Southern Jewelry News
  • Featured
    • All
    • Featured
    • Featured Retailers
    • Retailer Roundtable
    • Sponsored Content
    • Supplier Spotlight
    Jeweler brings Midwest to the Southwest
    Tara Fine Jewelry: Atlanta’s not-so-secret, best-kept secret
    Finding the Big Ones; Zambian Trophies for the Ages
    The Golden Girls of Gemstones
  • Latest News
    • All
    • COVID-19
    • Furry Friends
    • Industry Awards
    • Industry Events
    • NRF
    • On The Move
    • Other News
    • Tradeshow News
    • Video
    • What's New
    NDC Education Partner Program
    Mystery shopping results reveal opportunity for proactive consumer natural diamond education
    Jewelers of America announces 2023 GEM Awards winners
    jeweler
    ASA partners with BrankoGems Academy to offer testing loose and mounted diamonds and gems training
    skull rings
    KIL N.Y.C. introduces the Cranium Ring
  • Podcast
  • Columnists
    The Story Behind the Stone: Diamonds on Pins and Needles
    Jewelry Marketing Survival Guide
    The Story Behind the Stone: Out of the Blue
    What’s Hot Now!: Latest Designer Trends 2023
    A Winning Strategy: How SEO and buying intent can skyrocket your sales
    business people shaking hands
    Networking for small business owners
    Is the customer always right?
    Successful Custom: A Clean Disaster
    Brad Huisken
    A quick note about technology
  • Classifieds
  • Subscriptions
    • Newsletter Signup
    • Print Subscription
No Result
View All Result
Southern Jewelry News
  • Featured
    • All
    • Featured
    • Featured Retailers
    • Retailer Roundtable
    • Sponsored Content
    • Supplier Spotlight
    Jeweler brings Midwest to the Southwest
    Tara Fine Jewelry: Atlanta’s not-so-secret, best-kept secret
    Finding the Big Ones; Zambian Trophies for the Ages
    The Golden Girls of Gemstones
  • Latest News
    • All
    • COVID-19
    • Furry Friends
    • Industry Awards
    • Industry Events
    • NRF
    • On The Move
    • Other News
    • Tradeshow News
    • Video
    • What's New
    NDC Education Partner Program
    Mystery shopping results reveal opportunity for proactive consumer natural diamond education
    Jewelers of America announces 2023 GEM Awards winners
    jeweler
    ASA partners with BrankoGems Academy to offer testing loose and mounted diamonds and gems training
    skull rings
    KIL N.Y.C. introduces the Cranium Ring
  • Podcast
  • Columnists
    The Story Behind the Stone: Diamonds on Pins and Needles
    Jewelry Marketing Survival Guide
    The Story Behind the Stone: Out of the Blue
    What’s Hot Now!: Latest Designer Trends 2023
    A Winning Strategy: How SEO and buying intent can skyrocket your sales
    business people shaking hands
    Networking for small business owners
    Is the customer always right?
    Successful Custom: A Clean Disaster
    Brad Huisken
    A quick note about technology
  • Classifieds
  • Subscriptions
    • Newsletter Signup
    • Print Subscription
No Result
View All Result
Southern Jewelry News
No Result
View All Result
Home Latest News Other News

Teal Sapphires: Wear a piece of the ocean & the forest at once

Isabella Yan, MA, A.G, Cert GA by Isabella Yan, MA, A.G, Cert GA
December 22, 2020
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Reading Time: 7 minutes
Top quality Australian teal sapphire of 6.11 carats, courtesy of Navneet Gems & Minerals Ltd.Co. Photograph by Arjuna Irsutti

Widely known as teal, this dark cyan-like hue was originally named after the bluish-green stripe around the eyes of an Eurasian duck. In recent years, the gem’s mesmerizing marine hue – reminiscent of serene oceans and the mysterious green of our lands has redefined the jewelry market for unique colored gemstones, capturing the imaginations of consumers especially amongst Millennials and Gen Z. The USA is amongst teal sapphire’s most ardent consumers, followed by Australia, France, UK and Asia. Public awareness regarding teal sapphires has grown in the last five years and will continue to grow, says Navneet Agarwal, Marketing Manager of Navneet Gems & Minerals Limited Co., a gem manufacturer based in Bangkok.

Like a Mermaid

Bold flashes of soft green mixed with a kiss of blue, teal sapphires have earned various trade names like “Mermaid” sapphire. “Mermaid sapphires are a subset of teal sapphires which have a specific color ratio of 50% blue and 50% green. Mermaid sapphires are the top color of teal sapphires,” says Agarwal. He speculates that this 50-50 color ratio of blue and green may have the potential to scale up in prices like a perfect padparadscha color. “Like padparadscha, each teal sapphire appears to have a unique personality reflected in its color variations.”

Teal Montana Rock Creek Sapphires™ courtesy of Potentate Mining LLC. Gem cutting and photography by Jeffrey Hapeman – Earth’s Treasury.

The main sources of teal sapphires are Montana, Australia, Madagascar, Ethiopia and Nigeria, all equally important with differences in tone, intensity and brightness. Teal sapphires have been actively mined for more than 100 years in Montana’s Rock Creek, and Potentate Mining is among the industry’s premier local producers. “Montana’s teal sapphires have sporadically been on the market since the late 1990s. When we tested the market in 2014-2015, there was general ambivalence and dismissiveness about these unique colors from the Rock Creek Sapphires but we have seen a paradigm shift,” says Warren Boyd of Potentate Mining. He adds, “We could accredit this surge in interest to the discovery of the first teal sapphires in Montana.”

According to Agarwal: “The interest also piqued when Australian teal sapphires were discovered with their unique coloring, yielding both teal and only a few rare mermaid sapphires of excellent quality. The challenge lies in finding rare top-grade teal or ‘mermaid’ sapphires of superior clarity and cut. We source our teal sapphires from well-known mines all over the world. The choice of source depends on the quality and their ethical sourcing.”

Marisol Teal sapphire engagement ring by Valerie Madison.

Most teal sapphires from Montana and Australia are responsibly sourced using mechanical mining to ensure processes are closely regulated throughout the supply chain. Whereas those from Madagascar and Nigeria are predominantly mined by artisanal miners. “Its exquisite color and rising popularity is also helping them establish new markets for this non-traditional, unique color sapphire,” says Agarwal.

Caleb B. Quashen International, a gem supplier specializing in ethically sourced obscure gems, helps to support African artisanal miners. “We see purpose and beauty in all the different qualities of teal sapphires and pride ourselves in using stones with eye visible inclusions. We do not cherry pick, instead we buy it all and that means the full unearthing effort.” Caleb adds that, “every origin has the ability to produce spectacular specimens and the veteran eye can get pretty good at noting the distinctions.”

Magnetic Appeal

With the emergence of the alternative bridal market, teal sapphires are providing a new palette for designers and consumers who gravitate towards less popular gems in search of jewels that define their individuality.

Teal sapphire engagement ring styles by Valerie Madison.

There are multiple reasons for their appeal. First, their unique coloring due to a perfect balance of titanium and iron, makes them a more personalized alternative to the traditional blue sapphire engagement ring. Second, compared to top blue sapphires, teal sapphires are much more reasonably priced. Third, besides sharing a color with lagoon tourmaline from Afghanistan, teal sapphires have greater hardness with 9 on the Mohs scale and higher refractive index, opening up great possibilities for the engagement market.

Slovenia-based jewelry brand Capucinne, specializing in alternative engagement rings, is a prolific employer of teal sapphires. “We liked these stones from the start as they were the perfect solution for those looking for something blue, but wanted a modern and deeper undertone to the classic blue sapphire.”

Apart from color, clarity and cut, the stone’s origin due to consumer patriotism also plays a role in their purchasing decisions. Regarding Montana teal sapphires, Boyd thinks, “American consumers are keen to purchase American-mined products that are recovered in an environmentally responsible and ethical manner.” Capucinne adds, “what matters most about origin to us is that they are responsibly and ethically sourced, whether they’re from Montana, Australia, Nigeria or Madagascar.”

Teal sapphires offer something new in the world of gemstones and the desire to possess them will only intensify as more gem and jewelry lovers become enchanted by their beauty.

Isabella Yan, MA, A.G, Cert GA

Isabella Yan, MA, A.G, Cert GA

Isabella is a British gemologist and journalist specializing in the fine gems and jewelry industry based in Thailand. She writes for international jewelry and industry magazines including Rapaport’s Jewellery Connoisseur, JNA magazine, Solitaire magazine, Upscale Living, Solitaire International, GAMMA Journal and Adorn Insight. She is the creator of Art Meets Jewellery, an online platform which looks at the world of jewelry and gems through the eyes of an artist. Follow her on Instagram @izza_gem and on Artmeetsjewellery.com.

Related Posts

NDC Education Partner Program

Mystery shopping results reveal opportunity for proactive consumer natural diamond education

March 20, 2023
jeweler

ASA partners with BrankoGems Academy to offer testing loose and mounted diamonds and gems training

March 20, 2023

Jewelry Marketing Survival Guide

March 15, 2023
JCK Industry Fund announces over $250,000 allocated to 2021 grant recipients

JCK Industry Fund announces 2023 grant recipients

March 15, 2023

Latest News

Columnists

The Story Behind the Stone: Diamonds on Pins and Needles

March 20, 2023
Other News

Mystery shopping results reveal opportunity for proactive consumer natural diamond education

March 20, 2023
Industry Events

Jewelers of America announces 2023 GEM Awards winners

March 20, 2023

Other News

ASA partners with BrankoGems Academy to offer testing loose and mounted diamonds and gems training

KIL N.Y.C. introduces the Cranium Ring

Jewelry Marketing Survival Guide

JCK Industry Fund announces 2023 grant recipients

How to drive more sales and referrals through social media

IGI moves to expanded New York offices and gem laboratory

Southern Jewelry News

© 2022 Southern Jewelry News.

Additional Information

  • About
  • 2023 Jewelry Trade Shows & Events
  • Media Kit
  • Contact
  • Sitemap
  • Newsletter Signup

Get Social with Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured Articles
    • Featured
    • Featured Retailers
    • Retailer Roundtable
    • Supplier Spotlight
    • Sponsored Content
  • Latest News
    • What’s New
    • Industry Events
    • Tradeshow News
    • On The Move
    • Other News
    • Furry Friends
  • Podcast
  • Columnists
  • Classifieds
  • Subscriptions
    • Newsletter Signup
    • Print Subscription

© 2022 Southern Jewelry News.