Sapphire, 25 facts and reasons to adore this beautiful gemstone!

I remember the first time I laid my eyes on a star sapphire, I was mesmerized. It’s an incredible stone that has a little magic to it. Did you know it's a much-valued talisman for travelers? Sapphires come in almost all colors, but of course, the most famous color is blue.

Come and discover why you just might want to choose a sapphire for your engagement ring, gift or just something beautiful for yourself! 

Sapphire: Myths and beliefs

• Ancients Persians thought that the sky was colored blue because the Earth was settled on a giant sapphire.
• Some people strongly believe(d) that sapphires reveal the secrets of Oracles.
• Venomous snakes are supposed to die when put near or in a sapphire vessel.
• Sapphires promote financial wealth (does one need more convincing?)

• Wearing a necklace of sapphires should cure or prevent you from getting or having a sore throat.
• Sapphire's other medical powers: remove impurities from the eye and the mind.
• The Star Sapphire is also an amulet -and I like this one- for travelers and ‘’seekers”.
• It goes also by the name of *The Stone of Destiny*.
• It’s believed that Moses’ tablet, with the 10 commandments, was made of sapphire.

• Because of this, it became popular for its so-called Divine properties. Seen as the stone of heaven or the Divine.
• Clergy in the Middle ages wore it for the symbolism of heaven, whilst the common man believed it actually attracted heavenly blessings
• In ancient Greece and Rome, it was believed that the stone protected people and possessions from harm and envy.

Sapphire: facts

• Sapphire has been associated with Royalty. Throughout the ages and most recently: both princess Diana and the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, wore sapphire engagement rings.
• The word sapphire comes from the Greek word: Sappheiros. Mind you, it’s believed that this word referred to all blue gemstones and for sure; Lapis Lazuli.
• A rare variety of sapphire, known as the color-changing sapphire has the same properties as Alexandrite: changing colors during the day. Blue by day and violet under artificial light.

• In 1902 the first synthetic sapphire was created. Today used in cheap jewelry.
• It’s the birthstone of September, as created by the National Association of Jewelers in 1912) but often also named as the birthstone of April.
• Connected with the Taurus, Pisces, Virgo and Sagittarius.

• Wedding anniversary? Give a sapphire for the 5th and 45th.
• Sapphire is the non-red variety of corundum, the red variety is called ruby.
• Sapphire is very hard, only second to diamond. For this reason, you find it’s transparent version on glasses of watches and some phones. Score 9.0 on Mohs scale.

• A very rare and valued variety of sapphire is the Padparadscha. It has a pinkish orange color, the word means Lotus Flower in Sinhalese, the language of Sri Lanka, where the stone is found.
• Sometimes sapphires contain inclusions of tiny rutile needles, creating the optical effect when cut and polished as cabochons, that goes by the name: asterism. Also known as Star Sapphire. Usually showing 6 rays but sometimes even 12 rays!.
• Sapphires come both natural and unheated and heated. Paler versions and transparent stones gain an intense blue color, thanks to the heating process.

A few names referring to intensity and color:

• Padparadscha.
• Kashmir - intense color, like velvet and very rare from the Kashmir region.
• Royal Blue- the intense vivid blue as spotted in the rings of the aforementioned British Royalty.

Sapphire is found in:

U.S.A., Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania, Kenya, Australia, Sri Lanka, India, China, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam

Celebrities among the sapphires are:

♦Starry Night Sapphire

♦Star of India

♦Star of Bombay

♦Rockefeller Sapphire

♦The Bismarck Sapphire

♦The Logan Sapphire

Sapphires are just kick ass

Do you need more to be absolutely convinced about the charming story and properties of this blue beauty? If anything, the stone is beloved, timeless, stunning and a kick ass engagement ring gemstone.