Blue Sapphire

Sapphire is the traditional birthstone for the month of September. Sapphire has long been the symbol of the sky and heavens, the guardian of truth and the protector of chastity. The ancient Persians held the belief that the entire world rested on a sapphire and its reflection is what made the sky blue. Sapphires have had a long history of being engagement gifts among royalty and nobility. This includes the widely popular Lady Diana Spencer who received a blue sapphire and diamond ring upon her engagement to Prince Charles. In blue, sapphire ranges from a very light pale blue to vivid violet blue to a deep midnight blue.

Blue sapphire is the Jyotish gem related to Saturn, which is the planet of wisdom, integrity and discipline. It rules responsibility, leadership, ambition and wisdom born of experience. It's also the planet of renunciation and spiritual journey. Wearing an unheated blue sapphire of at least 1.5 carats is said to bring discipline and bestow the ability to govern and lead others. Blue sapphire can be substituted with blue spinel, amethyst, blue tourmaline of at least 3-4 carats.

Gemological properties

Chemical composition: AL2O3 + Fe
Hardness: 9
Density: around 4
Refractive index: 1.762-1.77
Birefringence: 0.008
Pleochroism: Strong dichroism
Color: Light blue to dark blue, violetish-blue, greenish-blue, steely-blue, color change from blue or greenish blue to violet-purple to purple.
Occurrence: Sri Lanka, Thailand (Kanchanaburi), Cambodia (Pailin), Burma, Kashmir, Australia (Anakie), Tanzania, Madagascar, USA (Montana, Yogo Gulch).

Astrological properties

Planet: Saturn
Cosmic Color: Violet
Number: 8
Chakra: 4th, Arahata
Sign: Capricorn
Element: Air
Day: Saturday
Time: Sunset

Sanskrit Names

Nilam (Blue sapphire)
Nila-mani (Blue jewel)
Indra-nilam (Royal blue gem)
Sani-ratna (Saturn's gem)


Signs of a well-placed Saturn

Wisdom, integrity, discipline, spiritual achievement trough humility, patience, dedication and non-attachment.
Saturn also govern leadership and perfection, highest human qualities, and longevity.


Prevention of the following diseases

Paralysis, asthma, rheumatisms, teeth problems, bones problems.


Birthstone for: September

Birthstone for the month of September, the name Sapphire comes from the Greek word "Sappheiros", meaning blue. However, sapphires are formed in nature in a literal rainbow of colors, ranging from very light to very dark blue, bluish green, yellow, brown, pink, violet, slightly reddish orange, and a fabulous pinkish-orange that is referred to as "padparadscha". The name padparadscha is derived from the Sinhalese for "lotus flower". The mineral name for sapphire is Corundum and its pure red form it would be known as ruby. The finest sapphire color in the blue hues is a rich, velvety, cornflower blue known as "Kashmir", which references the area of India where these precious gemstones were once mined. Most current production comes from Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Australia, Africa and Montana. Sapphire will sometimes occur in nature in such a way whereby numerous needle-like inclusions within the gemstone are oriented in just the right angles within the stone, to produce a phenomenon that is called "asterism". As such a six-pointed star will appear to float just beneath the surface of the gemstone when subjected to an incandescent light source. These gemstones will always range from translucent to opaque and they depend on the cutters art to fashion them into a polished, domed shape known as "cabochon".

Enhancements — As is the case with many colored gemstones, sapphires are routinely enhanced to improve their color and their clarity, the most notable being controlled heating. Many enhancement procedures are generally recognized and accepted throughout the jewelry industry and, in most cases, these enhancements are irreversible, permanent, and will produce a gemstone that is more beautiful. One should be leery, however, of enhancement techniques that are not permanent. If you intend to purchase any fine colored gemstone you should deal with a jeweler who is gemologically trained to explain the differences.