Star Sapphire

Item Description

Sapphire are varied in their colors and they are found in virtually every shade, but there is more to Sapphires than faceted stones. The most commonly known "Star" gems are Star Sapphires. The phenomenon seen in these stones is known as "asterism" which occurs when the Sapphires are polished into cabochons and oriented in a manner that reflects tiny silk-like inclusions that are trapped inside the Sapphire. The inclusions bend light entering the Sapphire and create the star-like pattern. A six-rayed white star appears in bright lighting and the quality is judged by sharpness of star, symmetry of the rays, and the body color. This gem has sharp "legs" which are best seen under strong light to show off the "star". The color of this gem is a bronze hue with a slight greenish-yellow overtone. A good representative stone of this well known material.
This stone is from the estate of former Phoenix area dealer Marvin Rockey. Rockey's Gems was a significant business in the early days of Arizona lapidary material, and he was a prominent dealer and buyer in the Arizona area of local lapidary and carving material from throughout the state, including Bisbee, the Ray Mine, Miami mines, and the Peridot finds on Indian lands in the 1950s-1970s. This stone was kept back from the retail stock for its quality and beauty, in a tray of special material, and was found in his estate (sold to us only recently). Today, these are not only rarely seen but of a highly desirable old quality, and sought after by collectors and gem / jewelry enthusiasts alike.