Sapphire
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Gem Family: Corundum
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Colour Range: Blue, Pink, Yellow, Orange, Green, White, Multi-colour
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Transparency: Cloudy / Semi-transparent / Transparent / Loupe-Clean
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Hardness: 9 on Mohs scale - extremely durable
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Common Origins: Kashmir, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Kanchanaburi (Thailand), Madagascar, Australia, Mogok (Myanmar), Pailin (Cambodia)
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Popular Uses: Engagement rings, matching calibrated layouts, multi-stone bands, fine coloured stone jewellery, astrological settings
" The Kashmir sapphire, with its legendary velvety blue hue, is among the most rare and valuable gems in the world - prized by collectors and auction houses alike."
Why
This
Gem?
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Colour Beyond Blue: From Kashmir's velvety cornflower to pastel pinks, crisp whites, and golden yellows - sapphire offers one of the widest natural colour ranges in fine gemstones.
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Calibrated for Creativity: Our sapphires are cut in consistent, calibrated sizes - ideal for multi-stone layouts, matching pairs, and uniform designs in high-end jewellery.
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Resilient Luxury: With a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale, sapphires are built for both elegance and endurance - perfect for engagement rings and daily wear.
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Historically Prized: Sapphire has been a royal and religious symbol across ancient Persia, India, and Europe - admired for truth, virtue, and divine protection.
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Astrological Power:
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Blue Sapphire (Neelam) is associated with Saturn (Shani) in Vedic astrology, worn to enhance discipline, focus, and karmic alignment.
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Yellow Sapphire (Pukhraj) aligns with Jupiter (Guru), believed to promote wisdom and financial well-being.
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White Sapphire is sometimes used as a substitute for diamond (Venus), symbolizing beauty, creativity, and balance.
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Why This Gem?
" Designers love sapphires for matched multi-colour layouts — few gems offer such consistency across hues and sizes."
Origin & Rarity
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Each source gives you a palette variation - from rich and classic to rare and nuanced. Designers and collectors often select by origin + colour + mood.
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Colour personality changes by region - the same cut can look vastly different depending on where it was mined.
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Origin is often preferred more for aesthetic consistency than pricing.
🇹🇭 Kanchanaburi (Thailand)
Deep blue sapphires with consistent saturation and clarity - ideal for layouts and classic silhouettes.
🇲🇬 Madagascar
A modern gem hub offering a full colour spectrum - especially strong in clean pinks, oranges, and high-lustre pastels.
🇮🇳 Kashmir (India)
Known for deep, velvety blue colour, often described as "cornflower blue", and exceptional clarity
🇰🇭 Pailin (Cambodia)
Historically renowned for vivid royal blues with subtle violet undertones. Limited availability, prized by collectors and designers alike.
🇲🇲 Mogok (Myanmar)
High prestige origin - produces fine silk-textured stones, especially soft blues and purplish sapphires. Rare in calibrated lots, but exceptional when available.
🇮🇳 Kashmir (India)
Known for deep, velvety blue colour, often described as "cornflower blue", and exceptional clarity
🇰🇭 Pailin (Cambodia)
Historically renowned for vivid royal blues with subtle violet undertones. Limited availability, prized by collectors and designers alike.
🇲🇲 Mogok (Myanmar)
High prestige origin - produces fine silk-textured stones, especially soft blues and purplish sapphires. Rare in calibrated lots, but exceptional when available.
🇹🇭 Kanchanaburi (Thailand)
Deep blue sapphires with consistent saturation and clarity - ideal for layouts and classic silhouettes.
🇦🇺 Australia
Known for darker, inky-toned blues and steely-toned sapphires - great for statement solitaires and contrasting layouts.
🇱🇰 Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
Bright, open-toned blues with silky glow as well as fine pink, yellow, white, and pastel hues. High-clarity fancy colours - perfect for calibrated jewellery work.
🇲🇬 Madagascar
A modern gem hub offering a full colour spectrum - especially strong in clean pinks, oranges, and high-lustre pastels.
🇱🇰 Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
Bright, open-toned blues with silky glow as well as fine pink, yellow, white, and pastel hues. High-clarity fancy colours - perfect for calibrated jewellery work.
🇦🇺 Australia
Known for darker, inky-toned blues and steely-toned sapphires - great for statement solitaires and contrasting layouts.
🇱🇰 Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
Bright, open-toned blues with silky glow as well as fine pink, yellow, white, and pastel hues. High-clarity fancy colours - perfect for calibrated jewellery work.
🇮🇳 Kashmir (India)
Known for deep, velvety blue colour, often described as "cornflower blue", and exceptional clarity
🇦🇺 Australia
Known for darker, inky-toned blues and steely-toned sapphires - great for statement solitaires and contrasting layouts.
🇲🇬 Madagascar
A modern gem hub offering a full colour spectrum - especially strong in clean pinks, oranges, and high-lustre pastels.
🇲🇲 Mogok (Myanmar)
High prestige origin - produces fine silk-textured stones, especially soft blues and purplish sapphires. Rare in calibrated lots, but exceptional when available.
🇰🇭 Pailin (Cambodia)
Historically renowned for vivid royal blues with subtle violet undertones. Limited availability, prized by collectors and designers alike.
🇹🇭 Kanchanaburi (Thailand)
Deep blue sapphires with consistent saturation and clarity - ideal for layouts and classic silhouettes.
🇲🇬 Madagascar
A modern gem hub offering a full colour spectrum - especially strong in clean pinks, oranges, and high-lustre pastels.
🇲🇲 Mogok (Myanmar)
High prestige origin - produces fine silk-textured stones, especially soft blues and purplish sapphires. Rare in calibrated lots, but exceptional when available.
🇰🇭 Pailin (Cambodia)
Historically renowned for vivid royal blues with subtle violet undertones. Limited availability, prized by collectors and designers alike.
🇦🇺 Australia
Known for darker, inky-toned blues and steely-toned sapphires - great for statement solitaires and contrasting layouts.
🇱🇰 Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
Bright, open-toned blues with silky glow as well as fine pink, yellow, white, and pastel hues. High-clarity fancy colours - perfect for calibrated jewellery work.
🇹🇭 Kanchanaburi (Thailand)
Deep blue sapphires with consistent saturation and clarity - ideal for layouts and classic silhouettes.
🇮🇳 Kashmir (India)
Known for deep, velvety blue colour, often described as "cornflower blue", and exceptional clarity
"Kashmir and Padparadscha sapphires are considered investment-grade due to scarcity."
Colour
What Drives Colour Value
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Hue: Pure blues, pinks, and padparadschas command premiums
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Tone: Too dark = lifeless | Too light = diluted
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Evenness: critical in matched calibrated sets
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Blue: From Kashmir’s velvety cornflower to Kanchanaburi’s deep royal blue, and Australia’s inky tones - blue remains the most recognized and valued. Colour depth, evenness, and light return define market price.
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Pink: Ranges from baby pink to hot fuchsia. Madagascar and Ceylon lead in clarity and brilliance. Often used in bridal, pastel layouts, and coloured solitaire rings.
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Yellow: From lemon yellow to canary gold - associated with Jupiter (Pukhraj) in Vedic astrology. Common in calibrated rounds and ovals; popular in both jewellery and astrology.
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White: A brilliant, affordable substitute for diamonds. Clear and bright when well-cut, especially when sourced from Sri Lanka and Madagascar. Often used in solitaire settings and mixed-stone layouts.
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Orange & Padparadscha: Padparadscha sapphires, with their peach-pink glow, are among the rarest sapphires in the world. Requires expert classification. Often found in Madagascar and Sri Lanka.
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Green: Green sapphires have an earthy, olive tone - gaining favour in contemporary and gender-neutral designs.
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Multi-Colour: Bi-colour and multi-zone sapphires are increasingly used for modern artistic layouts.
What Drives Colour Value
-
Hue: Pure blues, pinks, and padparadschas command premiums
-
Tone: Too dark = lifeless | Too light = diluted
-
Evenness: critical in matched calibrated sets
-
Blue: From Kashmir’s velvety cornflower to Kanchanaburi’s deep royal blue, and Australia’s inky tones - blue remains the most recognized and valued. Colour depth, evenness, and light return define market price.
-
Pink: Ranges from baby pink to hot fuchsia. Madagascar and Ceylon lead in clarity and brilliance. Often used in bridal, pastel layouts, and coloured solitaire rings.
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Yellow: From lemon yellow to canary gold - associated with Jupiter (Pukhraj) in Vedic astrology. Common in calibrated rounds and ovals; popular in both jewellery and astrology.
-
White: A brilliant, affordable substitute for diamonds. Clear and bright when well-cut, especially when sourced from Sri Lanka and Madagascar. Often used in solitaire settings and mixed-stone layouts.
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Orange & Padparadscha: Padparadscha sapphires, with their peach-pink glow, are among the rarest sapphires in the world. Requires expert classification. Often found in Madagascar and Sri Lanka.
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Green: Green sapphires have an earthy, olive tone - gaining favour in contemporary and gender-neutral designs.
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Multi-Colour: Bi-colour and multi-zone sapphires are increasingly used for modern artistic layouts.
"Sapphires don’t always need to match perfectly — smart designers use tonal gradients to add character."
Cut,
Shape,
Light
Oval
Most balanced and popular
Pear
Elegant for flowy designs
Round
Symmetrical brilliance
Cushion
Enhances colour depth, soft edges
Marquise
Flattering, elongated effect
Octagon
Rare in sapphires, high clarity required
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Symmetry: Even facets for consistent brilliance across matched sets
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Depth Ratio: Ideal depth ensures proper light return - too shallow = windowed, too deep = lifeless
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Calibrated Dimensions: Essential for multi-stone layouts and matched designs
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Face-Up Colour: The cut should enhance the natural hue - not flatten or darken it
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Symmetry: Even facets for consistent brilliance across matched sets
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Depth Ratio: Ideal depth ensures proper light return - too shallow = windowed, too deep = lifeless
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Calibrated Dimensions: Essential for multi-stone layouts and matched designs
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Face-Up Colour: The cut should enhance the natural hue - not flatten or darken it
Cut, Shape, Light
Cut, Shape, Light
" Fine jewellery buyers prioritize stones that match in millimetre dimensions and visual tone. A perfectly cut calibrated set is often more valuable than a lone, oversized gem."
Clarity & Inclusions
Transparency Spectrum
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Cloudy / Heavily Included: May affect brilliance; lower trade value
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Semi-Transparent: Acceptable in some pastel stones, often used in artistic settings
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Transparent (Eye-Clean): Most commercially valued in calibrated lots
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Loupe-Clean: Rare and highly prized, especially in pinks and whites
Common Inclusions in Sapphires
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Silk (Rutile Needles): Found in Ceylon and Kashmir stones - can enhance glow if fine and evenly distributed
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Zoning (Colour Bands): Acceptable if not disruptive to face-up view
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Crystals or Veils: Acceptable in small amounts but should not breach surface or distract from clarity
What to Avoid
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Surface-reaching fractures
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Heavily clustered or milky inclusions
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Uneven zoning in matched sets
Clarity & Inclusions
Transparency Spectrum
-
Cloudy / Heavily Included: May affect brilliance; lower trade value
-
Semi-Transparent: Acceptable in some pastel stones, often used in artistic settings
-
Transparent (Eye-Clean): Most commercially valued in calibrated lots
-
Loupe-Clean: Rare and highly prized, especially in pinks and whites
Common Inclusions in Sapphires
-
Silk (Rutile Needles): Found in Ceylon and Kashmir stones - can enhance glow if fine and evenly distributed
-
Zoning (Colour Bands): Acceptable if not disruptive to face-up view
-
Crystals or Veils: Acceptable in small amounts but should not breach surface or distract from clarity
What to Avoid
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Surface-reaching fractures
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Heavily clustered or milky inclusions
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Uneven zoning in matched sets
" In commercial-grade calibrated stones, uniform face-up clarity is more important than microscopic perfection. Focus on stones that look balanced when set side by side."
Treatments
Common Enhancements
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Heat Treatment: Industry standard; improves colour and clarity without additives
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Diffusion: Surface enhancement; alters colour artificially
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Fracture Filling: Rare in sapphires, significantly reduces value
What’s Acceptable
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Heated sapphires with proper disclosure
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Avoid diffused or colour-coated stones - colour may not be stable
Common Enhancements
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Heat Treatment: Industry standard; improves colour and clarity without additives
-
Diffusion: Surface enhancement; alters colour artificially
-
Fracture Filling: Rare in sapphires, significantly reduces value
What’s Acceptable
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Heated sapphires with proper disclosure
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Avoid diffused or colour-coated stones - colour may not be stable
"Most calibrated sapphires are heated - and that’s okay. Focus on colour, clarity, and origin transparency, backed by a reputable certificate."
Certificate
&
Assurance
A trusted certificate confirms
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Authenticity
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Origin
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Treatment Disclosure
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Value Benchmark
Top Trusted Labs
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GIA - Gold standard worldwide
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GRS - Specialises in gem characterisation and origin
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GGL - Pioneers of identification and authentication
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SSEF - Highly respected for origin verification
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AGL - Excellent for investment-grade rubies
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IGI/GJEPC - Reliable for local trade
What to Check
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Stone details match what you see
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Treatment column: Unheated/Heated clearly stated
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Origin, carat, clarity - look for consistency
A trusted certificate confirms
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Authenticity
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Origin
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Treatment Disclosure
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Value Benchmark
Top Trusted Labs
-
GIA - Gold standard worldwide
-
GRS - Specialises in gem characterisation and origin
-
GGL - Pioneers of identification and authentication
-
SSEF - Highly respected for origin verification
-
AGL - Excellent for investment-grade rubies
-
IGI/GJEPC - Reliable for local trade
What to Check
-
Stone details match what you see
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Treatment column: Unheated/Heated clearly stated
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Origin, carat, clarity - look for consistency
" For calibrated layout stones, full lab certification is not always required for each piece - but batch-level assurance and sourcing trust matter deeply in B2B. "
Why Sapphires Attract Collectors
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One of the “Big Three” precious coloured stones
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Broad colour range = collector appeal
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Unheated sapphires in vivid colour tones are long-term assets
Investment
&
Collectibility
What Drives Value
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Untreated status
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Rare colour (cornflower blue, padparadscha)
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Origin (Ceylon, Kashmir, Pailin)
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Size + matching potential in calibrated suites
What Drives Value
-
Untreated status
-
Rare colour (cornflower blue, padparadscha)
-
Origin (Ceylon, Kashmir, Pailin)
-
Size + matching potential in calibrated suites
Why Sapphires Attract Collectors
-
One of the “Big Three” precious coloured stones
-
Broad colour range = collector appeal
-
Unheated sapphires in vivid colour tones are long-term assets
"Padparadscha sapphires get their name from the Sinhala word for lotus blossom - their unique peach-pink tone is considered one of the rarest natural colours in any gem."
Rare Facts & Legends
Kashmir’s Legendary Aura
Discovered in the late 1800s in the Zanskar range, Kashmir sapphires became prized for their velvety blue hue - often described as having a “soft inner glow.” Most original mines are now depleted.
Royalty’s Favourite
From Cleopatra’s rumoured love of sapphires to Princess Diana’s engagement ring, the gem has adorned rulers, priests, and visionaries for centuries. The British Crown Jewels include several Ceylon stones.
The Stone of Truth
Ancient Persian and Indian civilizations believed that the sky was blue because it reflected the colour of sapphire. In many traditions, sapphire is worn to enhance clarity, focus, and divine connection.
A Spectrum of Power
Blue Sapphire (Neelam) - Saturn (Shani): discipline, transformation, karma
Yellow Sapphire (Pukhraj) - Jupiter (Guru): wisdom, expansion, prosperity
White Sapphire - Venus (Shukra): beauty, creativity, emotional harmony
(Always consult an astrologer before wearing.)
Kashmir’s Legendary Aura
Discovered in the late 1800s in the Zanskar range, Kashmir sapphires became prized for their velvety blue hue - often described as having a “soft inner glow.” Most original mines are now depleted.
Royalty’s Favourite
From Cleopatra’s rumoured love of sapphires to Princess Diana’s engagement ring, the gem has adorned rulers, priests, and visionaries for centuries. The British Crown Jewels include several Ceylon stones.
The Stone of Truth
Ancient Persian and Indian civilizations believed that the sky was blue because it reflected the colour of sapphire. In many traditions, sapphire is worn to enhance clarity, focus, and divine connection.
A Spectrum of Power
Blue Sapphire (Neelam) - Saturn (Shani): discipline, transformation, karma
Yellow Sapphire (Pukhraj) - Jupiter (Guru): wisdom, expansion, prosperity
White Sapphire - Venus (Shukra): beauty, creativity, emotional harmony
(Always consult an astrologer before wearing.)
" In medieval lore, sapphires were thought to protect against envy and attract blessings from the heavens."