What makes Australian Sapphires unique and valuable?

Australian sapphires from Sapphire Dreams have all been sustainably and ethically sourced from small and large scale mines across the country. Australia is one of the world’s largest producers of Sapphires, recognised primarily for its wide diverse range and many Parti Sapphires.

The mines in Queensland and New South Wales produce sapphires of many different colours and sizes and are the source of all the sapphires at Sapphire Dreams. All down the Eastern side of the Australian continent, there are tertiary volcanic deposits where gem quality sapphire is found. Australian sapphires are of volcanic origins. Rocks formed from lavas and ash produced by volcanic eruptions.

The two main locations are:

- NSW: New England district of Northern NSW, near Inverell and Glenn Innes.

- QLD: The Anakie Gemfields around the villages of Sapphire and Rubyvale to the west of Emerald.

Australian sapphires are also recognised for having darker hues/undertones, boasting an array of deep blues and greens, not as common in other sapphire rich countries.

Roughly 85% of Australian sapphires occur in shades of blue, pastel, rich royal and midnight blue, 10% as parti sapphire and 5% shades of yellow and green stones. Pinks and other colours are extremely rare. NSW fields produce on average slightly more pure blues, and less greens, yellow and parti stones. QLD fields produce slightly darker and less pure blues, a greater proportion of greens, yellows and parti material. You can explore our diverse range of sapphires from deep blue through teal, green all the way to vibrant yellow and orange here.

Australia is also known to produce a significant amount of Parti Sapphires. These stones are unique as they contain two or more colours in a single stone. Sometimes referred to as ‘bi-colour’ or colour banding, Parti stones are unique as each is one-of-a-kind. Most commonly, these stones are made up of green and blue, with different combinations showing more in different lighting.

Additionally, ‘wattle’ sapphires are common in Australia, where one stone displays both yellow and green, creating a wattle like colour in certain lighting. Shop our Loose Australian parti sapphires and jewellery.