Padparadscha: Positively Priceless
 Fans of the colors pink and orange, listen up--padparadscha is calling you. Padparadscha is a member of the sapphire family, and its strength and beauty demand your attention. Exhibiting a beautiful blend of color, padparadscha is a rare gemstone that you will definitely want to add to your collection.
There are two gem varieties of corundum. One is sapphire, and the other is ruby. Red corundum is known as ruby, and any other color of gem quality corundum is known as sapphire. When most people think of sapphire, they probably think of the color blue. However, sapphire gemstones exist in a variety of colors, and those that are not blue are known as fancy sapphires. Padparadscha is a pinkish orange variety of the fancy sapphires. Ruby and padparadscha are the only two members of the corundum family that have their own name. All others are known as some type of colored sapphire (yellow sapphire or white sapphire, for example).
 Padparadscha was originally found in Sri Lanka, but has also more recently come from Vietnam and Africa. In the Sinhalese language, padparadscha means “lotus blossom” or “lotus flower.” Padparadscha has also been known as “padmaraga,” which means “lotus color.” Sri Lanka is home to a lotus flower whose pinkish color resembles part of the color the padparadscha sapphire exhibits. Picture a perfect sunset combined with the beauty of that flower, and you get the sensational elegance of padparadscha.
Although it is similar in size to rubies, padparadscha contains fewer inclusions and has a cleaner look. One of the largest padparadscha gemstones ever found is just over 100 carats and is oval cut. The American Museum of Natural History in New York is its home. This is an incredible gemstone, since it is rare to see padparadscha that is over two carats in size.
Padparadscha, like all the other sapphire stones, is very durable and is rated 9.0 on the Mohs scale of hardness. It is available in several different cuts, such as emerald, oval, cushion, and round.
Be aware that even though padparadscha is a naturally occurring gemstone, heat and chemical treatment is used on some stones to imitate the beauty of padparadscha. Natural padparadscha is very rare and expensive, starting at $5,000 per carat. Depending on key factors, such as clarity, size, color, tone, and cut, the price could easily reach $30,000 per carat. It is very important to check your stone’s origination when making a purchase for investment purposes—make sure the stone is natural.
Exquisite beauty and sensational sunsets are things to treasure. Set your mind on padparadscha. Be a vision of luxurious elegance when wearing this tremendously exceptional gemstone. Just watch out for the paparazzi. They, too, will undoubtedly be awed by, and want to capture, your beauty.
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