About Untreated Sapphires
Sapphire
Sapphires: Types, Colors, Descriptions, Origins & Vital Details
In this section of our education on sapphires we start with the very basics of the sapphire crystal and its characteristics. The more information you understand about these stones the more you will appreciate them. If you have general interest in sapphires or if you plan to purchase one; this section will give you comprehensive insight into the beautiful world of sapphires!
The Sapphire Crystal:
The scientific name of a sapphire crystal is called Corundum. A sapphire (corundum) is an aluminum oxide mineral (Al2O3). Its crystal structure is hexagonal.
Corundum (sapphires) comes in all color types. Blue Corundum is called Blue Sapphire; Pink Corundum is called Pink Sapphire, etc. Trace mineral content within the crystal gives it color (further details on color explained in each specific sapphire type).
Hardness: Corundum is an exceptionally hard crystal structure. The only crystal harder than Corundum (sapphire) is a diamond (cubic crystal structure).
Sapphires are a 9 on the Mohs hardness scale. The Mohs scale was developed by Friedrich Mohs in 1812 and has been a valuable aid in identifying minerals ever since. Here are the ten levels of hardness in minerals on the scale:
1. Talc (chalk) 2. Gypsum 3. Calcite 4. Fluorite 5. Apatite 6. Feldspar 7. Quartz (Amethyst, Citrine) 8. Topaz (Precious topaz, blue topaz) 9. Corundum (SAPPHIRES) 10. Diamond
Whichever mineral scratches the other is harder, if both scratch each other then they are of the same hardness.
The Mohs scale is strictly a relative scale, but that's all anyone needs for basic hardness measurement. In terms of absolute hardness, corundum (hardness 9) is 6 times harder than topaz (hardness 8). Because it isn't made for that kind of precision, the Mohs scale uses half-numbers for in-between hardness. Sapphire is an incredibly hard and durable crystal.
Refractive Index: One way to identify a crystal species is by taking a refractive index test. Refractive index is the reading of how a crystal separates the spectrum of light. Each crystal structure will separate light differently and this is one reliable method to identify a crystal structure.
A refractive index test on a pink, blue, yellow or green sapphire will give the same refractive index reading. The wide range of colors of sapphires will have no influence on refractive index readings. The test only identifies the crystal, not the coloration of the crystal as viewed by the human eye.
The Refractive index for Corundum (Sapphire) is 1.75 - 1.76
Colors:
Sapphires come in all ranges of colors from blue to black to colorless and all colors in between. There are no limits to the color tone or saturation of color in a sapphire. The way in which sapphires have different colors is through the trace mineral content within a sapphire crystal. A blue sapphire will reflect blue light because the crystal has titanium element within the stone. If a sapphire has other trace minerals such as chromium then the stone will be pink in color. If a combination of elements is within the stone, you might have a lime green or a purplish blue sapphire. A chemically pure sapphire crystal would be colorless. Whatever ingredients nature puts in a sapphire is what special unique color it will show.
For this reason, sapphires are extraordinarily unique from one to the next. No two are exactly the same; rare and unusual sapphires are almost irreplaceable, even one that is only 1 or 2 carats in size.
Size: Sapphires come in all sizes. They are readily available under 1ct and can come as large as 20+cts in fine quality, but these stones are exceptionally rare. Specimen grade sapphire can come in huge sizes of thousands of carats, but this material has little or no value at all.
Untreated vs. Treated (A Quick Introduction)
The Natural Sapphire Company is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge and availability of fine untreated sapphires. Within this website there will be much discussion and education of the very large differences between a 100% truly natural sapphire and the many treated sapphires that are commonplace in all but a few sources.
In very short detail, an untreated sapphire is one that has been taken from the ground in which it came and faceted. Nothing at all was done to the stone to alter the natural beauty which only the earth created naturally. These sapphires are exceptionally more rare and valuable.
Please read the many other details within our website about the specific details on sapphire treatments. An educated consumer is a safe consumer.
Rarity: Rarity means that something cannot be replaced easily. When something is rare and a market demand is present, naturally prices will rise. The market for untreated sapphires has continued to rise as more and more consumers become more aware of the treatment of conventional sapphires in the marketplace.
Sapphires of fine quality are in fact very rare. Diamonds, for example, are in almost every type of jewelry, in every jewelry store, and on websites around the world. The world production and use of diamonds proves that diamonds are not at all rare, and in fact are in extraordinary supply. Prices are held up by a combination of highly inflated profit margins as well as controlled release of supply reserves by the diamond cartels.
Sapphires are mined heavily in gem producing countries, by traditional and mechanical methods. Even with heavy mining the rate of return on fine sapphires is exponentially less than the production and availability of most other gem stones. For this reason, specifically natural untreated sapphires are a safe investment for retaining and attaining long term value.
In the case of natural untreated sapphires, rarity represents opportunity.
Origins: Corundum (sapphire) comes from all over the world. Commercial sapphires are used in industry for abrasive and cutting purposes. Emory paper is one example of how the hardness of a sapphire crystal is used in everyday industry. Of course the fine gem quality stones are found in very small quantities in very few places. Most notably are the sapphires from Sri Lanka. For thousands of years fine sapphires have been found in this special place. Sri Lanka (formally called “Ceylon”) is still the top producer of fine untreated stones in the world.
Most of the sapphires that are found in gem producing locations are worthless; and need to be treated to be marketable. Good quality sapphires over 2cts are scarce. Pure colors that are free of inclusions are very difficult to produce on a consistent basis. Only a handful of fine stones are produced world wide on a daily basis. The market is far greater than what can be produced and prices continue to rise. This is why natural untreated sapphires are a far better investment when considering making a sizeable stone or jewelry purchase.
Reference http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com/
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