Sapphire – The birthstone of September
Legend and Myth Sapphire
Sapphire name comes after the Greek word “sapphiro”, meaning blue which is known as the September birthstone The striking deep blue of a high-quality sapphire is reminiscent of a cloudless night sky. Ancient civilizations were in believed that the world set on an enormous that reflect the sky blue. In ancient times, Sapphires protected themselves from envy and even poisoning.
The tradition holds that Moses had given the Ten Commandments on tablets of sapphire, making it the most sacred gemstone. Because sapphires represent divine favor, they were the gemstone of choice for kings and high priests.
Birthstone and Anniversary of Sapphire
The sapphire is the birthstone of September so if a loved one celebrates a birthday in that month you will know what to buy this year. sapphire used widely for Engagement ring, wedding ring, proposal.
Modern History of Sapphire
Today, blue sapphire are known to represent loyalty, truth, and honesty. in addition, they are closely associated with royalty: blue sapphires feature in several countries’ crown jewel collections, in particular in the United Kingdom.
The most famous blue sapphire of our time is the one on the Duchess of Cambridge’s engagement ring.
Hard Facts
Sapphire stones developed naturally from mineral corundum. It exists in a rainbow of colors including pink, yellow, orange, blue, green and grey.
On the Mohs scale of hardness blue sapphire rates 7.5 – 8. The word “blue sapphire” comes from the Latin words “aqua” and “mare”, meaning “water” and “sea”.
Where are they found?
Sri Lanka, India, and Myanmar were ancient sources of sapphires and then there were the famous discoveries in Kashmir. The finest Kashmir and Burmese sapphires display superb color and clarity without any heat treatment. In recent times, limited resources in Burma have led miners to focus on more plentiful Burmese ruby.
Nevertheless, later Thailand developed as a great place to find sapphires, especially the golden-yellow variety (known as Mekong whiskey) as well as nearby Cambodia and Vietnam. In Africa the usual suspects, Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique and Madagascar have found rich deposits of sapphires in their mineral wealthy mountainous regions while Nigeria in West Africa also has some interesting strikes.
Famous Blue Sapphire
Right now the most famous blue sapphire in the world is the one Prince William gave to Catherine Middleton for their royal engagement in 2010. The ring originally belonged to his mother, Princess Diana. Sapphire considered a royal heirloom, valued at more than USD 200,000.
Sapphire: 12 Carat
Cut: Oval shape
The biggest star sapphire ever is the Star of Adam. The Star of Adam founded in Sri Lanka is 2016. A giant blue sapphire weights over 1400 carats and estimated to be worth over $100 million.
Care and Cleaning
Sapphires are very durable gems. However, they are natural, precious stones with high scale of hardness. This means you should not scrub them harshly or exert excessive pressure when cleaning.
Therefore, the safest and cheapest way to clean your sapphire jewelry is with warm water and mild soap, scrubbing gently with an old toothbrush. Use a bowl rather than a sink, so there’s no risk of your gems falling down the drain. Afterwards, pat them dry with a lint-free towel or leave to air-dry on a clean cloth and you are good to go: read here more how to take care of your ring.
