Sapphire Hand Picked by Steve & Michael Moriarty
Immerse yourself in the timeless beauty of sapphire gemstones, each one hand-selected by Steve Moriarty and the artisans at Moriarty’s Gem Art. Celebrated for far more than classic blue, sapphires occur in an extraordinary spectrum of colors—from rich royal and cornflower blues to vivid pinks, golden yellows, elegant greens, teals and rare fancy colors.
Sapphire
Few colored gemstones have the history, beauty and prestige of sapphire gemstones. Best known for their magnificent blue colors, natural sapphires actually occur in an extraordinary range of hues—from classic royal and cornflower blue to pink, yellow, orange, green and unique combinations of colors.
Explore our collection of loose sapphire gemstones selected for their color, beauty and individual character. Whether you're searching for a fine sapphire for a custom piece of jewelry, an unusual stone for your gemstone collection or simply something you won't see in an ordinary jewelry store, every sapphire offers something different.
Natural Sapphire Gemstones
Sapphire belongs to the mineral family corundum, the same mineral species as ruby. Red corundum is classified as ruby, while corundum occurring in other colors is generally considered sapphire.
Although blue sapphire gemstones are the most recognized, sapphire's remarkable range of natural colors is one of the reasons the gemstone is so fascinating to collectors and jewelry buyers.
Depending on our current inventory, you may find sapphires in colors including:
- Blue sapphire
- Pink sapphire
- Yellow sapphire
- Orange sapphire
- Green sapphire
- Purple or violet sapphire
- Parti-colored sapphire
- Color-change sapphire
- Unique fancy-color sapphires
Natural variations in hue, tone and saturation mean that no two sapphires are exactly alike.
Blue Sapphire Gemstones
The classic blue sapphire gemstone has been prized for centuries and remains one of the world's most desirable colored gemstones.
But "sapphire blue" isn't a single color.
Natural blue sapphires can range from lighter, brighter blues to rich royal blue and deep velvety shades. Some stones contain subtle hints of violet or green, while others display an exceptionally pure blue.
For luxury jewelry, color is often one of the first characteristics buyers notice. A beautifully saturated blue combined with an excellent cut can produce a sapphire with remarkable depth and brilliance.
Pink, Orange & Fancy Color Sapphires
Some of the most interesting sapphires aren't blue at all.
Pink sapphire gemstones range from delicate pastel pink to intensely saturated pinks approaching the color boundary between sapphire and ruby. Their combination of durability and beautiful color makes pink sapphires an exceptional choice for rings and other frequently worn fine jewelry.
Orange sapphire gemstones can range from soft golden-orange to vivid sunset hues. Particularly desirable sapphires can also combine pink and orange coloration, producing some of the most distinctive colors found in the corundum family.
Yellow, green, purple, parti-colored and color-change sapphires offer even more possibilities for buyers who want something less traditional.
Loose Sapphire Gemstones for Custom Jewelry
Purchasing a loose sapphire gemstone gives you the opportunity to choose the stone first and create the jewelry around it.
Rather than settling for the sapphire already mounted in a finished piece, you can compare individual gemstones and select the combination of color, shape, size and personality that appeals to you.
Once you've found your sapphire, our jewelers can help transform it into a custom ring, pendant, necklace or other one-of-a-kind piece of fine jewelry.
Sapphires are particularly well suited to rings. Corundum measures 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, making sapphire one of the hardest natural gemstone materials and an excellent option for jewelry designed to be worn regularly.
Sapphire Cuts & Shapes
Cutting a colored gemstone is about much more than creating a particular shape. The cutter must consider the original rough, depth of color, inclusions and optical properties of the sapphire before deciding how to bring out its best appearance.
Our loose sapphire gemstones may be available in a variety of traditional and custom shapes, including round, oval, cushion, pear, emerald, radiant and other specialty cuts.
A well-cut sapphire can improve light return, enhance the apparent color and bring life to a gemstone that might otherwise appear overly dark or dull.
Sapphire Gemstones for Collectors
While many people purchase sapphires for jewelry, exceptional stones can also be fascinating additions to a gemstone collection.
Unusual colors, exceptional cutting, distinctive inclusions, significant sizes and stones from notable geographic origins can all make an individual sapphire especially interesting.
Origin can also play a role in the story and desirability of certain sapphires. Gem-producing regions around the world are known for sapphires with different characteristics, but geographic origin should be established through appropriate gemological testing rather than assumed from appearance alone.
For serious buyers considering an important sapphire, independent laboratory documentation can provide additional information about the gemstone and any detectable treatments.
What Should You Look for When Buying a Sapphire?
Unlike diamonds, there isn't one simple grading system that determines the quality of every sapphire.
Color is usually one of the most important considerations. Look at the gemstone's hue, saturation and overall tone, but also consider how attractive the stone appears to you in different lighting.
Cut, clarity, carat weight, treatments and rarity can also influence a sapphire's beauty and value. Most importantly, compare individual stones. Two sapphires of identical weight can look dramatically different because of their color, proportions and cutting.
The best sapphire isn't necessarily the largest or darkest stone—it's the one with the combination of characteristics you find most beautiful.
Shop Sapphire Gemstones for Sale
Explore our current sapphire gemstones for sale and discover everything from traditional blue sapphires to unusual fancy colors and collector-quality stones.
At Moriarty's Gem Art, our family has spent more than 40 years working with gemstones and fine jewelry. We believe buying an important gemstone should be about more than selecting a stone from a photograph. If you have questions about a particular sapphire, its color, cut or suitability for a custom jewelry design, our team is here to help.
Find the loose sapphire gemstone you love, then make it entirely your own.
