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gold sheen sapphire prices
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Gold (Golden) Sheen Sapphire Price Update 2023

Golden Sheen Sapphire Price

golden sheen sapphire prices

JNA News & Publication’s issue no: 421, May 2020. page 2

 

Gold sheen sapphire price have remained relatively constant over the last 12 months. Since price data comes principally from major trade fairs, ‘Trade Prince’ of pieces sold is a more reliable indicator of current market price. There are enough data points now to give a meaningful moving average, this should provide a good trend indicator for the future price too. The previous price chart 2019 and price reporting has been updated to bring it into line with the gold sheen sapphire grading system developed by T.M. Malik and S. Waddington.  The most notable change is the inclusion of the commercial grade to meet a market price of $100 per carat.

Contribution of Jewelry Brands

Gold Sheen sapphire or Golden Sheen Sapphire jewels were seen in collections of established brands as well as boutique designers. Added visibility occurred when the gem was featured in a ring that won the American Gem Trade Association’s Savor Silver Award for Men’s Wear. Today, the gem’s biggest market is the US, followed by Japan and Switzerland, although Hong Kong, South Korea and Australia also appreciate these unusual sapphires.

Sizes range from a few points to 30 carats, with the most common from 10 to 20 carats. The dust is also requested for metaphysical purposes. The most popular cut is cabochon, followed by checkerboard, rose and brilliant and possibly able to make any cut that enhances the beauty of the stone.

gold sheen sapphire price article

JNA News & Publication’s issue no: 421, May 2020 page 3

Gold (Golden) Sheen Sapphire Prices Observation

“Prices vary by quality. Extremely rare grade US$6,000 per carat onwards, rare from US$3000 to US$5,000, extra fine, from US$1200 to US$3000, good to very good, from US$400 to US$1200; Commercial grade sells for US$100 to US$200 per carat

Given the price and quality range, Gold Sheen sapphires are ideal for both fine and semi-fine jewelry.

As we experimented with the gem, we found more colors. Some exhibit shimmers of blue, green, grey, red, pink and even purple. Most stones have two to three colors although some have four, making each gem, with their distinctive inclusions, totally unique.

  • Article by Cynthia Unninayar in JNA News & Publication’s issue no: 421, May 2020.
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gold sheen sapphires
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Golden Sheen Sapphire Prices Update – 2023

Gold or Golden Sheen Sapphire Prices

Prices for gold sheen sapphire have remained relatively constant over the last 12 months. The 2023 price chart and price reporting have been updated to bring it into line with the gold sheen sapphire grading system developed by T.M. Malik and S. Waddington.  The most notable change is the inclusion of the “commercial” grade to meet a market price point of $100 per carat.

The first half of the year saw prices ease, most likely as a result of general market conditions. However prices recovered somewhat in the latter half, sales from September shows (Bangkok and Hong Kong) were reported as good, despite very unfavorable conditions in Hong Kong.

New cuttings of “exceptional” grade material were premiered at the September Bangkok Gem and Jewelry show and were readily sought by Japanese, Chinese, and European buyers.

Gold sheen price graph

Price range as reported

“Prices vary by quality. Extremely rare grade US$6,000 per carat onwards, rare from US$3000 to US$5,000, extra fine, from US$1200 to US$3000, good to very good, from US$400 to US$1200; Commercial grade sells for US$100 to US$200 per carat

The most marked variation was for Extremely rare grade stones ranging above 6,000 USD per carat”.

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The Difference Between Gold Sheen Sapphire and other Corundum Varieties

What is Gold Sheen Sapphire, and why is it different from other varieties of corundum?

This is an important question because gold sheen sapphire can sell for $1,000 per carat or more, yet a Google search can reveal gems claimed to be gold sheen for under $10 per carat. Like separating any natural gem from its simulants, price is the first indicator that lets the buyer know the seller might be less than honestly describing the product.

Gold sheen sapphire or golden sheen sapphire is an industry recognized unique variety of corundum that came to prominence with an report in the Journal of Gemology in 2015[1] and subsequent additional investigation by other gemological labs, including the Gemological Institute of America[2].  Major gem labs have independently tested gold sheen sapphire, and reached similar conditions. These include some of the most prestigious gemological laboratories, and the most respected gemologists in the world.

  • Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand[3],
  • Lotus Gemology[4], Gem Research Swisslab[5],
  • The Asian Gem Laboratory[6], the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences[7], and the Gemological Institute of America[8].
  1. N. Bui et al of Gem-A[1], T. Thanapong et al of the Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand[9], and W. Soonthorntanikul et al of the GIA[10], in independently assessing gold sheen sapphire differentiate it from other corundum varieties due to “… the golden sheen (set II) stones seemed to contain much higher amounts of platelets and needles intersecting in three crystallographic directions than those in the non-sheen (I) set”[11]. Which is to say, gold sheen sapphire is unique due to high amounts of microscopic platelets and needles that are not present in that quantity in other varieties of corundum. Therefore, as with identifying many types of gemstone, microscopic inspection is key to differentiating gold sheen sapphire from other varieties. However, since the abundant microscopic inclusions are responsible for the overall visual effect, the result is to produce a schiller or sheen that is obvious to the naked eye.
  2. Thanapong et al also write “…  the combination of plentiful occurrence of exsolved reddish brown platelets plus short needles in three crystallographic directions in the basal pinacoid of sapphire is responsible for golden sheen star effects found in the set II samples”[11]. Meaning that all gold sheen sapphire should exhibit asterism in the form of a ‘golden star’.  This can easily be checked with any cabochon cut stone, and also for any faceted stone using the ‘water drop’ method to reveal its potential asterism.

The photo below illustrates the asterism and to some degree the sheen effect in gold sheen sapphire. Evident also are color variations and translucency that further separate the variety and increase its value with buyers.

In conclusion, both observation of an obvious sheen or schiller in the gem, combined with golden star asterism will enable the separation of gold sheen sapphire from other varieties.

References:

  • [1]  Bui T.N., T.N.; Deliousi, K.; Malik T.K., T.K.; De Corte, K. (2015). “From exsolution to ‘gold sheen’: A new variety of corundum – Journal of Gemmology. 34 (8): 678–691.
  • [2] Update on Spectroscopy of “Gold Sheen” Sapphires Wasura Soonthorntantikul, Ungkhana Atikarnsakul, and Vararut Weeramonkhonlert
  • [3] GIT Gem Identification Report 150128130002
  • [4] Lotus GEMology reports No. 3350-0421, 3649-6150, 1317-8984
  • [5] GRS Gemstone Report No. GIRS2015-016808
  • [6] AGL Laboratory Report No. 0009471
  • [7] AIGS Gemstone Identification Report No. GF17092148
  • [8] GIA Gemological Reports 6222086838, 5223094814, 1229094877, 3225094890
  • [9] Nalin Narudeesombat, Saengthip Saengbuangamlam, Thanapong Lhuaamporn and Thanong Leelawatanasuk (2016).
  • “Golden Sheen and Non-Sheen Sapphires from Kenya” (PDF). The Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand (Public Organization), Bangkok, 10500,
  • Thailand. July–August 2016: 283–284
  • [10] Update on Spectroscopy of “Gold Sheen” Sapphires Wasura Soonthorntantikul, Ungkhana Atikarnsakul, and Vararut Weeramonkhonlert[11] Nalin Narudeesombat, Saengthip Saengbuangamlam, Thanapong Lhuaamporn and Thanong Leelawatanasuk (2016).
  • “Golden Sheen and Non-Sheen Sapphires from Kenya” (PDF). The Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand (Public Organization), Bangkok, 10500, Thailand. July–August 2016: p. 284

 

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