Everything About Blue Sapphires

Okay, we’ll admit it, we’re a little biased. We love diamonds more than any other gem out there! Nothing sparkles quite like them, and they create a classic look for your engagement ring. But there are a lot of different options if you’re looking to make your ring a little bit more unique or for a piece of fine jewelry for another occasion. One of our favorite rare gems is the Blue Sapphire, which glistens through a radiant blue and holds significant symbolic meaning.

What are Sapphires All About?

As the first known gemstone, it’s no surprise that sapphires hold a lot of symbolic weight. They can represent a variety of things, most notably wisdom, virtue, and good fortune. If you wear it on your engagement ring, its meaning becomes based in faithfulness and sincerity. Their physical durability is as strong as what they represent, as they were given a hardness level of 9 out of 10 on Moh’s Scale. Only diamonds have received a 10.

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Everything About Blue Sapphires – The History of the Blue Sapphire

The word “sapphire” comes from the Latin word “saphirus” and the Greek word “sapheiros,” which both mean blue. Blue sapphires were revered by ancient civilizations, particularly the Ancient Persians, who believed the sky was painted blue due to their reflections. The Ancient Greeks associated the with Apollo, the god of music, truth and prophecy, healing, and more, and citizens would wear a sapphire when consulting oracles at Delphi.

Throughout the 12th century, sapphires served as the most appropriate stone for ecclesiastical rings, and Kings often wore the gems around their necks as a form of protection from physical harm. King Solomon and Abraham also wore sapphire jewelry that functioned as talismans.

Sapphires also carry religious significance for many denominations. Buddhists believe that sapphires aid in spiritual enlightenment and the Catholic Church recognizes them as divine stones. The Tables of Law on which the Ten Commandments were inscribed was made of sapphire, according to Hebrew lore, to symbolize the sky, the heavens, and God’s power.

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Famous Sapphires

Perhaps the most famous sapphire is the “Star of India,” which is an astounding 563-carat weight. It was mined in Sri Lanka but now lives in New York City’s Natural History Museum, which also displays many other impressive and notorious precious gems. It was stolen from the museum in 1964 but recovered in 1965. The Star is virtually flawless and so named because it features star-like shapes on either side.

Diamonds are typically the first thought when it comes to engagement rings.  However, many people mix it up and don a sapphire on their ring finger instead. Penelope Cruz’s 3-carat vintage sapphire engagement ring is valued at $30,000, and Prince William proposed to Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, with his mother, Princess Diana’s 18-carat sapphire ring. They are also featured often in the British Crowned Jewels.

There are a lot of options to incorporate sapphires into your wedding band without it being the center stone. At TwoBirch, we specialize in sapphire ring guard that will add some deep, beautiful blue to your sparkler. Check them out here.