Star Sapphires are beautiful and mesmerising gemstones that
show a distinct star ray across the face of the stone. Star Sapphires are
always cut into a Cabochon shape with a high dome. This is the only way that
the shining star will be seen from the stone.
The star in star Sapphires is caused by a phenomenon called
Asterism. When viewed with a single overhead light source star Sapphires will
show a six rayed star pattern. This pattern is caused by microscopic inclusions
that reflect the light.
Star Sapphires naturally occur in a hexagon, six sided
crystal. When the microscopic inclusions grown inside the Sapphire, they tend
to grow from each corner of the hexagon. You will notice that star Sapphires
always have six rays. This is because of the natural hexagonal crystal structure
of Sapphire.
When selecting star Sapphires to purchase it is important to
understand what increases value in a stone. Firstly, the most important part of
star Sapphires is the star. A very sharp and well defined star is hard to find,
so a perfect star in a stone will increase the price.
The color and clarity of star Sapphires has a major
influence on the overall price. A stone with a very transparent body is extremely
rare and will fetch a high price. The best star Sapphires will have a blue transparent
body with a nice deep blue color and a sharp and vibrant star. These types of
stones are extremely rare and can fetch tens of thousands of dollars.
Further Reading
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