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Blue sapphire is a precious gemstone commonly known as Neelam or Neela Ratna in Hindi. It comes from the corundum mineral family, and its vivid blue color makes it a great choice for high-end jewelry. Other stones also feature blue, which often confuses people with the color of genuine sapphire. The difference lies in the shade of the blue color. Physical properties and popularity are other factors that differentiate this stone from others. Each gem is unique. One should understand the significance and qualities of the ratna that make it stand out from others. In context, we will compare Neelam Ratna and other gemstones.
The sapphire family covers a broad segment of colored stones, of which Neel mani is the blue variety. Let's see how this gemstone is different:
Natural Sapphires: They come in a range of colors, including pink, green, yellow, peach, and more, except red. The hue of these stones is due to various trace elements present inside the crystal structure. During this hexagonal crystal's formation, some elements get trapped inside and give color to the colorless corundum. For instance, Pukhraj Ratna gets its yellow hue from iron.
Original Neelam: Blue sapphire refers explicitly to the corundum with a vibrant, deep blue color. This fantastic hue of the stone is due to trace elements like iron and titanium. The color chart of this stone ranges from pale blue to dark blue. However, the top-quality Neelam Ratna has blue as the primary hue, medium tone, and high saturation. However, secondary tones like green and violet are also found, and the ratio of these overtones decides the stone's value. This means the higher the secondary overtones than the primary color, the lesser its value.
Other sapphires: In terms of composition, all sapphires have the chemical formula aluminum oxide (Al2O3). They are composed of packed bonds of aluminum and oxygen atoms. The hardness of these gemstones is between 9, making them perfect for jewelry.
Neeli Stone: Like all its members from the corundum family, Neelam also has the same chemical formula. The blue sapphire vs. other gemstones comparison lies in the presence of trace elements that are responsible for giving different colors to the gems.
Other gemstones: In Vedic astrology, each sapphire is associated with a specific planet that benefits the wearer. For instance, Peela Pukhraj is linked to Jupiter grah and blesses individuals with wealth, health, and prosperity. Likewise, other stones from the same family harness the cosmic energy of other planets and benefit the wearer in many ways.
Neelam Stone: Neel mani is associated with the most powerful planet, Saturn. In Vedic astrology, this blue gemstone is explicitly worn to get relief from the ill effects of malefic Shani in an individual's horoscope. Moreover, Neelam Ratna's power is believed to be so intense that it can bring a sudden increase in wealth.
Many gems also exhibit the same blue color. Knowing blue sapphire vs. other gemstones is essential as it helps the buyer purchase the suitable stone worth its price, eliminating the benefit of the doubt while purchasing similar-colored stones.
Color and Appearance: Feroza has a light blue to greenish blue hue with intricate brown matrix patterns that are clearly visible. It is an opaque stone and shows no signs of clarity. On the other hand, Neel Mani features a deep blue color resembling the oceans or the dark blue sky. High-quality stones show excellent transparency, thus making them relevant to other gemstones.
Other Characteristics: Turquoise is a hydrate phosphate mineral and a porous stone. It ranks 5-6 on the Mohs scale of hardness and is comparatively soft. Neelam ranks high on the Mohs scale of hardness and is a tough stone.
Color and Rarity: Blue diamonds are exclusive and rare gems. It is said that this blue variety occurs in one out of ten thousand diamonds mined. On the other hand, Original Shani Ratna is rare if it has a vivid blue color, high clarity, and carat weight.
Astrological Significance: Blue diamonds are high-investment gems symbolizing wealth, power, and status. On the contrary, the member of the corundum family is the gem for Shani and is also called Shanipriya ratna. It is a highly valuable astrological stone and signifies love and serenity. In Western astrology, it is the September birthstone, whereas diamonds are for April births.
Color and Clarity: Amethyst is the purple variety of quartz, and its hue ranges from light to deep violet. It is different from Neelam, as the latter exhibits a deep blue color with overtones of purple only in some varieties. Both these gems show eye-clean transparency.
Popularity and Uses: Neel Ratna is renowned for its astrological properties. Zodiac signs such as Aquarius, Capricorn, Gemini, Virgo, and Libra are suggested to wear this blue gemstone. Nilam symbolizes love, loyalty, and wealth, whereas amethyst crystal is best known for serenity. This purple stone is widely used during meditation.
Difference in Color: Opal or Dudhiya Patthar features a play of colors, including green, yellow, blue, and more. On the other hand, Neelam Patthar showcases a single primary hue: blue. Though few overtones are familiar, the original Nilam is only blue.
Composition and Hardness: Opal is a hydrated silicate mineral with a hardness of 5.5-6.5, whereas the blue variety of corundum is tough and ranks high on the Mohs scale of hardness.
Physical Characteristics: Ruby is red, whereas emeralds are green. Diamonds, which are colorless yet shiny gems, are also found in other colors. When comparing the hardness of these stones, the order goes like Diamond>Ruby>Sapphire>Emerald.
Clarity Factor: Natural gemstones feature inclusions formed during crystal creation. Manik Ratna exhibits inclusions such as rutile needles, and Panna features imperfections such as "jardin," whereas in diamonds, these are called feathers, clouds, or graining. Nilam showcases rutile needles as inclusions. The most valuable of these imperfections are those found in Kashmir blue sapphire, as they give it a velvety appearance.
Symbolic Meaning: The Original Ruby gemstone represents love, passion, courage, and vitality. The emerald symbolizes growth, prosperity, and new beginnings, whereas the diamond symbolizes wealth, luxury, and power. Neelam ratna represents love, commitment, and trust.
Astrological Purposes: The difference comes in the association of the planets with the stones. Manikya is related to the planet Sun, and wearing a ruby ring on the ring finger promotes love in a relationship. It enhances leadership skills and brings fame and popularity to the individual. Hara panna is linked to Budha graha.
It harnesses cosmic energy and offers the wearer benefits such as good communication skills, intuition, and overall well-being. Heera is for the planet Venus and provides the wearer with luck and prosperity. Nilam Patthar is for Shani graha and provides a person with mental clarity, protection, and career success. This Shani stone is worn on the middle finger of the right hand to gain maximum benefits.
Price Comparison: Natural blue sapphire price starts at INR 5,000 and may extend up to INR 1 lakh and more. On the contrary, diamonds are believed to be precious and expensive even today. However, original Nilam with high carat weight, vivid color, and clarity account for rarity and hence are prized for the same.
In conclusion, the blue variety of corundum stands out from other gemstones due to its exclusive hue and astrological significance. Its symbolism makes it a compelling choice and a profound stone in the world of colored gemstones.
