#5 L114-001Padparadscha Sapphire 7.6 x 6 Oval 2.08cts

The lotus flower has long been a symbol of enlightenment and of a spiritual beauty that quells the uneasy mind. Its delicate petals hold fiery combinations of color that very well could have been plucked straight from a summer's sunset. Padparadscha sapphires share this sherbet complexion and were aptly named after the Sinhalese word “padmaragaya”, which translates to “lotus color”. And yet, to see a lotus flower at its best would never be akin to the experience of gazing upon a padparadscha sapphire, sparkling as if its hues were watercolors trapped beneath glass.

The original padparadscha sapphire on record hailed from Sri Lanka and some of history's finest examples of the stone have come from there. Purists believe that that only stones from Sri Lanka can hold the name of padparadscha and the notion puts a premium on this gem’s price per carat. However, padparadscha sapphires of equal or exceeding beauty that fall within the color definitions have been sourced from Madagascar, Tanzania, and Vietnam. Due to padparadscha sapphire's sincere scarcity, color is used as the ultimate judge of value, though emphasis of rarity is placed upon those with beautiful color, few inclusions, and proportional cut in combination.