Sapphire Jewelry
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The blue sapphire is a gem of the corundum family. Sometimes white sapphires, rubies, and blue sapphires are found in the same mine, and that is why there is a mixture of colors in the crystals of these famous gems. Ruby is harder than white sapphire (known as pukhraj), and blue sapphire is harder than ruby and it is hardest of all.
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Most current sapphire production comes from Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Montana, Australia and Africa.
The Sri Lanka sapphires are a very pleasing shade of blue, but are a lighter tone than the Burmese or Kashmir, often on the pastel side. Australian sapphires are frequently seen. These are often a dark blue with a slightly green undertone, as do those from Thailand, and sell for much less per carat. They offer a very affordable alternative to the Burmese, Kashmir, or Ceylon, and can still be very pleasing in their color.
Legend
Ancient Persians believed that the earth rested on a giant sapphire whose reflection gave the sky its color. Damigeron, a historian of old, wrote that sapphire was worn by kings to protect them from harm. It was also believed that sapphire would protect the wearer from envy and attract divine favor. The gem was regarded as a symbol of truth, sincerity and constancy.
Legend has it that if a poisonous snake put along with a sapphire, the rays from the gem would kill it. Our ancestors interpreted this to mean that sapphire was an antidote against poison.
Colours
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Sapphire comes in colors ranging from very light to dark blue to violetish-blue, bluish-green, yellow, slightly reddish-orange, brown, nearly opaque black, colorless, pink, violet and pinkish-orange. These less common colors are known as "fancy sapphires". Pink Sapphire gets its red coloring from small amounts of chromium. While colored Sapphires owe their colors to varying chemical combinations, White Sapphires are pure corundum and therefore colorless.Corundum occurs in red, but this is what we know as ruby.
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A lovely pinkish-orange is referred to as "padparadscha" which is taken from the Sinhalese for "lotus-colored." Although sapphire is found in many colors, these are not all commercially available at any given time. Some are so rare they are collectors items.
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