Sapphirines are durable but very rare gemstones. Although named after their typically sapphire-blue color, these gems can occur in different hues and display pleochroism, too.
Sapphirine
Value
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Sapphirine and mica (var. muscovite) crystals. Beraketa, Bekily Department, Southwestern region, Tuléar Province (Toliara), Madagascar. Photo by Géry Parent. Licensed under CC By-SA 3.0.
Comments
Sapphirine has loaned its name to the sapphirine mineral supergroup, which contains three subgroups, including the sapphirine group.
Although sapphirines occur in transparent grains, facetable crystals are exceedingly rare.
Despite its name and most well-known color, sapphirine is a gem species distinct from sapphire. However, like sapphire, it too occurs in more colors than blue, albeit rarely. These colors include shades of violet, purple, green, pink, and brown. In 2007, a red variety was discovered in Tanzania. In addition, sapphirines can show very strong trichroic colors depending on the viewing angle.
The term “sapphirine” has sometimes been applied incorrectly to blue specimens of chalcedony, crystalline quartz, and spinel. One specific usage in art history persists. The gemologist Fred Gray writes that the ancient Greeks created scarab-like seal rings and particularly favored light blue chalcedony. In recent times, this material received the French name of “sapphirine.”
Although the material is noted correctly as chalcedony in the museum listing, this rectangular prism is still referred to as “sapphirine chalcedony,” after the fashion of describing these antiquities. Minoan civilization, ca. 1900–1600 BCE, 1.65 cm x 0.75 cm x 0.65 cm. Bequest of Richard B. Seager, 1926. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Public Domain.
Identifying Characteristics
Sapphirine’s refractive indices (RI) are close to those of idocrase. However, the former has a biaxial negative optic character. (Please note that idocrase may be anomalously biaxial). Sapphirines also exceed idocrase in specific gravity (SG).
Sapphirine, silver, and enamel brooch from the Ivan Britsyn workshop, St. Petersburg, Russia, 1908-17. Collection V. Kirichenko. Photo by Shakko. Licensed under CC By-SA 3.0.
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