Geology/History
Known as the blue variety of corundum & sister to Ruby. Historically & in folk lore the term Sapphire refers only to the blue coloured stones. The blue -grey- black colouring occurs from varying amounts of iron & titanium. Sapphires can also be green (iron), orange (iron & vanadium), yellow (iron), purple/violet (vanadium), brown(iron) & colourless(titanium). Parti Sapphires are yellow & blue, Padparadscha (Lotus Flower) Sapphires are orange & pink, Rutile inclusions can create Star Sapphires. Most Sapphires exhibit some Pleochroism, a rare variety known as “colour change” or “Alexandrite Sapphire” shows blue in daylight & reddish/violet in artificial light. Sapphires cannot however be red, as the classification of red corundum is indeed Ruby.
The line at which red becomes Ruby is ambiguous & no definite demarcation line exists. This makes Pink Sapphires an area of contention & confusion. Light red, pink & violet corundum’s are often labelled Pink Sapphire, this categorisation occurred as a means for further gemological sub classification & marketing purposes. If these stones where to be grouped with Rubies they would be considered of lesser quality. The colour of Pink Sapphires & Rubies occurs due to presence & concentration of chromium, for Pink Sapphire metaphysical purpose see Ruby. For gemological purpose, all colours other than blue are collectively known as “fancy Sapphires”. The most sort after of colours is “corn flour” blue, which appears as a radiant pure deep blue.
The word Sapphire is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit, Shanipriya (शनिप्रिय) meaning “dear to Saturn” this term later evolved into the Greek σαπφειρος sappheiros, then latin sapphirus, both meaning “blue”. Humans have utilised Sapphire’s for thousands of years, it has been notably prized since 800BC.
Ancient Grecians associated Sapphire with Apollo & believed it to cure eye disease & set prisoners free, Ancient eastern civilisations believed it protected against the evil eye. Still highly prized as a gemstone today, evolution has seen humans take Sapphire from an ornamental stone to cutting edge industrial applications such as infrared optical components, high-durability windows, wristwatch crystals & movement bearings & very thin electronic wafers, which are used as the insulating substrates of very special-purpose solid-state electronics.
Sapphire & Ruby are often found in the same geological setting. Forming in silica deficient igneous rocks such as nephaline syenites, certain pegmatites & high-grade metamorphic rock. Often found & mined from alluvial deposits formed by natural weathering of host rocks. Notable Sapphire deposits are found in Eastern Australia, Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Kashmir, China (Shandong), Madagascar, East Africa & North America.
Traditional gift for a 45th wedding anniversary & the birthstone of September.
Metaphysical Properties
Ancient folk lore says Sapphire allows one to speak & hear between the veils. Attracts wealth to the wearer & has the power to bring harmony between lovers as well as peace between adversaries. Said to put one at ease in social engagements & banish fraud, Sapphire’s have been used for centuries to ward off evil.
A stone of truth, insight & magic.
With radiant light & fortune so bright sing me a song on this Sapphire night. Sapphire brings infinite love, compassion & acceptance. With clarity of sight & mind Sapphire instills peace, tranquility & oneness. Excellent for all projects it provides immense strength & resilience with determination. It promotes accurate focus & sustains drive, particularly good for monetary gain in business ventures.
Sapphire opens channels to the ancient Egyptian Blue Lotus medicine, Arcadian & Atlantean energies. It enhances intuition, purpose & knowing. Perfect for Moon Rituals, Sapphire unblocks & expands subtle energy bodies with a piercing blue ray, unveils the veiled & releases illusion. This stone brings answers to the seekers, it opens the third eye & throat chakra, supports deep meditation, soul journeys or retrieval & shamanic work. Sapphire is the bridge between worlds it connects to celestial beings & angelic realms.
A powerful ally in contacting guardians, spirits, fae & elementals or communicating with other worlds. Knowledge, insight & understanding are gifted through illuminated truth, the how’s, where’s & what’s become crystal clear. This stone brings awareness & unveils the true colours in every situation it teaches all that glitters is not Gold & sometimes Gold does not glitter.
Crystal Healing
Ailments of the Lungs, Heart, throat, ears, eyes & nose. Increases connectivity, promotes balance.
Mineralogy
Group: Oxide Mineral, Corundum
Crystal System: Trigonal
Composition: Al2O3
Form/Habit: Pyramidal, prismatic, barrel shaped
Hardness: 9
Cleavage: None
Fracture: Conchoidal to uneven, splintery
Lustre: Adamantine - Vitreous
Streak: White
Specific Gravity: 3.95–4.03
Transparency: Transparent - translucent
R.I: nω=1.768–1.772, nε=1.760–1.763
Birefringence 0.008
Colour: Various blue tones, colourless, orange, yellow, green, purple, black, pink
Pleochroism: Strong
Fluorescence: Blue: none Colourless: orange, yellow violet
Other Properties: Coefficient of thermal expansion (5.0–6.6)×10−6/K
ε = 8.9–11.1 (anisotropic)
Known as the blue variety of corundum & sister to Ruby. Historically & in folk lore the term Sapphire refers only to the blue coloured stones. The blue -grey- black colouring occurs from varying amounts of iron & titanium. Sapphires can also be green (iron), orange (iron & vanadium), yellow (iron), purple/violet (vanadium), brown(iron) & colourless(titanium). Parti Sapphires are yellow & blue, Padparadscha (Lotus Flower) Sapphires are orange & pink, Rutile inclusions can create Star Sapphires. Most Sapphires exhibit some Pleochroism, a rare variety known as “colour change” or “Alexandrite Sapphire” shows blue in daylight & reddish/violet in artificial light. Sapphires cannot however be red, as the classification of red corundum is indeed Ruby.
The line at which red becomes Ruby is ambiguous & no definite demarcation line exists. This makes Pink Sapphires an area of contention & confusion. Light red, pink & violet corundum’s are often labelled Pink Sapphire, this categorisation occurred as a means for further gemological sub classification & marketing purposes. If these stones where to be grouped with Rubies they would be considered of lesser quality. The colour of Pink Sapphires & Rubies occurs due to presence & concentration of chromium, for Pink Sapphire metaphysical purpose see Ruby. For gemological purpose, all colours other than blue are collectively known as “fancy Sapphires”. The most sort after of colours is “corn flour” blue, which appears as a radiant pure deep blue.
The word Sapphire is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit, Shanipriya (शनिप्रिय) meaning “dear to Saturn” this term later evolved into the Greek σαπφειρος sappheiros, then latin sapphirus, both meaning “blue”. Humans have utilised Sapphire’s for thousands of years, it has been notably prized since 800BC.
Ancient Grecians associated Sapphire with Apollo & believed it to cure eye disease & set prisoners free, Ancient eastern civilisations believed it protected against the evil eye. Still highly prized as a gemstone today, evolution has seen humans take Sapphire from an ornamental stone to cutting edge industrial applications such as infrared optical components, high-durability windows, wristwatch crystals & movement bearings & very thin electronic wafers, which are used as the insulating substrates of very special-purpose solid-state electronics.
Sapphire & Ruby are often found in the same geological setting. Forming in silica deficient igneous rocks such as nephaline syenites, certain pegmatites & high-grade metamorphic rock. Often found & mined from alluvial deposits formed by natural weathering of host rocks. Notable Sapphire deposits are found in Eastern Australia, Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Kashmir, China (Shandong), Madagascar, East Africa & North America.
Traditional gift for a 45th wedding anniversary & the birthstone of September.
Metaphysical Properties
Ancient folk lore says Sapphire allows one to speak & hear between the veils. Attracts wealth to the wearer & has the power to bring harmony between lovers as well as peace between adversaries. Said to put one at ease in social engagements & banish fraud, Sapphire’s have been used for centuries to ward off evil.
A stone of truth, insight & magic.
With radiant light & fortune so bright sing me a song on this Sapphire night. Sapphire brings infinite love, compassion & acceptance. With clarity of sight & mind Sapphire instills peace, tranquility & oneness. Excellent for all projects it provides immense strength & resilience with determination. It promotes accurate focus & sustains drive, particularly good for monetary gain in business ventures.
Sapphire opens channels to the ancient Egyptian Blue Lotus medicine, Arcadian & Atlantean energies. It enhances intuition, purpose & knowing. Perfect for Moon Rituals, Sapphire unblocks & expands subtle energy bodies with a piercing blue ray, unveils the veiled & releases illusion. This stone brings answers to the seekers, it opens the third eye & throat chakra, supports deep meditation, soul journeys or retrieval & shamanic work. Sapphire is the bridge between worlds it connects to celestial beings & angelic realms.
A powerful ally in contacting guardians, spirits, fae & elementals or communicating with other worlds. Knowledge, insight & understanding are gifted through illuminated truth, the how’s, where’s & what’s become crystal clear. This stone brings awareness & unveils the true colours in every situation it teaches all that glitters is not Gold & sometimes Gold does not glitter.
Crystal Healing
Ailments of the Lungs, Heart, throat, ears, eyes & nose. Increases connectivity, promotes balance.
Mineralogy
Group: Oxide Mineral, Corundum
Crystal System: Trigonal
Composition: Al2O3
Form/Habit: Pyramidal, prismatic, barrel shaped
Hardness: 9
Cleavage: None
Fracture: Conchoidal to uneven, splintery
Lustre: Adamantine - Vitreous
Streak: White
Specific Gravity: 3.95–4.03
Transparency: Transparent - translucent
R.I: nω=1.768–1.772, nε=1.760–1.763
Birefringence 0.008
Colour: Various blue tones, colourless, orange, yellow, green, purple, black, pink
Pleochroism: Strong
Fluorescence: Blue: none Colourless: orange, yellow violet
Other Properties: Coefficient of thermal expansion (5.0–6.6)×10−6/K
ε = 8.9–11.1 (anisotropic)