Blue Sapphire Crystal: Properties, Benefits & Meanings
Blue Sapphire crystal Overview
Blue Sapphire crystal, also known as Neelam or Kashmiri Blue Sapphire, is a type of precious stone famous worldwide. It is one of the most well-known gemstones due to its rarity, value, and beauty.
Blue sapphires are primarily used in jewelry making but can also be found as ornamental stones on rare occasions.
This article will take a look into the properties, meanings, and uses of the Blue Sapphire crystal.
What Is The Blue Sapphire Crystal?
Kashmiri Sapphires, or Neelam Sapphires, are a variety of the Corundum family, which is very well known for its hardness. These stones are famous worldwide due to their excellent quality, hardness, and stunning beauty.
Blue Sapphire is the birthstone of September and symbolizes royalty, creativity, and self-expression. Furthermore, it is connected to the throat and third eye chakras due to their lustrous blue coloration.
Sapphires are made of a mineral called corundum, which is crystallized aluminum oxide (Al2O3). Corundum forms in rocks containing other minerals; the presence or absence of those minerals determines whether sapphires or rubies form during formation.
What Does The Word Sapphire Mean? (Etymology)
The name sapphire comes from the Greek word “Sapphirus,” which means blue. The ancient Greek word for blue color was also used to describe the color of the sea and sky. Sapphire is one of the few gemstones whose name has not changed.
Blue Sapphire Appearance
Blue sapphire is a beautiful, deep royal blue gemstone with vibrant color. It ranges from light to dark royal blue and can have a variety of tones ranging from light sky blue to medium purplish blue. The color of this stunning gemstone is caused by trace amounts of iron, titanium, and other minerals in the stone that affect its appearance.
Its vivid color, Mohs hardness (9), and rarity are valued. In addition, it is valued for its beauty and is often given as a token of love, luck, or good fortune.
A certified Blue sapphire crystal is rare and, therefore, more expensive than other types of sapphires. Nevertheless, they are a popular choice for jewelry because of their beautiful color and durability. Blue sapphires come in many shapes, including round, oval, pear-shaped, trillion-cut, and star-shaped ones.
Blue star sapphire gemstone is a rarity even among other blue sapphires. The star sapphire has a unique cut that lends itself extremely well to be used as jewelry.
Physical Properties
| Mineral Group | Corundum |
| Formula | Al2O3 |
| Color | Royal Blue |
| Hardness (Mohs scale) | 9 |
| Refractive Index | 1.762 to 1.788 |
| Fracture | Uneven, Conchoidal |
| Luster | Subadamantine, Vitreous, Pearly |
| Specific Gravity | 3.95 to 4.03 |
| Transparency | Transparent, Translucent, Opaque |
Where Can You Find Blue Sapphire Crystals?
Neelam Sapphire has been mined in many areas worldwide, but it’s most abundant in Kashmir, where the best specimens come from. Kashmir sapphires were discovered around 1880. Blue Sapphire crystals from Sri Lanka are also in high demand.
However, you can also find Blue Sapphire in the following countries:
Blue Sapphire Crystal Value
Price Per Carat :
Sapphires can range in price from $25 per carat to over $11,000 per carat. A 1-carat blue sapphire of good quality could cost anywhere between $450 and up to as much as $1,600.
The Four Cs Criteria
A stone with all four Cs is considered the highest quality. The four Cs are Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat Weight. These factors will affect both the price and desirability of a stone.
- Color: Color is the most crucial factor in determining its value. The stone’s color will affect its price, as a blue sapphire with an intense blue color will be more expensive than one with a less desirable color. A subtle shift in hue can drastically affect the price of a gem. The most desirable color for a blue sapphire is intensely blue, which can be found in shades ranging from sky royal blue to dark navy. However, other colors, such as violet-blue and greenish-blue, are also considered valuable. One can judge the hue of sapphire by looking through the stone at an oblique angle against the light or by shining incident white light through it.
- Clarity: The clarity of a gemstone tells how many inclusions (internal flaws) it has and how visible they are to the naked eye. Inclusions can make a stone less valuable or even undesirable, depending on its size and location within the rock.
- Cut: The cut of a gemstone is its shape and finish. Cut can affect the weight and brilliance of a stone. The more facets there are in a polished diamond or sapphire, the more refraction occurs, which makes for higher-quality stones. The most common cuts for dark blue sapphire include the brilliant round cut, the oval cut, and the cushion cut. The round brilliant is considered the most popular cut for blue sapphire stone because it allows maximum light reflection in all directions.
- Carat size: The carat weight of a gemstone is the measurement used to determine its value. The larger the stone’s weight, the more valuable it is. Some stones, like diamonds, are measured by their total mass, while natural blue sapphire crystals are measured by their diameter in millimeters. For example, a one-carat blue sapphire stone generally measures 6 mm across.
How To Tell If A Blue Sapphire Crystal Is Real?
- Because blue sapphire crystals are so often used in jewelry, their flawlessness makes it easy to distinguish between natural and lab-created stones. Pure blue sapphire will have inclusions or flaws that you can see with the naked eye. Lab-created sapphire is flawless and has no inclusions whatsoever.
- You can try scratching a fingernail across its surface to see if it’s hard. If it’s soft and scratches easily, it’s probably not real because natural sapphire has a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale, which means it’s tough and can’t be scratched by anything but another stone of equal or greater hardness.
- Breathe onto your piece so it fogs up. If the fog disappears in one or two seconds, it’s a natural sapphire, but if it takes more than two seconds, it’s a lab-created sapphire.
- Shine a flashlight on the sapphire. If the sapphire is genuine, it only reflects light of the same color. If it’s fake—made with glass instead of gem material—it will reflect other colors besides its own.
- Look for air bubbles in the gemstone. If you see any, it’s a fake. Natural sapphire doesn’t have bubbles because it’s made of pure gem material and has a strong colored appearance.
- Ask a professional to give you a second opinion on your stone. If you have doubts about whether it’s real, ask an experienced gemologist to inspect it.
Blue Sapphire Crystal Chakra Connection
Blue Sapphire is linked with the throat chakra and third eye chakra.
This beloved gemstone resonates with the Third Eye Chakra and stimulates vision work. This chakra is also named as sixth, bow, and forehead chakra. In Sanskrit, it is called “Ajna.”
The third eye or forehead chakra is the center of intuition and psychic ability. It is located between the eyebrows, above the nose, and between your eyes! When activated, it gives us clairvoyance (knowing what’s going on without having to see), foresight (the capacity to look into the future), and insight into our lives and other people and situations.
Blue Sapphire is a stone of the Throat Chakra, which deals with communication and self-expression.
It allows you to speak your truth without fear or hesitation and helps you communicate with others. It also supports becoming aware of what is happening within yourself and encourages listening more closely to that inner voice.
The Throat Chakra is called Vishuddha, which means “pure.” It’s associated with the color blue and located at the base of your neck—behind your thyroid gland. The Throat Chakra plays a crucial role in communication: physical, emotional, and spiritual.
This stunning gemstone can help you to express yourself and overcome shyness or fear of being ridiculed.
Blue Sapphire Crystal Meaning And Uses
- Blue sapphire stone is a third eye chakra stone that enhances mental clarity, and critical thinking skills give you a more expansive view of the world.
- It is excellent for healing and strengthening the brain, which can help prevent headaches and migraines.
- Blue Sapphire, a stone associated with the Throat chakra, is believed to promote creativity and self-expression.
- It also involves our ability to communicate honestly and openly about our feelings.
- Blue sapphire is said to help bring peace and calm during stressful times.
- Blue sapphire is a stone used to soothe ailments in the throat, mouth, and eyes. It alleviates pain associated with these areas.
- Stress-related disorders such as depression or anxiety may be reduced by the calming effect of blue sapphire on the mind.
- Blue sapphire is believed to enhance our ability to think clearly and make good decisions.
- The stunning blue sapphire crystals also help us connect with our intuition and encourage us to trust ourselves more.
Is Blue Sapphire Crystal a birthstone?
Yes, it is the birthstone for people born in September.
How To Take Care Of Blue Sapphire Crystal Jewelry?
- Cleaning your sapphire jewelry is simple with the right tools. Use a soft brush to remove dirt from the surface of your sapphire jewelry. Then, soak it in warm water with mild dish soap for about 15 minutes. Rinse well and dry with a soft cloth or towel.
- If the stone is set in engagement rings, brush gently through its setting with a soft paintbrush to cleanse it of any impurities. This will help maintain the brilliance of the blue sapphire gemstone when viewed from above.
- Avoid harsh chemicals or abrasives to keep your sapphire jewelry looking its best. Rinse it thoroughly with water and air-dry before putting it back on your jewelry stand—or storing it in its box.
- Because natural gemstones, particularly sapphires, are most vibrant during the spring and summer months when the sun is shining, keeping them away for periods of darkness may cause their color to dull. A natural gemstone’s color can be restored by placing it in direct sunlight for 20-30 minutes. This is a phenomenon that occurs naturally in all gemstones.
FAQ
What Is Blue Sapphire Crystal Good For?
Blue sapphire is an excellent choice for those looking for something eye-catching and elegant but not too flashy, as it makes a great gift in any situation. In addition, they symbolize loyalty, friendship, and trustworthiness.
If you want to buy your loved one some sapphire jewelry, consider a pair of earrings or a ring with blue stones. You can also give them a bracelet or necklace with several different gemstones; this way, they’ll have something that looks great every day! Natural blue sapphire crystals are an excellent option for those who want something that will last a lifetime!
What Are The Healing Properties Of Blue Sapphire Crystal?
Blue sapphire is a stone that can be used for healing on many levels. It has strong connections to the throat chakra, which means that wearing it will help you speak your truth and find your voice. It’s also connected to the third eye chakra, which makes it an excellent meditation stone and helps you in developing psychic abilities such as clairvoyance.
How Hard Is the Blue Sapphire Crystal?
Blue sapphire is one of the hardest materials on earth. However, it’s ranked at nine on the Mohs scale, which makes it highly durable and able to stand up against most things in life. Because of this, it’s an excellent stone for those who are active or need to wear jewelry daily!
What Gemstones go well with Blue sapphire crystal?
Blue sapphire is a precious gemstone that is usually paired with other gemstones like rubies, emeralds, and diamonds. However, it can also be paired with other blue-colored stones such as Alexandrite, Apatite, Blue Fluorite, etc.
