Sapphire Crystal: Properties, Benefits & Meanings
Sapphire Crystal Overview
Sapphire is a precious gemstone and is available in a handful of colors. You can find it in different places worldwide, and it’s very popular because of its rarity.
People use Sapphire crystals for jewelry and other decorative items like rings or necklaces. Furthermore, it is also used as an investment because it’s even rarer than other investment metals like gold.
Sapphire is one of the hardest substances on Earth, which is part of why it’s so popular. This article will take a look into the properties, meanings, and uses of the Sapphire crystal.
What Is Sapphire Crystal?
Sapphire is one of the four precious gems found in the world. It belongs to the same family as Ruby but has a striking blue color, making it very popular. Blue gemstones are rare in nature which is why Sapphire is so sought-after.
This gemstone is the birthstone of September and is aligned with the Taurus star sign.
It is considered a symbol of wisdom and nobility. Both Holy priests and nobility adorn this beautiful stone because of its religious symbolism.
Sapphires are included in the Corundum family, including another precious gemstone, the Ruby. Emerald belongs to the beryl family, while diamond is a family of its own.
Difference Between Precious And Semi-Precious Stones
Precious stones are distinguished from semi-precious stones, not based on actual price but on the historical perspective. Nevertheless, it is a common misnomer that precious stones are worth more than semi-precious stones.
While it may be true in some cases, it only holds true for some stones. For example, Alexandrite is a striking blue-colored semi-precious stone that is even more expensive than the precious sapphire gemstone that shows a similar color.
There are only four precious stones, i.e., Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, and Diamond.
Etymology
The word “Sapphire” is thought to have come from the Greek word “Sappheiros,” which precedes the Latin word “sapphirus,” both of which mean blue.
You can trace the root of the word back to the Sanskrit word “Sanipriya,” meaning “dear to Saturn.”
Sapphire Crystal Appearance
Sapphire is a beautiful gemstone most well known for its striking blue color. However, it also comes in a few other less common colors. They occur in yellow, purple, orange, and green colors.
The cause of the color in Corundum gems is the presence of trace heavy metals in the structure. They replace some of the Aluminum, leading to distinct and beautiful colors.
Types Of Sapphire Crystal
There are five widely accepted varieties of the Sapphire gemstone.
- Blue Sapphire: These are classic blue-colored sapphires. They are the most well-recognized and famous sapphire stones in the world. Blue Sapphires come in various hues and shades, the most prized of which is the Kashmiri Sapphire stone. The Kashmir Sapphire is known to be the best-colored blue gemstone; it isn’t even heat-treated.
- Cat Sapphire: Non-standard colors of sapphires, such as green, are grouped under Cat sapphires. These are typically less valued than other varieties of Sapphires. Green sapphires are often mistaken for emeralds but are worth more than them because they have fewer inclusions.
- Padparadscha: A light orange/pink shade of the sapphire stone is known as Padparadscha. It is a highly valued gemstone only found in Myanmar, Malawi, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania.
- Star Sapphire: A sapphire stone that shows chatoyancy is known as a Star Sapphire. These stones are scarce and highly valued due to their uniqueness and optical properties. The largest star sapphire is called “The Star of India” and is kept in the American Museum of Natural History.
Historical Significance
Sapphire gemstones are important stones that are prevalent in human history. They hold great value to a wide variety of people.
- Pope Innocent, the third of the Catholic Church, declared that bishops would wear untreated sapphire gemstone rings to symbolize the “holding of secrets.”
- Sapphires are the official state gem of Queensland, Australia, because of the prevalence of its mines in this region.
- Different cultures around the world held sapphires in high regard and had many beliefs centered around them.
- References to Sapphire gemstones are scattered throughout the Bible and were used by priests to signify their relation to heaven.
Where Can You Find Sapphire Crystal?
Sapphire crystals are not widely spread around the world. The Greek term for blue Sapphire gemstone is thought actually to refer to Lapis Lazuli instead.
The best blue Sapphire crystals are mined from Kashmir. Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Madagascar also produce high-quality sapphires, but they are sold for a lower premium than what Kashmir blue Sapphires command.
You can find Sapphire crystals in the following locations worldwide:
Sapphire Crystal Physical Properties
Sapphire gemstones are most well known for their hardness. They are the third hardest mineral in the world, after Diamond and Moissanite, and have a rating of 9 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. They possess an adamantine luster and have a Trigonal crystal system.
Due to their incredible hardness, they are used in various industries for a myriad of applications, giving them practical uses alongside ornamental ones.
| Mineral Group | Corundum |
| Formula | Al2O3 |
| Chemical name | Alumina |
| Color | Blue, Pink, Green |
| Hardness (Mohs scale) | 9 |
| Refractive Index | 1.760 – 1.772 |
| Luster | Adamantine, Pearly |
| Specific Gravity | 3.98 – 4.1 |
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How To Tell If A Sapphire Crystal Is Real?
- Monotony: If you notice that the color of your Sapphire is the same throughout, i.e., it has no variation, then it is likely a fake. Natural Sapphire gemstones refract light in such a way that the color appears to be changing with every angle.
- Scratch Test: Sapphire is the third hardest mineral in the world. It is used in high-quality glassware because of this very reason. Sapphire is extremely hard to scratch. You should only be able to leave a mark on it with a diamond or moissanite. If your Sapphire gemstone is easy to scratch, then it is not real.
- Acetone Test: To see if the color of your Sapphire gemstone is natural, you should dip it in a solution of acetone and water. If it starts to lose color, then it is artificially colored. Genuine gemstones get their color from their structure, not from paint.
- Transparency: You should also look for transparency in your gem. When you hold a natural sapphire up to the light, you should be able to see through it. You should be able to see the light coming through all sides of the stone. In contrast, artificially colored gems are incredibly cloudy.
Sapphire Crystal Value
Sapphire is a costly stone, with prices rising up to hundreds of thousands of dollars per carat. However, they can also be found for only a couple hundred dollars, depending on their quality. This range of value depends on the Four C’s of geology. The gem’s size in carats, the quality of its cut, the clarity of the stone, and the beauty of the color.
Carat
The carat weight of a gem is the measurement of its size. One carat is 200 mg or 0.2 grams. The price per carat of a gem increases with its weight. Larger Sapphires are worth significantly more per carat than smaller ones.
This increased price is due to the difficulty of finding large intact stones and the extraction process itself. The three largest sapphires in the world, the star of India, the Blackstar of Queensland, and the star of Adam, are 563, 733, and 1400 carats in size, respectively.
Large sapphires like these go for hundreds of thousands of dollars per carat.
Cut
The hardest part of the extraction process is the cutting. Cutting a large, rough stone into a beautiful gem is quite tricky. The cut must be precise to ensure that the stone reflects light correctly and displays its actual color.
Sapphires processed by renowned gemologists and organizations will cost a premium based on the guarantee of the quality of the cut.
Clarity
Clarity is primarily essential for transparent gems like diamonds. It doesn’t play a significant role in determining the price for colored stones like Sapphires and Rubies. In fact, having inclusions in your colored stone can be a plus if they are just right.
Blue Sapphire gemstones with high clarity are extremely rare and very valuable. Typical sapphires have more than a few inclusions which appear as “needles” or “feathers” in the gemstone.
Color
Color is the most crucial quality that determines the price of a Sapphire crystal. The intensity of the color and its continuity are the major factors in deciding whether it is a good crystal.
The most valuable Sapphire is called the “Kashmir” sapphire. It is regarded as the best-colored blue stone in the world. Experts describe its color to be almost velvety. Kashmir stones are very costly and go for $100,000/Ct at the very least.
Sapphire Crystal Chakra Connection
Blue Sapphire stones are connected to the third eye and throat chakra.
The third eye chakra is also called the Ajna Chakra, which is associated with intuition and psychic ability. It is located between the eyebrows or in the center of your forehead.
The throat chakra is called the Vishuddha Chakra, which is associated with communication and self-expression. It is present at the base of the neck, in front and below your Adam’s apple.
Sapphire Stone Meaning And Uses
Metaphysical Uses
- Psychic Ability: Sapphire crystals are used for spiritual protection and psychic development. They can help clear your mind of distractions so that you can focus on a specific goal or task. Sapphire crystals are used during meditation to help you focus on your goals or to connect with your higher self.
- Communication: They can also be used to facilitate communication between yourself and others. Because of this property, orators and priests often wore sapphire crystals to help them speak with clarity.
- Self-Expression: Blue Sapphire crystals can be used for self-expression, particularly when combined with other stones. They can help you find your voice and express yourself clearly. Use sapphire crystals in conjunction with other stones that encourage communication, such as turquoise or lapis lazuli.
- Emotional Healing: Blue Sapphire crystals were historically used for emotional healing and to help people release negative emotions such as anger, fear, or jealousy. They are also said to help you accept your feelings and deal with them in a healthy way.
- Physical Healing: Many people believe that Sapphire crystals have mystical healing powers. Italians think that it can fend off eye problems. Mary the First, Queen of Scotland, used a Sapphire pendant for this alleged medicinal property.
Modern/Practical Uses
Sapphires are relevant in the modern industrial age as well. They were successfully synthesized in laboratory conditions in 1911 by a French chemist, Auguste Verneuil.
Owing to its availability, after the process of synthesizing it was adequately studied, it started to be used in different industries because of its remarkable properties. Some uses of synthetic Sapphire are listed below:
- Laser: It is used alongside some other materials to create powerful lasers that have various unique properties.
- Endoprosthetics: flat crystals of Sapphire are relatively biocompatible. This makes it perfect for transplants. Sapphire crystals are used alongside different metals for hip replacements.
- Watch Glass: Due to its high scratch resistance, premium watches have started to use sapphire crystal glass in their design. Due to its rating of nine, it is incredibly durable and difficult to scratch. Thus, modern watches with sapphire glass crystals are worth quite a lot.
- Electronics: Sapphires are used in various parts of electronic circuits, primarily as insulating material.
- Camera Lenses: Sapphire is most valued because of its hardness. They make excellent high-quality glass that is scratch resistant. Because of this, camera lenses usually have sapphire lenses. Similarly, they are also used for fingerprint sensors. It is estimated that Apple, the mobile phone manufacturer, consumed a third of the sapphires produced in 2014.
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How To Clean Sapphire Crystal Jewelry?
Sapphire doesn’t require too much care because it is very tough. However, it is a good idea to clean it regularly to keep it looking new and beautiful. You can follow the given steps to clean your jewelry properly.
- Soak your jewelry in a bowl of lukewarm water with some mild soap for about 5 minutes.
- When you are done, rinse the jewelry in clean water. You can then scrub it with a soft toothbrush if needed to remove stubborn stains.
- Once it has been thoroughly dried/polished, you can gently buff the crystal with a microfiber cloth.
- It is best to clean away negative energy by burning a smudge stick before you use your stone.
- By exposing your gem to moonlight or burying it in the ground, you can recharge its energy. Leave it for a few hours, but overnight is best.
FAQ
Which Gemstones Go Best With Sapphire Crystal?
Sapphires are precious stones and naturally pair best with other precious stones, i.e., diamonds, rubies, and emeralds.
Sapphire crystal is a very powerful stone, so it goes well with many other stones. It works especially well with rose quartz, aquamarine, and amethyst.
What Is The Rarest Sapphire?
The rarest color of Sapphire is actually pink, which is called Padparadscha. While blue-colored Sapphire isn’t as rare as pink, Blue Kashmir Sapphires are more valuable. They are no longer produced due to the depletion of the mine and are the most expensive form of Sapphire.
Kashmir sapphires are described as having a velvety blue color. They are one of the few forms of sapphires that are not heat-treated at all to enhance their color. The most expensive Kashmir Sapphire was sold in a ring for more than $6.4 million dollars, at almost $250,000 per carat.
Is Sapphire Crystal Heat Treated?
Most sapphires are heat treated for better color and clarity. However, some are not heat-treated. These include metamorphic sapphires from Kashmir, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.
Sapphires from most other localities are kept in heat treatment plants for hours, days, and sometimes even weeks. Non-treated sapphires require a certificate to be sold and are worth more than similar-looking treated ones.
Heat treatment is an age-old method of bringing out the colors of gemstones. There is evidence of ancient Romans using this method as well. It removes rutile inclusions and improves the color of the stone.
