The beautiful and enigmatic sapphire that we love so well is also fondly referred to as ‘the gemstone of the heavens’ and rightly so, for their lovely blue hue is nothing less than heavenly. Justifiably so, sapphire derives its name from the color it bears so while the Latin word ‘Sapphirus’ stands for blue, the Persian ‘Safir’ denotes beloved of Saturn.

Sapphires have always been associated with mysticism. A common opinion about these stones is that Earth was part of a giant solitaire sapphire that gave the sky a blue color. According to another ancient belief if a poisonous snake was put in a container along with a sapphire, it was believed that the rays from the gemstone would ultimately kill the snake. The ancient Greek wore sapphires that they believed would help protect them from all evil spirits.

The magnificent sapphires are associated with the Goddess of Love, Venus and are therefore symbolic of love, loyalty and trust in a relationship and are also recommended for couples who seek a harmonious relationship. In earlier times a common belief was that if an unfaithful partner wore a sapphire, the color and beauty of the gem gradually faded.

Sapphires are also believed to possess great healing powers and are especially recommended in providing cure for eye diseases. In the year 1931 a sapphire was given at the St. Paul’s in London to be placed at the shrine of St. Eskenwald in order to cure eye ailments. Sapphires also bear great astrological significance and are often used for this purpose.

The true beauty of a sapphire lies in its color which ideally is a rich velvety blue that is neither too dark nor too light. Like all other gemstones it is also the color of sapphires that determine the stones true worth and value where stones that are too dark or too light in color are not considered of best quality. It is only after undergoing heat treatment that sapphires acquire their actual color. Most sapphires come with inclusions but many a times these instead of marring the beauty of the stones add a unique appeal to particular stones.

Another quality that lends the lustrous sapphire an edge over other gemstones is the hardness of these stones. Sapphires are only next to diamonds in hardness and measure nine on Moh’s scale and are therefore very appropriate for every day jewelry as they are not just beautiful but durable at the same time.

Related Articles : Birthstone Sapphire History or Sapphire Education

Blue sapphire is the one of the most commonly used gemstones in today’s world. The beauty of blue sapphire is such that it creates a mystery about itself. The word sapphire comes from the Latin word “saphirus”, meaning blue. Its history dates back to 800 B.C. The rulers of Persia thought that earth was embedded in a big blue sapphire and the blue color of the sky was a result of that. Even in the churches blue sapphire is considered holy and is held responsible for the blue color of sky. In many civilizations blue sapphire is considered as the representation of heaven. Sapphire was a hot favorite among the royals too. It was kept as a stone for protection to keep the enemies away.

Prince Charles proposed to Lady Diana with a sapphire engagement ring , which was the same ring given by his father, Prince Philips to his mother Queen Elizabeth. The Buddhists used it as a stone to check female loyalty. It was believed that the color of the stone would change if the female was unfaithful. Sapphire is considered sacred and divine.

It keeps away illness and brings peace and prosperity to its owner. It’s the birthstone of the month of September. It’s considered to be a good gift to be given on 20th or 45th wedding anniversary.

Best sapphire stones are found in Kashmir (India), Burma and Sri Lanka. A Burmese or a Kashmiri stone will have more value than a sapphire from Sri Lanka. Kashmir sapphires are highly values but are rare due to the rough terrain that makes it difficult to mine these stones. However there are a lot of mines in Sri Lanka. Other good quality resources are in Burma and Tanzania. Another high quality resource is Yogo Gulch Deposit in Montana. This was regarding the high quality resources of sapphire however the major supply of sapphire comes from Australia. Large deposits have also been found in the island of Madagascar.

The properties of Sapphire make it a hot favorite amongst the traders and the customers. It is durable and hard. It rates 9 on the mohs scale, wherein 10 being the highest, thus making it one of the hardest stones. It belongs to the corundum family. Traces of iron in corundum are responsible for the blue color of the sapphire. Sapphire can also be treated in the gemological laboratories. However, the value of a natural sapphire is higher than the treated sapphire. Blue sapphire is a blessing for the jewelers as its always in vogue and is valuable.

Thus sapphire mesmerizes with its beauty and is loved by those who like to adhere to classy and avant garde style. It truly defines its position in the family of “the big three” in gemstones along with ruby and emerald.