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S A P P H I R E-------------
Sapphire- the famous blue stone is also called the blue sister of Ruby. The reason?- its because they come from the same mineral, corundum. After diamond, corundum is the second hardest gemstone with the red corundum being called Ruby, and the other colors being called Sapphires.
Well the classic color is Blue, but the Sapphires are also found in Yellow, Green & Pink. It is no wonder why Diana choose Sapphire and Diamond as her engagement ring with Prince Charles.
The most famous and the finest blue sapphires are the prized Kashmir Sapphires which have a Blue color that is not only intense, but also velvety. As the name suggests, it originated from India's north western region of Kashmir, along the Pakistani/Indian border in the western Himalayas. The Kashmir region's Sapphire deposits were mined extensively during a brief decade long period in the late 1800's, after a earthquake induced landslide unearthed a large deposit, but the region was fully depleted by the early 1900's and Kashmir is no longer a significant source for Sapphire. So rare are these Sapphires that they are not often seen in the gemstone market.
Second only to Kashmir in quality and mystique is the Burmese Sapphires. However also depleting. Sapphire are now sourced from Srilanka and Australia, Tanzania and Madagascar.
Characters of sapphires:
Sapphires are stones that have inclusions of tiny, futile needles that give an optical property called asterism. These are commonly known a star sapphires. These are found in cabochon cuts. (shaped and polished as opposed to faceted).
These star sapphires usually have six ray stars; but there are also twelve ray stars. When sapphires are cut en cabochon, they can produce the cat’s eye effect; formed with a thin band of light in the center of the stone. The famous of the star sapphires is the Star of Bombay, currently lodged in the Smithsonian Institution. It is the inspiration for Bombay Sapphire gin sold by Bacardi.
Tips for choosing Sapphires:
It is possible to make colorless and very pale blue sapphires develop an intense blue color by heating them to high temperatures. With this, the clarity of the stone is also improved as it removes any tiny inclusions found in the gemstone.
Some rare varieties of sapphires, called color changing sapphires, exhibit different colors in different lights. These stones are naturally blue in color, but look violet in artificial light.
Choose sapphires for sapphire jewelry or sapphire rings based on their intensity. Stones with an intense and rich blue color are better than huge stones with a washed-out weak blue color.
The value of sapphires is dependent on their color, transparency and size. And in cases of very fine quality sapphires, the origin also has a major role - where genuine Kashmir gemstones are most expensive, followed by Burmese and then Ceylonese sapphires.
Sapphires and the Zodiac:
Those born in September should wear sapphires for their birthstone; and according to the zodiac, it is the birthstone of the Taurus. Sapphires have always said to bring peace, joy and wisdom to their owner and wearer.
In fact, it was also considered a talisman offering protection from evil spirits and other unwanted creatures of the night.
S.S.VENKATESHWAR
BATHUBASTHI
ANDAMAN
INDIA
Sapphire- the famous blue stone is also called the blue sister of Ruby. The reason?- its because they come from the same mineral, corundum. After diamond, corundum is the second hardest gemstone with the red corundum being called Ruby, and the other colors being called Sapphires.
Well the classic color is Blue, but the Sapphires are also found in Yellow, Green & Pink. It is no wonder why Diana choose Sapphire and Diamond as her engagement ring with Prince Charles.
The most famous and the finest blue sapphires are the prized Kashmir Sapphires which have a Blue color that is not only intense, but also velvety. As the name suggests, it originated from India's north western region of Kashmir, along the Pakistani/Indian border in the western Himalayas. The Kashmir region's Sapphire deposits were mined extensively during a brief decade long period in the late 1800's, after a earthquake induced landslide unearthed a large deposit, but the region was fully depleted by the early 1900's and Kashmir is no longer a significant source for Sapphire. So rare are these Sapphires that they are not often seen in the gemstone market.
Second only to Kashmir in quality and mystique is the Burmese Sapphires. However also depleting. Sapphire are now sourced from Srilanka and Australia, Tanzania and Madagascar.
Characters of sapphires:
Sapphires are stones that have inclusions of tiny, futile needles that give an optical property called asterism. These are commonly known a star sapphires. These are found in cabochon cuts. (shaped and polished as opposed to faceted).
These star sapphires usually have six ray stars; but there are also twelve ray stars. When sapphires are cut en cabochon, they can produce the cat’s eye effect; formed with a thin band of light in the center of the stone. The famous of the star sapphires is the Star of Bombay, currently lodged in the Smithsonian Institution. It is the inspiration for Bombay Sapphire gin sold by Bacardi.
Tips for choosing Sapphires:
It is possible to make colorless and very pale blue sapphires develop an intense blue color by heating them to high temperatures. With this, the clarity of the stone is also improved as it removes any tiny inclusions found in the gemstone.
Some rare varieties of sapphires, called color changing sapphires, exhibit different colors in different lights. These stones are naturally blue in color, but look violet in artificial light.
Choose sapphires for sapphire jewelry or sapphire rings based on their intensity. Stones with an intense and rich blue color are better than huge stones with a washed-out weak blue color.
The value of sapphires is dependent on their color, transparency and size. And in cases of very fine quality sapphires, the origin also has a major role - where genuine Kashmir gemstones are most expensive, followed by Burmese and then Ceylonese sapphires.
Sapphires and the Zodiac:
Those born in September should wear sapphires for their birthstone; and according to the zodiac, it is the birthstone of the Taurus. Sapphires have always said to bring peace, joy and wisdom to their owner and wearer.
In fact, it was also considered a talisman offering protection from evil spirits and other unwanted creatures of the night.
S.S.VENKATESHWAR
BATHUBASTHI
ANDAMAN
INDIA
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