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Sapphire : Discover its characteristics and our selection of Sapphire Jewelry

Name and characteristics of the Sapphire

More than 6000 years ago, man, endowed with only his senses, spotted that among the stones that surround him, some that have particular characteristics: color, hardness, brilliance... The sapphire is one of these.

Sauriratna in Sanskrit, sampir in Chaldean, sappir in Hebrew, gave the Greek sappheiros, transcribed sapphirus in Latin: Pliny the Elder and Theophrastus speak about it in their writings then saphir in French.

But this term designated lapis lazuli. We had to wait until the 13th century for our "sapphire" to designate a transparent gem and especially blue. This blue color sacred which shows its link with the sky. Thus, we find this gem on the sapphire rings of bishops but also on the royal and imperial crowns.

Different varieties of Sapphires

In addition to differentiating blue sapphires according to the mine from which they come, it is possible to differentiate them from other blue gems.

All colors of sapphire are present in the spectrum and belong to the corundum family.

The blue sapphire is the only one that is allowed to be called Sapphire without any further specification. Unlike other colors that are called pink sapphire, yellow sapphire, orange sapphire, green sapphire, purple sapphire ... However, only one shade can be found in the family of sapphires, that of the red sapphire which in this case is called ruby.

Sapphire Care

The care of your sapphire jewelry is an important step, it will keep it looking great for generations. To ensure a long life for your jewelry, it is important to remove them before touching aggressive products, household or cosmetic. But also not to wear them for any task during which they could be shocked: gardening, sports or when you carry heavy loads.

Sapphire is one of the hardest stones on the Mohs scale, just after diamond, it is a resistant stone. However, it requires regular maintenance to keep its shiny appearance. Sapphire can be cleaned in warm, soapy water with a soft brush, then dried with a microfiber to polish it.

Despite its hardness, sapphire can be chipped or scratched by impact. Over time, it is not impossible for your stone to become tarnished because of small scratches, so you can have your sapphire jewel repolished by specialized workshops.

Stories and beliefs about the Sapphire

The most famous gems, including sapphire is mentioned in mythological and religious stories. The Persian people, for example, believed that the blue of the sky was due to the reflections of the sapphire. The Egyptians saw in this gem justice and truth.

It was also believed to have magical and medicinal properties such as being beneficial to the eyes; it was supposed to cure visual disorders and conjunctivitis.

Stone of the engaged couples, it is said that it protects the marriage, brings luck and protection. It exists in green, blue, yellow, orange it is called "paparadscha" but it is also purple, pink, black some change color depending on the light.

Sapphire deposits throughout the world

Today, industrially important sapphire deposits are located in Australia, Burma, Sri Lanka (Ceylon mine sapphire) and Thailand (Siam mine sapphire).

The Australian mines in Queensland have been known since 1870.

In Burma, near Mogok, there is an alluvial deposit. It was in this mine that the largest star sapphire in the world was discovered in 1966.

The famous mines of Ceylon have been producing sapphires since ancient times. The stones are usually forget-me-not blue, with a hint of purple.

Dark blue sapphires with a blue-green tinge usually come from the Siam mines.

The state of Kashmir in India once produced the finest sapphires in color and quality.

In the past, there were also sapphires in France. Some rough sapphires can still be found in Auvergne.

Famous Sapphires

There are several famous Sapphires, but the Millennium Sapphire, is the largest sapphire ever known.

However, the largest sapphire present in France, known as the "Grand Saphir" is a sapphire that Louis XIV acquired around 1669. It was at the time, the most beautiful sapphire known in the world. You can now contemplate it at the Museum of Natural History.

Choose your Sapphire jewel

The sapphire remains today the favorite stone of brides for their engagement ring. But sapphire is also used on many jewelry pieces in pavings, on bracelets or brooches, as a dominant stone on earrings and ring.

The choice of your Sapphire jewel depends on your taste and the time of the jewel you will choose.