Luminescence signals produced during ion implantation of sapphire are related to the F, F+and F2defect centres. However, the efficiency of light production changes with ion beam dose, the rate of energy deposition and radiation damage, hence the signals are not proportional to the defect concentrations. Data are presented which suggest that the light is primarily produced by electronic excitation. Luminescence efficiency within the region of nuclear collisions is very low. It is not possible to determine the energy dependence of the luminescence intensity, as a function of ion energy, by energy variations within a single target crystal.