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| Color |
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Baby blue to vivid blue
to midnight blue |
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| Gem Family |
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Sapphire is a member
of the corundum family, which includes both ruby
and sapphire. Sapphire is available in every color
but red, which is ruby, but most people think of
sapphire first as the ultimate blue gemstone. |
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| Source |
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Blue sapphire is mined
in Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Australia, Kashmir, Burma,
Thailand, Cambodia, Tanzania, Kenya, and the United
States. |
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| Clarity |
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Ranges from no visible
inclusions to moderately included. |
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| Size Range |
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Small accent stones to
spectacular 10-carat gems. Exceptionally rare large
stones have been found in sizes larger than 200
carats. |
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| Shapes Available |
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Most available in oval
and cushion shapes. In smaller sizes, sapphire is
also available in a variety of shapes including
brilliant and Portuguese rounds, emerald cuts, princess
cuts, and trillions. |
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| Enhancement |
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There are completely
natural sapphires but most sapphires are heated
to maximize the beauty of their inherent color and
improve clarity. Heat enhancement is stable, routine,
and does not require special care. There are now
also sapphires treated by bulk diffusion, which
have additional elements diffused into the surface
to artificially improve their color. Sapphire treated
by bulk diffusion is far less costly and much more
available than rare fine natural gems or those successfully
heat-treated. |
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| Lore & History |
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Sapphire comes from the
Greek word for blue, sappheiros, and this gem provides
the most beautiful blues of the gem kingdom. The
ancient Persians believed the earth rests on a giant
sapphire. Its reflection, they said, made the sky
blue. Sapphire is the original "true blue": the
gem of fidelity and of the soul. In ancient times,
a gift of a sapphire was a pledge of trust, honesty,
purity, and loyalty. This tradition makes sapphire
a popular choice for engagement rings. Sapphire
is the birthstone for September and the traditional
gift for the fifth anniversary. |
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| Toughness &
Hardness |
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Sapphire has a hardness
of 9 on the Mohs scale and it is quite tough. Only
diamond is harder. |
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| Care & Cleaning |
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Sapphire is among the
most durable gemstones. In its common form, corundum
is even used as an abrasive! Clean your sapphire
with warm water, detergent, and a soft brush. Sapphire
can be put in ultrasonic or steam cleaners. |
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| Price Range |
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$250 to $5,000 per carat
for stones from a half-carat to 3 carats. Smaller
sizes can be less; rare gems above three carats
may be much more. |
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| Special Characteristics |
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Sapphire is so hard you
must cut it with sapphire or diamond. Diamond powder
creates the best polish and sparkle. |
