The Sapphire Crystal The scientific name of a sapphire crystal is called Corundum. A sapphire (corundum) is an aluminium oxide mineral (Al2O3). Its crystal structure is hexagonal. Corundum (sapphires) comes in all colour types.
Sapphire has a trigonal (rhombohedral) crystal structure, but is generally treated as a hexagonal crystal, as shown in the figure below.
Sapphires and rubies are both gem varieties of the mineral corundum. They have the same chemical composition and structure. Gems generally get their colour because of certain metals or impurities contained in the mineral. The impurities in corundum gems produce the large range of colours found.
A sapphire is a mineral but it is not diamond even though a diamond is a mineral as well. They are both different types of minerals. Sapphires are a variety of the mineral corundum,which is an aluminum oxide. Various elements found within the sapphires cause different hues.
Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminium oxide (α-Al2O3) with trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, cobalt, lead, chromium, vanadium, magnesium, boron, and silicon.
However, natural sapphires come in almost every color of the rainbow including pink, rose, violet, yellow, orange, green, blue-green, or white (colorless). The special color combination of pink-orange or orange-pink is known as Padparadscha sapphire, the rarest sapphire color, and a special rarity.
Sapphires are rarer than diamonds, but not so much in comparison to fine-quality emeralds or rubies. However, it's important to note that some types of sapphire are extremely rare. This includes the Padparadscha – a scarce variety that showcases a mix of pink and orange tones.
After Diamond, Sapphire is one of the world's most precious gemstones. This recognition of prestige and class is afforded to only four gems - the other two being Ruby and Emerald.
They Are Second Only to Diamonds in Durability
The remarkable hardness of sapphires, which measure 9 on the Mohs scale, is second only to diamond. That's why sapphire is one of the few gemstones that make a great alternative for an engagement ring.
The price of a cut sapphire can be as low as $50 per carat to over $10,000 per carat, depending on the color and clarity. Diamonds start around $3,000 per carat and top out over $25,000 per carat, depending on the color, cut, carat, and clarity.
Sapphire crystal is nowadays made of synthetic sapphire. Synthetic sapphire glass is not really glass at all. It is a very hard, transparent material made by crystallizing pure aluminium oxide at a very high temperature. Synthetic sapphire has the same hardness as natural sapphire.
Stones Similar to Spinel
Red, pink, and blue spinel gems are frequently confused with rubies and sapphires, so much so that some famous gems were initially mislabeled as ruby or sapphire. For black spinel gemstones, black tourmaline can be a solid stand-in.
Who is recommended to wear Neelam or Blue Sapphire? As per astrology, individuals born under Taurus, Gemini, Virgo, Libra, Capricorn, and Aquarius can wear Sapphire. These zodiac signs share a cordial relationship with Saturn, which results in positive outcomes from wearing Sapphire.
A sapphire engagement ring means honesty, sincerity and faithfulness. It is also believed to provide good fortune within marriage and to keep it strong and healthy.
Blue sapphire blesses the wearer with name, fame, fortune, and money. The individual can hope to attain an exalted position in the society. Therefore especially this is useful to politicians and people depending on public support.
Check For Blemishes
Natural sapphires have flaws and inclusions which prove that they came straight from nature. If you look at them with a jeweler's magnifying glass or loupe, you will see small spots and blemishes which occur naturally as the sapphire formed thousands of years ago under the earth.
Though sapphires are rarer than diamonds, they are often a more affordable diamond alternative or accent. The brilliance, durability and timelessness of diamonds keeps them as the more expensive of these two gems.
The durability of this gem-quality member of the corundum family makes it an exceptional gemstone. The rare, blue Kashmir sapphire commands the highest prices, sometimes over $200,000 a carat. Other unheated, pure blues can sell for $2,000 – $10,000 per carat depending on size.
Painite : Not just the rarest gemstone, but also the rarest mineral on earth, Painite holds the Guinness World Record for it. After its discovery in the year 1951, there existed only 2 specimens of Painite for the next many decades. By the year 2004, there were less than 2 dozens known gemstones.
The way in which sapphires have different colors is through the trace mineral content within a sapphire crystal. A blue sapphire will reflect blue light because the crystal has titanium element within the stone. If a sapphire has other trace minerals such as chromium then the stone will be pink in color.
Value. A fine quality ruby is generally more expensive than most sapphires and emeralds, with record prices of up to $1,000,000 per carat. Sapphires can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $11,000 per carat, but you'll find good-quality stones at $450 - $1,200 per carat. Emeralds range from $525 to $1,125 per carat.
Emerald: Like sapphires and rubies, emeralds are among the rarest of all gemstones. They are rarer than sapphires but not quite as rare as rubies. Note: Comparing to diamonds, fine quality sapphires, rubies and emeralds are far, FAR more rare.
But purple sapphire is more expensive than amethyst too because its much more rare. Fine large examples can be thousands of dollars per carat.
Kashmir blue sapphires are known to have a velvety or sleepy quality that is very desirable. Most experts would consider these gemstones to be the benchmark of both color and overall quality for blue sapphires.