Named for the colour of a lotus blossom, padparadscha occupies a narrow band between pink and orange. True padparadscha is astonishingly rare, and the finest examples come from Sri Lanka.
Where pink meets orange
Gemmologists argue endlessly about the exact boundaries of the colour, but the principle is simple: both hues must be present and in balance. Too much pink and it is a pink sapphire; too much orange and it is an orange sapphire.
Because the window is so tight, padparadscha rewards patience. We would rather wait months for the right stone than list one that sits just outside the range.