium to medium-dark tone is the long-standing reference. Taste still decides, so compare stones in the same light.

A well-cut round sapphire of 1 carat is about 6.2 mm across (0.24 in). The table above gives the size of other shapes and weights.

No. They are illustrations picked to match the color names. Screens differ, and a cut stone changes with the light, so judge a stone in person or from a daylight photo.