7 Fascinating Things You'll Love About Sapphires
Sapphire, a gemstone known for their vivid blue hues, has a lot more to offer than meets the eye. Whether you're a gemstone enthusiast or planning to purchase a special sapphire jewellery, here are some fascinating facts about this stone that will deepen your appreciation for these exquisite stones.
RUUSK's Sapphire Solitaire Ring
Fascinating Facts About Sapphires
1. Sapphires come in many colours.
Sapphire, a gem variety of the mineral corundum, is truly a marvel of nature. While the most familiar shade is the classic blue, sapphires display a remarkable spectrum of colors, stretching from colorless to orange, green, and violet. The one exception in this palette is red—a red corundum gem is classified as a ruby.
At RUUSK, we can source the most beautiful sapphires in your preferred colours.
In its purest form, corundum forms clear; it gains its colours from trace elements. Blue sapphires get its hue from traces of the mineral titanium. Iron is the most common mineral found amongst green and yellow sapphires. Chromium concentrations creates pink sapphires, while vanadium colour purple sapphires.
The modern-day gem trade has seen the emergence of new sources, and miners in Sri Lanka have largely been replaced by sapphire deposits in East Africa and Australia. Nonetheless, Ratnapura, Sri Lanka continues to maintain its reputation as a prolific source of rough sapphires. Among these, the padparadscha sapphire, named after the Sinhalese word "padma radschen" or "lotus flower," remains particularly renowned as it displays the perfect blend of orange and pink which is why most refer to the colour to sunset or salmon.
Photo of the "Padparadscha" sapphire documented by the American Museum of Natural History.
2. They have ancient connections.
Sapphires have a long history dating back to ancient civilisations. In fact, they were believed to have special powers in many cultures. The ancient Greeks thought that sapphires represented purity and could protect them from envy. On the other hand, Buddhists considered sapphires sacred and associated them with wisdom, enlightenment, and inner peace.
RUUSK's Mini Moon True North Necklace with Diamond and Pink Sapphire
3. Sapphires are one of the toughest gemstones on Earth.
Sapphires, place next to a diamond in the Mohs hardness scale. Hence, they are in highly resistant to scratches, making them ideal for everyday jewelry.
RUUSK's 0.8ct Solitaire shape, personalised with a Dark Ceylon Sapphire.
Please contact us for a custom quote.
4. Australia has a variety of sapphires.
Australia is most renowned for producing deep blue tones and Parti Sapphires. A Parti sapphire is where two or more colours are present in a stone, these colours typically include yellow, blue and green.
RUUSK's 0.5ct Monte Ring, personalised with an Australian Parti Teal Sapphire.
Please contact us for a custom quote.
5. Special sapphires show off cool optical illusions.
One of the most famous sapphires in the world is the "Star of India," a massive 563.35-carat blue sapphire displayed at the American Museum of Natural History. What makes star sapphires so special is the star-like optical effect caused by tiny inclusions within the gem.
Photo of the "Star of India" sapphire documented by the American Museum of Natural History
6. Sapphire is one of the most popular diamond-alternative engagement ring stones.
Engagement rings didn't always feature diamonds. In fact, it wasn't until the late 1930s that diamonds became the main stone for engagement rings, all thanks to a highly successful campaign, 'A Diamond is Forever' by DeBeers. What was considered an engagement ring in the past is quite different from what we know today!
Prior to this campaign, a typical engagement ring was a simple, plain gold band, often featuring engravings. Various gems were also commonly used to adorn these special rings. However, there was a significant resurgence of sapphires in engagement rings, largely attributed to Princess Diana. She wore a stunning 12-carat Oval Ceylon Sapphire, surrounded by a halo of diamonds.
A painted gouche drawing of Princess Diana's engagement ring by Garrard.
This iconic ring now graces the hand of Kate Middleton, continuing to inspire couples worldwide. Princess Diana’s sapphire engagement ring played a pivotal role in opening doors to sapphires as a captivating alternative to the traditional diamond engagement ring.
7. Sapphire is the birth stone of September babies.
If you were born in September, you're in luck! Sapphires are the birthstone for this month, and they're said to symbolize wisdom, loyalty, and nobility. A sapphire makes a thoughtful and meaningful gift for September birthdays.
If you are keen to add a special sapphire piece to your jewellery trove, we've got the perfect pieces for you. To start, this sapphire solitaire ring will look lovely on you. If you want to create your own personal sapphire piece, just drop us a message and we'll be happy to make it a reality!
