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Sapphire Information

Including the Corundum varieties: Ruby and Padparadscha

The term Sapphire refers to the gem varieties of the mineral known as Corundum.

Blue sapphire is simply called sapphire. Gem sapphire of any other color is refered to as sapphire with a preceeding color designation; green sapphire, pink sapphire, yellow sapphire, etc... There are two other color varieties of gem corundum that have specific names; red corundum is ruby and orangish-pink corundum is padparadscha.

See a list of all Natural Sapphire Products in our On-Line Gem & Jewelry Store.

Sapphire Information Topics On This Page:

Sapphire Varieties & Sapphire Products In Our Store
(Natural Corundums)

Sapphire

Sapphire is the gem variety of the mineral known as corundum. When natural corundum is red, it is known as ruby - be sure to see our genuine ruby earrings! Take a look at our sapphire information page for more info.

White Sapphire Jewelry

Our sapphire jewelry is set with natural sapphire gemstones that were mined in Ceylon, Thailand, Africa, Madagascar, India and Australia. Here at mineralminers.com, we do not have any lab-created sapphires! We specialize in genuine sapphire jewelry. Our sapphire jewelry designs are all set in solid 14k gold. We do have additional inventory of genuine sapphire jewelry.

Sapphire jewelry is the traditional birthstone jewelry gift for the month of September.

Return to the Index of Sapphire Information Topics

SAPPHIRE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

• Sapphire Chemical Composition: Al₂O₃, color is due to trace impurities of Cr, Fe and Ti.
• Class: oxides
• Sapphire Crystal system: hexagonal-rhombohedral, bar3 2/m
• Sapphire Crystal habit: sapphire crystals are commonly prismatic while ruby crystals are more often tabular {0001}, terminated by basal pinacoids, pyramidal and rhombohedral faces may be partly or entirely absent. Sapphires often occur as tapering hexagonal pyramids with a barrel-shaped form. Basal planes often have parallel striations meeting at 120 degrees forming successive equilateral triangles. Prismatic faces often have deep horizontal striations. Also massive and coarse to fine granular.
• Sapphire Twinning: commonly with multiple lamellar twinning on rhombohedral planes, less commonly with simple contact twins.
• Sapphire Specific gravity: 3.98-4.10
• Index of refraction: 1.757-1.778
• Sapphire Birefringence: weak, 0.007-0.010
• Sapphire Pleochroism: pronounced. Blue sapphire: violet blue/blue-green, green sapphire: strong green/yellow-green, orange sapphire: yellow-brown to orange/colorless, purple sapphire: violet/orange, yellow sapphire: yellow/pale yellow and ruby: purple-red/orange-red
• Sapphire Hardness: 9
• Sapphire Color: Ruby: pinkish red to red corundum. Sapphire (all other colors of corundum): blue, pink, green, yellow, violet, purple, orange, brown, white, gray, black and colorless. Some sapphire crystals are color zoned concentrically and/or along the C axis.
• Sapphire Luster: adamantine to vitreous, can occur with minute rutile inclusions oriented at an angle of 120 degrees from each other according to the hexagonal symmetry of the corundum. When this material is fashioned into a cabochon gem with the c axis of the corundum perpendicular to the base of the stone, reflected light from the rutile inclusions can concentrate on the surface of the gem forming white lines that intersect every 60 degrees forming a six ray star. This material is known as star ruby if it is pinkish-red to red, or as star sapphire with a color prefix for all other colors except blue which is simply called star sapphire.
• Sapphire Transparency: transparent to translucent
• Sapphire Cleavage: none - however, well developed parting on basal & rhombohedral planes is common.
• Sapphire Fracture: conchoidal, brittle
• Streak: white

SAPPHIRE BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Pure corundum (Al₂O₃) is rare in nature and is colorless (known as white sapphire). Small amounts of metalic elements can substitute for aluminum in the sapphire crystal structure, giving rise to many color variations. Gem sapphire of any color is refered to as sapphire with a preceeding color designation if the color is any other than blue. Blue sapphire is simply called sapphire. There are two other color varieties of corundum that have specific names, the pinkish-red to red ruby and the orangish-pink padparadscha.

The famous pinkish-red to red ruby owes its color to chromium (Cr³⁺) impurities, and the color of the rare orangish-pink padparadscha sapphire is from both iron and chromium impurities. The color of the well known blue sapphire (or simply sapphire) is due to Fe²⁺ and Ti⁴⁺ impurities. Iron in the Fe³⁺ state causes the color in some yellow sapphires, while other yellow sapphires owe their color to irradiation induced 'color centers'. Other color influencing impurities in sapphires are vanadium, cobalt and nickel.

Some sapphires owe their color to 'color centers' which are not fully understood, but it can be said that they are created by radiation and destroyed (reversed) by heating or in some cases by exposure to light. Some color centers in sapphire are stable until heated hundreds of degrees while others are very unstable, fading within a few days merely by exposure to light.

The color and in some cases the clarity in gem sapphire can be modified by a number of processes that are in common use today. Most of these processes involve heating, often in the presence of specific chemical ingredients, in order to intensify a natural color or sometimes to introduce an entirely different color altogether. Many light gray to pale blue gem corundums with a 'silky' look due to microscopic titanium oxide inclusions are heated to near their melting point, resulting in the dissolution of the silk-causing inclusions producing a more transparent gem. This improvement in clarity is often accompanied by a much stronger deep blue color as well.

Gem sapphire that exhibits natural color and clarity commands a significant price premium over comparable artificially enhanced sapphire of natural origin. Determining whether a natural gem sapphire has been artificially enhanced can be very difficult and is quite often impossible with the naked eye alone. Special techniques and equipment are usually neccessary, and even then some doubts can remain.

Some sapphire occurs with minute rutile inclusions oriented at an angle of 120 degrees from each other according to the hexagonal symmetry of the corundum. If the concentration of rutile fibers is sufficiently dense, then when this material is fashioned into a cabochon gem with the c axis of the sapphire perpendicular to the base of the stone, reflected light from the rutile inclusions can concentrate on the surface of the gem forming white lines that intersect every 60 degrees forming a six ray star. This material is known as star ruby if it is pinkish-red to red, or as star sapphire with a color prefix for all other colors other than blue. Blue star sapphire is simply called star sapphire. Most synthetically produced star corundum has very perfect stars with fine straight rays. Natural star sapphire characteristically has some imperfections, although occaisionally a natural star sapphire does occur with an exceptionally fine quality near-perfect star.

SAPPHIRE GEOLOGIC OCCURRENCE AND DIAGNOSTIC FEATURES

Sapphire occurs in a variety of geological settings, characteristically in aluminum-rich and silica-poor rocks. It often occurs as an accessory mineral in metamorphic rocks derived from aluminous or carbonate sediments such as crystalline limestones and marbles, mica schists and gneisses. It is also found in contact zones between igneous rocks and limestones.

Sapphire also appears in silica-poor light colored igneous rocks such as desilicated pegmatites, syenites and nepheline syenites.

Due to its high hardness and chemical inertness, corundum is often encountered in eluvial and alluvial deposits.

Sapphire is characterized by its high hardness, luster and specific gravity, and its color and habit.

SAPPHIRE HISTORICAL INFORMATION AND USES

The name sapphire is from the Latin word for blue sapphirus. Ruby is from the Latin word ruber meaning red, and corundum was derived either from the Sanskrit kurivinda or from the Indian name for corundum kauruntaka.

Ruby and sapphire are among the oldest gems known to man, dating back many thousands of years. They were both held in very high regard, especially the ruby. The ancient Sanskrit names for ruby translate as king of precious stones or leader of precious stones. Both ruby and sapphire were in the 'Breastplate of Judgement' of Aaron, described in the bible (Exodus: xxviii, 15-30).

Throughout history both ruby and sapphire have been attributed with having a great variety of beneficial properties. Ruby was said to preserve health and give invulnerability from wounds, and to guarantee that one's status and posessions would never be taken. The wearing of a ruby was said to signify manhood, nobility and valor in a man, and pride & passion in a woman. Sapphire was said to bring divine favor, to make peace between enemies and to protect against envy, fraud, poison and sorcery. The wearing of sapphire jewelry was said to signify generosity, good manners, wisdom and noble thoughts. Star sapphire was widely believed to serve as protecion against witchcraft or sorcery of any kind.

Yellow sapphire gemstones & yellow sapphire jewelry items are used with jyotish and in vedic astrology. In Vedic astrology yellow sapphire is associated with Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system, and wearing Vedic yellow sapphire jewelry is thought to help bring into balance the effects of Jupiter on one's existence attracting better health, strength & vigor, and bringing prosperity, improved status & wisdom.

Sapphire is used as a gemstone, occuring in all colors. Due to natural sapphire's popularity and high value, synthetically produced gem corundum has been used as an inexpensive substitute for many years.
In ancient times, natural spinel gemstones were often confused with natural sapphires.
Corundum is also used as an abrasive. Corundum that has been synthetically manufactured from bauxite is most often used for this purpose. The abrasive material emery is a mixture of corundum and magnetite.

Ruby is the birthstone for the month of July. Be sure to see our pages displaying genuine ruby necklaces and ruby earrings.
Sapphire is the birthstone for the month of September.

Sapphire is the symbolic gemstone for the 23th wedding anniversary.
Star sapphire is the symbolic gemstone for the 26th wedding anniversary.
Ruby is the symbolic gemstone for the 40th wedding anniversary.
Star ruby is the symbolic gemstone for the 52nd wedding anniversary.
The astrological sign of corundum is Sagittarius.
The astrological signs of ruby are Leo, Scorpio, Cancer and Sagittarius.
The astrological signs of sapphire are Virgo, Libra and Sagittarius.

SAPPHIRE METAPHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Sapphire is said to enhance one's creativity, self-confidence, awareness, intuition and ambition. It is also said to help release negative emotions in constructive ways while giving give inner peace.

Metaphysical properties for some of the sapphire varieties are given below:
Black sapphire: is said to protect one from physical harm and enhance one's self-confidence.
Green sapphire: is said to strengthen loyalty and honesty.
Pink sapphire: is said to inspire love, and to enhance one's creativity and self-reliance.
Purple sapphire: is said to aid in meditation, and to enhance one's spirituality.
Ruby: is said to inspire love, and to enhance creativity, wisdom and spirituality. It is also said to give confidence, self-esteem and courage, and to stimulate leadership qualities. Ruby is also said to have been helpfull in treating heart and circulatory disease.
Sapphire (blue color): is said to eliminate confusion, and to dissipate negative emotions such as fear, hate and anger, replacing them with peace, joy and love. be sure to see our selection of genuine blue sapphire jewelry! Blue sapphire is said to enhance one's ability to communicate with others. Sapphire is also said to have been helpfull in treating disorders of the eyes and skin, and in stopping infections.
Star sapphire: said to aid in meditation and to give mental clarity and wisdom. It is also said to bring good fortune and to give one a more pleasant disposition.
Yellow sapphire: is said to bring wisdom, wealth and prosperity.
White sapphire (colorless): is said to stimulate one's intellect and to help focus one's concentration. It is also said to inspire fairness and morality.

For more in-depth metaphysical information, see our Metaphysical Books section.

Be sure to see our selection of natural green sapphire earrings and yellow sapphire earrings!