Corundum - precious mineral, the most famous derivatives of which are sapphire and ruby. These stones are considered not just valuable gems, but the jewels of the highest category. In mineralogy, there is a group of corundum, similar to the structure, properties of the chemical and physical range. For a long period of time, specialists allocated varieties of corundum as separate types of natural stones.
After the chemical science and geological studies have achieved a certain level, data were obtained to combine minerals into one group. All minerals differed only outwardly, and in their composition they were one. Thus was allocated a group of stones under the general name "Corundum".
History of origin
The history of Corunda has many centuries. The incredible demand for this mineral arose immediately as only his formation was discovered. Not all the precious subspecies of corundum are common and known But, probably, every person will be able to answer the question of what the ruby or sapphire looks like.
But the question of the characteristics of the corundum in many will cause difficulties, despite the fact that both famous stone are formed from one mineral. Corundum has a rich color gamut and many varieties. Its cost is high, and popular among experts is huge.
At first, he could acquire and wear only people belonging to the religious elite: priests or priests. It began its distribution throughout the world of corundum from the territory of India, he also got into European countries. The demand for Corundum was formed very quickly, the stones became popular and in demand.
From the priests, the stone moved to diplomacy, where he acquired a symbolic meaning. Gifts with the corundes of a blue or red shade in the spheres of higher diplomacy were considered the manifestations of the deepest respect.
In Russia, the mineral was opened in the middle of the last century. Domestic name Corunda - Yahont. The fry yahont is the name of the ruby, and the lazo-sapphire. The stone was very valued in Russian nobility in all historical times.
What it is?
In different countries, Corundum is called in their own way, and Among the most spectacular items, you will meet the following:
- East diamond;
- Violet;
- padparadzha;
- Eastern Emerald;
- Almanandine sapphire;
- Eastern Amethyst.
There is such a concept as "pure stone" - this means that Corundum has excellent natural properties and is highly valued in the precious stones market. It is explained by the fact that finding such stones is very difficult, because in nature they are found extremely few.
Distinctive characteristics and description of pure mineral:
- absolute transparency;
- The stone has no color due to the lack of pigment;
- Bright type glitter, vitreous;
- Incredible similarity with diamond.
In most deposits, Corunda find pigmented minerals that contain various inclusions of breeds, for example, colloidal type. As for coloring, the palette of shades is impressive: Blue and blue, red and scarlet, green, purple.
Special meaning people have long come to red corundum, since such stones are a symbol of power and strength.
Place of Birth
Today, the deposits of sapphire corundum numbers are almost 20 times more than ruby. The most large-scale mining of crystals is conducted in Asia. The development area is a quadrangle, which includes Thailand, Myanmar, India and Sri Lanka. The most valuable rubies of the premium rubber comes from the Sri Lanka and Myanmar deposits, and elite sapphires come to the jewelry market from India.
In addition, Corundum is mined in Tanzania and Australia. It is there who find sapphires rare shades - black, green. No less large deposits are located in the United States and in Canada.
As for the European continent, Corunds are found in Turkey, Greece, Norway. Domestic fields are located in the Urals, in Primorye and under Krasnoyarsk. One of the most recent places for the extraction of Corundum, open not so long ago, is in Kazakhstan.
Properties
By chemical composition, a group of corundum refers to crystalline aluminum oxides. The stone is formed only where the breed contains a large amount of alumina, with silica should be in short supply. More than half of the composition of the mineral crystal - aluminum. Formula of chemical series – AL203.
The hardness and density of pure stone are very high, it has a shade slightly gray, with a great and the stone is excellent and the stone is completely transparent. The character of hardness at Corunda stands on 2 place after diamonds on the Moos scale. Density - at least 3.94 g / cm3.
Stones without pigment are rare, they are distinguished by incredible beauty and have a glitter similar to glass.
Most often in Korunde there are natural Turning on chromium, iron, manganese and titanium. These impurities and give the final color of mineral crystals, creating the wealth of shades. Iron oxide give a shade of yellowness, and the presence gland in pure form creates Brown tone. Iron in connection with manganese gives corundum Pink Color.
Due to the intrusion of titanium, the mineral becomes sapphire, and in the presence of chromium it turns out ruby corundum . To make a pigment more juicy and saturated, wearing crystals are subjected to x-ray processing, and they become brighter. Heating mineral, on the contrary, reduces the intensity of the color. For example, a violet shade stone can become a slightly pinkish.
Corounds have magical and healthy properties. Due to the regular wearing of the stone, it is possible to become emotionally stable and self-confident man. He perfectly affects memory and increases the ability to memorize, mobilizes the activity of the mind. Therefore, it is recommended to be used during training, as well as in the process of research or inventive work.
Stone is suitable and creative people looking for inspiration.
The impact of the stone varies depending on the type of jewelry in which it is located.
- Rings and rings. Such decorations have a positive effect on talents, hidden deep in man, on the spiritual development of the person. If you are constantly wearing a ring with corundum on your hand, then you suddenly awaken the abilities that you have not even suspected. To effect the most serious and strong, knowledgeable people advise the ring only on the middle finger.
- Earrings. Perfectly affect the objective assessment of what is happening, you can more really evaluate the actions and actions. If you think about the meaning of life, wear corundum in earrings, it will help to figure out not only in this matter, but also in itself, and will also lead you to inner harmony.
- Pendant and suspension. Suitable to those who need peace, equilibrium. If you are unstable in terms of emotions, restless, constantly worry, irritate, are aggressively set up - this is an ornament for you. It will help become more focused, calm, not suffer from emotion drops.
It is impossible not to mention the properties of therapeutic nature, since Corundum is considered to be one of the most effective minerals. The color depends on how the action the stone will have on the body and what can help.
With therapeutic goal, we recommend wearing a decoration with corundum or have this stone with you in the bag. Such actions will help solve a number of health problems: restore immunity and normal operation of the internal organs. Rubin perfectly affects metabolism, it helps to cope with diseases of the vessels, hearts, blood circulation systems.
Blue minerals Improve the work of the organs of vision, Yellow Beneficially affects external health: skin, hair, nails, give the skin elasticity and freshness. If you want to improve the operation of the digestive organs or lose weight, then you should also use the stones of a yellow shade. Red Stones normalize blood pressure. Purple The color of the mineral will help with diseases of the nervous system, neurosis, disturbing states, neuralgias and vascular problems. In cases of stroke, brain injuries are recommended to wear a stone of this shade.
Those who want to improve the overall tone of the body, you need to wear jewelry, in which a variety of shades of stones are combined.
Varieties
The most valuable varieties of the mineral - sapphire and ruby, they have the highest category among jewels. Despite similar composition and properties, stones differ in each other.
Ruby has the following characteristics:
- has a red color of different shades;
- The palette varies from a juicy cherry and a dark red tree to weak, barely catchy tones of pink;
- Saturated tones are valued above (scarlet, cherry, burgundy, dark red);
- Stones I category at their price often exceed the value of the diamond;
- High degree of transparency.
Corundum Ruby has Several subspecies that have different characteristics.
- Star . A rare crystal, it looks pretty exotic due to the optical visual effect. If you look at the cut, you can see the outlines in the shape of a star.
- Ceylon. Very beautiful stone bright violet shade, cast lilac.
- Siamese. The variety of shades varies from brown and red to violet, and minerals look expressively and beautiful.
The following features are characterized for sapphire:
- Unique transparency;
- The highest category among jewels;
- The shade palette includes tones from pale blue to a bright, catching cornflower shade;
- The saturation of the shades is medium, but the color itself is quite deep.
Corundum sapphires have several varieties.
- Purple. This species is also called the eastern amethyst, it has an attractive juicy purple color.
- Chlorosapphyr. The most valuable from a stone sapphires stone having a greenish tone. This mineral is very similar to the emerald, and only a specialist can distinguish them. Another name is chlorosapphor - East Emerald.
- Padparadja. It features bright tones of orange, yellow, pink as a light and dark spectrum of shades. On transparency, all stones can be completely different.
- Leukosapphyr. The characteristics of its transparency are flawless, it is this kind of kind called the eastern diamond.
- Star . A rare variety, has similar features and effects with ruby of the same name. The stone of incredible purity and transparency, very expensive and highly appreciated by collectors.
Pure Corundum has no pigment, that is, in fact it is white or with a grayish tinge, which is very rarely found.
Where applies?
The use of precious corundum applies not only to jewelry. Opaque grainy stone used in abrasive industry . Of it make powders of polishing type, grinding tools, abrasive items.
Due to the resistance to high temperatures, Corundum is successfully used in Production of medical products, electronics. In addition, Corundum is used in the manufacture of materials with thermal insulation properties. Another destination where the properties of Corundand are often applied - Aviation industry. It is Corundum that is used in the manufacture of a high-end glass substitute for the portholes not only aircraft, but also space missiles.
Despite all these characteristics, the most often corundum is used in the manufacture of jewelry. Products with rubies and sapphires are in great demand.
Who comes up?
It is believed that Corundum is a stone of people with vigorousness, activity, purposefulness and will to victory. The properties of the stone allow you to send people to the goal, mobilize their internal resources. According to astrologers, this mineral suits many zodiac signs.
For example, Aquarius, Cancer and Fish May be worn without restrictions. For them, the mineral activates its best properties and allows you to attract positive energy waves that protect against negative. Corundum will especially help those who are engaged in business or creative activities, and those whose energy protection is too weak.
Aries This crystal is almost at all suitable and better to avoid his wearing in young age. If you have already been 40 years old, then for you this restriction does not work. On the contrary, in the maturity of Aries can remove a lot of useful from the stone: success in personal life, career growth, awakening talents.
Categorically not advised to wear corundum Capricorn - From all 12 signs of the zodiac, it is alone in no way compatible with the energy of this mineral. If you do not take into account such inconsistencies, then all the properties of the stone will begin to work in the opposite direction, against a person. As for the rest of the signs, they can be decorated with such a stone, but in combination with some other gem. For example, Tales Corundum will especially help in combination with turquoise, and Lerv This mineral is best to wear in combination with amber or brown sharp agate.
Care rules
To the stones always had a spectacular look, you need to properly care for them:
- Periodically wipe the decoration with a cloth moistened in the solution of the ammonic alcohol with water;
- Standing mechanical damage is quite difficult, but it is necessary to check it in the frame to periodically check;
- Store the decorations in the light, especially under the right sunlight, is strictly prohibited;
- It is impossible to overheating decorations with natural stones, as their coloring can change, becoming lighter;
- Do not use for cleaning decorations with corundum chemicals and abrasive means - give preference to soapy aqueous solutions.
How to distinguish natural stone from fake?
At the end of the XIX century, the first synthetic corundum was produced, and since then, artificial minerals are grown in laboratories, which cannot be called fakes, but they have serious differences from natural gems. Laboratories for the cultivation of crystals are in Russia, Germany, Switzerland. Since the natural crystal is very expensive, Artificial Corundum are in great demand. Externally, they are very similar to natural minerals, and cost cheaper.
When buying products with natural stones, you need to be extremely attentive, since there is a risk of buying fake and pay at 10, or even 100 times more than it is worth it. There are different ways to determine the origin of the mineral.
For each natural crystal is available Quality Certificate where the place of its prey is indicated. If there is no certificate, and the product has fallen into your hands, bypassing the trade organization, you can independently check its quality, for example, by heating. Artificial crystals are heated so that their color becomes more juicy, but if you heat such a stone again, it will hear.
In artificial korunde, unlike natural, air bubbles may be present. In addition, the laboratory corundum has a curvilinear type zonality, it can be seen, looking at him through a magnifying glass.
If you plan to make a purchase of natural corundum, Give the product to assess where a specialist will check it with a microscope or polariskop . Such an examination will help you determine the authenticity of the mineral and keeps the acquisition of a fake.
About a simple way to distinguish the fake tells the following video.