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Teal Sapphires

A teal sapphire is a corundum whose colour sits between blue and green, where the blue of iron and titanium and the green of iron alone meet in one stone. The colour was once passed over as off-blue and is now one of the most requested fancy sapphires among designers, because no two stones look alike and most are sold unheated. Byrex Gems offers teal and parti sapphires to the trade from Toronto, filmed unedited, with prices for approved buyers and viewings by appointment.

Among the teal sapphires listed today: 4.00 ct Oval Teal Sapphire, Heated, 3.08 ct Cushion Teal Sapphire, GIA, Madagascar Unheated, 7.97 ct Cushion Teal Sapphire, Heated, 4.19 ct Cushion Teal Sapphire, Heated, 3.08 ct Radiant Emerald Cut Teal Sapphire, GIA, Madagascar Unheated, 2.70 ct Emerald Cut Teal Sapphire, GIA, Madagascar Unheated and 13 more.

What makes a sapphire teal

Blue in corundum comes from iron and titanium acting together; green and yellow come from iron on its own. Most rough contains all of these in zones, and when the blue and the green zones are fine enough to blend in the eye, the stone reads as teal. When the zones stay distinct, with a band of blue beside a band of yellow or green, the stone is a parti sapphire. Bi-colour is the broader term for any stone with two visible colours.

Australia is the historic source, with the Queensland fields and the New England district of New South Wales producing teal, green and parti stones for over a century. Montana's Rock Creek and Missouri River deposits yield teal and blue-green in smaller sizes with a pale, bright character. Madagascar produces teal and parti stones in quantity, and Tanzania and Nigeria contribute material that is often strongly zoned.

The colour is a continuum rather than a point. A stone can be bluish teal, true teal or greenish teal, and the trade does not fix a boundary, which is part of why designers like it: every stone is chosen by eye.

How laboratories describe teal and parti sapphires

A report does not say teal. It describes the colour in plain terms, such as greenish blue, blue-green or bluish green, and for a parti stone it may say blue and yellow, or note colour zoning. The words "teal", "parti", "mermaid" and "peacock" are trade and designer terms, and a buyer who asks a laboratory for them will not get them.

The treatment line is often the good news. Heating is used on some Australian and much Montana material to lighten dark blue or improve colour, and the report states it. Many teal and parti stones are sold unheated because heating does little for a blended or zoned colour, and the report then reads "No indications of heating" or the laboratory's equivalent. The premium for unheated is smaller here than in blue or pink, because the colour is bought for its character rather than its purity.

Origin opinions are given where inclusions and chemistry allow. Australian and Montana stones have recognisable characters and are often called with confidence; Madagascar and Tanzanian material overlaps more, and reports sometimes state origin as inconclusive. Diffusion is rare in this colour range but is reported when found.

What to check before buying teal sapphires

The first check is the stone from the top, in daylight and then under warm light. Teal shifts with lighting more than most colours: a stone that reads blue-green in daylight can turn more green or more grey under incandescent light, and the client who wears it will see both. Byrex films stones unedited so this can be judged before a visit.

Judge the zoning deliberately. For a stone sold as teal, the colours should blend into one when viewed from the top, with no hard line across the table. For a parti stone, the opposite applies: buyers want distinct, well-placed bands, ideally with the division placed where the cutter has used it to advantage. A band that cuts the table in half can be a flaw in one stone and a feature in another; the decision is the designer's.

Cutting is varied in this material. Many teal sapphires come in unusual shapes, hexagons, kites, shields and elongated cushions, because the rough is often cut to keep weight and to show the zoning. Check for windows, which are common in shallow stones. Pairs are hard to match exactly and are usually sold as close matches with the difference accepted. Setting is routine, and the colour sits well in yellow gold.

What drives the value of a teal sapphire

Teal is bought for character, and the market rewards clarity of colour rather than depth. A clean, bright stone with a balanced blue and green that holds up under warm light sits at the top. Stones that go grey, dark or muddy under incandescent light sit well below, whatever they look like in daylight. Greenish teal and bluish teal each have their buyers, and neither is ranked above the other.

Parti stones are valued on a different basis: the sharpness and placement of the zones, and whether the cutter has made the stone's division into its point. A striking parti with a clean blue-and-yellow split can be worth more than a muddled teal of similar size, and the reverse is just as true.

Treatment status matters but less than in other colours, because so much of the supply is unheated. Origin carries a modest premium for Montana, whose stones have a devoted following and a recognised look, and for Australian material sold with that origin on the report. Size counts: clean teal sapphires in larger sizes are uncommon from Montana in particular, and larger stones come mostly from Australia and Madagascar. Silk and zoning are part of the stone's appeal and are not penalised as they would be in blue.

Why teal sapphires are popular with designers

Teal sapphire rose from an also-ran to a designer staple in the 2010s, driven by independent jewellers looking for an engagement stone that was durable, natural, individual and not a diamond. The colour suits that market: it is clearly a coloured stone, it reads well in yellow and rose gold, and it stands out on a screen. Montana stones added a story of North American origin, and Australian stones a long history.

The supply picture is favourable. Australia's fields have produced for over a century and still do, Montana's deposits are worked on a commercial scale, and Madagascar and Tanzania produce in quantity. Because most of the material is unheated and the colour is bought for its individuality rather than a standard, the market has not developed the fine gradations of premium that blue sapphire has, and distinctive stones remain within reach for design work.

The trade words will keep changing. "Mermaid", "peacock" and "parti" are marketing descriptions that help a client picture the stone and should not be confused with laboratory terms. The report describes the colour in plain words and states the treatment, and that is what the stone is sold on.

Buying teal sapphires from Byrex Gems

Byrex Gems has served the jewellery trade from Toronto since 1988, and more than seven thousand jewellers, designers and dealers have bought from us in that time, some of them for decades. Many of our teal sapphires carry reports from GRS, SSEF, Gübelin, GIA and other leading laboratories, and every stone is filmed in our office, unedited, so what you see is what arrives.

Approved trade buyers see prices online. A message on WhatsApp at +1 (437) 450-3786 is answered within hours; an email to info@byrex.com, the same day, seven days a week. What is listed is a part of what we hold: more teal and parti sapphires are kept in the vault, and what we do not hold ourselves we can source through our offices worldwide. Private viewings are arranged by appointment in Toronto, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Dubai.

Teal Sapphires: questions buyers ask

What is the difference between teal and parti sapphire?

A teal sapphire blends its blue and green so the colour reads as one from the top. A parti sapphire shows distinct zones, typically a band of blue beside a band of yellow or green. Both are natural corundum, and the laboratory report describes the colour in plain words rather than using either term.

Are teal sapphires usually unheated?

Many are. Heating does little for a blended or zoned colour, so much teal and parti material is sold unheated with a report stating no indications of heating. Montana and some Australian stones are often heated to improve colour, and the report says so.

Where do teal sapphires come from?

Australia is the historic source, from Queensland and New South Wales. Montana produces bright teal and blue-green in smaller sizes. Madagascar produces teal and parti in quantity, and Tanzania and Nigeria contribute zoned material. Origin on a report is an opinion based on inclusions and chemistry.

Does a laboratory report say teal or mermaid?

No. Teal, mermaid, peacock and parti are trade and designer words. A report describes the colour as greenish blue, blue-green or bluish green, and may note colour zoning. Buyers should match the stone to the report's wording when reselling.

Why do teal sapphires change under different lights?

The blue and green components respond differently to daylight and incandescent light, so a stone can look more green, more blue or greyer as the light changes. Buyers should view a teal sapphire in both before deciding. Byrex films each stone unedited for this reason.

Does Byrex source teal sapphires for designers and private clients?

Yes. Byrex supplies designers and jewellers with teal and parti sapphires, including unusual cuts, and receives private clients by appointment. Where a design needs a particular colour balance, shape or origin, Byrex can seek it through its suppliers.

What does a teal sapphire report include?

It states that the stone is natural corundum, its colour in the laboratory's words, weight and measurements, a treatment finding on heating, and often an origin opinion. Byrex stones carry reports from GIA, GRS, SSEF, Gübelin, Lotus, AGL and others.

Can I view teal sapphires in Toronto?

Yes. Byrex Gems shows stones by appointment at 27 Queen Street East, Suite 407, Toronto. Because teal shifts with lighting, Byrex recommends viewing in daylight and under warm light, and filmed, unedited footage is available to shortlist stones beforehand.

Byrex Gems, 27 Queen Street East, Suite 407, Toronto. Coloured gemstones and natural fancy colour diamonds for the trade since 1988, and for private clients by appointment.

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