Description, characteristics and properties of white sapphire

Leucosapphire, also known as colorless sapphire, is often used as an imitation diamond because the hardness of these stones is almost the same. According to the Mohs scale, diamond ranks first and leucosapphire ranks second. For this reason, only diamond can leave a scratch on the surface of leucosapphire; other stones with less hardness will not work.

Leucosapphires are also called oriental diamonds, but you should still remember that these are different minerals. In addition to hardness, leucosapphires can also be distinguished from diamonds by the special “play of light” in the latter, while leucosapphires of any cut will never shine and sparkle like that. Leucosapphires are a noble, transparent and calm gem.

Leucosapphire deposits

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There are no separate deposits of leucosapphire in the world. This stone belongs to the group of corundums, which in places of extraction are found in a wide variety of shades, including white. Today, the largest suppliers of leucosapphires to the jewelry market are the mines of Sri Lanka, Australia, Thailand, Burma, Madagascar, Cambodia and Tanzania.

Large and beautiful specimens are mined in Sri Lanka and are also known as “Ceylon white sapphire”.

History of leucosapphire

As a variety of corundum, leucosapphire has been known to man for a long time. But the demand for these stones has become high only recently, but the availability of raw materials of the mineral has remained low. Colored samples, which are mined together with colorless ones, are often valued higher, and uncolored stones for this reason are sent for heat treatment.

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Cut leucosapphires weighing over 2 carats are increasingly being counterfeited today. Thus, a white sapphire with ideal proportions and a brilliant cut is most likely synthetic corundum.

How to recognize a fake

It is almost impossible to distinguish the original from a synthetic stone with the naked eye. Reliable data can only be obtained through professional expertise.

The only guidelines for buyers to understand whether it is natural leucosapphire are:

• The presence of tiny defects on the gem. A natural crystal always has inaccuracies, gas inclusions, and microcracks.
• The cost of the jewel. A fake stone differs from a natural stone in its relatively low price.

Important!

It is extremely difficult to find natural leucosapphire on the open market. This is a very rare mineral, under the guise of which high-quality fakes are often sold.

Physico-chemical characteristics of leucosapphire

Leucosapphire belongs to the corundum group and its chemical composition is aluminum oxide.
The hardness of this stone on the Mohs scale is 9. Thanks to such high hardness, as well as brilliance, the gem is easy and convenient to cut and polish. What distinguishes leucosapphire from a similar diamond is its lack of light dispersion ability. It is not capable of dividing the flow of light into elements of the spectrum, and color flashes do not appear in it. If a cut leucosapphire is illuminated with bright rays, it will shine with beams of light.

The specific gravity of leucosapphire is 3.90-4.10 g/cm3. Refractive index 1.757-1.778. Birefringence is 0.008-0.009.

The crystals are colorless, transparent or translucent, with a glassy luster, the faces are hexagonal, bipyramidal and prismatic, sometimes pinacoidal, tabular and rhombohedral. Leucosapphire is fragile, has a trigonal system, imperfect cleavage, uneven or conchoidal fracture.

Birefringence, white. Pleochroism is not typical. Luminescence is red-orange.

Characteristic features of the stone are anisotropy, uniaxiality, as well as the presence of cracks and gas-liquid inclusions.

Composition of white sapphire

The fewer impurities in corundum, the less color. If it is absolutely transparent, it is pure aluminum oxide. But this doesn't happen often. Usually the stone still has some kind of tint, bluish or reddish, sometimes gray - depending on what kind of metal there is: chromium, titanium or iron. Therefore, colorless and pure natural sapphire is highly valued, although not as much as its main ally, diamond.

The magical properties of leucosapphire

Leucosapphire gives its owner harmony, helps in finding peace and balance.
The stone helps everyone who strives to achieve their desired goals using their strengths and capabilities. Leucosapphire is also considered the patron saint of all lovers, a symbol of fidelity and pure love. Lovers often give jewelry with it to each other as a talisman. With their help, it is possible to enhance feelings or attract the attention of the object of love.

Leucosapphire is a kind of generator of emotions; it brings success and prosperity, and at the same time helps a person control his emotional sphere. Owners of leucosapphires are endowed with keen intuition, compassion and creativity.

Protective amulets with leucosapphire serve as reliable protection against the influence of evil forces and the influence of negative emotions.

Talismans, amulets, amulets

Pendant with leucosapphire
The occult capabilities of the mineral have long been known. People who choose leucosapphire as a talisman want to receive the following gifts from it:

• Foresight. White sapphire gives the owner insight and intuition, helping to make more thoughtful and informed decisions. It is often called the “stone of wisdom.”
• Organized. This refers to order in thoughts, not in the room. The owner of the gem simply analyzes the information and finds answers to his questions.
• Completing tasks. White sapphire gives strength to accomplish tasks. It protects the wearer from negative emotions. It is used when a person starts a planned project from scratch.
• Unlocking energy. Sapphire reveals hidden talents and skills. Reduces the effects of stress.
• Pioneer. Anyone who starts a business from scratch strives to make leucosapphire a talisman, since it helps to realize everything they have planned.

The healing properties of leucosapphire

Leucosapphire is used in the treatment of heart diseases, dysentery, eczema, syphilis and inflammatory diseases.
The powdered mineral was previously used for dementia, overexcitement, hysteria and mental illness. The gem helps overcome fussiness, anxiety, stress, and is used for asthma and insomnia, pain in the stomach and kidneys.

Residents of India used leucosapphire to treat gynecological diseases and stop bleeding.

To maximize the healing properties of the stone, products with it must be worn in the form of rings or pendants.

Branches of application of leucosapphire

Leucosapphires are widely used in jewelry making.
Rings, earrings and other products with inserts made of this mineral look gorgeous. Rings decorated with a scattering of leucosapphires next to a large emerald or ruby ​​look impressive. Large pieces of high purity are placed in the center of the jewelry. Cutting leucosapphire is difficult because, due to the high hardness of the stone, only diamond cutting is suitable for it. The fragility of the mineral is also important to consider so as not to damage it.

Today, leucosapphires are also used for industrial purposes. They are used in the manufacture of cutting and medical instruments, devices for optics, electronics and microelectronics. Thanks to technological progress, it is possible to obtain artificial leucosapphires of large sizes, on the basis of which screens for mobile phones and glass for Swiss watches are created. Such coatings are highly durable and almost impossible to damage.

Who is it suitable for?

People striving to achieve a goal (provided that this goal will benefit the owner and people).

For those whose lives are filled with stress and constant worry.

For those who don't like their job.

Unconfident people.

King Stone Astrology

Sapphire is perfect for Sagittarius. After all, the night ruler of Sagittarius is Jupiter.

Expert opinion

Semenishcheva Polina

Specialist in mineralogy. Graduated from St. Petersburg Mining University.

Note : Astromineralogy does not recommend sapphire for Capricorns. But if you sincerely love the stone, then it will not cause harm.

Is Sapphire right for you?

Not really

Element

Water

Earth

Fire

Air

Planets

Jupiter

Saturn

Energy

Yin

Artificial leucosapphire

The technology for growing leucosapphire crystals consists of melting powdered aluminum oxide at temperatures above 2000˚C.
Then a sapphire seed crystal is immersed in the resulting melt and crystallization begins. Thanks to the slow extraction of the seed crystal from the melt, the mass of the finished leucosapphire increases and can reach several kilograms. The whole process lasts approximately 2 days, the temperature of the environment should be high all the time. This is followed by annealing to prevent cracks from appearing on the artificial crystal.

Such artificial leucosapphires are used by modern science, medicine, and technology. In jewelry they are used as an imitation of natural stones.

Prices for leucosapphire products

Good quality leucosapphire weighing 1-2 carats is estimated at $300 per carat. As the weight of the stone increases while maintaining ideal quality, its cost does not increase too much. Thus, a sample weighing 7 carats or more can be purchased for $1,250 per carat. A 10-carat leucosapphire is already valued at $2,000 per carat. Specimens weighing over 10 carats are very rare.

Interesting facts about leucosapphire

• Leucosapphire is known for its exceptionally high hardness, as well as its resistance to ultraviolet rays, thermal effects, and high dielectric characteristics.
• Leucosapphire is absolutely pure corundum, which contains only oxygen and aluminum atoms; due to this property, the stone has no color or even any faint shade. For the same reason, leucosapphire is a very rare gem.

Historical reference

Unfortunately, there are no stories that tell the story of the white sapphire. This may be because in ancient times it may have been mistaken for diamond or rock crystal, which were widely used in the ancient world.

The term “sapphire” itself, without a prefix, is applied to blue stones. Other types of gems were called by two-word terms, the first part of which was the word “oriental”.

So, the eastern amethyst was actually purple, the eastern emerald was green, the eastern topaz was yellow sapphires. Padparadscha was called the oriental ruby, and the pink sapphire was known as the unripe ruby.

Star sapphire was found under the name Asteria and was often referred to as the “Stone of Great Destiny.” Some cultures believed that the formation of three rays on the surface of a star nugget represented “Faith,” “Hope,” and “Destiny” (or “Destination”).

Although many subspecies of sapphire were known under other names, written sources testify to their use in Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Egypt and the Etruscans.