Natural Sapphire (Neelam) Stone in Pakistan

The mineral behind Neelam

Sapphire is aluminium oxide, and its blue comes from small amounts of iron and titanium. Change the trace element and you get a different stone from the same mineral: chromium makes ruby (yaqoot), while other colours are sold as fancy sapphires, such as yellow sapphire, or pukhraj, and purple sapphire. With a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale, only diamond is harder, so a well-set Neelam handles daily wear with ease.

What the origin can tell you

Origin does move the price, but it is not the whole story. A fine stone from a lesser-known mine can easily beat a poor one with a famous name. If we know where a stone came from, we say so on its page.

Comparing two stones side by side

Colour comes first. The most wanted Neelam is a vivid medium to medium-dark blue that still looks blue under ordinary indoor light. Stones that go inky and black, or lean grey or green, cost less. Next is clarity: fine silk is normal and even welcome, but cracks you can see are not. Then cut, where you want an evenly lit face without a dull, see-through "window" in the middle. Treatment matters, since unheated sapphire is priced above heated. Size counts too, as the per-carat rate rises with weight. You can work out any listing's per-carat rate by dividing price by carat weight.

Treatments and look-alikes

Heating is the most common treatment, permanent and accepted across the trade. Diffusion treatment, glass, lab-grown sapphire and blue spinel also turn up in markets. Under a loupe, round gas bubbles, curved growth lines or colour sitting only at the surface are warning signs. Natural sapphire feels cool and hard and often shows fine silk inside. For a stone this important, independent testing is sensible, and our authenticity page explains how we check what we sell.

Neelam and Saturn

In Vedic astrology Neelam belongs to Saturn (Shani) and is thought of as one of the strongest stones. It is traditionally linked with discipline and steady progress, set in silver or white gold and worn on the middle finger, and custom says it should only be worn after an astrologer's advice, often on trial for a few days first. Sapphire is also the September birthstone. These are traditions and beliefs, not guaranteed effects.

Care

Warm soapy water and a soft brush keep Neelam bright. It is very hard, but a sharp knock can still chip an edge.

Buying Neelam from Authentic Gems

Every sapphire is checked and photographed as it is, and the stone you choose is the one we send. Orders are confirmed with you, dispatched within 1 working day and sent by insured, tracked courier for a flat Rs. 500. In Karachi delivery usually takes 1 to 2 working days; other major cities 2 to 4, smaller towns up to about 7. You pay Cash on Delivery only after looking at the stone in front of the rider, and unused stones can be returned within 7 days. Any questions, our contact page lists every way to reach us.