Kanchanaburi Sapphire 2026

Regarding the Colors of Sapphires from Kanchanaburi, Thailand



Kanchanaburi, located in western Thailand, was once renowned as a major sapphire-producing region and is now a popular tourist destination.

 

This city is also a special place for me, as it was where I truly began to love sapphires as gemstones.



I've visited many times over the years, but in recent years, prices have risen due to the overall increase in gem market prices.


Furthermore, the output of beautiful crystals was already low, and most mines have now closed, meaning the number of existing pieces decreases each year.


It's safe to say that sourcing locally is becoming increasingly difficult.



Amidst these challenges, thanks to the trusted relationships I've built with suppliers over years of visits and my local network, I was recently able to source some beautiful Kanchanaburi sapphires.


This time, I'd like to focus once again on the "colors of Kanchanaburi sapphires" and talk a little about them.


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The characteristic colors of Kanchanaburi sapphires are blue, yellow, and purple.


Blue, in particular, is overwhelmingly abundant, with a majority being deep blue with a hazy, silky quality often described as "sleepy."


Of course, there are also royal blue and cornflower blue crystals, but high-quality ones with good transparency are rare.


Many yellow sapphires are bright and vibrant, with fewer leaning towards orange, and a notable number of unheated crystals.


Green sapphires also exist, but most are limited to lighter tones. While it wouldn't be surprising to find deep, rich green crystals like those from Chanthaburi or Bang Kacha in eastern Thailand, given the region's color balance, I've rarely seen them locally.



What was particularly impressive about this latest sourcing trip was,

being able to offer several purple sapphires and unheated rough stones.


I even found crystals with pink in them. The purple created by the blending of blue and pink has excellent color saturation.


While I've introduced a few purple pieces before, this sourcing trip was a significant gain, hinting at new color possibilities for Kanchanaburi sapphires, which were previously strongly associated with "blue and yellow."


The rich expressions of the inclusions in the unheated stones were also very striking.

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And there's one more thing I'd really like you to know about Kanchanaburi sapphires.


That is the intense sparkle of light-colored sapphires.


While this region is often described as having a characteristic "sleepy" haziness, there are rare instances of highly transparent crystals, and particularly the light-colored ones tend to exhibit very strong, colorful fire.


Their brilliance in sunlight is breathtaking.

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I plan to visit again, but the next sourcing trip is uncertain because the mines have closed.


This time, by chance, I was able to source a good quantity and quality, so we have a wide range of Kanchanaburi sapphires in various colors available. I hope you enjoy them.


GemTreeJapan

Ilmo