Sri Lankan mines are bejewelled with a variety of gemstones which are both precious and semi-precious. The island is famous for producing gems that are pure, and are of the highest quality. Gem merchants from all across the world travel to Sri Lanka to trade in our beautiful and brilliant gemstones.
One such marvel of the stunning gemstones found in Sri Lanka, is the White Sapphire. A hub of translucent glory, this stone is colourless in appearance, because white sapphires remain entirely untouched by trace elements.
Other sapphires which are coloured, gain their lovely hue from the same trace elements that white sapphires are exempt from.
The gemstone belongs to the Corundum mineral family and ranks 9 in the Mohs hardness scale; it is highly popular for its durability and versatility.
When we mention sapphires, in most contexts, it is perceived as the blue sapphire. However, there is a multitude of variety ranging from colours like pink, yellow, green and white. Whilst white sapphires are not as precious in comparison to the blue ones, their outlook and beauty is truly one to be remembered, adding a touch of glamour to any jewellery. White sapphires are known to bring forth the onset of a luxurious lifestyle to its wearer, being the ultimate symbol of prosperity and good luck.
Another advantage of this particular gemstone is that it is a substitute for a diamond. With its own charm and appeal of a non-traditional stone, this type of sapphire can be utilised as halos and side stones in calibrate sizes. The clear, colourless shine of a White Sapphire emits an aura of wisdom and grace, making it excellent substitutes of diamond rings for weddings or engagements. Most often, it can be used to replace diamonds that have fallen off from a diamond encrusted piece of jewellery, instead of resorting to a cubic zirconia.
This type of versatile and beautiful stone is found in the Ratnapura and Kataragama mines, where mine workers derive the sapphires and take them through a pre-forming process where the stone is entirely refined. The stone is usually required to craft jewellery, which is why the calibration process takes place once the stone has been refined. The top side and the bottom side of the sapphire are girdled, and polished to exude brilliance and scintillating glow.
White Sapphires are valued on the basis of their clarity and level of colourlessness, the clearer the stone is, the higher it's priced. This is because stones with clarity tend to display a radiance like no other. The White Sapphire truly is a precious stone, which can be crafted into an array of different things, making it an ideal portrayal of versatility.
