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Beautiful blue stones hold timeless appeal. From the sky to the sea, the color blue can profoundly impact our mental health and wonderful well-being. Shades of calm, the color of communication, and the feeling of flow are all captured in the essence of blue. From the deep dark blue sapphires to the greenish-blue hues of Turquoise and the soft shades of blue in Topaz and Blue Lace Agate, there are so many different blue varieties out there.
Throughout history, blue gemstones have been associated with royalty, connected to the heavens and the gods, and a symbol of fidelity, peace, and protection. We take a closer look at the allure of blue precious stones, explore some of our favorite and lesser-known blue gemstones, and offer tips and techniques for bringing more blue stones into your life.
Understanding Blue Gemstones
What Are Blue Gemstones?
Blue gemstones refer to any stone that falls under the spectrum of the color blue. There are many different varieties of colors and many different kinds of gemstones - from precious gemstones to semi-precious gemstones, sparkling crystals, and cool minerals. They can be rich in color and dark and stormy as the sea or they can be pale and lucid like angel wings or even come in shades of greenish blue too. Often, blue gemstones will take their coloring from the presence of trace elements such as titanium and iron.
Some common blue gemstones for daily wear include sapphires, aquamarines, blue topaz, and lapis lazuli, each with distinct physical and chemical properties that contribute to their appearance and their metaphysical energy.
Historical Significance:
Looking back throughout history blue stones have played an important part. In Ancient Egypt, Lapis Lazuli was considered one of the most protective gemstones and was closely connected with the heavens. It was ground down into a beautiful blue-gold pigment and used in everything from painting to cosmetics, and in its stone form was often used in jewelry and as amulets.
Beyond the ancient Egyptians, blue gemstones also enjoyed a period of divine popularity in the medieval ages when they became a status symbol of royalty and reality while also representing wisdom, purity, and protection.
The Hope Diamond was considered one of the most famed blue gemstones. This stunning deep blue diamond weighs 45.52 carats. Its history is shrouded in mystery and legend, with tales of curses and misfortune befalling its owners. Today, it rests in the Smithsonian Institution, drawing countless visitors each year. There's also the Blue Giant of the Orient. A massive blue sapphire weighing around 486 carats, this gemstone is notable for its rich, vivid color and immense size, making it one of the largest faceted blue sapphires in the world.
Popular Blue Gemstones and Their Properties
Blue Sapphire:
Characteristics: Sapphire comes in shades of deep blue and is famed for its high hardness (scoring an impressive 9 on the Mohs hardness scale). It is commonly used in engagement rings as a symbol of fidelity and commitment.
Sources: Sapphires are often mined in Sri Lanka, Kashmir, and Myanmar.
Metaphysical Properties: The stunning Sapphire stone is known for nurturing wisdom, deepening intuition, and lending spiritual insight to all who wear her. It is also a precious gemstone that brings joy.
Care Tips: The best way to keep your Sapphire looking stunning is to cleanse it with mild soap and water and avoid using any harsh chemicals on the stone at all.
Tanzanite:
Characteristics: Tanzanite comes dressed in shades of vivid blue and violet. It is a relatively new stone in the world of crystals and was only discovered in the 1960s. It scores a 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale, which makes it quite a tough stone.
Sources: As the name may suggest, Tanzanite comes exclusively from Tanzania.
Metaphysical Properties: Tanzanite is known as a stone of spiritual awakening and can lead to deep transformations. It can also help you let go of fear and clear blockages in the throat, heart, and third eye chakras.
Care Tips: Tanzanite is a beautiful stone when used in earrings and pendants. To keep it safe and shiny, avoid hard impacts and abrasion.
Aquamarine:
Characteristics: Aquamarine has a lot of water energy and is a member of the Beryl family. Its shading is from light to deep blue, and it scores a 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
Sources: Brazil, Madagascar, or Russia - these are some of the places you can expect to find the stunning Aquamarine stone.
Metaphysical Properties: With its flowing energy, Aquamarine is known for being a super soothing and calming stone that promotes healthy and harmonious emotional healing. It also sharpens intuition and keeps you free from feelings of overwhelm.
Care Tips: The best way to care for your Aquamarine stone or Aquamarine Bracelet is to clean it with soapy water and avoid using ultrasonic cleaners, as it prefers a more gentle approach.
Blue Topaz:
Characteristics: Blue Topaz comes in shades of the brightest blue. It is common for the gemstone to be treated to enhance those vibrant shades. Blue Topaz also scores a solid 8 on the Mohs scale, which makes it a pretty durable stone.
Sources: Commonly mined in Brazil, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka, this popular choice of gemstone is easy to get hold of.
Metaphysical Properties: Blue Topaz is known for its calm and fluid energy and for also being a gemstone that enhances emotional balance. Wearing Blue Topaz Earrings also helps with channeling wisdom and invites you to lean into your own sense of sparkle and power.
Care Tips: Look after your Blue Topaz by cleaning it with warm, soapy water and avoid exposing it to high heat, which could impact its coloring.
Lapis Lazuli:
Characteristics: Lapis Lazuli has a lovely royal blue coloring etched with golden flecks. It was a favorite gemstone in Ancient Egypt. Surprisingly, it is a rather soft stone coming in at a 5-6 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Sources: Lapis Lazuli is mined in Afghanistan and Chile, among other places.
Metaphysical Properties: Lapis Lazuli is famed for its truth, wisdom, and enlightenment and is considered a highly spiritual stone with strengths in communication and helping the throat chakra heal.
Care Tips: The best way to care for your beautiful stone is to clean it with a damp cloth. Be sure to avoid any chemicals and ultrasonic cleaners that could impact the soft nature of this semi-precious stone.
Blue Diamond:
Characteristics: Blue Diamonds are beautiful but very rare and highly valuable. They have a brilliant blue coloring and score at the top of the charts on the Moh's hardness scale, coming in at a 10.
Sources: As mentioned, Blue Diamonds are rare and a coveted choice for jewelry in luxury price brackets. They can be sourced in South Africa and Australia.
Metaphysical Properties: Strength, clarity, and resilience are all hallmarks of the Blue Diamond. This gemstone has highly durable energy and reminds us to embrace our personal strength and step into our confidence.
Care Tips: Even though Blue Diamonds are hard and resilient, you still want to care for this gem to keep it shining bright and brilliant. Clean with mild soap and water and avoid the use of any harsh chemicals.
Lesser-Known Blue Gemstones
Kyanite:
Characteristics: Blue Kyanite is also a beauty with its unique blue and white coloring. It has a variable hardness and can score anything between 4.5-7 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Sources: Nepal and Brazil are popular places for this lesser-known gemstone being mined.
Metaphysical Properties: Even though there is a wide variety of blue gems out there, Blue Kyanite is known for its tranquility and its ability to improve communication. When wearing a Kyanite Bracelet, these two traits go hand in hand when helping secure bonds and deepen trust.
Care Tips: This gemstone's hardness varies greatly, so you may want to take special care to avoid damage if it's one of the softer stones.
Iolite:
Characteristics: Iolite is a special stone that was often called the Vikings' Compass. It is a pleochroic stone that shows different colors at different angles, but it can often fall under the spectrum of blue, grey, or even purple. It scores a 7-7.5 on the Mohs scale.
Sources: India and Sri Lanka are two places where you can find this lesser-known stone being procured.
Metaphysical Properties: Inner vision and sharpened self-discovery are just two of the traits you can find stashed in Iolite. With its range of hues, an Iolite Bracelet has the energy of being a visionary stone, and it brings a sense of calm to balance that deep inner knowledge it also helps cultivate.
Care Tips: Clean your Iolite stone with warm, soapy water and avoid the use of harsh chemicals to keep its soothing energy and wise vibes running clear.
Apatite:
Characteristics: Apatite is a stone that oozes positive energy. It comes in a range of blue shades, from medium to darker. It scores a 5 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Sources: Brazil and Mexico are just two common places where the amazing Apatite stone is mined.
Metaphysical Properties: There's a lot of energy in Apatite crystals, and it tends to be connected to inspiration and intellect. It is a stone that helps sharpen communication, so it is a popular option for those who know how to heal their throat chakra or nurture a creative communication space.
Care Tips: Cleanse your Apatite bracelet with care using a soft cloth and gentle hands, as it's a stone that is quite soft.
Larimar:
Characteristics: Larimar is a lovely pale blue stone found only in the Dominican Republic. It is a relatively soft stone, scoring a 4.5-5 on the Mohs scale of hardness. While it can be pale, its coloring also varies from whitish blue to green-blue or even deep blue.
Sources: Larimar can only be sourced in the Dominican Republic.
Metaphysical Properties: This dreamy blue stone is connected with themes of tranquility and harmony. Wearing a Larimar Bracelet is also considered to be an excellent stone for boosting courage.
Care Tips: Take care of your Larimar by avoiding exposure to chemicals and abrasions, thanks to its soft makeup. You can keep it clean with a soft cloth.
Blue Zircon:
Characteristics: Beautiful Blue Zircon has high brilliance, sparkles, and shines in the right lighting conditions. It scores 6.5-7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Sources: Blue Zircon can be found worldwide but is most commonly found in Cambodia and Sri Lanka.
Metaphysical Properties: Purity, joy, cleansing dark energy, and bringing brightness back to your life - these are the vibes that Blue Zircon can bring to the table. This gemstone has powerful healing energy.
Care Tips: Keep your Bue Zircon shining bright by cleansing it with soapy water and avoiding abrasive cleaning products, chemicals, and ultrasonic cleaners.
Assessing the Quality of Blue Gemstones
Color:
Blue gemstones are highly revered due to their color, and different stones will have different hues, tones, and saturations that all add to their splendor. The more impressive the color is - the higher the quality and the cost. Because there is a wide range of shades of blue, you may find that the hue varies, with some stones having purple hues and others having green. The tone is also important and speaks to the lightness or darkness of the color, and saturation is how intense the color is. Stones like sapphire are celebrated for their medium dark tone and vivid blue hue, whereas Tanzanite has a rich purple-blue hue.
Clarity:
All gemstones have inclusions, a natural byproduct of being born from the earth. For example, it is common to see rutile needles in sapphire stones. Inclusions can add to a gem's character and prove that the stone is real and authentic, but too many can devalue the stone as it can take away from its beauty and give it a dull appearance.
Cut:
The cut can also enhance a gemstone's brilliance. A well-cut gem will showcase its blue colors in all its beauty and play with light. Some popular choice cuts for blue gemstones include round and oval cuts that maximize sparkle. The teardrop pear is also a solid choice for those who want their blue gemstone rings to appear larger and heavier.
Carat Weight:
The carat weight measures the heaviness of the gem rather than its size. The larger the carat weight, the higher the price usually. However, when it comes to your jewelry collection and blue stones, its worth noting that all four C's play their part. So carat is not enough if the cut color and clarity aren't good. A smaller, brighter, and well-cut stone can be worth more than something heavier but with a lesser color and clarity.
Uses of Blue Gemstones
Jewelry:
Blue gemstones have long been coveted in jewelry - from stunning sapphire engagement rings of our modern day to vintage Hollywood pieces and, of course - the regal splendor of crown jewels. Today, blue gemstones are also used in rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets and are popular with those who love ocean energy, clarity of communication, and the calm blue hues these stones bring. One of the best things about blue gemstones is the fact that you can choose from a multitude of hues - from greenish blue turquoise tales to pale topaz dreams and intense stormy sapphire - there’s a blue gem for all tastes.
Metaphysical and Healing Properties:
Blue crystals come loaded with healing properties, and often, they share attributes of being connected to calmness, communication, and easy, energetic flows. Think of ocean energy, those cool blue shades that calm hot heads and invite you to embrace change with ease. This is one of the skills of blue gemstones. Blue gemstones are also used to aid healthy and harmonious communication. They are connected to the throat chakra which means they will cleanse any blockages that are holding you back from open, honest, and clear communication. When our throat chakra is open, it means we are better equipped to convey our truth to the world, and it helps us forge closer bonds and feel understood.
Decorative Objects:
Blue gemstones can also be used in carvings and decorative objects in the home. Blue always cultivates a calm environment, and choosing blue crystal towers, pyramids, spheres, and other sacred shapes can be a great way of pulling more gentle blue energy into your home. You can place these decorative objects in areas where you want to nurture clear-hearted communication.
Caring for Blue Gemstones
Cleaning:
If you want to keep the sparkle in your blue jewelry for centuries, then you need to give your gemstones some solid TLC and clean them. There are many methods for cleaning precious stones, but the most important thing to remember is to avoid harsh chemicals and use ultrasonic cleaners or abrasive cleaning products. A simple solution of mild soap, water, and a soft cloth will do the trick for most stones.
Storage:
Preserve the precious nature of your gemstones by storing them correctly. You want to make sure that each gem is stashed in its own separate compartment, or you can store them in soft pouches to avoid gems clashing together and risking scratching each other. Also, avoid placing gemstones in direct sunlight and minimize exposure to extreme temperatures, as this could negatively impact the color of your stone.
Handling:
If possible, put on your blue gemstone jewelry after using lotions, applying makeup, and other rituals, as you don't want to expose your stone to too many chemicals. You should also remove your gemstones when showering, swimming, or doing household chores that may expose your stone to knocks, scratches, and chemicals.
Conclusion
Gemstone enthusiasts fall hard for blue stones - whether a bright blue topaz gemstone or a gentle blue agate, radiant blue chrysocolla, a blue moonstone, or a truly impressive sparkling sapphire, each brings its own beauty and healing benefits. Known for their soothing properties, communication, and sense of peace, you can never go wrong with exploring your favorite crystal shop and adding blue gemstones as part of your crystal collection. Share with us your favorite blue gemstones, and don't be afraid to play around with adding different gem types to your growing collection.
FAQs
Which gemstone is blue in color
There are many gem types that are naturally blue. Some popular blue gemstones include sapphire, blue beryl, aquamarine, blue spinel, blue opals, blue varieties of tourmaline, and blue topaz.
What stone is naturally blue
Sapphire is one of the most famous naturally blue stones, but there are many other blue stones for everyday wear. Blue stones can take their coloring from having traces of copper or small amounts of titanium in their makeup, giving them that blue tint of varying intensity.
What are the most valuable blue gemstones
The most valuable blue natural stones are sapphire, tanzanite, blue spinel, blue topaz, and blue tourmalines. These precious and valuable stones are often prized in jewelry pieces and religious and regal artifacts.
What is a precious often blue gemstone
Sapphire is known for being one of the most precious blue gemstones. It often shows up in regal or an expensive piece of jewelry and is a popular alternative to diamond when it comes to engagement rings.
