Star Sapphire

Item Description

Sapphire gems are varied in their colors because they are found in virtually every shade, but there is even more to Sapphires than faceted stones. The subset of gemstones known as "star" gems display a phenomenon stones is known as "asterism" which occurs when the stones are polished into cabochons and oriented in a manner that reflects tiny silk-like inclusions that are trapped inside. The most well-known example of "star" gems are Star Sapphires. 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 fairly sharp, "legs" which are best seen under a strong pinpoint light to show off the "star". The color of this gem is a silvery hue with a slight lavender overtone in certain light. A good representative stone of this well known material.