What is the description of a sapphire gem?

Answer 1

When people mention the word sapphire, they generally mean 'blue sapphire'. The sapphire actually exists in various other brilliant colors like yellow, orange, pink, purple and green. These sapphires are called fancy sapphires.

The sapphire belongs to the gemstone family of corundum. The most pure form of corundum is colorless, but trace elements add color to a corundum gem. While the word 'sapphire' is derived from the Latin word 'sapphirus', the word "corundum" is derived from Hindu word Kurand or Kuruvinda.

The chemical formula of sapphire is aluminum oxide (Al 2 O3). The specific gravity ranges between 3.99 and 4.00 and the refractive index range is between 1.760-1.768 and 1.770-1.779. The hardness of a sapphire gem stone on the Mohs scale is 9. It is the next hardest mineral, diamond being the hardest.

Sapphires get their beautiful color tone from the trace elements iron and titanium. The blue sapphires that are found in the basaltic rock have a better color as compared to the others as basalt is rich in iron.