How to clean it
Warm soapy water. Safe in ultrasonic unless fracture-filled.
Blue, also pink, yellow, green, colourless
Sapphire
The birthstone for April and September.
Properties
Composition
Aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃) — corundum coloured by iron and titanium
Hardness (Mohs)
9
Crystal system
Trigonal
Colour
Blue, also pink, yellow, green, colourless
Mined in
Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Myanmar, Australia, USA (Montana)
Worth knowing
Padparadscha — a pink-orange sapphire named after the lotus flower — is the rarest colour and outprices most blues.
History
Worn by medieval clergy as a symbol of heaven; prized in Persia and Kashmir.
Practical
Caring for Sapphire
How to tell it is real
Heat treatment is near-universal and disclosed. Untreated sapphire commands a large premium and should come with a lab report — no report, assume treated.
One general rule covers most mistakes: never store stones loose together. Diamond at 10 on the Mohs scale scratches everything else you own, and it does not need much contact to do it.
What that hardness means in practice
At the top of the Mohs scale. Household dust is largely quartz at hardness 7, which is why softer stones dull over time and this one does not. Safe in a ring worn every day.
Traditional associations
Sapphire is traditionally associated with judgement, focus and keeping a promise. In chakra systems it is placed at the Throat, Third Eye, and in elemental correspondence it is assigned to Air.
These are cultural associations recorded across various traditions, not claims about physical effects. The composition and hardness above are measurable; this paragraph is folklore, and worth reading as such.
Questions
What is Sapphire made of?
Aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃) — corundum coloured by iron and titanium, crystallising in the trigonal system.
Which month is Sapphire the birthstone for?
April, September.
Where does Sapphire come from?
Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Myanmar, Australia, USA (Montana).
How do I clean Sapphire?
Warm soapy water. Safe in ultrasonic unless fracture-filled.
How can I tell if Sapphire is real?
Heat treatment is near-universal and disclosed. Untreated sapphire commands a large premium and should come with a lab report — no report, assume treated.
Can I wear it every day?
At 9 on the Mohs scale, yes — it resists everyday scratching.