In conversation with Ceylon Sapphire Experts - The Salie Brothers

Following my recent blog article on rare gemstones; I was curious to learn more about Padparascha sapphires in particular. I was fortunate to get the opportunity to interview two of Sri Lanka’s most prominent Sapphire experts about rare high quality corundum, in particular - Blue Sapphires and Padparascha sapphires.

Nabeel Salie (Left) and Faiq Salie (Right)

Faiq and Nabeel Salie hail from a prominent family of multigenerational Sapphire traders in Sri Lanka. (IG handle @sapphiresfromthesource)

Their great-grandfather Mr. Prince (M.U.M) Salie formed the family business over a century ago and was a gemstone entrepreneur extraordinaire!

About Prince M.U.M Salie

Traveling by steamship for months at a time, Prince (M.U.M) Salie is famously known for having carried suitcases of rare and spectacular colored gemstones from his Ceylonese mines to exhibit at the World’s Fairs in Australia, New Zealand and North America as early as 1915. He was a well respected and famed figure among the international gemstone community during the early 1900s, In fact, one gemstone he frequently carried with him from Ceylon was known as the ‘Salie stone’ among traders until the Gemological Institute of America renamed this stone ‘Moonstone’ in the Dictionary of Gems and Gemology published in 1970,

Salie stone was renamed Moonstone to better reflect its white bodycolor and particular optical phenomena called Adularescence (the blue sheen effect).

Images feature a collection of Memorabilia from Circa 1934/1935

Four generations later, the Salie family has expanded their operations, and today Faiq and Nabeel employ some of the most talented designers, gemologists and artisans in the South Asian region to deliver the highest quality Sapphires from Sri Lanka to the world. It truly was such an honor to discuss Ceylon Sapphires with Faiq and Nabeel.

Interview:

Q: For every sapphire, how many diamonds are present in the global jewelry market?

A: We’d say a lot ! But as diamond mining companies stringently control its supply, it’s difficult to confirm a number.

Q: What percentage of mined corundum are blue sapphires?

A: Because colored stone mining is done at an artisanal scale around the world, production figures are not readily available to confirm statistics. However, among Sri Lankan miners, we believe less that 50% of all mined corundum in Sri Lanka, is Blue. This figure also factors for Geuda - which is a form of the mineral corundum, or sapphire. Geuda is semitransparent and has milky appearance due to inclusions (material trapped inside of the mineral). Geuda isn’t really blue when found but when heated turns blue. Majority of the heated Blue Sapphire in the market were mined as Geuda.

Geuda Sapphire. Image belongs to Lang Antiques

Q: What percentage of Sapphires are enhanced?

A: Again, although there’s no official record, we feel it’s safe to say about 95% of Ceylon Sapphires are enhanced through heat treatment, this is why no heat (NH) stones command a premium price.

There are many treatments in the market today to enhance a sapphire. While some treatments are permanent others are not. Heat treatment (thermally enhancing in a furnace) is the oldest, most common and permanent/stable treatment of corundum and many other types of minerals. We strictly carry sapphires/corundum that are either natural or enhanced through heat treatment only. We don't carry gemstones subjected any other type of treatment.

Temporary treatments such as diffusion and fracture filling of stones are also seen in the market. For this reason, it’s very important to know what exactly it is that you are buying when shopping. Gemstones with temporary enhancement treatments are considered to be of a lower quality grade due to the impermanent nature of the treatment and some of these treatments may have an effect on the long term durability of the stone. For more information on gemstone treatments refer: https://www.gia.edu/gem-treatment

Q: In terms of value, how much more is an unenhanced stone per carat?

A: With each colored stone being unique, it’s difficult to confirm values. However, in our experience, fine-quality sapphire with no evidence of heat (with confirmation from an independent laboratory like AGL, GIA, SSEF or Gubein) elevates a sapphire’s rarity and value. On average we see following price increases in unenhanced stones compared to enhanced/treated stones.

1-5 carat - 15%-20%

5-15 carat - 35%-50%

15 carats and up can range from 50 to even 500% at times.

Key factors that determine price in order of importance: origin, color, clarity quality and cut.

Q: How do you make the decision to treat/enhance corundum

A: Most Corundum, especially Ceylon Sapphires and Gueda materials have characteristic inclusions known as silk, and they display what is referred to as color zoning - meaning uneven coloration. In order to remove silk, and to enhance the body color of the stones - they are heat treated in Sri Lanka. Some heat treatment procedures are relatively mild, involving temperatures of about 400 degrees Celsius for brief periods of time. When heated between 1200-1600 degrees Celsius, star sapphires can be converted to transparent sapphires as the demand for transparent stones have been much greater than star sapphires in recent years.

Q: Which is the rarest variety of corundum?

A: Padparascha Sapphire.

The original locality for padparadscha was Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and the name 'Padparadscha' is derived from the Singhalese (native Sri Lankan) term padmaraga referring to the color of the local lotus flower.

Padparadschas are among the rarest gems on the planet. They're strikingly beautiful and almost no other colored gemstone compares to their unique body color. Padparascha classifies to a broad color range. To be in the top tier it must have the right amount of orange and pink. The color of a tropical sunset/sunrise, or the intense orangish red of a cigarette head are often referred to as the perfect color of a Padparascha in the trade. It is the GIA's opinion that this color range should be limited to light - medium tones of pinkish orange to orange-pink hues.

Unenhanced Padparascha approx. 8 carats

Q: Truly how rare is an unenhanced padparascha?

A: A very fine quality Padparascha is a one a in a million. As the original locality for padparadscha was Sri Lanka, many purists today believe the term should be restricted to stones from Ceylon, however lately fine specimens have emerged from Madagascar, Tanzania and Vietnam. The Sri Lankan Padparascha which is generally more stable in color and due to esteemed provenance is considered rarer, and is quite pricey, and mostly sold at auctions.

Q: What is the most special gemstone you’ve handled/sold?

A: It’s difficult to single out one special stone as each colored stone is unique and special. Some memorable stones from the recent past were unenhanced blue sapphires from Burma, Madagascar and Ceylon in sizes above 50 carats. And truly spectacular unenhanced Padparascha sapphires of 20 carats and above. We have also handled some rare, high quality Sri Lankan Alexandrites and Chrysoberyl Cat's eye stones.

Sapphire Crystal of 1300 carats

Q: What advice do you have for someone looking to buy a Sapphire?

A: Build your own knowledge. Understand the stone and how rare a beautiful vibrant Sapphire is - i.e. rarity in comparison with other gems such as diamonds; rarity by color i.e how Padparascha ranks at the top followed by blue etc.; Rarity by origin - some deposits are no longer mined i.e. Kashmir, making them extremely rare; Characteristics by origin i.e. velvety nature of Kashmir, Cornflower color of Ceylon, Unique Silk in Burmese stones, the unparalleled luster of Madagascar stones etc; rarity by treatment - unheated versus heated; rarity by color within color (eg. royal blue versus cornflower blue, hot pink versus baby pink, pinkish orange to reddish orange etc. and rarity by clarity i.e. visible inclusions versus microscopic ones, how the location and color of the inclusions impact the value etc.

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End of Interview

References:

(n.d.). Geuda [Photograph]. Https://Www.Langantiques.Com/University/Geuda/. https://www.langantiques.com/university/geuda/

Sanchez, P. (2017, April 9). Insider View: Sri Lanka Sapphire Family Business. Paloma Sanchez. https://www.palomasanchez.com/news/insider-view-sri-lanka-sapphire-family-business