What is Sapphire?
Sapphires are part of the mineral family of Corundum and measure a high 9 on the Mohs scale. Sapphires are close cousins to Rubies, the only difference between the two being their respective colors. Rubies are always red, but Sapphires occur in a wide variety of colors.
The most commonly recognized color for Sapphire is a deep, rich blue, and the stone has given its name to this particular color in our language.
The Origin: Where Is Sapphire Found?
Sapphires are found in Australia, Myanmar, Brazil, Kenya, India, Sri Lanka, and the Czech Republic.
The History & Lore of Sapphire
Sapphires have a long and rich history in the annals of human society. It has been known as a “Royal Stone” for centuries.
And Sapphires feature in the British monarch’s crown jewels as well as, famously, in Princess Diana’s engagement ring in the last century.
Its association with royalty dates back to the second century AD when members of the ruling classes wore Sapphires around their throats to protect them from assassination and other threats.
The Ancient Greeks often used Sapphires to enhance the prophecies of the oracle at Delphi.
They believed that these precious stones were connected to the world of spirits and assigned the Sapphire to the god Apollo.
The Greeks believed that Sapphires facilitated soothsaying, necromancy, and the ability to connect with the mystical forces that determine the destinies of humans.
The Ancient Persians have a myth that states that Blue Sapphires are parts of a huge pedestal that supports the earth and that the reflection of their blue radiance is the reason for the sky being colored blue.
In Hindu mythology, the roots of a sacred tree, known as Kalpavriksha are formed from Sapphires.
This tree is said to grant wishes to those who are pure of heart.
Its trunk is fashioned from Diamond and the fruits of the tree are Rubies.
Sapphires feature many times in the Christian Bible, both in the Old and New Testaments.
They were associated with the clergy from around the 12th century.
This may have been due to the story that Moses received the Ten Commandments on tablets of Sapphire, although scholars now believe that it was most likely Lapis Lazuli.
Sapphires were also associated with chastity, piety, and the sanctity of the Holy Office.
The healing qualities of Sapphires for the eyes seem to have endured over many centuries, and Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire is said to have cured people of blindness with a touch of his Sapphire ring.
The most famous Sapphire is the Star of India, weighing over 560 carats.
JP Morgan, of the banking family, commissioned George Frederick Kunz, a well-known and esteemed gemmologist, to bring together a spectacular collection of precious stones and gems for the Paris Exposition in 1900.
The Star of India resided in a museum until 1964 when it was stolen By Jack Murphy and his gang in an infamous heist.
It was recovered two days later from a locker in a Miami bus station.
Description of Sapphire
When shopping for Sapphires the main thing you will want to consider is the color of the stone you wish to purchase.
Blue Sapphire is the most popular, but other colors command equally high prices, and you can apply the information below to all varieties to ensure that your chosen stone is genuine.
How to Identify Sapphire
Misting
Breathe on your Sapphire and see how long it takes to clear. A genuine stone will clear almost immediately, whereas fakes will take longer.
Check for bubbles within the crystal. Colored glass may contain perfectly round air bubbles, but a true Sapphire will not.
Scratch Test
As mentioned above, Sapphires are very hard, and the only substances able to leave a scratch mark on their surface are Diamonds and Moissanite, both of which are higher up the scale for hardness.
Light Reflection
An easy way to test this is to use a flashlight in a totally dark environment.
If your stone is authentic, blue light will reflect back. If you can see other colored lights, it is probably fake.
Colored Sapphires
The only foolproof way of getting a Sapphire of any other color authenticated is to take it to a gemologist expert.
You can then get it officially certified, which could be useful for insurance purposes.
Types of Sapphire
Sapphires come in many colors, and each has its own properties alongside the generic attributes of the stone.
Black Sapphire
Black Sapphire is protective and centering. It helps with gaining confidence in one’s own abilities and in trusting one’s intuition.
It can heighten employment prospects and aid in retaining a job.
Blue Sapphire
The traditional associations of Blue Sapphire are love and purity. This variety of Sapphire is extremely effective for chakra and Earth healing.
Blue Sapphire is a tranquil stone that helps you to stay on your spiritual path and to transmute negative energies in your aura.
Green Sapphire
This variety of Sapphire stimulates the Heart chakra. It encourages love, compassion, and understanding and raises levels of loyalty and fidelity.
Green Sapphire honors trust and respect for the belief systems of others.
Pink Sapphire
This beautifully delicate type of Sapphire is excellent for drawing you all that you need in your life to feel secure, loved, and confident.
It is a fast-acting stone that transmutes negativity and clears emotional blockages.
Royal Sapphire
This Sapphire activates and supports the Third Eye chakra.
It has a high spiritual vibrational and helps you to open your Third eye in a safe way so that you can clearly see your path ahead.
Purple Sapphire
Is a wonderful tool for meditation. It clears confusion and allows you to understand messages, signs, and symbols more clearly.
Star Sapphire
This is a rare form of Sapphire with a five-pointed star within its depths.
It helps you to center your thoughts and to access your inner wisdom and intuition.
It is believed to facilitate extra-terrestrial communication.
White Sapphire
This form of Sapphire has a marvelously pure energy. It opens the Crown chakra and takes spiritual awareness to the highest levels.
It is a highly protective stone that removes obstacles and blockages to spiritual awareness and allows you to connect with your Higher self and the Divine Wisdom of the cosmos.
Yellow Sapphire
This stone acts in similar ways to Citrine and is a stone for gathering an abundance of wealth.
Placed in your wallet or cash register it is said to increase prosperity and earnings.
It stimulates the intellect and encourages seeing the bigger picture.
Padparadscha Sapphire
This variety of Sapphire is an orange/pink color, and its name translates as Lotus Flower from the Sinhalese.
It is amongst the most valuable of Sapphires and is believed to confer a combination of spiritual, sensual, and creative gifts on the wearer.
Sapphire Birthstone Meaning & History
Sapphire is the birthstone for those born in September and is associated with the zodiac sign of Libra (Sept 23 to Oct 23).
Libra is an air sign and is represented by the scales in the zodiac. Not surprisingly, Librans often crave balance in their lives.
They are ready to compromise, and they get satisfaction from sorting out differences between others.
They are the peacemakers of the zodiac and the gift of a Sapphire birthstone to a Libra will always be appreciated.
They love beautiful things, and the sparkle and glitter of any colored Sapphire is sure to please their aesthetic senses.
Positive Libra traits include sociability and the desire to bring happiness to their fellow humans.
Librans believe strongly in the importance of connection and can make wonderful leaders in the right profession or setting due to their unfailing respect for the gifts, talents, and beliefs of others.
The gift of a Green Sapphire suits this type of Libran down to the ground.
On the other hand, Libras are often charming and many of them are above average in the attractiveness scale.
But they can be self-indulgent at times and may have a tendency to avoid spending time with people whom they do not consider to be physically appealing.
This trait is not always apparent, and most Librans are not aware that their behavior in this regard could be offensive or hurtful.
Librans can lack self-awareness in other aspects of their lives too.
Giving such a Libran a birthstone gift of Blue Sapphire may help them to overcome this deficiency as the vibration of this stone is aligned with both the Third Eye and the Throat chakras.
Blue Sapphire allows for freedom of expression without fear of judgment.
And, as some Librans lack the confidence to speak their own truths for fear of becoming unpopular, Blue Sapphire can help to build confidence and self-esteem.
Sapphire Treatment
How to Clean and Care for Sapphire
As Sapphire is a relatively tough stone it can be safely cleansed with warm water and mild soap.
Sapphire is ideal for daily wear due to its robustness.
It is as well to be aware, however, that many Sapphires are treated in a lab to improve their clarity or deepen their color, and this may have the effect of weakening the stone from its original hardness.
Sapphire responds well to charging and programming. Set your intentions clearly, using positive statements in the present tense.
Leave your Sapphire near a piece of Amethyst or Clear Quartz overnight so that it can be restored to its original vibration.
Buyers Guide: Tips & Advice
Once you have decided which variety of Sapphire you wish to buy, bear the following quality factors in mind before you part with what may well be a considerable amount of money:
Sapphire Quality Factors
Color
The depth or saturation of the color of the stone will depend on the color you have chosen.
For example, Blue Sapphires are more highly prized when the depth of blue is vivid and bright.
White Sapphires, on the other hand, are more prized for their clarity and resemblance to Diamonds.
Clarity
All Sapphires should reflect the light well, and you should be able to see this refraction through the crown of the stone.
Sapphires, like Rubies, are often found with inclusions of what is known as “silk” or rutile crystal needles.
The silk forms part of the stone’s charm and is responsible for the “star” formation In Star Sapphires.
Cut
Sapphires are cut in many forms, including cushion, cabochon, triangle, and square shapes.
You should be able to tell whether your Sapphire is in fact colored glass by the symmetry of the stone.
True Sapphires will never present as perfectly symmetrical shapes.
Carat Weight
As with Rubies, Sapphires are measured by weight in Carats.
Generally speaking, the heavier the stone the more valuable it will be, as long as the other quality factors are up to the mark.
Sapphire and Chakras
Blue Sapphire is aligned with the Throat chakra, which is located in the front of the neck and acts as the “voice of the body.”
When this chakra is blocked or restricted this can result in physical ailments such as tonsilitis and laryngitis, swollen glands, and strep throat.
It can also lead to disease within the rest of the body as the stress of restriction puts a strain on the organs and muscles, as well as taking its toll on the emotions.
The Throat Chakra governs the way we talk to ourselves, and too much self-blame or criticism may cause it to close down.
We can also internalize criticism from others, or even take upon ourselves their projected thought forms, which all happens by way of the Throat chakra.
When the Throat chakra is functioning in a healthy way, we are free to express ourselves without fear or judgment.
We can speak our own truths whilst fully respecting the truths of others.
We can let go of old beliefs or spiritual truths that no longer serve us, and we can become free of early conditioning or habits formed when we were under the influence of those in authority over us.
These old ways of thinking and behaving can be detrimental to us in the present and the best way to let them go is to perform a complete chakra cleanse, along with a cord cutting exercise.
Using Sapphires to do this is an extremely powerful way of rebooting your entire energy system.
Blue Sapphire at the Throat allows you to communicate clearly, both verbally and telepathically, so that your needs are met and your beliefs are respected.
Using Ruby at the Base chakra with White Sapphire at the Crown builds a strong energetic connection within your energy field between your physical self and your Higher, spiritual being.
Pink and Green Sapphires bring calm, loving energy to the Heart chakra.
Yellow Sapphire activates your set of personal power at the Solar Plexus, and Padparadscha Sapphire is wonderful for stimulating and activating Kundalini energy in your Sacral chakra.
Sapphire Healing Properties
Physical Healing Properties
Sapphires have many healing applications, and each color has its own unique properties in addition to the generic qualities shared by all Sapphires.
Sapphires are all-around healers, with their cooling, calming vibration of peace and serenity.
It can help to alleviate insomnia and bring restful sleep.
It also restores balance within the body and promotes freedom from spiritual and mental confusion.
Blue Sapphire is often used to treat eye conditions such as conjunctivitis and irritation caused by allergies.
It helps to release tension from the head and neck and can be beneficial for headaches, migraine, and eyestrain.
Blue Sapphire is said to help with vertigo, cool fevers, and reduce inflammation.
Sapphire is a balancing stone and is good for regulating the flow of male and female energies within the energy body.
It also balances irregularities in the hormonal and endocrine systems.
Its action upon the adrenals is beneficial in reducing the over-production of cortisol and adrenaline.
Mental and Emotional Healing
Sometimes we cut ourselves off from our feelings in the mistaken belief that this will stop us from being hurt by others.
The resulting stress on our immune and energy systems can be harmful to both our emotional and our physical health.
The tranquil vibration of Sapphire helps to bring our emotions back into balance.
It instigates trust, both in ourselves and in others, so that we can feel safe in expressing our true feelings.
Sapphire has a nurturing and soothing vibration that restores tranquility and brings serenity to an unquiet mind.
Sapphire is good for treating depression and anxiety, especially when this is caused by mood swings or hormonal imbalances.
It helps to transmute negative, fear-based energies into positive ones and to clear debris from past emotional trauma from the aura.
Mentally, Sapphire promotes clarity and sharpens the intellect.
It can be helpful for advanced scholarly pursuits such as obscure research and helps to train the mind into a sharper focus.
Metaphysical Properties
Sapphire is known as the Wisdom stone. It aids in the understanding of esoteric truths and the learning of new concepts.
It is also a great support stone for teachers and anyone involved in the pursuit of learning.
Sapphire has many applications for the transmuting and transforming of negativity and unwanted influences from outside.
It brings in positive, loving energy to disperse negative energies, which it then transmutes into harmless vibrations.
It is an excellent aid to meditation, promoting peace of mind and a more cheerful outlook.
It encourages good sense and wisdom and teaches you to trust your abilities of discernment and discretion.
Sapphire releases depression and calms anxiety. It is also said to afford protection from curses and ill wishes.
Spiritual Healing Properties
Sapphire helps the mind to focus on spiritual truths when used in meditation.
It is believed to strengthen the connection we have with Spirit and Divine Wisdom and to filter important messages for us from the Cosmic consciousness.
Sapphire is also s crystal for healers and leaders in the spiritual domains especially when large groups of people or even countries are the focus of the healing work.
It cleanses your auric field and clears all blockages from the meridians of the body, allowing healthy Chi to flow freely throughout your system.
If your energies and thoughts feel adrift or scattered, Sapphire will help you to focus on your one spiritual purpose.
It is a great aid to spiritual self-awareness and allows you to see which thought patterns and beliefs you need to let go of so that you can grow and develop spiritually.
How to Use Sapphire
As Jewelry
Sapphire jewelry is always popular and hard-wearing.
Try necklaces of Blue Sapphire to help you overcome any hesitancy in speaking in unfamiliar surroundings.
Sapphire earrings will help with conditions such as vertigo or thyroid problems.
In-Home and Office
In the home, you can place yellow Sapphire in the welt corner to attract an abundance of financial help.
Pink Sapphire is excellent for ensuring fast transformations once you have decided to make behavioral changes.
And Green Sapphire can be placed in communal areas to ensure harmony between individuals.
Best Crystal Combinations with Sapphire
Sapphires combine well with the other precious stones of Diamond and Ruby.
Used with Diamonds it enhances your connection with Universal Energy and Divine Wisdom.
It also opens up your Third eye and helps with manifestation work and with scrying the future.
As Sapphires come in many colors you can combine them with stones of the same hue to amplify their power and vibration.
Green Sapphire combines with Emerald, Green Fluorite, and Green Aventurine to bring compassion and understanding in even the most difficult of circumstances.
Pink Sapphire, when paired with Pink Kunzite is one of the most effective ways of attracting love into your life.
If you want to attract wealth, prosperity, and success, combine citrine with Yellow Sapphire.
Final Thoughts & Conclusion
The sweet and gentle vibration of Sapphires can bring joy and peace into your life, no matter which color you prefer.
It is a gentle stone with high and fine vibrations and ensures spiritual and emotional support when used in meditation.
Sapphire is a Wisdom Stone that will serve you well if you are studying or learning new things.
It is said to release mental tension and bring peace of mind and serenity.
References
GIA | Leibish | Prepscholar
