The History of the Blue Sapphire

The sapphire is the birthstone for the month of September. The name sapphire is derived from the Latin word “saphirus” and the Greek word “sapheiros,” both meaning blue. Some believe that the name sapphire is derived from its association with the planet Saturn. The name can be roughly be translated to mean “dear to the planet Saturn” in many languages.

To some religions, the blue color of the sapphire represents the heavens.

Sapphire has been known as a gemstone that is adored by royalty.

Kings wore sapphires around their necks as a powerful defense from harm, in the Persian empire, rulers believed that the sky was painted blue with the reflection of sapphires.

Ivan the Terrible of Russia stated that the sapphire strengthened the heart and muscles and endowed a person with courage.

In some parts of the Orient, Saturday was the day to dress in blue and wear blue sapphire. The color blue and the blue stone indicated wisdom and generous thinking. It is also associated with the study of heaven and the stars.

But the most important attribute of the sapphire was said to be the protection against sorcery- it was thought to banish evil spirits and send negative spells back to the sender. Sapphires were once used to guarded off poisonous creatures and kill snakes hiding nearby. They also provided an advanced warning against hidden dangers, as a tool for self-improvement.

Working with sapphires helps promote a positive attitude towards life, promoting self-motivation and helping move forward towards a path of self-fulfillment. Physically, sapphires promote general health. They are said to have powers in cooling fevers, protecting against mental illnesses, and sharpening eyesight.

The sapphire is corundum, an aluminum oxide with a trigonal crystal structure, in the same family as the ruby. The only difference between a ruby and a sapphire is simply the color. Red corundum is a ruby, other colored corundums are called sapphires, which come in many colors, the most well known being blue. Because sapphires are available in so many colors, they are the most important and versatile of all the gemstones. Rubies and sapphires are said to be prized just under the level of diamonds because of their hardness. Diamonds are listed as a ten in terms of hardness, sapphires as a nine. The attribute of the hardness of sapphire makes it a perfect choice for jewelry that needs to stand up to everyday wear, such as in rings or bracelets.

Sapphire (Corundum)

Sapphires also come in violet, dark gray, orange, yellow, pink, green and black, which tends to be relatively inexpensive. These different colored sapphires are referred to as “fancy sapphires” and are often less expensive than the blue ones, yet equally beautiful and a fine alternative to blue.

Blue sapphires come from Burma and Kashmir, where the blue tone is purest to the true spectral blue, and the stones tend to have a unique velvety luster. Sapphires from Sri Lanka are a less deep shade, almost a pastel blue. Many sapphires also come from Australia, which is dark blue but with a slightly green undertone, as those from Thailand. These tend to be less expensive than those from Burma, Kashmir, and Sri Lanka.

Mogok Myanmar (Burma)

The Museum of Natural History in New York is home to the one of the most notorious sapphires in the world, the “Star of India,” a sapphire of 563 carats!

It is one of the largest of such gems in the world. It is almost flawless and what is unusual is that it has stars on both sides of the stone. The grayish, blue gem was mined in Sri Lanka and is housed in the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, U.S.

Star of India

Because of their hardness, Sapphires can be cleaned in almost any way, warm, soapy water is best, though you might also try ultrasonic cleaners and steamers. You can also try using water with a touch of ammonia in it, do not use mechanical cleaning methods as a sapphire can shatter with one single blow if hit sharply. This may be especially risky if the stone has inclusions, which weaken the crystal structure.

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