Throughout
history, sapphire, September's birthstone, has been considered the
ultimate blue gemstone. This regal stone is so valued, it is actually
the recommended gem for couples celebrating both their fifth and 45th
anniversaries.Throughout
history, sapphire, September's birthstone, has been considered the
ultimate blue gemstone. This regal stone is so valued, it is actually
the recommended gem for couples celebrating both their fifth and 45th
anniversaries.
Although sapphire, a variety of corundum, is most valued in deep blue, the stone comes in a variety of hues, including pink, green, orange, yellow, purple, gray, black, brown, and colorless. Some sapphires even display a six-rayed star pattern when cut into cabochons (domed, unfaceted stones) and are appropriately called star sapphires. The only color you won't find a sapphire in is red -- the red variety of corundum is called ruby.
The word sapphire has roots in several languages: the Arabs called the stone "safir"; the Romans called it "sapphirus" (meaning blue); and the Greeks called it "sappheiros" after the island of sappherine in the Arabian Sea where sapphires were found at that time.
During
the Middle Ages, sapphire was thought to represent purity of the
soul. It was believed that the stone's color would darken if worn by
an "impure" or wicked person. Sapphire was also considered
the "Oracle's Stone" and was used to safeguard and foretell
the future. The ancients believed the Ten Commandments were written
on a sapphire tablet.
The world's finest sapphires used to come from Kashmir, India, but the mines there are now considered depleted. Stones from this region are characterized by their deep cornflower blue color and silky sheen. Incomparable sapphires were dug from one legendary ancient Kashmire mine, but its location is lost in the mists of time -- thus adding to the stones' mystique. Current important sapphire-producing locales include Australia, Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lanka and Thailand. Sapphires also can be found in Cambodia, China, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and the United States (primarily in Montana). Large sapphires are quite rare, and are often given names such as with notable diamonds. Two of the most famous sapphires are part of the British Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. The St. Edwards Sapphire is a rose-cut gem of unknown size set in the finial cross of the Imperial Crown. It derives its name from Edward the Confessor, who wore the stone on a ring during his coronation in 1042. The Stuart Sapphire is a 104-carat oval mounted on the band at the rear of the Imperial Crown. Another famous sapphire associated with British royalty is the one that Prince Charles presented to Princess Diana to seal their engagement. The oval blue, 18-carat sapphire is surrounded by diamonds and set in sterling silver.
Here are a few of history's other notable sapphires. Many are on display in museums and private collections around the world:
The
Star of India -- A 536-carat blue cabochon-cut star sapphire thought
to be the largest cut sapphire -- is part of the Morgan-Tiffany
Collection in the American Museum of Natural History in New York.
The Blue Giant of the Orient -- A 446-carat sapphire from Sri Lanka.
The Blue Belle of Asia -- This 400-carat stone from Sri Lanka is the largest sapphire in the British Crown.
The Logan Sapphire -- A 423-carat cushion-cut blue from Sri Lanka. The piece was donated to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., in 1960 by Mrs. John A. Logan.
The Ruspoli -- A 135-carat rhomb-shaped (six facets) blue stone -- resides in France's National Museum of Natural History in Paris. During the 17th century, a Roman prince named Ruspoli sold the sapphire to a salesman, who in turn, sold it to King Louis XIV sometime before 1691. At the time it was the third most prominent gem in the French Crown Jewels.
The Star of Asia -- A 330-carat blue cabochon-cut star
sapphire -- also resides in the Smithsonian Institute.
The Midnight Star -- A 116-carat, black cabochon-cut star sapphire -- is also in the American Museum of Natural History.
The Star of Bombay -- A 182-carat, cabochon-cut, blue-violet star sapphire that was bequeathed to the Smithsonian by famous actress Mary Pickford.
Catherine the Great's Sapphire -- A 337-carat, faceted oval blue owned by the Diamond Fund of Moscow.
Kazanjian Sapphire Carvings -- Huge star sapphires from Australia have been carved into busts of U.S. presidents Lincoln (1,318 carats), Washington (1,056 carats), Eisenhower (1,444 carats), and Jefferson (1,381 carats). A fifth bust of Martin Luther King Jr., has also been carved from an Australian sapphire that originally weighed 4,180 carats and has a finished weight of 3,284 carats. And a sixth bust, Madonna of the Star, was carved from an Australian sapphire weighing 1,100 carats in the rough (525 carats cut). The Kazanjian Foundation of California owns the carvings.
Lone Star Sapphire -- This 9,719-carat star sapphire of unknown origin was cut by Dallas cutter John Robinson in 1989.
Unnamed Padparadscha (orange) Sapphire -- This 100-carat oval stone from Ceylon (Sri Lanka) resides in the American Museum of Natural History and is considered the world's largest fine Padparadscha.