Hardness: 9.00
Refractive Index: 1.76-1.77
Specific Gravity: 4.00
Birthstone: September
Astral Stone: Virgo
Anniversary Stone: 5th, 23rd, 45th
Origination: Thailand, Sri Lanka, Australia, Myanmar, Brazil, Colombia, Africa, the United States and others.
Care & Cleaning: All forms of cleaning are appropriate.
Fiction, Facts & Folklore:
Astrologers generally link the blue sapphire with the planet Saturn.
Sapphire is a member of the corundum mineral group.
Sapphires can also display an asterism. These gems are considered rare and sought after by collectors worldwide. They are known simply as "star sapphires". Although the star can be found in other colors of sapphire, blue is by far the most common color and occurrence.
Gem experts believe the blue sapphires from Kashmir, India were the finest sapphires ever discovered. Today, these mines are totally depleted.
The corn flower blue variety from Sri Lanka known as the �Ceylon Sapphire� is now generally considered the blue sapphire of choice among most consumers.
The area of Kanchanaburi, Thailand and the legendary Chantaburi mine are two of the worlds� finest sources of deep blue sapphires.
The Kanchanaburi mines are now pretty much closed, and those miners have moved on across the border from Thailand to Laos, where they have started to work on a sapphire find in an area known as "Bokeo".
Although these sapphires are quite blue and sometimes even called "Kashmir-quality", the finds have produced virtually no large gems, and not nearly the volume investors and miners have hoped they would find to this point.
Sapphires were thought in ancient times to bring peace, joy, insight & wisdom.
In addition, they were also believed to protect a person from going blind or deaf.
A dream of sapphires foretold of an escape from impending danger.
For additional information, see �sapphire�.