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September
Birthstone: Sapphire
All
gem quality corundum that is not red is referred to as sapphire.
Sapphire comes in a range of colors like blue, orange, yellow,
violet, green, white and pink. Unless a color is stated, sapphire
is assumed to be blue. Some sapphires (color change sapphires)
will change between blue and violet depending on the light.
Red corundum is known as Ruby.
Sapphire
has a hardenss of 9, so it is generally quite durable. Despite
this, sapphires are subject to chipping and fracture if handled
roughly.
Currently
there is much buzz over treatments that enhance the quality
of the stone but are considered "dishonest" because
they are done without documentation. These treatments involve
the injection of a molten glass-like substance into tiny fissures
and cracks within the stone.
The result
is a stone that often values higher than it should, since
the treatment is nearly invisible. Consequently dealers sometimes
pay top dollar for "flawless" stone that may later
be determined to be "enhanced," and thus less valuable.
Any treatment of high quality sapphires will be documented
by reputable dealers.
Reputable
dealers also will not use the following misleading terms:
"Brazilian sapphire" (actually blue topaz or similar color
tourmaline), "Lux sapphire", "Lynx sapphire" and "Water Sapphire"
(Iolite). Good quality sapphire is found in Myanmar, Sri Lanka,
and India. The Montana mines in the USA have produced some
beautiful cornflower blue sapphires. Darker colored sapphire
is mined in Thailand, Australia, and Nigeria. Other mines
are in Brazil, Cambodia, Columbia, Kenya, and Malawi.
(This
article written by Mike McGinnis and published originally
on indiasilver.com.
We encourage republication but stipulate the piece be copied
in its entirety with links and attribution.)
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