Meaning of Sapphire - What it is, Definition and Concept

Sapphire is a precious mineral of blue color , which has the characteristic of being a material of extreme hardness.Sapphire, which belongs to the corundum family as well as ruby, is composed by aluminum oxide and is the second hardest gemstone after diamond.The sapphire hardness is so extraordinary that it is used for diamond carving.

The corundum of Red color is better known as ruby, while sapphire refers to the rest of the colors.

There are sapphires of many colors , although the classic color is blue, and the most famous.They can be found colorless as if they had a light shade (although it is very rare), soft pink, light yellow and green.

The color purple is not common in sapphire, which can be caused by the combination of iron and titanium impurities.When the stone has traces of iron yellow color is produced.

There is a type of sapphires of a strange, uncommon color, orange together with soft pink simultaneously , called padparadscha (word of Sinhalese origin that means «color at sunset of the flower of lotus »).It is the most rare and valuable variety of sapphires, from Sri Lanka.

The Burmese sapphires have a velvety color , a deep and intense blue, but they are not usually seen in the market.The most common are those of Madagascar and Sri Lanka, whose wide range of colors It ranges from the very light blue sky to the dark blue.

Tanzania, Australia, Cambodia, Thailand and Montana are also sapphire producing countries , in some of which you can find sapphires that look green, composed of thin alternating bands of yellow and blue, only visible through the microscope.

The brightness and intensity of the color are decisive to establish its value, since a stone of many carats but of a washed and weak blue can be exhibited, which will decrease its value.