Sapphire is the traditional birthstone for the month of September and the alternative birthstone for the months of January, June and November. It is also recognized as the stone for fifth and forty-fifth wedding anniversaries. It is the astral stone for Taurus, and astrologers also link it with the planet Saturn and the astrological signs of Virgo and Libra. Ancient Persians believed that the sky is blue because it is the reflection of a gigantic sapphire upon which the Earth rests.

Sapphire is one of the three members of the corundum mineral group, which also includes the ruby and padparadscha. Corundum has a hardness of 9.0 on the Mohs scale, which is only exceeded by the diamond, making it a durable stone requiring minimal care. All corundum is called sapphire, with the exception of the red (ruby) and the padparadscha, which is a beautiful orange-hued stone.

Most people associate the word “sapphire” with the color blue. Indeed, sapphire is considered to be the most precious of all blue gemstones. But sapphires exist in many colors. Gemologists use the word “sapphire” to refer to the blue stones. Other colors are called “fancy” sapphires, and they are referred to by their colors. For example, pink stones will be known as “pink sapphires;” yellow will be called “yellow sapphires,” etc.

Blue sapphires remain the most popular, but the growing trend toward colored gemstones has made fancy sapphires extremely desirable. Fancy sapphires are available in shades of yellow, green, lavender, purple, pink, orange, brown, silver, white and colorless. Colors are determined by small amounts of other elements, such as chrome, iron, vanadium or titanium within the corundum. Colorless sapphire is corundum in its purest state.

The star sapphire is a stone that was formed with needle-shaped inclusions – known as rutiles – that intersect to form a 6 or 12-point star. Rarely found in nature, these stones are usually cut as cabochons and are popular in both men’s and women’s jewelry. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s wedding ring is a massive star sapphire set in gold.

Sapphires are found in areas throughout the world, including the Kashmir areas of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as Australia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Madagascar and Brazil. It has also been mined in the United States in Montana and North Carolina. Today, Madagascar is the world leader in sapphire production, followed by Australia. The most valuable blue sapphires are considered to be the royal to cornflower blue stones from Kashmir, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.

In ancient times the gift of a sapphire represented trust, loyalty, and honesty; married couples throughout the world still choose the sapphire for engagement and wedding rings. Jean Harlow and Princess Diana both wore sapphire engagement rings. Jenna Bush Hager also wears one. The stone is believed by many to improve mental clarity and inspiration and to help treat depression. Ancient folklore held that a sapphire dipped into water could improve eyesight.

Imagine wearing a beautiful precious stone that is the color of sunshine or your favorite shade of pink. Or a stone that tints the sky blue. There is a fabulous sapphire to suit any Delamina woman on any occasion.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 1st, 2009 at 8:12 pm and is filed under Birthstones, Gemstones, Tips, Info & Links. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.