Facts About Sapphire
Sapphires are members of the corundum family of minerals. They exist in nearly every color except red, because red corundum is always called ruby. One of the hardest minerals, sapphires are durable gemstones that have been in demand since ancient times.
Sapphire Hardness9 on the Mohs’ scale; compare to diamonds at 10 and turquoise at 5-6.
Sapphire ColorsCornflower blue is the most popular sapphire color, but all shades of blue are found##2## Sapphires exist in many other colors, including yellow, colorless, black, white, orange, pink, and brown
A variety of orangish-pink sapphire is called padparadsha, which means “lotus flower.”
Sapphire TreatmentsHeat treatment is commonly used to deepen sapphire color and improve clarity
Where Sapphires Are FoundQuality sapphires are found in Ceylon, Thailand, Australia, India, Burma, Africa, and Brazil.
Unusual SapphiresSome sapphires are cut into cabochons (smooth domes) and produce a star with six rays that stretch across the sapphire’s surface.
Synthetic SapphiresLike many other popular gemstones, sapphires can be created in a laboratory. Some synthetic sapphires are difficult to distinguish from gemstones formed in nature.
Sapphire Buying Advice
Is It a Real Gemstone?
Common Gemstone Treatments
More Birthstones
Fashion Jewelry |
