Padparadscha (also spelled padparadschah) is a pink-orange sapphire or corundum, with a low to medium saturation and light tone. The name derives from the Sinhalese word for lotus blossom. The petals of the finest lotus blossoms (nelumbo nucifera) are a blend of orange and pink. It is originally being mined in Sri Lanka, but it can be found also in deposits in Africa and Vietnam. Padparadscha or commonly called "pad" or "pod" in the trade is highly valued and is extremely rare. It's price per carat is often more than that of diamonds. It can also be 20 times rarer than a diamond!
(The outstanding estate natural padparadscha diamond ring above is available only from VIANVI JEWELRY)
Padparadscha (pronounced padpa-rad-scha) used to be a subvariety of ruby. Along with rubies, two of them are the only type of corundum gemstones to be given their own name. Padparadscha sapphires are one of the world's most expensive gems. The prices are similar to those fetched by fine rubies or fine emeralds. Padparadscha is probably rarer than fine Burma Ruby. Since an inclusion is more prominent in the padparadscha sapphire, the gems tend to demand a greater clarity than an equivalent ruby. Padparadscha sapphire that is greater than 2 carats is a real rarity and if it is found above five carats can be considered a world-class gem.
The rarest of all padparadschas is the natural variety, with no sign of treatment. A natural padparadscha is a delicate color that is a combination of red/pink and orange and the best specimens are from Sri Lanka (Ceylon). In the American Museum of Natural History is what many consider to be the world's largest fine padparadscha. When buying a padparadscha, you should make sure that the origin is from Ceylon (Sri Lanka) which is red/pink and orange in color and the seller mentions that the gem is "genuine" or "natural". Since fine padparadscha sapphires are much rarer than diamonds, celebrities have been recently proposing with padparadscha sapphires instead of the classic diamonds.
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