On this page
UnderstandWhat it is, what people ask, how far this page goes
Natural inorganic gem materials · Mineral / gemstone variety · Natural; common industry optimization (verify with certificate)
Green Sapphire
A green gem variety of Corundum; it must be distinguished from green Synthetic Corundum and imitations, and any treatment must be disclosed. This page compares how the major standards and institutions name it, what must be disclosed when selling it, whether it can be worn every day, how it is treated and identified, and which source each conclusion comes from.
Price, rarity and origin are outside the scope of this wiki.
What this page can answer
This page covers
- How Green Sapphire forms and what gives its colourFormation setting, process and timescale; where its colour and optical effects come from, each finding graded and sourced
- How to identify Green SapphireIdentification points from the research literature; how far lab testing can go
- Treatments and enhancements of Green SapphireThe enhancements and treatments the GB/T and JJA/AGL tables list
- Caring for and wearing Green SapphireCleaning, heat, chemicals and light, as the cited sources give them; durability indicators and wearing advice
- Hardness, density and refractive index of Green SapphireEach value with its source and check date
- Green Sapphire in English, Chinese and Japanese; national standard namesNames in four languages, the GB/T standard name and the suggested listing name; and: Which of GIA, FTC, CIBJO and Gem-A have a name for it on record, and do those agree?
- Listing and disclosing Green SapphireThe listing name to use; what must be disclosed before sale
- Standard clauses that define Green SapphireWhich clause defines it, each cross-checked
What we cannot conclude
- Whether one particular bead is natural, treated or synthetic — only a laboratory report can settle that.
- Geographic origin, unless an origin report accompanies the item.
- Price, rarity or investment value: this wiki covers naming and disclosure only.
Material research: formation, causes and history
What authoritative sources say about how this material forms, what causes its colour and optical effects, where its name comes from and how people have used it. Each statement carries an evidence grade and its sources; it describes the material in general, not any specific piece.
How it forms
Green sapphire is not an independent mineral species but a colour variety of corundum. Among the six major chromophores recognised in corundum, V3+ is listed as the chromophore producing green (and purple). Green also commonly arises from superimposed chromophores: for example a high-Fe³⁺ yellow corundum that also holds a few ppma of Fe2+-Ti⁴⁺ pairs shifts to greenish yellow; Muling green sapphire spectra show both Fe3+ features (377 nm, 388 nm and 450 nm) and a ~570 nm band (possibly associated with the V3+ transition), giving a bluish green hue. Notably, no saturated intense “emerald green” corundum exists in nature—only less intense olive green to teal green.
Scope: Applies to the colour explanation of the natural green corundum gem variety, covering V3+ colouring and the superposition of multiple colour centres such as Fe3+/Fe²⁺-Ti⁴⁺; does not apply to synthetic or treated corundum.
Sources G&G Spring 2020 · G&G Fall 2022
Where it forms
The same natural corundum-forming settings as other sapphires; olive-green to teal-green stones are often found in basalt-hosted corundum deposits, and Muling green sapphire shows combined Fe3+ and Fe2+-Ti⁴⁺ colouring features.
Sources G&G Fall 2022
How it forms, step by step
Trace V3+ (and Fe3+, Fe2+, Ti4+ etc.) enters the corundum lattice as it crystallises.
V3+ on its own can give green, strongly green in the E||c direction and grayish blue in E⊥c, so cut orientation affects hue.
When several chromophores such as Fe3+ (yellow) and Fe2+-Ti⁴⁺ (blue) coexist, their absorptions add, giving a yellow-green to bluish green colour.
Link to appearance
Green can come from V3+ alone (with strong directional colour), or from a yellow Fe3+ component combined with a blue Fe2+-Ti⁴⁺ component; Muling green sapphire's Fe3+ features plus a ~570 nm band together produce its bluish green tone.
Sources G&G Spring 2020
Timescale
The cited sources give no absolute timescale for green sapphire formation.
Sources G&G Fall 2022
Related base materials
- Corundum (Al2O3): color variety of corundum
Recorded localities
Authoritative sources list the localities below; the list is not exhaustive.
Asia
- Muling, Heilongjiang, ChinaGreen sapphire made up about 3% of the Muling samples studied
Oceania
- AustraliaAs of 1985
Sources Gems & Gemology Fall 1985
- Anakie fields, central Queensland, AustraliaOne of Australia's two main sapphire fields overall, not specific to green sapphire
Sources Gems & Gemology Fall 1985
- New England fields, northern New South Wales, AustraliaOne of Australia's two main sapphire fields overall, not specific to green sapphire
Sources Gems & Gemology Fall 1985
These are localities recorded by authoritative sources, not an origin finding for any individual piece. The CIBJO Gemstone Book (2022, §4.2.3) says a place of origin names where a gem was mined or harvested, is a matter of opinion, does not imply a level of quality, and that cutting, processing or exporting centres must not be used to imply origin. See how far testing can go on this page, the origin determination guide and the overview of recorded localities.
Causes of colour and optical effects
Among the major chromophores in corundum, V3+ is listed as the one producing green and purple.
Evidence grade AScope: A single-chromophore colour list; real gems usually contain several chromophores.
Green can arise from superimposed chromophores: a small amount of Fe2+-Ti⁴⁺ pairs shifts high-iron yellow corundum toward greenish yellow.
Evidence grade AScope: Describes the shift from yellow toward greenish yellow; it does not cover all green origins.
Muling green sapphire spectra show both Fe3+ features (377 nm, 388 nm and 450 nm) and a ~570 nm band possibly associated with the V3+ transition, giving a bluish green hue.
Evidence grade BScope: A tentative interpretation for a single-locality sample (the source says “might be associated”).
How it is identified
Green sapphire can be taken for other green gems; colour alone does not settle identity or source. Laboratories combine several lines of evidence: magnification of inclusions and growth features; routine tests such as refractive index, specific gravity and polariscope behaviour; ultraviolet fluorescence; and spectroscopy (for example FTIR, UV-Vis-NIR and Raman). Trace-element chemistry measured by EDXRF or LA-ICP-MS helps separate natural from synthetic corundum and, compared with a reference collection, may point to a geographic origin; glass-filled fractures and coatings are caught by clues such as anomalous luster, gas bubbles, X-ray radiography, and FTIR or EDXRF signatures. Origin calls can remain inconclusive, so the finding should be issued by a qualified gem laboratory.
Evidence grade AScope: Applies where natural, synthetic and treated corundum, and geographic origin, must be assessed; no self-administered criteria are given.
Sources G&G Summer 1998 · G&G Winter 2019 · G&G Fall 2019 +2
- Separating Natural and Synthetic Rubies on the Basis of Trace-Element Chemistry (Gems & Gemology, Summer 1998, Vol. 34, No. 2)
- Geographic Origin Determination of Ruby (Gems & Gemology, Winter 2019, Vol. 55, No. 4)
- Cobalt-Coated Sapphire (Lab Notes, Gems & Gemology, Fall 2019, Vol. 55, No. 3)
- Translucent Ruby Filled with Zinc Glass (Lab Notes, Gems & Gemology, Fall 2023, Vol. 59, No. 3)
- Bismuth Glass-Filled Burmese Star Ruby (Lab Notes, Gems & Gemology, Spring 2020, Vol. 56, No. 1)
Green sapphire may be priced on locality, with goods traded under names such as Sri Lanka, Madagascar or Tanzania. A locality name, however, is only a trade attribution and is not a determined origin. Origin work is a laboratory exercise: the deposit type is addressed first, then inclusion suites and trace-element suites (measured by methods such as laser ablation ICP-MS) are compared with reference databases for known localities to yield a conclusion of consistency or inconsistency with a source. Because the characteristic ranges of different localities overlap and vary within a single deposit, the conclusion is probabilistic and may be only inconclusive; heating, filling and diffusion alter the measurable features and must be excluded first. Origin cannot be inferred from appearance or name; an origin conclusion must be issued by a qualified laboratory for a specific specimen. This entry offers no self-test criteria or thresholds.
Evidence grade AScope: Origin cannot be inferred from appearance or name; an origin conclusion must be issued by a qualified laboratory for a specific specimen, and this entry provides no self-test criteria or thresholds.
Sources G&G Winter 2019 · G&G Summer 1998 · G&G Spring 2015 +1
- Geographic Origin Determination of Ruby (Gems & Gemology, Winter 2019, Vol. 55, No. 4)
- Separating Natural and Synthetic Rubies on the Basis of Trace-Element Chemistry (Gems & Gemology, Summer 1998, Vol. 34, No. 2)
- Mozambique Ruby Discovery: A 21st Century Rush (Gems & Gemology, Spring 2015, Vol. 51, No. 1)
- Sapphire Beneath the Rich Black Soil of Muling, Northeastern China (Gems & Gemology, Fall 2022, Vol. 58, No. 3)
Other research findings
No saturated intense emerald green corundum exists in nature; only less intense olive green to teal green, often in basalt-hosted deposits, is found.
Evidence grade AScope: A general statement about the colour range of natural corundum.
Limits of this research
- Research status: Only partial material-specific findings found; gaps are stated as gaps
- The cited sources give no absolute timescale for green sapphire formation.
- The link of the ~570 nm band to V3+ is tentative, and the cited sources give no quantitative share of each green-forming mechanism.
Methodology
- Origin determination and its limits
- Quality grading and value factors
- How gemmology became a technical discipline
Evidence grades
- A
- Standards bodies, government geological surveys, peer-reviewed research and museum records
- B
- Institutional educational material
- C
- Specialist databases or cautious readings
A statement is never graded above its strongest source.
This section is LumaLark's own factual restatement of public authoritative sources, credited item by item; it contains no verbatim excerpts, images or third-party logos.
DecideListing name, disclosure, care and treatments
- Suggested listing name
- Green Sapphire
IMA Mineral List 2026-07 “Corundum” · CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 §7.2.1.100 “Green sapphire”
Construction or treatment status
Natural; common industry optimization (verify with certificate)
Treatments recorded for this material: Heated / Heat-treated (via parent material), Dyed (via parent material), Filled / Fracture-filled (via parent material), Diffusion-treated (via parent material), Irradiated (via parent material)
Related:Disclosure and cautions
This page cannot answer
Natural? · Origin · Price
A lab report settles these; this wiki covers naming and disclosure.
Related:What this page can answer
Answer at a glance
Must be distinguished from green synthetic corundum and from imitations; treatments must be disclosed.
Evidence
- CIBJO · 7.2.1.100
What this means for you
Before buying, check the recommended listing name "Green Sapphire" and any disclosed treatments on this page, and ask the seller for a grading report if in doubt.
Known uncertainty
- Last reviewed
- 2026-09-01
Care and wear
The item-by-item care advice that the GIA Care and Cleaning Guide gives for the whole class, and so for Green Sapphire, is set out in full under care on the Sapphire entry.
Care
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Durability and wearing
Toughness
Excellent
Sources GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide)
Daily wear
Green sapphire is corundum at Mohs 9 with excellent toughness and no cleavage, a great choice for daily wear; the main risks come from treatments — filled/dyed stones are harmed by even mild acids like lemon juice, and shallow lattice-diffused colour can be removed by surface damage or re-cutting.
Care
Warm soapy water is always safe; ultrasonic and steam cleaning are usually safe for untreated, heat-treated and lattice-diffusion treated sapphire; fracture-filled, cavity-filled or dyed material should be cleaned only with a damp cloth; boric acid powder will etch the surface of even untreated stones.
Sources GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide)
Scope: This field describes general material properties and does not constitute a durability or safety warranty for any specific finished product; the durability of treated (filling/dyeing/coating) or assembled pieces must be assessed separately.
Treatments and identification leads
One row per treatment, with three standards side by side: how often it occurs and how stable it is (CIBJO), its category in GB/T 16552—2017 Table B.1 (this site's paraphrase) and how the JJA/AGL 2025 table lists it. Each CIBJO value links to its entry under “Testing and market”, where the wording and source are given in full.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Treatment | Market frequency (CIBJO) | Stability (CIBJO) | GB/T 16552 category | JJA/AGL listing | Identification leads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heating | — | — | Optimization | — | — |
| Dyeing | — | — | Treatment | — | — |
| Filling | — | — | Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1 | — | — |
| Diffusion | — | — | Treatment | — | — |
| Irradiation | — | — | Treatment | — | — |
“—” means the cited source gives no value for that item, not “none”. Source: GB/T 16552—2017 Table B.1 (row for Sapphire)
Whether a treatment has to show in the name differs between the two rule sets (this site’s paraphrase):
- GB/T 16552—2017: a method classed as treatment has to be stated in the name itself — the method put before the name, or added in brackets after it; a method classed as optimization does not need to appear in the name, though one marked “Optimization (annotation required)” still has to be noted in the quality documents. Source: §5.4.2.1 a), b); §5.4.2.2 a)
- CIBJO Gemstone Book 2022: no longer splits treatments into ones that need specific disclosure and ones that need only general disclosure: every treatment is to be disclosed, and the seller tells the buyer which treatment was used and what special care it calls for. Source: §4.2.5 Note 2, §4.2.5.1, pp.14–15
What this table covers
What this page can give
- Registered treatments, their stability and how often they occur (see the table above)
- Identification leads for each treatment, for use when sending a stone for testing
How lab reports word it
Report wording for Green Sapphire is set out under report wording on the Corundum entry.
VerifyNames, standards, technical facts, clauses and sources
Names
Standard and listing namesThe name corresponding to Green Sapphire in GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1 is sapphire, and green sapphire itself is not listed in the original; this site's suggested listing name is Green Sapphire. Trade and mineralogical namesThe mineralogical name corresponds to the green gem corundum variety. Names in four languagesNames are given in four languages: Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English (Green Sapphire) and Japanese (a katakana transliteration); the Japanese form is the entry's own Japanese name, and Japan's GSJ wording for green sapphire is not yet verified by this site. Institution usageOn authority wording, this site has recorded only CIBJO's wording, Green Sapphire (CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024); the FTC text on file has no wording for Green Sapphire (checked); GIA and Gem-A are unchecked; bodies without a recorded wording show green sapphire's own English name, which does not represent their position.
- GSJ (Japan) formal name
- グリーンサファイア (not yet checked for this body — the entry's own Japanese name is shown)
- GB/T naming counterpart (this name is not in the standard)
- 蓝宝石 (GB/T 16552—2017 Table A.1)
- Mineralogical name
- Green corundum gem variety
Four-language names
- 简体中文
- 绿色蓝宝石
- 繁體中文
- 綠色藍寶石
- English
- Green Sapphire
- 日本語
- グリーンサファイア
See also: Misleading and prohibited trade names · Supplementary name index
Classification
- Origin
- Natural materials
- Material domain
- Natural inorganic gem materials
- Browsing family
- Oxide minerals
- Identity tier
- Mineral / gemstone variety
- Mineral chemical class
- Oxides / hydroxides
- Construction or treatment status
- Natural; common industry optimization (verify with certificate)
Treatments listed by standards
In the “Sapphire” row of GB/T 16552—2017 Annex B, Table B.1, which this site applies to Green Sapphire, heating is listed as optimization; dyeing, diffusion and irradiation are listed as treatment; and filling is handled by grade. The notes to Table B.1 and the definitions of the filling grades are on the Gem treatments page.
GB/T 16552-2017, Annex B, Table B.1
Under the “Sapphire” row of Table B.1: Heating Optimization; Dyeing Treatment; Filling Graded — see §5.4.1, Table 1; Diffusion Treatment; Irradiation Treatment. The full row, with the effect column, is on the Sapphire page.
What Table B.1 is, and how the “see 5.4.1” grades are defined: see the GB/T 16552: optimization vs treatment page.
What it is and how it's identified
The composition (phase) of Green Sapphire is corundum, with the definition from CIBJO; whole-class features such as chemical composition are written for sapphire as a whole on the Sapphire entry. Registered for sapphire as a whole (regardless of colour and origin): crystalline, trigonal; Mohs hardness 9; no cleavage, though stones with well-developed twinning may show parting; density 3.95–4.1 g/cm³, derived from the clause value 4.00 and its permitted tolerance of +0.10/−0.05; optical character anisotropic, uniaxial, negative; refractive index 1.757–1.779, derived from the clause value 1.762–1.770 and its permitted tolerance of +0.009/−0.005; birefringence 0.008–0.01; among optical effects, asterism can occur, commonly as six-rayed stars, and the colour-change effect can occur; untreated, lustre is vitreous to subadamantine. Untreated, pleochroism is strong, green stones showing green and yellowish green; untreated, the body colour is bluish green to yellowish green.
Registered material facts
Each row carries its own source and check date and can be cited on its own; “—” means the cited source gives no value, not “none”.
Chemical composition, luminescence, UV-visible spectrum, infrared spectrum, magnification: these whole-class features are given in the cited clause for sapphire as a whole (all colours and origins), so they are not repeated on the Green Sapphire page; see the material facts on the Sapphire entry.
Items below that name the class they cover give the cited clause’s value for that whole class, not a measurement of Green Sapphire (how to read class-level values).
Definition
Green Sapphire — composition (phase): corundum
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
Structure
Green Sapphire — structure (overall): crystalline
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- sapphire as a whole (all colours and origins)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.3 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Sapphire — structure (crystal system): trigonal
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- sapphire as a whole (all colours and origins)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.3 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Sapphire — structure (crystal habit): hexagonal prisms or barrel shapes, occasionally tabular or bladed.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- sapphire as a whole (all colours and origins)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.3 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Durability
Green Sapphire — Mohs hardness: 9
GB/T 16553—2017
Reference points on this site: Talc 1–3, Fluorite 4, Apatite 5–5.5, Orthoclase 6–6.5, Topaz 8, Diamond 10 (Source: GB/T 16553—2017); Gypsum 1.5–2, Calcite 3, Quartz 7 (Source: Handbook of Mineralogy); Corundum 9 (Source: GIA Gem Encyclopedia (care guide))
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- sapphire as a whole (all colours and origins)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.3 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Sapphire — cleavage: no cleavage; stones with well-developed twinning may show parting in three directions.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- sapphire as a whole (all colours and origins)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.3 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Physical properties
Green Sapphire — density: 3.95–4.1 g/cm³
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- sapphire as a whole (all colours and origins)
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 4.00, with a stated tolerance of +0.10 / -0.05. The range shown here is worked out from that.
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.3 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Optical
Green Sapphire — optic character: uniaxial, optically negative (anisotropic)
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- sapphire as a whole (all colours and origins)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.3 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Sapphire — refractive index: 1.757–1.779
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- sapphire as a whole (all colours and origins)
- Qualification
The clause we cite gives 1.762–1.770, with a stated tolerance of +0.009 / -0.005. The range shown here is worked out from that.
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.3 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Sapphire — birefringence: 0.008–0.01
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- sapphire as a whole (all colours and origins)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.3 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Sapphire — pleochroism: strong, and varying with color: blue shows blue and green-blue; green shows green and yellow-green; yellow shows yellow and orange-yellow; orange shows orange and orange-red; pink shows pink and pink-red; purple shows purple and purple-red.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- sapphire as a whole (all colours and origins)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.3 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Sapphire — pleochroism: strong; green, yellowish green
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- Qualification
"Strong" comes from the field's general statement (strong, varying with colour); what follows is the value the clause gives for this colour.
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.3 Pleochroism · Green (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Sapphire — fluorescence (overall): black, green: none.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.3 Fluorescence (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Sapphire — spectrum (UV-visible): blue, green, yellow: 450 nm absorption band; or 450 nm absorption peak; 460 nm absorption peak; 470 nm absorption peak.
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.3 UV-visible spectrum (locator checked 2026-09-28)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Sapphire — optical effect (asterism): seen; commonly a six-rayed star
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- sapphire as a whole (all colours and origins)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.3 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Sapphire — optical effect (colour change): seen
GB/T 16553—2017
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- sapphire as a whole (all colours and origins)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.3 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Green Sapphire — body colour: Bluish green to yellowish green.
CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Qualification
In chapter 7 of the CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book, the colour descriptions of Verdelite, Chrome Tourmaline, Euclase and other entries also name green or a greenish colour.
- General note
- colour alone is not identity
Source & check 2026-09-22
- Source
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-22
- CIBJO definitions
- asterism, colour change
Quality factors
Green Sapphire — quality factor (lustre): vitreous to subadamantine
GB/T 16553—2017
- Treatment state
- untreated
- Does this standard apply
- applies to this entry
- What this covers
- sapphire as a whole (all colours and origins)
Source & check 2026-09-26
- Source
- GB/T 16553—2017 Gems — Testing (GB/T): §5.1.3 (locator checked 2026-09-26)
- Fact checked on
- 2026-09-26
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
This material (RI / SG midpoints): 1.768 / 4.03; Closest values: 1Rhodolite 1.755 / 3.9, 2Almandine 1.79 / 3.9, 3Grossular 1.745 / 3.9, 4Tsavorite 1.74 / 3.9, 5Spessartine 1.802 / 3.9
Show the full chart (330 registered materials)
Outside the full chart's range, drawn as triangles at the edge (RI / SG midpoints): Hematite 3.045/5.12, Synthetic Rutile 2.76/4.26, Rutile 2.753/4.23, Synthetic Moissanite 2.67/3.22
Testing and market
The CIBJO laboratory protocol covers Green Sapphire under “Sapphire” (§6.1.69): see identification on the Sapphire entry; the required tests are listed on the CIBJO laboratory protocol table for Sapphire.
How far testing can go
Each row's “Source & check” expands to the full source; the date beside it is the fact check date.
Clause-level definitions
Green Sapphire is defined directly in CIBJO Gemmological Laboratories Book 2024 under the term Green sapphire, which CIBJO defines as the bluish green to yellowish green variety of corundum. The cross-check is recorded as defined directly by CIBJO, with no identically named English entry found in the GB/T annex.
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Term | Clause | Definition | Cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green sapphire | 7.2.1.100 | Bluish green to yellowish green variety of corundum | Defined directly by CIBJO; no identically named English entry was found in this edition of the GB/T annex. |
Evidence and sources
Authority basis and clause sources
Sources
- CIBJO – The World Jewellery Confederation. Gemmological Laboratories Book (Blue Book), Gemmological Commission 2024-1.
- CIBJO – The World Jewellery Confederation. The Gemstone Book (Blue Book), 2022.
- SAMR / SAC (China). GB/T 16552—2017 Gems — Nomenclature.
- RRUFF Project, in partnership with the IMA – International Mineralogical Association. IMA Mineral List.
- Geological Survey of Japan, AIST (Japan). Museum mineral specimens, browse by classification.
Further reading
Related entries and topic cluster
Parent entry and related pages on this site. Rows marked “Planned” are suggested new content and have no link yet.
Related-entry tree for Corundum on this site: 18 entries listed by this site's parent-entry links; synthetic, treated and similar entries carry their recorded state after the name; this page (Green Sapphire) is marked.
- Corundum
Sub-entries (13)
- Colour-change Sapphire
- Green Sapphire
- Orange Sapphire
- Padparadscha Sapphire
- Pink Sapphire
- Purple Sapphire
- Ruby
Sub-entries (2)
- Lead-Glass-Filled Ruby
- Synthetic Ruby (Synthetic product)
- Sapphire
Sub-entries (2)
- Beryllium-Diffused Sapphire
- Synthetic Sapphire (Synthetic product)
- Star Ruby
- Star Sapphire
- Synthetic Corundum (Synthetic product)
- White Sapphire
- Yellow Sapphire
This table scrolls sideways on narrow screens.
| Page | Content | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Browsing family | Oxide minerals | Live |
| Treatments recorded for this material | Heated / Heat-treated (via parent material), Dyed (via parent material), Filled / Fracture-filled (via parent material), Diffusion-treated (via parent material), Irradiated (via parent material) | Live |
| Related articles | To be added (placeholder) | Planned |
Who maintains this page
The material facts in the Green Sapphire entry are maintained by the LumaLark wiki and matched one by one to the standard clauses or institutional sources they cite: every fact carries its source (with a clause or page locator) and a check date, so it can be traced back to the original; clause-level definitions also carry a cross-check result. The entry exists so that buyers and sellers can check naming, disclosure and material facts item by item.