How to Identify Natural Blue Sapphire (Neelam Stone)

If you’ve been awe-struck by the beauty of blue sapphire gemstones and want to learn more about them, you’re in the right blog. 

The original Neelam stone has been considered as essential and mystical astrological gemstones for many ages and people from ancient times have associated some sort of significance with these blue sapphire gemstones.

Over the years, original Neelam stone has been used as a piece of jewellery, good luck and fortune, a barrier against evil, and a symbol of love.

Read on to find out more acts about blue sapphire gemstones & shops that are best to buy natural blue sapphire online.

Origin & Physical Properties of original Neelam stone
 

A significant portion of blue sapphire gemstones is found in Asian countries and they are also widely mined in Australia, Brazil and African nations such as Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, and more. The Montana mine in the US is emerging as the leading producer of the original Neelam stone. 

To talk about the physical properties of these mystical astrological gemstones, the mineral corundum is generally found in metamorphic rocks, pegmatites and alluvial gem gravel deposits. Sapphire crystals occur as barrel-shaped and double-pointed hexagonal pyramids which are extraordinarily hard and have a glass-like lustre.

To purchase these fascinating & mystical Neelam stone online you might want to look into authentic stores like Brahma Gems where you get certified natural gemstones that are 100% energized & activated for the best results in Astrology.

Let’s peep into the types of blue sapphire gemstones
 

1. THE BURMA (MYANMAR) BLUE

The ‘electric blue colour’ sapphires are exclusively mined from Burma. These blue sapphire gemstones have blue and violet undertones.

2. THE CEYLON (SRI LANKA) BLUE

The sapphires found in Sri Lanka have a light to medium tone. An uneven colour is spread throughout these astrological gemstones. Also, these sapphires have grey masking which results in a low saturation level. The lighter shades of these blue sapphire gemstones are more clear and more brilliant. 

3. THE KASHMIR BLUE

These blue sapphire gemstones from Kashmir are world-famous for their beauty and lustre. The amazing clarity, minimal grey masking and lesser darker specs on the facets of these astrological gemstones are fascinating!

4. THE THAILAND BLUE

The blue sapphire gemstones from Thailand are one of the rarest and have more than 90% of clarity. The colour is deep blue colour and has an outstanding cut with inclusions so minor that they’re invisible to the naked eye.

5. THE AUSTRALIAN BLUE

The Australian blue sapphire gemstones have a unique appearance and exceptional colours. It is the only place where sapphires with greenish-blue undertones are found.

SO, HOW TO IDENTIFY BLUE SAPPHIRE GEMSTONES?

Sapphires can be red, yellow, orange, green or other colours in between but are typically thought of as blue. Original Neelam stone is found in the ground or in the water whereas, synthetic sapphires are created in a lab. 

Here are a few ways that can help you to distinguish original Neelam stone from other gemstones: 

1. Look for inclusions and flaws- At least 10x magnification is required to inspect the blue sapphire gemstones. It is possible to do so with a jeweller’s magnifying glass. Look for small specks and blemishes when you buy Neelam stone online or offline cause these flaws are a good indication that sapphire is real.
   Lab-created aka fake sapphires do not have inclusions or flaws of this nature so if you find flaws then IT IS REAL!

2. Perform the breath test- Take your sapphire and breathe on it to fog it up. When it comes to original Neelam stone then the fog should clear up in just one or two seconds, but fake blue sapphire gemstones may take closer to five seconds to clear up. Awesome right?

3. Get Certified natural gemstones - Certified natural gemstones are safe. Gemologists can examine a sapphire with refractometers and magnification Polaris scopes to determine what kind of gem it is. Their analysis can tell you if blue sapphire gemstones are natural or synthetic, treated or not, as well as many other attributes.
   Certified natural gemstones help you to ensure that you get the best value if you sell it. Authentic stores like Brahma Gems are the best places to purchase certified natural gemstones that will be easier to sell for a good price and also to obtain the best astrological values.

4. Check the gem for air bubbles- Artificially created blue sapphire gemstones are essentially glass that is put through a process similar to the one that forms natural sapphires. But since they are glass, tiny air bubbles remain in them after they form. So if you buy Neelam stone online and see any bubbles inside the sapphire then it is NOT REAL for sure. Easy right?

5. Use the scratch test- If you have two blue sapphire gemstones and you know for sure one is real then, use it to scratch the second one. Gems of equal hardness can’t scratch each other, so if both are real sapphires then nothing will happen but if the real sapphire leaves a scratch on the second sapphire, then you know the answer!

6. Watch how light reflects from the blue sapphire gemstones- To detect an original Neelam stone you can turn the lights off in a room and shine a flashlight on the sapphire. If the sapphire is real, it will only reflect light that is the same colour as the sapphire but if it is fake then the reflection will be of other colours besides the colour of the gem.

It is recommended to always go for certified natural gemstones from authentic shops like Brahma Gems for the best results and 100% astrological benefits.