Sapphires :: Beaut Gems
Sapphire & Ruby Gemstones Information
The sapphire, together with the ruby, are members of the corundum
group, which is the mineralogical name for
aluminium
oxide that crystallised into gemstones a long time ago as a result
of pressure and heat at a great depth. Pure corundum is colourless,
but the presence of small amounts of other elements, especially iron
and chrome, are responsible for giving sapphires their range of
various colours: blues, reds, yellows, oranges, pinks, violets,
greens. Sapphires coloured red by the presence of chromic oxide are
known as rubies. Blue is the most commonly known sapphire colour
and those not coloured blue are generally referred to as ‘fancies’.
Fancy
sapphires are commonly referred to with the colour specified as a
prefix to the word sapphire, for example, yellow sapphire, pink
sapphire.
Parti sapphires are an exquisite Australian beauty! The best
examples are unique to
Australia they contain both yellow and blue colours that
then depending upon the facets, throw green!. Due to the natural blending of colours, Parti sapphires cannot be artificially manufactured
and offer their owner a unique gemstone that is guaranteed natural.
No two parti sapphires are identical and each owner therefore has a
truly individual gemstone. A highly prized Parti sapphire is
the "Pharoah's Eye". The Pharoah's Eye is a blue crystal with
a yellow core. The gem is cut so the culet (bottom) of the
stone is centred in the yellow core and the crown (top) is in the
blue - this is a truly magnificent stone!!!
Star sapphires occur when several tiny needle-like inclusions of rutile reflect light in a six point star-like figure. Padparadja
sapphires are characterised by an orange with a fine pink undertone,
similar to that of a 'lotus flower' which its name depicts.
Sapphires were mined in prehistoric times with the oldest finds in
Ceylon, or Sri Lanka as it is known today. The most valuable
sapphires are those from Kashmir, however, these mines now yield few
stones. Burmese sapphires are valued almost as highly and Ceylon
sapphires are also well regarded. Other important sources of
sapphires are Thailand, Australia, Cambodia, Africa, Brazil, Montana
and Colorado in the USA, with small quantities being found.
The term ‘Australian sapphire’ is used to denote darker coloured
sapphires, whilst ‘Ceylon sapphire’ is used to denote pale to medium
coloured sapphires
Today, many sapphires are heat treated to eliminate impurities and
improve the gem’s colour and clarity.
 Sapphires vary widely in price depending on their size, colour,
transparency, brilliance (affected by clarity and cutting) and their
origin. Sapphires are characterized by excellent hardness (Moh’s
scale –
9) and are only exceeded in hardness
by diamond. For this reason, sapphires are very easy to look after
and are common in everyday jewellery. Ultimately,
which is ‘the best’ sapphire is subjective and
very much a personal preference. Our advice to potential customers
is to choose the stone that most appeals to you.
Sapphire is known as the wisdom stone, with each colour having its
own particular wisdom. Sapphire calms the mind, releases mental
tension and confusion. It stimulates concentration and facilitates
self-expression.(Hall, 2003)
|
RI:
1.76-1.78 |
SG:
3.95-4.05 |
Hardness:
9 |
Toughness: Excellent |
|
Treatments:
Assume that corundum is heated unless otherwise
stated. Facture filling with oil, epoxy or glass is
common in ruby. Diffusion treatment is done and
beryllium treatment is becoming more common, especially with
orange and yellow sapphires. |
|
Care Tips:
Ultrasonic cleaners and steamers are safe if stones are not
oiled, cavity filled, or heavily flawed. |
|
Value:
Fine Blue - $1000
- $3000 USD per carat (Newman, 2006)
Fine Pink - $1000 - $3000 USD per carat (Newman, 2006) |
 Sapphires
and rubies can be securely purchased on this
web site at bargain prices.
|
