Star Sapphires Stone

The presence of a star is the most amazing phenomena encountered in the world of colored gemstones. This optical occurrence is quite rare, being only found in a very small percentage of the blue sapphires mined around the world. Throughout history, and to this day, the two sources producing the best quality blue star sapphires are Burma and Sri Lanka. A star is formed by the abundant presence of a naturally occurring mineral inclusion in sapphire, known as rutile. This rutile is often found in very fine long and slender white crystals which strongly reflect light off their surface. The common gemological term for these needle like crystals is silk. To cause a star, the rutile needles form in parallel and tightly packed groups. The reflection off of each group of crystals forms a straight line which appears to float on the surface of the stone. There are always three groups of crystals which intersect at 60 degree angles from each other. The three lines formed connect in the center to form the appearance of a 6 ray star.Sri Lanka is the source of the biggest fine quality blue star sapphires in the world. Several famous museums have giant star sapphires from Ceylon that exceed 100 carats in weight. These include the Star of Artaban, a 316 carat blue star in the Smithsonian Institute, and the Star of India, a 563 carat fine blue star that is on display in the American Museum of Natural History. An unnamed 393 carat blue star owned by the State Gem Corporation of Sri Lanka is believed by many to be the finest blue star sapphire of its size in the world. Big stars from Burma are considerably more scarce than those from Ceylon. There is only one found in any of the major museums of the world. It is the 330 carat Star of Asia, a 330 carat blue-violet colored gem found in the Smithsonian Institute. While Burma does not produce so many stars of exceptional size, it is generally considered to be the source of the finest color. The common practice of heat treatment to improve the color and clarity of sapphires also removes much or all of the star causing silk. Because of this, fine quality blue star sapphires are becoming more and more difficult to find in the colored gemstone market. A relative newcomer to the star sapphire arena are from Burma. Previously found only in the beryl family, notably emerald, there has recently been a very small production of these gemstone anomalies from the Mogok region. They feature a stationary six ray star pattern radiating out from the center of the gem. This star pattern is not asterism caused by rutile "silk" as in common star sapphires. Most Trapiche sapphires are found in dark and light gray colors. Very few have a distinct blue and white pattern. Trapiche sapphires are considered a very rare collectors item, and finer pieces are quickly reaching Trapiche emerald price ranges. Rarity and beauty are two wonderful reasons to own a fine quality blue star sapphire. Whether you choose a star from Sri Lanka or one from Burma, you are sure to find a unique treasure to be enjoyed for a lifetime.