Sapphire: The September birthstone

Introduction

Sapphires are stunning jewels with a stunning blue hue that ranges from light blue to deep violet. Colourless sapphires, yellow sapphires, pink sapphires, and grey sapphires are available, but the most popular hue is rich, deep blue sapphires. Along with rubies, diamonds, and emeralds, the sapphire gemstone is considered a valuable stone. Sapphires and rubies are both composed of the mineral corundum (called red corundum). Sapphire has been used to embellish royalty and religious garments for ages.

Blue sapphires were thought to safeguard their wearers from danger and jealousy by the elites of ancient Greece and Rome. Middle Ages clerics wore sapphires as a sign of Heaven. The ancient Persians thought that the world sat on a massive sapphire, which caused the sky to be blue.

The origin of sapphires

The best sapphires are now found in Australia, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar, although they may also be found in Myanmar, India, China, Thailand, and the United States. The gem has been around since the dawn of time and has been utilised as royal jewels by mediaeval rulers and as talismans worn by priests throughout history. Sapphires are still popular among royals nowadays.

The St. Edward's Sapphire is a renowned sapphire that is part of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. Edward, the Confessor, wore this sapphire stone as part of his ring. Many others admire the unmatched beauty of this beautiful bluestone, and sapphires are frequently found in engagement and eternity bands.

Sapphire: The September birthstone

Symbolism and Healing powers of the heavenly sapphire

The sapphire is said to be a protective stone that represents purity, honesty, and fidelity. Sapphires also represent heaven, and priests believed that wearing sapphires would shield them from temptation and bad or impure thoughts in the Middle Ages. Sapphire necklaces were given to spouses by ancient warriors to guarantee that they stayed faithful while they were away.

If worn by untrustworthy someone or had committed adultery, sapphires were supposed to darken in hue. The sapphire is supposed to offer inner serenity and quiet, as well as improved attention and clarity, to those who wear it. Sapphires have physical therapeutic properties, such as reducing inflammation, treating high temperatures or fevers, and nosebleeds and joint issues.

Sapphire gemstone care and cleaning

The September birthstone is a reasonably hard stone, with a Mohs hardness rating of 9. It is extremely robust and lacks cleavage, which causes it to break when struck. This makes it an excellent choice for rings and other mountings that will be worn daily. However, sapphires are frequently treated to enhance their colour or clarity. Because heat treatment is widespread – and the effects are durable – it is widely used in the industry. Less frequent treatments, such as lattice diffusion, fracture filling, and colouring, may necessitate extra caution.

The colour generated by lattice diffusion is often so superficial that it might be erased if the stone was chipped or recut. Even weak acids, such as lemon juice, can harm fracture-filled and coloured sapphires. Always inquire whether or not a sapphire has been treated, and if so, how. Cleaning the September birthstone with warm, soapy water is always a good idea. Untreated, heat-treated, and lattice diffusion–treated stones are typically safe to use with ultrasonic and steam cleaners. Only a wet cloth should be used to clean fracture-filled or coloured materials.

Some amazing facts about this stunning September birthstone-Sapphire

  1. For thousands of years, sapphires have been prized as some of the most valuable jewels. It was prevalent in ancient Rome, ancient Persia, and the Middle Ages.
  2. Despite the fact that most people identify sapphires with a deep blue tint, sapphires come in almost every colour of the rainbow, including pink, peach, orange, yellow and green. Rubies are the name given to red sapphires (both are varieties of the mineral corundum).
  3. The mineral corundum contains trace elements that give sapphires their colour. For example, iron and titanium are found in traditional blue sapphires, and tiny amounts of chromium can make corundum pink, while more chromium transforms it into a ruby.
  4. Padparadscha sapphire, a pinkish-orange variant named after the Sinhalese term for lotus blossom, is the rarest sapphire. These jewels are sorted from Sri Lankan rivers according to tradition.
  5. The phrases sapphire and sappheiros are derived from the Latin and Greek words for "blue," sapphirus and sappheiros, respectively, which may have originally referred to another blue stone known as lapis lazuli.
  6. Sapphires may be found in various locations worldwide, including Australia, Tanzania, Thailand, Cambodia, Malawi, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, and the United States.
  7. Deep blue sapphires have traditionally been linked with royalty (possibly why "royal blue" was named after them). This is because medieval monarchs frequently wore royal blue sapphires, with some believing that the jewels would protect them from their foes.
  8. In 1796, Napoleon Bonaparte presented a two-stone sapphire and diamond engagement ring to Josephine’s adored wife. On a simple gold band, the ring displays a pear-shaped sapphire next to a pear-shaped diamond facing opposite ways, which sold for almost a million dollars at auction in 2013.
  9. The engagement ring presented by England's Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, which Princess Catherine currently wears, is the most renowned royal sapphire today. A 12-carat oval blue sapphire is set in a diamond-encrusted setting.

Conclusion

If your birthday is in September, you must consider yourself fortunate to receive this magnificent diamond as a birthstone. Your very own birthstone for September! It aids in reasoning and the development of one's conscience. Sapphires are bright!