Blue Fire

Get spellbound by the Sapphire as Supriya Kantak reveals its mysteries

Did you know...

The word Sapphire comes from the Persian saffir, the Arabic safir, and the Greek sapphiros, all of which mean beloved of Saturn. It is also said to be derived from the ancient Latin term sapphirus, meaning blue.

Next to Diamonds, Sapphires are the hardest gemstone, making them durable and scratch-resistant jewels.

The more transparent a Sapphire, the better is its quality.

The colour of a Sapphire is measured using three terms - tone, hue, and saturation. The tone is a measure of the deepness of the blue colour. It describes whether the blue is dark, medium, or light. Medium to medium-dark are considered the best tone of blue. The hue describes the slight presence or tint of other colours.

The saturation describes how well the gem has been saturated with the blue colour and how free it is from any brown or grey.

The perfect Sapphire is as rare as the finest work of art. Thus, methods have been evolved to enhance the purest hues of Sapphire by controlled heating of the gemstone to improve its clarity and colour.

It is one of the very few gemstones that can pass through a house fire practically unscathed. Generally a light polish will restore it to its former beauty, while nearly all other gemstones will be destroyed.

Star quality
Star Sapphires were referred to as 'Stones of Destiny' by ancient writers, while the Germans called it 'Siegstein' or 'Victory Stone'.

These asteria seldom exhibit the deep blue of other Sapphires. They are often milky blue, grey or white. The star is formed by the inclusion of rutile materials.

Star Sapphires are believed to extend the benign influence of their owner, sometimes even from the grave. Star Sapphires treble the ability of normal sapphires. They are not only lucky they are also said to attract love, ward off the evil eye and any kind of evil spell.

The Star of India is one of the most famous Star Sapphires, and is a jewel of much religious significance. Some say the three bars, which cross the face of Star Sapphires represent faith, destiny (or charity), and hope. Did a blue Sapphire have anything to do with Princess Diana's failed marriage to Charles? Or worse, did it eventually lead her to her death? One can never be sure. But those who believe in the power of gemstones would certainly agree. For if there is one stone that is feared the most, it is the blue Sapphire.

Twist of fate
The blue Sapphire is believed to be a very powerful stone that should not be worn unless it suits you. This is why many believe that the mesmerising blue Sapphire engagement ring that Diana eventually made into a pendant wasn't the wisest decision she made. It is also probably no coincidence that she was gifted yet another blue Sapphire ring just moments before the fatal car crash. Another famous personality that had an encounter with the power of the big blue was Amitabh Bachchan. It might be just coincidence again but the Big B was spotted wearing two blue Sapphires on his middle finger, a topaz on his little finger and a smattering of other gemstones, just before his rise as superstar again. Fortunately this time around the outcome was in the positive.

So blue
The Sapphire is commonly associated with the colour blue. However, a Sapphire is any stone that belongs to the corundum family of gems, which consists of almost all colours except red, which are called rubies. This means that the colour of a Sapphire can be yellow, pink, light green, deep purple, or even colourless! While the blue Sapphire is a favourite for engagements, it is also the most appropriate for the twentieth wedding anniversary. While the blue Star Sapphire is for the twenty-sixth wedding anniversary, the grey Star Sapphire is for the sixty-fifth, and the purple Star Sapphire is for the sixty-seventh.

But otherwise, the intense dark blue Sapphire is still the most sought after Sapphire. In fact, in ancient times all blue gemstones were called Sapphires, and they were revered for centuries as a representation of sincerity and honesty.

Seeking Sapphires
Inspite of the superstitions attached to the stone, everyone likes to own a Sapphire. According to Yogesh Jasnani of Thakurdas Jewellers, "In India, Jaipur is the center of all coloured stones. While Bangkok is another place where good Sapphires are available." Australia and Africa are the largest suppliers of blue Sapphires in the world. Sri Lanka too, provides a large portion of the world's blue Sapphires.

In fact, blue Sapphire is the national stone of Sri Lanka. Pailin, Cambodia, is another source of exceptional blue Sapphires. Burma too, is known for its top quality Sapphires. Keep in mind that while Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Burma produce very fine pure blue Sapphires, Cambodian Sapphires are sometimes slightly dark. Australian Sapphires, on the other hand, tend to have green overtones and concentric hexagonal bands.

When actually purchasing a Sapphire, intensity, uniformity and purity of colour are the most important considerations. Fine blue Sapphires should not contain any overtones or secondary colours, for this will lessen their beauty. As the overall beauty of the stone depends on the cutting, this characteristic must always be taken into consideration. Remember, dark blue Sapphires will appear black under low light settings, while fine blue Sapphires will maintain their colour in any light setting.

According to Jasnani, "The price of a decent Sapphire can range from Rs 1000 to Rs 5000 a carat, the bigger the stone the more expensive it is." He also advises against the jewellers who resort to treatments to enhance a stone. "It might look bright and beautiful then, but the colour may fade over a period of time. The best thing to do while buying stones is to get it from a reputed jeweller and obtain a certificate of purity. We had a customer come in recently to check three stones she had purchased, she had paid a big amount for it. We checked the stones and they were fakes. Mind you this is not a stray case, a lot of people get cheated while buying stones." In the end, Sapphires are not only a beautiful addition to any jewellery collection they are also a fairly sound investment.

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