About Sapphire

Look

The color most traditionally associated with Sapphire is blue, however fancy colored gems of the Corundum family can occur in violet, green, yellow, pink, orange and purple as well.

Rare examples of Sapphire can exhibit beautiful color shifting properties when exposed to different types of light. Gems that are blue in daylight may turn purple in incandescent lighting.

An exceedingly sparse species bearing a pinkish orange hue is known as “Padparadscha” sapphire, named for the Sinhalese for “Lotus Blossom.” The finest deep blue colored stones are referred to as “Kashmir” and can command exorbitant prices in large sizes.

It is also possible to find cabochon cut sapphires that exhibit a unique mineralogical trait called asterism which cause a star to appear as a refraction of white light at the stone’s center. Sapphire is a truly diverse gem with a wide spectrum of colors and styles to appreciate.

Lore

Sapphire is a gem with a history as rich as its velvety blue color. The word likely emerged from the ancient Greek “sappheiros” which originally referred to Lapiz Azulis, another bluish stone popular in antiquity.

Historians believe that the stone that adorned King Solomon’s ring was an ancient example of sapphire. Throughout the ages it has been thought to instill power, guard chastity, pacify arguments, and even control spirits.

The Roman’s wore them to prevent envy and Catholic clergy used them to symbolize the heavens. Early Persian cultures thought that the Earth rested atop a giant Sapphire that gave the skies their color.

In 1981, Prince Charles presented a blue sapphire engagement ring to his betrothed, Lady Diana Spencer. Princess Di as she came to be known reignited the public interest in a gem that’s charm and beauty mirrored her own.