| To get the best possible sapphire wedding band it | | | | sapphires have traces of iron which gives them |
| is not necessary to know all about sapphires, but | | | | their color. Pink sapphires are have trace element |
| obviously the more you know the better your | | | | of chromium and the deeper the color pink the |
| chances of getting the best possible sapphire | | | | higher the value as long as the color is going |
| wedding band available. | | | | toward red of rubies. Color shift sapphires are |
| The word Sapphire, from the Hebrew word Sapir, | | | | blue in outdoor light and purple in indoor light. |
| is the single-crystal form of aluminum oxide | | | | Colour changes may also be pink in daylight to |
| (Al2O3), a mineral known as corundum. It can be | | | | greenish in fluorescent light. Some stones shift |
| found naturally as gemstones or manufactured in | | | | color well and others only partially, in that some |
| large crystal boules for a variety of applications. | | | | stones go from blue to blue purple. White |
| The corundum group consists of pure aluminum | | | | sapphires usually come out of the ground as light |
| oxide. Trace amounts of other elements such as | | | | gray or brown and are then heated to make |
| iron and chromium give sapphires their blue, red, | | | | them clear. However in very rare circumstances |
| yellow, pink, purple, orange or greenish color. | | | | they will be found in a clear state. |
| Sapphire includes any gemstone quality varieties | | | | The sapphire has long symbolized truth, sincerity, |
| of the mineral corundum including the red variety, | | | | and faithfulness. Tradition holds that Moses was |
| which is also known as ruby. | | | | given the ten commandments on tablets of |
| Blue sapphires come in a wide range of shades of | | | | sapphire, making it the most sacred gemstone. |
| blue and Titanium and iron inclusions within the | | | | Because sapphires represent divine favor, they |
| aluminum oxide create the different shades of | | | | were the gemstone of choice for kings and high |
| blue. | | | | priests. The British Crown Jewels are full of large |
| Most of all sapphires are heated to a temperature | | | | blue sapphires, the symbol of pure and wise rulers. |
| of up to around 1800°C for several hours | | | | Since sapphire symbolizes sincerity and |
| and some stones are also heated in a nitrogen | | | | faithfulness, it is an excellent choice for an |
| deficient atmosphere ovens for a week now. The | | | | engagement ring. When Prince Charles chose a |
| purpose of this is to give the stone a better color. | | | | sapphire engagement ring for Princess Diana, |
| You can find out if a stone has been heated by | | | | couples all over the world were inspired to revive |
| looking under magnification. If the needles are | | | | this venerable tradition. |
| unbroken, then the stone was not heated. If the | | | | Sapphire is also the birthstone for September, the |
| silk is not visible then the stone was heated | | | | month when the most babies are born. Ancient |
| adequately. If the silk is partially broken then a | | | | lists also name sapphire as a birthstone for April |
| process known as low tube heat was used. | | | | and the gemstone for the sign of Taurus. |
| Low tube heat is the process where the rough | | | | "Fine blue sapphires are tremendously |
| stone is heated to 1300 °C for 20 to 30 | | | | undervalued," says David Federman, United States |
| minutes over charcoal. This takes out any gray or | | | | author of Consumer Guide to Colored Gemstones |
| brown in the stone and improves color saturation. | | | | and other gem books. "Fine Kashmir and Burma |
| You can also get fancy sapphires. These are any | | | | sapphires are much rarer than Burma rubies and |
| sapphire other than blue or red. Purple sapphires | | | | yet they are available for much less. Even fine Sri |
| are lower in price than blue ones. These stones | | | | Lankan sapphires are rare to see these days. |
| contain the trace element vanadium and come in | | | | There is nothing more restful to the soul than a |
| a wide variety of shades. Yellow and green | | | | fine sapphire. |