What Is a Sapphire Crystal?

Written By: Vahid Moradi

Sapphire is a highly precious gemstone that is elusive as it is popular. It is one of the world's only four precious gems, alongside diamonds, rubies, and emeralds.From rings and timepieces to necklaces, sapphire crystal makes the perfect gem with many meanings.

Sapphire crystal blends sophisticated beauty with incredible strength. Sapphire gemstone is characterized by tantalizing, sparkling colors that seem to never lose their mystical appeal on anyone who beholds its beauty. Color varieties include: blue sapphire, pink sapphire, yellow sapphire, white sapphire, and green sapphire. Besides its intoxicating beauty, this precious gem also holds a special place because of its deep and rich symbolic meanings.

Here is a comprehensive guide on everything there is to know about sapphire crystal and real sapphire jewelry.This guide includes insights into how sapphire crystal is made, sapphire gemstone’s symbolic properties, and its many uses and benefits.

What is Sapphire Crystal?

Sapphire crystal is a precious gem categorized as corundum. Its elemental makeup is similar to that of a ruby, but it is characterized by its blue color. This gem's blue coloring comes from the presence of iron in its structure.

However, it is worth noting that sapphire crystal also contains traces of other minerals, including titanium, magnesium, and chromium. These minerals can make the gem assume other colors.

Types of sapphires chart

As mentioned earlier, sapphire crystal blends beauty with strength. It has a score of nine on the Mohs hardness scale – to put this into perspective, diamond (the world's hardest material) scores ten on the Mohs hardness scale.

How is Sapphire Crystal Made?

Gemstones always pose the question of how they’re made. You might come across some and wonder, “how are emeralds formed?”, “how is a ruby created?”, or, in this case, “how is a sapphire crystal made?” Sapphire crystal is made by crystallizing pure aluminum oxide. To do this, the pure aluminum oxide is subjected to extreme heat under extreme pressure. The aluminum crystalizes when it reaches its precipice and forms round, crude masses of sapphire (not the shapely, polished gems that you are used to seeing).

Processing sapphire into the appealing gems you see on shelves (or the "glass" screen you see on your watch) entails cutting it using a diamond-coated saw and then grounding and polishing it. As explained, sapphire is incredibly tough, which makes processing it an equally tough (and expensive) process.

Natural vs. Synthetic Sapphire

In terms of origin, sapphire crystal is categorized into two types: natural or synthetic. Natural sapphire is mined from deep underground, while synthetic sapphire is made in a laboratory.

Synthetic sapphire crystal replicates most of the aspects of natural sapphire. For example, it comes in varying colors and scores 9 on the Mohs hardness scale. However, it differs from natural sapphire in two notable aspects:

Flaws

As explained earlier, natural sapphire contains traces of minerals such as iron and titanium. During its molten state, the crystal can also get contaminated by gasses and other minerals. This results in flaws and inclusions that appear as specks within the crystal. It is worth noting that inclusions add to the gem's overall beauty.

In contrast, synthetic sapphire crystal is made in a lab under a tightly controlled process that eliminates all contaminants. As such, it doesn't contain inclusions and other flaws.

Price

Natural sapphire is one of the most expensive gems because it is hard to find. It takes hundreds of thousands of years to form deep within the earth's bowels, and finding, mining, and processing it is difficult and costly. In contrast, synthetic sapphire is made in a laboratory and is considerably cheaper than natural sapphire.

It is difficult to tell a synthetic sapphire stone from a natural one by looking at it. Fortunately, jewelers are required to label natural and synthetic sapphire stones.

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How Rare is Sapphire Crystal?

Now that we’ve covered "what is sapphire crystal?”, let’s discuss how rare it is.

The popular misconception that diamond is the rarest of gems is a result of efficient marketing. Gems, in general, are rare as they make up less than 1% of the earth's substances. However, some gems are rarer than others.Rubies, for example, are one of the rarest gemstones and cause many people to question, “how rare are rubies?”.

On a general scale, sapphire crystal is rarer than diamond but not as rare as rubies and emeralds. However, some colors of sapphires are rarer than others. Most notably, the padparadscha sapphire is the rarest among colored sapphires, and an authentic padparadscha sapphire is thought to come only from Sri Lanka. Yellow, pink, green, white, and purple sapphires aren't as popular and, as such, not as rare. However, the blue sapphire crystal is still the most popular and rarest of all sapphires.

The Meaning & Symbolism of Sapphire Crystal

Every gem has a symbolic meaning tied to it, and these symbolisms can be just as mesmerizing to the mind as the stone's beauty is mesmerizing to the eyes. Sapphire isn't any different, and it features many times throughout history because of its beauty and symbolism – interestingly, it is tied to the month of September.

Ancient Persians believed that the sky was blue because of the sapphire stone used for its construction. The Greeks also associated the sapphire stone with their deity Apollo and wore it to gain favor from him. It is also believed that Abraham adorned his breastplate with sapphire and other precious stones. Sapphire is still associated with divinity and nobility today. Most notably, Princess Diana's engagement ring was made of sapphire, and many other royals have been spotted wearing sapphire jewelry.

The Gem of Wisdom & Joy

Ultimately, sapphire has been labeled as the gem of wisdom and joy. Its connection to divinity is believed to surround its wearer with wisdom and give them joy in their knowledge. However, it is worth noting that the gem's meaning and symbolism can vary slightly depending on its color. Here is an overview of what the different colors mean:

  • Pink Sapphire – It stimulates emotions to impart wisdom with love and strengthen the heart.
  • Purple Sapphire – It is associated with the spiritual realm and helps prepare the crown chakra for wisdom.
  • Yellow Sapphire – It is associated with wealth, power, and prosperity, and it is thought to spark the solar plexus chakra.
  • White Sapphire – It is associated with peace, clarity, purity, and a sense of purpose.
  • Green Sapphire – It is associated with feelings of love and compassion and is thought to welcome integrity and strengthen your inner vision.

Interestingly, sapphire crystal is also credited with certain healing properties. As explained earlier, sapphire crystal is associated with wisdom and joy. The sight of sapphire helps brighten your mood by inspiring positive, ambitious thoughts. Additionally, sapphire inspires you to learn the truth about yourself, making crucial inner connections that inspire self-confidence and help keep you grounded.

Sapphire crystal has also been likened to an elixir that helps the body eliminate toxins and other harmful substances that affect your health. It is also thought to bring healing to conditions such as headaches and lack of balance.

Uses & Benefits of Sapphire

Sapphire has many uses. In this case, it is a popular component in jewelry. In particular, sapphire crystal is used in jewelry such as:

  • Watches
  • Rings
  • Earrings
  • Wedding bands
  • Necklaces
  • Bracelets
  • Pendants
  • Cufflinks

The main benefit of using sapphire is jewelry is visual appeal. As explained, it is mesmerizing and inspires ambitious thoughts and positive feelings. Sapphire is also ideal for use in jewelry because it is strong and durable. It is impossible to scratch unless using a harder substance (such as a diamond), so it will maintain its sleek look and smooth texture forever.

For example, sapphire crystal glass, which makes up the watch glass found on many watches, is not actually glass. Due to crystallization, as mentioned earlier, sapphire crystal glass is the most durable to protect a watch, especially a watch dial. Its shatter and scratch resistance properties and sleek look give a sapphire crystal watch the look of a luxury watch. Luxury brands have created timepieces and other jewelry with sapphire crystals because of their durability and classic look.

Sapphire Crystal Jewelry Available at CJ Charles

CJ Charles sells some of the most breathtaking sapphire jewelry. Some of the sapphire pieces of jewelry available at the moment include:

1. Harry Winston Sapphire Diamond Ring

This Harry Winston sapphire diamond ring features a Gubelin-certified 5.53ct sapphire crystal standing out prominently at its center. The sapphire crystal is bordered by a sparkling G-color, VS2 diamond on each side, both weighing a total of 1.9cttw. These stunning gems are set on a sleek 18k yellow gold ring. It will look stunning on you or a loved one!

2. 14K Rose Gold Rainbow Circle Necklace

This stunning 14Kt rose gold rainbow necklace is made of 11 diamonds, four rubies, and 18 sapphire gems set on a 14K gold chain. The sapphire gems weigh a total of 0.825cts, while the rubies and diamonds weigh 0.185cts and 0.231cts, respectively. Its blend of brilliant colors makes it a truly rainbow necklace.

3. 18K White Gold, Sapphire & Diamond Wave Band

This 18K white gold wave band set with diamonds and sapphires is the definition of elegance and sophistication. It features a row of 9 blue sapphires bordered by two rows of sparkling diamonds set on white gold.

4.Riviere Platinum Unheated Sapphire Ring

This ring features one of the rarest sapphires: natural, unheated, and mined from Madagascar. The sapphire stone measures 5.08CT, and its cushion design is difficult to miss. The sapphire is surrounded on all sides by glistening diamonds and set on titanium. The stone is AGL-certified and truly one-of-a-kind.

CJ Charles: A Dealer in Fine Sapphire Jewelry

Your search for the perfect sapphire jewelry ends here at CJ Charles. We offer sapphire jewelry in all shapes and styles, including sapphire watches (scratch-resistant), rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and more. Our sapphire stones are 100% natural and include some of the rarest gems in the market. Visit our platform today to explore our real sapphire jewelry or get in touch to learn more about what we have to offer.

 

 

Written By: Vahid Morai

Vahid Moradi’s lifelong passion, dedication, and commitment for the jewelry industry led him to become the respected owner of CJ Charles Jewelers in 1988. From that moment, Moradi’s single focus in business was to become recognized as the pinnacle of value and world-class quality in the his Community. Over 34 years later, CJ Charles continues to grow and thrive as a successful, family-owned business that consistently provides exceptional service to all their clientele.

 

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