This authentic beauty in sapphire stones makes them one of a kind and even stand out from other gemstones. Sapphires are of the corundum mineral variety and are available in mixed colours. They are mined and crafted for several decorative purposes making anything shine brighter with elegance.
When a sapphire is measured on the Mohs scale for its hardness, it is rated 9, which makes it the third hardest gemstone after moissanite and diamonds. The diamonds are ranked ten on the same scale, and moissanite gets 9.5 ratings. No wonder sapphires are also used for several non-decorative purposes, like infrared optical components.
Sapphires have been formed deep under the earth’s surface for millions of years. They are crafted by undergoing several processes of high temperature and pressure. There has to be an ideal condition for metamorphic processes to prepare a gemstone as iconic as sapphire. A liquid magma is found deep within the earth and has to be cooled down for the minerals to crystallise. These crystallised materials are the purest form of corundum, otherwise known as sapphires. This process has been carried on for millions of years and has been one of the iconic processes to observe.
It has been a common misconception that a sapphire is a diamond of its own, but it is not valid. Both of them are minerals, but they are different types of materials. Sapphires are the corundum mineral which is an aluminium oxide if related scientifically. Sapphire is not just the sole mineral; it has various elements living within it that cause hues, like titanium causes yellow, and iron causes blue. Chromium causes purple, and so on.
Sapphires are found and mined in many locations around the globe. However, they are mainly sourced from the richness of Cambodia, Colombia, Kenya, and India. There are many underrated locations for Sapphire mining, like Afghanistan, the United States, Nepal, Australia, and Vietnam. However, sapphires mined from these regions may differ from one another, and it is because their chemical structure and appearance change once you mark that shift of location.
You may have seen royal blue sapphire, ruby stones on your jewellery, or even clothes radiating all the elegance it exudes. They are available in many colours owning properties of their own. Some of these types are mentioned below!
Blue sapphires are one of the most popular yet common types of sapphires. They are mostly worn at significant events, weddings and anniversaries. But with its immense popularity, it is now becoming an eye-catcher in engagement rings. They are of many types ranging from cornflower blue sapphires to ice blue sapphires.
White sapphires are one of the rarest gemstones that are colourless in appearance. These sapphires have no trace elements on illusions, and they are primarily created in labs since they are hard to find naturally. The colour of this beauty signifies joy, purity and menstrual clarity. A white sapphire greatly resembles a diamond and is one reason for its popularity!
Pink sapphires are almost like red sapphires but are not as deep as ruby. This gemstone is perfect for gifting your significant other as the colour of it symbolises love and compassion. Pink sapphire ranges from pastel pink to bold, hot pink and many different shades.
Green sapphires are the calming stone signifying trust! They range from mint green to dark forest green. They are slightly affordable as they are readily available and are a perfect alternative for emerald diamonds.
The type of sapphires based on colours doesn’t end here. Sapphire is available in more colours like orange, padparadscha, yellow, purple, black and brown sapphires. All these coloured sapphires pose a perfect adornment for your jewellery, making you look spellbinding to the core!
Almaas Diamonds have some of the best sapphire jewellery in mixed colours that pleases your heart to no extent. And there is no wonder that today, sapphires are the most-desired gemstone out of many. There is more than one reason to love sapphires, and we have mentioned some right below!
As we mentioned in the beginning, sapphires are on a 9 rating as per the Mohs hardness scale. No matter what colour sapphire you may choose, you will get your hands on quality sapphires filled with ample strength.
Asterism is the inclusion of a sapphire. A sapphire with inclusions intersecting and refracting light in 2,3, or 6 perpendicular rays is considered a luxurious sapphire. These star sapphires have symmetrical arrays of intersections, making them perfect for flaunting at lavish parties or events.
Silk appearance in sapphires comes when the needle-thin inclusions in sapphire are arranged to make it look silky. Such sapphires hold a fan following by adding a unique value to their appearance. Our collection also has some of the most sought-after silk sapphires.
The size of the sapphire does not exceed 5 carats, as a size more than that is considered a museum-quality sapphire. Our collection has some of the best sapphires available in sizes that are perfect for your bespoke jewellery!
Green Emerald
Emerald, a type of beryl mineral, is cherished not just for its beauty but also for its deeper significance. Its vibrant green hues, ranging from bluish-green to pure green, are achieved through the presence of chromium or vanadium during formation. Renowned worldwide, emeralds symbolize not only royalty but also enduring elegance and dignity. Their mystical allure persists to this day, making them highly esteemed jewels. These gemstones boast exceptional hardness and are revered for their imperfections, with less flawless emeralds often preferred over completely flawless on
These stones are known for having a good hardness inside out. Even the flaws in the rocks are celebrated and appreciated. It is seen that people go for a less flawed emerald stone rather than going up for a completely flawless stone. A green emerald stone is associated with Mercury in a horoscope. Wearing it enhances the intellectual abilities of a person alongside arithmetic skills. There is more to an emerald stone that we’ll discuss below!
Emerald gemstone is a beryl mineral specimen with a rich green colour capturing all the praises. This green beauty is considered auspicious for many people in India, and they are even priced higher as it is one of the most valuable gemstones. The green colour of this beauty is as helpful as one can imagine! The chromium traces also lead to its green colour, making it a perfect addition to your accessory game!
These gemstones are created as one molecule at a time when both the right minerals and suitable conditions come together. Such a process makes this stone so rare and expensive. The chromium in the beryl mineral is the reason for forming green emerald stones. They are ranked 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, highlighting that they are softer than diamonds but give tough competition to other gemstones in hardness.
Emerald stones are usually found in Colombia, Madagascar, Canada, Brazil, and Zambia. Emerald is also found in shale, limestone, and other rock types. However, when naming the top producer of Emerald stones, it has to be Colombia, followed by Zambia. These countries use maximum pressure of heat and oil to enhance the physical appearance of emeralds. This treatment improves any emerald stone's hue, colour and whole look.
More than five types of Emerald stones are widely used in jewellery. Some of them are briefed below!
Colombian Emerald is considered the purest gemstone with the most profound and vibrant green colour. These are free from any inclusions. With its flawless appearance, it becomes apt for jewellery design. They are challenging in physicality but are famous for posing a calming effect on emotions.
Asterism is the inclusion of a sapphire. A sapphire with inclusions intersecting and refracting light in 2,3, or 6 perpendicular rays is considered a luxurious sapphire. These star sapphires have symmetrical arrays of intersections, making them perfect for flaunting at lavish parties or events.
Natural Emerald Gemstone is what we generally talk about. It is a type of mineral beryl available in bluish-green to deep-green colours. The chromium present in this stone makes it greener and even more expensive. Because of their simplistic properties, they are considered best for crafting jewellery.
This emerald gemstone was first founded in the beryl mines in northern Bahia, Brazil, in 2001. The name of this stone comes from there only. These stones carry a solid appearance of their own and are hard enough to be used for multi-purpose uses. It is generally believed that this stone holds the ability to see the future, which is why they are rarely found.
Carolina Emperor Emerald stone is different from your regular emerald stone; it has been cut down to 64.83 carats and is popularly called the “Carolina Emperor”. This gemstone is believed to be the largest cut emerald stone found in North America. This unique gemstone is perfect for crafting jewellery that enhances in the best way during the day!
Other Types of Green Emerald Stones
The allure of a Ruby is undeniable, captivating hearts instantaneously. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, this gemstone holds profound significance. Exhibiting hues ranging from pinkish-red to blood-red, the Ruby stands as one of the most esteemed and cherished gemstones. A manifestation of the mineral corundum, or aluminium oxide, the Ruby boasts a storied history and unparalleled durability.
The term "ruby" derives from the Latin word "ruber," signifying red, a hue synonymous with passion and vitality. Since the era of the Mughal emperors, the Ruby has remained a beloved gemstone among connoisseurs of fine jewelry. Its significance transcends mere materiality, symbolizing cultural heritage and emotional resonance within many familial contexts. Whether naturally occurring or scientifically synthesized, Ruby gemstones exhibit consistent quality and characteristics.
“ruby” comes from a Latin word called “ruber”, meaning red. Ruby is a favourite gemstone of people who have been fascinated by jewellery since the Mughal emperor’s era. It is not just a stone but a representation of culture and emotion for many families. These stones are crafted both naturally and scientifically. The lab-grown ruby stones possess the same qualities as the naturally grown stones. It is believed that these stones grow on trees where they are white initially but then blossom into ripe red rubies. Some more details on this iconic gemstone are given below!
A ruby stone is an extraordinary yet strong gemstone with a ranking of 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness. A natural ruby stone is filled with imperfections involving colour impurities. The other imperfections are the inclusions of the rutile needles size, also known as “silk”. These imperfections are the identifiable factor in recognising a ruby stone from its artificial copy. Every shape and cut of ruby has to go through a heating process to reach top-notch quality. It is being conducted on almost all types of ruby stones and hiking up the prices of it!
Most ruby stones across the globe are mined in Mozambique and Myanmar (Burma), especially in the Mogok Valley region. Even recently, there have been many openings for mining centres in Myanmar, in Mong Hsu. Apart from these regions, you can also find ruby production in Thailand, Australia, Cambodia, Brazil, Afghanistan, India, Japan, and Colombia. Myanmar also produces some finest quality ruby stones. However, earlier, it was not one of the legitimate sources, but now it is green-flagged as a 100% legitimate source.
Various types of ruby stones are available in the market based on their production origins. Some of the famous types are mentioned below!
Burmese ruby stone is one of the top-notch stones of many other types. These stones have a deep red colour thanks to the presence of chromium. The Burmese ruby stones are primarily found in Myanmar. A Burma ruby stone has a smudge on its body. So if you ever need clarification about its originality, you must check its blemishes.
You can find an African ruby stone to reflect a purplish to dark red colour. The best ones have the darkest colour in, red and are also available in eclectic sizes and qualities. As the name suggests, these stones are produced in Africa and have the best texture for crafting in jewellery.
Thai ruby gemstones are produced in the southeast of Bangkok and hold the darkest colour, red. Such a dark colour results from the combination of iron and chromium in its process. This gemstone is stylish enough to give your ethnic or fashionable attire the magical touch it needs!
The physical appearance of the Tanzania ruby stone resembles the hessonite stone for its exceptional colour and hardness. This stone is less expensive compared to other types of ruby stones. However, in a Tanzania ruby gemstone, the intensity of the colour slows down with size. In simpler words, the colour of the stone diminishes as the size of the stone increases.
Madagascar is the newly emerged centre for the production of ruby stone. And this centre produces some of the best ruby stones in the mining regions of Andilamena and Vatomandry. However, the gemstones crafted in both centres differ in colour, properties and more. Red, orange and natural red are some of the colours you will find in Madagascar ruby stone.
Afghanistan ruby gemstones, as the name says, are mined from the beauty of Afghanistan. Badekshan and Jagdalek are the top regions where ruby production takes place. The ruby stones crafted in these centres have colour ranges from faint to deep red. The qualities that each beauty persuades are top-notch and are nowhere else to be found!
Natural ruby stones can be found in different sizes and varieties to cater for the needs of almost everyone. These stones have always been a symbol of royalty and prestige! No matter how luxurious they can be, you can always go for affordable options to wear and flaunt this ruby beauty—as per Vedic astrology, wearing a ruby ring makes you aware, more focused and even remain alert the whole time. Other Vedic advantages of having a ruby stone include success in exams and a bright career in fields like politics, agriculture and government offices.
Ruby is the symbol of love, passion and richness alongside! They have been worn by kings and queens who have experienced similar benefits, and today, people wear them in the same hope of making their life less trouble. Some people are also advised to wear a ruby stone to find solace in depression and anxiety. Apart from these mythical benefits, there are some fashionable benefits which you may experience once you buy it from our collection.
A Gemstone anatomy is similar to diamond anatomy. Every coloured gemstone we see today needs to be crafted more than randomly. A thorough structure and symmetry have been followed in preparing each stone. The whole process of studying the anatomy of gemstones is similar to diamonds, as both are the same in structure. However, with changes in the shape of a gemstone, it becomes difficult to run the same analysis. This is where a basic understanding of the gemstone anatomy is needed to know your gemstone in a better way!
Just like a diamond, the upper part of the gemstone is the diamond, the lower part is the pavilion, and the carat weight is just the same. A brief of all these terms is given below!
A plane surface of a gem formed by cutting and polishing is called the facet of that gemstone. There are 58 facets in a traditional round brilliant cut of a gemstone.
The topmost facet of a gemstone is called the Table, marked as the most significant facet.
The uppermost part of the gemstone, from the Girdle to the Table, is called the Crown.
The widest part of the gemstone is the Girdle, where you can see the Crown meets the pavilion.
The lowermost facet, which constitutes the underbelly of the gemstone, is called the pavilion.
The classic tip of the gemstone is called the Culet, which can be transformed into various facets and cuts per the gemstone's purpose.
These are all the elements of a gemstone that resembles a diamond. However, the same process as diamond is not followed when grading these gemstones. Since some people prefer a gemstone with inclusion, while some expect no inclusions. A unique grading system is used in the gemstone anatomy to simplify the difference. Now for grading these specifications, gemstones are separated into various types. The basis for such separation is the “clarity” of these gemstones. A gemstone is categorised as Type I, Type ll and Type III. Some jewellers use a diamond clarity scale the same way as a gemstone clarity scale.
For instance- A gemstone under Type I will have minor or no inclusions, while the Type II category will have a gemstone with noticeable inclusions under 10x magnifications. The remaining Type III category will have a gemstone with inclusions easily recognisable under the 10x magnifications. We have placed some gemstones in their respective clarity categories to give you a better idea!
This is how a gemstone is graded in different categories per its clarity power. This comes down to the job of a cutter to ensure that the light is reflected brilliantly out of the gemstone. Some people even prefer custom-cut gemstones as it gives them the kind of facet they wish to have for their jewellery. Now that you are well-versed in gemstone anatomy, you can easily make an informed buying decision in gemstones once and then forever!
