Although greenish-brown, yellow-gray, reddish and even colorless sapphirine crystals, which are rather inconspicuous in appearance, are also more common in nature. This stone is also similar to chalcedony, and it is often stated that this is one of its varieties.
But this is also incorrect: sapphirine is an independent unique mineral. It belongs to semi-precious crystals, but, nevertheless, the special beauty of some types of this stone attracts jewelry masters.
Sapphirine deposits
Only a few large deposits are known for sapphirine and the stone as a whole is considered rare. In Russia, its deposits were discovered in the Urals and the Far East. Large, high-quality crystals are mined on the island of Madagascar; to make them transparent, they are often subjected to additional processing, and after this the cost of sapphirines increases many times. In addition, small mines of the mineral have been developed in Italy, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Mongolia, USA, China and Mexico.
History of sapphirine
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Sapphirine was known to the inhabitants of Ancient Rus'. Archaeologists discovered beads made from this mineral during excavations of tombs near Alushta.
The official history of sapphirine began in the 19th century. The chemist F. Strohmeyer from Germany was the first to give a scientific description of this stone, and named it so because of its heavenly sapphire color. Sapphirine was discovered in Greenland. Later, deposits of this mineral were found in many other countries. And it turned out that sapphirines are colored not only in shades of blue or light blue. Today, stones of dark green, green-brown, gray-yellow and even reddish colors are popular.
Unfortunately, examples of high jewelry quality are quite rare. Most of the sapphirines found are either fractured, eroded, or inconspicuous. But high-quality crystals have pleochroism, they are cut into cabochons or facets, and they look magnificent and rich in jewelry.
Cost of blue agate products
Blue sapphirine is affordable. The cost is determined by the size of the stone, color scheme, place of extraction, and type of cut. For example, a pendant 1.5 x 3.5 cm costs about 500 rubles. Beads 50 cm long with a bead diameter of 6 mm can be bought for 3,700 rubles.
A large landscape agate from Kazakhstan weighing 48 g will cost 2,331 rubles. An insert made of 10-gram Brazilian agate costs 1,750 rubles.
A favorable time for buying is considered to be a spring Monday morning. All this symbolizes renewal, the beginning of something new, good and is suitable for purchasing many things and blue agate.
Sky azure agate is a stone of wisdom and balance. Wearing it will not only favorably emphasize the owner in society, but will also endow him with positive spiritual qualities and help overcome illness.
Do you think blue agate is available for purchase? Do you believe in its healing powers? Share the article with your friends and acquaintances.
Physicochemical characteristics of sapphirine
Natural sapphirine crystals are tabular or imperfectly shaped, they can be grainy and have irregular fractures.
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The color palette starts with a light blue tint and continues through to bright blues and dark greens. Brown and colorless specimens are rare. All crystals are characterized by vitreous luster and pleochroism, that is, the shade of the gem changes depending on the light. Treated sapphirines often show wavy lines that look like clouds or lace. And gentle color transitions create a multi-layered design.
Color varieties
Jewelry sapphires have a wide range of multi-colored subspecies. Blue sapphire is considered a classic. And the variegated varieties of the mineral are called “fantasy”. So, sapphires are:
- Blue. Despite the fact that this color, in general, characterizes sapphire, it is a rather rare variety. By blue crystal we mean a stone with a velvety cornflower blue color, without an excess of blue or any other shade. If there is more than 15% of bluish, grayish, yellowish or other shades in a nugget, such a mineral is already considered fancy. Then the stone is called grey-blue, yellow-blue or another double name reflecting its shade. Interestingly, too deep blue color of the crystal makes the stone cheaper.
Blue sapphire - Black. These stones are either translucent or opaque. An interesting fact is that in reality these crystals are blue, but a large number of impurities give the mineral a thick tint, which creates the visual illusion of black.
Black sapphire - Green. These stones are the same illusion as the black ones. Only under a microscope is it noticeable that the internal spectrum of colors is blue and yellow, the interweaving of which gives a green tint. The impurities of these specimens are magnesium and cobalt.
Green - Yellow. These sapphires are considered rare along with blue ones. The shades created by nickel impurities range from light yellow to orange.
Yellow - White. Such natural crystals without impurities are extremely rare. Most often, leucosapphires are heated colored corundums, which are discolored due to temperature. This method makes it possible to replace diamonds with sapphires, making jewelry cheaper.
White - Pink. The delicate shade of the crystals is given by an admixture of manganese. Jewelry with pink sapphires is more popular than with pink diamonds, since the price is much lower than the latter.
Pink - Blue. One of the most valuable varieties comes from India. Samples mined on the island of Sri Lanka give off a milky tint, making them look like Moonstone.
Blue - Purple. Quite a rare Australian gem with vanadium impurities.
Violet - Gray. This variety is rare, but not always valuable. Only the asterism effect can make a stone more significant to jewelers.
Gray sapphire - Pink-orange. A rare gem of this shade is called padparadscha. It is difficult to find it in jewelry on the shelves of jewelry houses. The mineral is especially valuable in the East.
Pink-orange stone
In addition to color classification, there are rare and remarkable features of sapphires that combine minerals into separate groups:
- Cat's eye effect. A parallel strip along the mineral makes the stone look like a cat's pupil. Such specimens are also found among sapphires. Typically, these are opaque gems, processed in the form of a cabochon.
- Alexandrite effect. This category includes gems that can change color depending on the lighting (natural or artificial).
- Stardom. Nuggets with asterism or double asterism are valuable and rare, being opaque stones with a pattern of a six-pointed or twelve-pointed star. The star on the surface is visible when a beam of light is directed at the stone and is better visible when the stone is processed in the form of a cabochon. This effect is created by rutile impurities. The best stones are found in Thailand. The most valuable of them are green. When there are fewer rutile impurities, the star pattern becomes blurred. Such gems are valued cheaper.
- Tunduru, Songea. The names of this variety are identified with the Tanzanian mining sites of the mineral. These sapphires are the most perfect, purest stones you can find. The range of colors is replete with variety, and some specimens are endowed with asterism. One carat of such a gem can be valued at up to 2 thousand US dollars. Nature has made sure that such extraordinary nuggets do not exceed a weight of 2 carats.
There are also so-called “declassed” stones, which do not fall under any grade due to natural imperfections (inclusions, opacity, fading).
The magical properties of sapphirine
Sapphirine gives its owner peace of mind, longevity, and patience.
The gem enhances the depth of feelings, but cools too violent emotions, and protects against making rash, quick decisions. Sapphirine is a good protector from the evil eye, damage, and evil people; the stone seems to create a kind of energy barrier between the owner and all ill-wishers and envious people. It is often found under the name “mother of crystal”, due to its ability to absorb negative energy and protect its owner from it. The mineral symbolizes stability, strength, strength, and harmony of a person, both with himself and with the people around him.
It is also believed that sapphirine, as a stone of passion and love, helps women in attracting attention from members of the opposite sex. It effectively eliminates attacks of depression and melancholy. It also helps in achieving material wealth and well-being.
Sapphirine also participates in the creative development of its owner, helps in creating new ideas and making friends.
Name compatibility
The benevolent sapphire patronizes people with the names:
- Antonina. Blue corundum is a symbol of love, hope, chastity.
- Grigory. The gem will reconcile the internal differences of this person, protect him from temptations, and attract friends.
- Lyudmila. The talisman will make her flexible, wise, and capable of compassion.
- Egor. The stone will endow him with wisdom and help him achieve the favor of fate.
- Rose. The gem will make a woman with a gentle name modest, discreet, and give her the favor of fate.
- Kirill. For him, sapphire is a symbol of repentance, fidelity, modesty, and justice.
- Stepan. The amulet will protect Stepan from lies and laziness, helping him to know himself and find his life purpose.
Blue corundum will share the fate of its owner, regardless of gender or name. Character and thoughts are the main requirement of a mineral for its owner.
Medicinal properties of sapphirine
The range of effects of sapphirine on the human body is unusually wide.
It is used for eye diseases and disorders of the cardiovascular system, strengthens bone tissue, and normalizes the functioning of the bladder and spleen. When contacting the stone, aggression and melancholy are eliminated. Lithotherapists advise applying the stone directly to the sore spot to achieve the greatest effect. Sapphirine has the following healing properties:
- improved vision and hearing;
- eliminating fears and anxiety;
- assistance in the treatment of skin diseases;
- normalization of the bladder and spleen;
- strengthening bones;
- assistance in the treatment of throat diseases, bronchitis, cough, bronchial asthma;
- promoting weight loss;
- improved mood, relief from depression, melancholy, irritability;
- elimination of insomnia;
- has a positive effect on the body in case of diabetes, joint diseases, rheumatism;
- prevention of disorders of the heart and blood vessels.
Where is it used?
The largest agate product is a dish with a diameter of 75 cm, carved from a single stone.
The stone is used for artistic carving. Due to its strength, toughness and high hardness, it can also be used for the manufacture of mortars and pestles for chemical analytical work, prisms for analytical balances and watch stones.
Jewelry is made from agate. Most jewelers believe that a massive setting can only spoil the appearance of this stunning stone, so they make it invisible and use exclusively precious metals for its production. You won't find these stones set in gold because the color of gold doesn't go well with them.
Jewelry with blue stones
Talismans and amulets made of blue agates can be very diverse: from a simple piece of jewelry, that is, a large stone in a frame, to a cut of agate on an inexpensive cord.
Agate amulets (especially beads with blue agate, or just a stone inserted into a pendant will do) are recommended to be worn by pregnant women to avoid the initial fear of motherhood and child care.
In general, blue agate is inserted into both necklaces and bracelets, earrings and rings. The shape of the decoration does not matter for a person who wants to own agate, since the magic of this stone almost does not depend on the shape.
silver ring
Branches of application of sapphirine
Sapphirine is not widely used in jewelry.
Despite the external beauty and unique properties, stones that are suitable for processing are quite rare, and accordingly the cost of finished products is quite high. Non-jewelry quality sapphirine is used in decorating dishes, furniture, and for making various crafts, figurines, vases, figurines, and lamps. Previously, it was used to decorate snuff boxes, screens and seals.
How to care for sapphirine
Considering the fragility and fragility of sapphirine, all jewelry containing it is stored in separate boxes, wrapped in soft cloth.
They must be protected from mechanical influences, shocks and scratches. Exposure of stone to high temperatures and humidity is also undesirable. To clean items containing sapphirine, use cool running water and a soft cloth; do not dry them in the sun. Instead, they are thoroughly blotted with a cloth and polished.
Jewelry with mineral
Products with sapphire, as with any other precious stone, are divided into two segments - premium class and public jewelry. The most expensive samples of the mineral are framed in platinum. Such jewelry is made individually to order. The cost can reach several thousand dollars.
As for the public segment, budget jewelry is made from silver or gold of the lowest standard. The inserts are either synthetic sapphires or declassified refined stones. The average price of such products allows you to purchase jewelry for every taste and budget:
- Ring – 2000 rubles for silver, about 5.5 thousand for gold.
- Earrings – 3-4 thousand silver, 10-12 thousand gold.
- The pendant will cost about 1000 rubles; the spruce pendant is made of silver, and the gold one will cost from 3 thousand and more.
Dark blue or black stones decorate men's accessories.
Sapphirine and zodiac sign
Sapphirine finds a common language with representatives of all zodiac signs.
More than others, it suits Aquarius and Sagittarius. Sagittarians always behave actively, they cannot stay in one place for a long time, but always strive forward, towards the new and unknown. With this restlessness, they often exhibit a hot temper, inconstancy, restlessness and conflict. And because of straightforwardness, openness and honesty, quarrels and misunderstandings with other people may arise. To balance these internal forces of Sagittarius and make him more harmonious, sapphirine is perfect.
Aquarius is also characterized by complexity and inconsistency. Internal conflicts lead to uncertainty, slow decision-making and hesitation. Representatives of this sign often do not complete the work they start and are prone to childishness. Sapphirine gives this sign confidence in themselves and their abilities, helps resolve internal conflicts and achieve harmony with themselves and the people around them.
Interesting facts about sapphirine
- In ancient times, people believed that sapphirine was the best helper for lovers who strive to remain faithful during separation, before which it was necessary to exchange rings with this gem. In addition, it was believed that with the help of sapphirine you can win any case in court, since the mineral improves oratory abilities. For the same reason, the mineral is still popular today among politicians and actors.
- Interestingly, the magical abilities of sapphirine are enhanced when it is irradiated with ultraviolet light for half an hour. It is believed that with the help of such a stone, anyone can become “clairvoyant.”
