Padparadscha is the rarest and pinkish orange variety of Sapphire. It is the only gem in the corundum family other than ruby to have its own name, rather than being referred to as a sapphire of a particular color. The name derives from a Sinhalese word that means blossoming lotus.
Like all varieties of corundum, padparadscha sapphire is an excellent jewelry stone. That is due to its hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale, which is second only to diamond.
Occurrence
The most important source of padparadscha sapphire is Sri Lanka.
Padparadscha Properties
- Specific Gravity: 4.00
- Refractive Index: 1.76-1.77
- Birefringence (DR): 0.008
- Luster: Vitreous
- Crystal Structure: Trigonal
- Composition: Aluminum Oxide
- Hardness: 9
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