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SAPPHIRE
Name: Sapphire comes from the Greek word “sappheiros,” meaning “blue”. The term sapphire denotes the blue colors of corundum. The name “fancy sapphire” is also applied to any corundum that is not blue or a shade of red which would not qualify as a ruby.
Family Group: Sapphire is the blue variety of corundum.
Color: It gets its color from iron and titanium and has a color range from pure blue, cornflower blue, greenish-blue, and violet-blue. Today, the most sought-after shade of sapphire is a strong vivid velvety blue to violet-blue in medium to medium-dark tones.
Treatments: heat, diffusion, irradiation, beryllium, and fracture filling. Fracture filling is done with glass, resin, wax, or oil. Assume that the sapphire has been heat-treated unless otherwise noted. Sapphire can have rutile as an inclusion.
Moh’s Hardness: 9.
Lab-Grown/Synthetic: Sapphire was first synthesized in 1902 and used for industrial purposes including ballpoint pen tips and as bearings for watches, meters, and aircraft instruments.
Locations Found: Madagascar, Tanzania, Cambodia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Burma), Australia, Pakistan, India, and the United States of America (Montana).
Birthstone: September (1912, National Association of Jeweler’s).
Wedding Anniversaries: 5th and 45th.
Zodiac Signs: Libra, Taurus, and Gemini.
Historical Associations: heaven; royalty; nobility; divination; wealth; sincerity; faithfulness; harmony; peace; health; luck; good fortune; strength; trust; truth; influence spirits; protects against poison, fraud, envy, infidelity, ill omens, the evil eye, and harm.
Historically Used to Treat: antidote to poison; the eyes.
Care: Ultrasonics and steamers are safe if the sapphires are not oiled, cavity filled, or heavily flawed. Avoid exposure to heat. The safest choice is warm water, soap, and a soft brush.
SODALITE
Name: from the Latin word “sodalist” comes from its chemical composition.
AKA: Poet’s Stone. Stone of Logic. Stone of Truth.
Description: The blue-to-blue-violet mineral. Typically rich royal blue to violet-blue, often mottled or veined with white (due to inclusions of calcite). It can also be found in gray, yellow, green, pink, or colorless varieties.
Variety:
Group: Feldspathoid.
Color: Typically rich royal blue to violet-blue, often mottled or veined with white (due to inclusions of calcite). It can also be found in gray, yellow, green, pink, or colorless varieties, but the deep blue is the most valued for gem use.
Treatments: None known or routine. The stone is generally natural. Some porous sodalite may be impregnated with wax or polymer for stability, but this is less common with gem-quality material.
Moh’s Hardness: 5.5 – 6.0.
Toughness:
Location Found: Canada (Bancroft, Ontario), Brazil, Greenland, Russia (Kola Peninsula), Namibia, and the United States of America (Maine, Arkansas).
Birthstone: November, December.
Wedding Anniversaries: N/A
Zodiac Signs: Pisces; Sagittarius; Virgo.
Chakra Associations: Third Eye; Throat.
Historical Associations: communication; clear thinking; intuition; logic; mind; objectivity; truth; articulate thoughts and feelings effectively; rational thought; truth. Brings order and calmness to the mind. Fosters clear thinking and emotional balance. Boost self-esteem, self-acceptance, and self-trust. Uniting the logical mind with intuition.
Historically Used to Treat: anxiety; blood pressure; calcium deficiency; digestion; fever; glandular issues; hoarseness; immune system; insomnia; lymphatic system; panic attacks; throat problems; thyroid stabilization; stress; panic attacks.
Care: Susceptible to scratching and breakage from had knocks. Safe to clean using warm soapy water and a soft brush. Avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight or high heat, may cause it to fade or crack over time due to its softness and chlorine content.
Imitations: It is commonly mistaken for or used as a less expensive alternative to Lapis Lazuli. It can be distinguished from Lapis Lazuli because Sodalite rarely contains the characteristic brassy specks of Pyrite (common in Lapis) and has a white (not blue) streak.
Synthetics: No common commercial synthetic sodalite is widely produced.
SUNSTONE
Name: named for its warm, fiery colors and the way its internal inclusions reflect light like the rays of the sun.
Mineral Name: Oligoclase or Labradorite
AKA: Aventurine Feldspar.
Chemical Formula: (Na,Ca)(Al,Si)4O8
Description: Famous for its aventurescence (a metallic, glittery shimmer caused by tiny inclusions of minerals like hematite, ilmenite, goethite, or even pure copper.
Variety: A variety of feldspar (microcline or Oligoclase, more rarely Labradorite) that has schiller.
Color: Gold, orange, warm red, reddish-brown, and transparent yellow. Rare varieties such as Oregon Sunstone can be green or red-green bi-colored.
Treatments: Rarely treated. Very rarely, oiled to hid surface-reaching fissures. Can be heated, fracture filled, or diffusion treatments.
Moh’s Hardness: 6 – 6.5
Toughness: Poor to Fair.
Location Found: Australia; Canada; India; Madagascar; Mozambique; Norway; Russia; Tanzania; USA (Arkansas; Main; New Jersey; New Mexico; New York; North Carolina; Oregon; Pennsylvania; South Carolina; Virginia).
Birthstone: August; July.
Wedding Anniversaries: 47th.
Zodiac Signs: Aries; Leo; Libra; Pisces.
Chakra Associations: Sacral; Solar Plexus.
Historical Associations: joy; longevity; Sun; guidance; light; radiance; abundance; health; protection; vitality; physical stamina; benevolence; leadership; independence; instill good nature; happiness; confidence; self-worth; heightens intuition. It represented the blood of a great warrior as well as Helios, the Greek sun god.
Historically Used to Treat: depression; digestive issues; chronic sore throats; metabolism; stomach-related ailments; cartilage problems; physical stamina; seasonal affective disorder (winter blues).
Care: Avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners; the heat and vibrations can cause the stone to delaminate or crack. Use warm, soapy water and a soft cloth. Avoid harsh household cleaners, especially those containing bleach or ammonia, which can damage the surface of the stone.
Imitations: Goldstone, a man-made glass containing tiny copper filings.
Synthetics: N/A.