These exquisitely beautiful and fairly rare gemstones
have captured hearts of many with their rich vibrant color. Due to their color,
brilliance, and strength they are considered some of the most precious and
luxurious stones on Earth. Sapphires are the quite possibly the image of the
most perfect blue that could be found in the universe.
These gorgeous stones come in virtually all colors,
except red (because red pieces of the mineral corundum are called rubies). Some
of the colors include peach, violet, purple, yellow, colorless, black, white,
pink, green, brown, orange, many shades in between and many varieties of blue.
The most popular color of Sapphires, the one it is almost synonymous with, is
cornflower blue. Some of the color varieties of Sapphires have special names,
for example an orangish-pink is called "padparadsha," which is translated as
"lotus flower."
Just like in most other gemstones, the clarity of a
Sapphire is very important when choosing a stone. The more valuable stones are
eye clean and have no visible inclusions. It is also important to look at the
stones cut and size, but the most important characteristic is the color. The
most valued Sapphires have a bright, pure blue color without any added hues of
green, gray or black and do not change its color under different lighting
conditions. The lighter colored stones, though they might be less expensive
than the well saturated stones, are more expensive than those Sapphires that
are too dark.
A Buying Tip: In general, sapphires look
their best in the light of the early morning or late afternoon.
Sapphire is usually suggested as a gift for the following
holidays and special dates:
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Modern birthstone of September.
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Stone for the couples celebrating their 5th, 23rd and 45th wedding
anniversaries.
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A star sapphire is given to couples celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary.
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Serves as the birthstone for the Zodiac signs of Pisces, Taurus, Virgo and
Sagittarius.
The name of the Sapphire comes from the Latin name
"sapphire," which means "blue," or from the Greek "sappheiros," which also
means "blue."
Since the ancient times Sapphires were regarded as
exquisite and magical stones. Many kings and queens wore them not only for
their beauty, but also due to the Sapphires power to protect them from harm.
Because the blue of these magnificent gems is the color of the sky, or the
heavens, it was very popular with the clergy since the Middle Ages. Not only
does the British Imperial Crown as contains a number of large, prominent
sapphires, but also Lady Diana received a stunning Sapphire engagement ring
from Prince Charles.
The especially large and gorgeous examples of this
exquisite gem are displayed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.,
the Russian Diamond Treasury in Moscow and a number of distinguished American
museums.
These stones were worn since the ancient times and
symbolized loyalty, faithfulness, love, spiritual enlightenment, inner peace,
happiness, purity, chastity, piety, faith, remembrance, enduring commitment,
sympathy, harmony and friendship. It was also said to ward off back luck, help
in psychokinesis, telepathy, clairvoyance and astral projection. As a healing
tool it was believed to cure rheumatism, mental illness, depression and colic
pains.
Its enchanted color served as a fruitful bed for myths.
According to the ancient Persian legends the sky was the reflection of the huge
blue Sapphire, on which Earth rested. It became a sacred stone when, according
to tradition, God gave Moses the tablets with the Ten Commandments that were
made of Sapphire.
The rarest and most coveted of Sapphires are vibrantly
blue and come from Kashmir and Myanmar (Burma). They are also found in US,
Brazil, Australia, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Ceylon, Thailand, India, Cambodia,
China, Kenya, Madagascar, Tanzania and Vietnam.
Though they are mainly known for the rich, vivid blue
color Sapphires are the multi-colored siblings of the gorgeous Rubies, and come
from the family of the mineral corundum. These exquisite stones are very
durable; according to the Mohs' scale their hardness rates at 9, which is
second only to diamonds at 10. Though these stones are very tough in nature,
they are very rarely found in a state that matches its ideal characteristics,
for that reason most Sapphires on the market today are treated.
Heat-treatment is stable, permanent, and is used to
improve the stones clarity and color, either to make it lighter or more
intense.
Because these stones are so precious and expensive, to
improve their appearance and price they are often treated with a coating to
fill any fractures in their surfaces. Over time and with extensive use, such
coating will wear away.
Some of the pale stones are treated with some chemicals,
also known as the diffusion treatment. It improves the color of the stone only
on the surface. Another treatment that is sometimes used on Sapphires is
irradiation to make the shade of the stone more intense. Both of these
treatments are temporary or unstable.
These stone rate 9 on the Mohs' hardness scale and
possess durability second only to diamonds. That quality makes Sapphires very
well suited for everyday wear and they should endure through repeated impacts.
However, these stones are not indestructible, and if your stone contains filled
in fractures, those fillers could come out from an impact, that could cause the
stone to chip and break apart.
Whether you know if your stone has been treated or not
you shouldn't expose your Sapphires to heat, excessive abuse or strong harsh
cleaners. Your safest bet is to wash your jewelry in a warm solution of mild
liquid detergent and water. If you need to use a brush, make sure that is very
soft and scrub very gently. Remember to rinse and dry thoroughly after you're
done cleaning.