Inorganic Gemstones

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White Sapphire

Mixed Cut Oval White Sapphire

The various colours throughout members from the corundum group result from small quantities of metal oxide impurities. Corundum without impurities (and for that reason without colour) is rare, however when found is classified as colourless sapphire. Stones comprised of different colours, including colourless areas, tend to be more common. Stones like thee are usually orientated through the cutter so the colour reaches the bottom. Then, when viewed from above, colour fills the stone.

Truly colourless sapphire can be found in Sri Lanka. Cloudy or milky coloured sapphire can also be present in Sri Lanka, and known locally as “geuda”. Heat treating geuda produces blue sapphire, high of that is faceted and utilized in jewellery. Some Sri Lankan corundum shows red, blue and colourless areas, which can be faceted or polished to provide a fascinating stone.

Synthetic colourless corundum may be made by the Verneuil method since concerning the 1920’s, and it has been called diamondite.

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Properties
Chemical Composition: 

Aluminium oxide

Crystal System / Forms: 

Trigonal

Hardness: 
9
Specific Gravity: 

4.00

Lustre: 
Vitreous
Refractive Index / Birefringence: 

1.76-1.77 / 0.008

Magnification: 
  • Bubble-like inclusions.
Cuts & Uses: 

RBC, Mixed, Cabochon.

Did you know?

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In Germany, the garland of ambers is hung around the necks of the infants, so that their teeth might come out without much trouble.

In Turkey, people fix a piece of amber in the hubble-bubble, dogged by an age old belief that the presence of the jewel would destroy all the germs and no disease would spread, even after many have dragged their puffs from it.

In Greece, people think if wine is poured into the cups made of amethyst, one does not get drunk after drinking that.

In Rome, a talisman having coral pieces is considered very auspicious to quell the bad spells of evil look. The Romans were in the habit of hanging chains made of ancient coral pieces from the cradle of the infants to protect them from evil effects.

In China, people wear rings studded with tiny conch or oyster shells as they believe it cures all aches such as stomach ache, worms and like.

In India, pendants made of silver and studded with pearls are hung from the necks of the children to save them from any bad effects.

Greeks still believe, if women wear blue sapphires then no sense of immorality would pollute their mind nor can any fear of the supernatural can trouble them.

The Pope Innocent III had circulated an order asking all the priests wear blue sapphire, so that morality can be strengthened.

It is said about turquoise, that when the stone changes its color into yellow, it actually signals bad times to the person who wears it.

It is believed that a turquoise gifted to a friend or a lover turns his or her life into one of happiness and good luck.

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