Corundum (var. Sapphire)

This exceptional blue corundum specimen comes from the Bluejay Claim near Revelstoke, British Columbia, a perhaps little-known but highly significant Canadian corundum locality. The crystal is a saturated navy blue and displays great crystallization on all sides. On this one, every second face of the hexagonal prism has grown wider than the others giving it a rather triangular form. Under strong, close-range illumination, the specimen exhibits a highly concentrated, vivid sapphire-blue coloration. The crystal is sharply defined, well balanced, and free of damage other than very minor bruising, making it a fine example from this modern classic Canadian locality.

The Bluejay Claim lies within the complex metamorphic terranes of southeastern British Columbia, where corundum occurs in high-grade metamorphic rocks formed under intense pressure and temperature conditions. Blue corundum from this area is rare, and well-formed crystals of strong colour are seldom encountered. Most material from the claim is fragmentary or poorly developed, making complete, well-crystallized specimens such as this particularly desirable. This piece stands out as a top-tier example from the locality, representing both the geological rarity of Canadian blue corundum and one of the best of what the Bluejay Claim has produced.