September:
Sapphire
Sapphire has held a special place in the hearts and minds
of mankind ever since the first pebbles of this lovely blue
corundum were found in Indian and Asian rivers centuries
ago. Though sapphire grows in the ground like most gemstones,
it is often washed down into riverbeds, called alluvial
deposits, where its bright blue colors would easily catch
the eye of ancient treasure hunters.
Blue sapphire was valued by ancient Hindu mystics as the
key to developing wisdom and spiritual progress. By Roman
times, blue sapphires were used as beads, ring stones, carved
intaglios and pendant stones, because they were said to
attract divine favor to their owners.
All through the Middle Ages, sapphires were alleged to
bring a great destiny to their wearers, and were often used
in court and royal jewelry. Alchemists believed that blue
sapphires would help them develop clairvoyance, telepathy
and divine wisdom.
Today blue sapphire is the September birthstone, the fifth
and 45th wedding anniversary gem, and the zodiac gem for
Taurus. It has become one of the world's most popular gems.
Sapphire comes in a wide range of blues, varying from very
light blue to a deep blue that is almost black. The very
finest sapphires are a velvet, slightly violetish medium
to medium dark blue, often called Kashmir blue, after its
original location in India. When pricing sapphires, medium
blues are usually the most expensive.
One of the most exciting recent developments is the entry
of fancy colored sapphires into the jewelry realm. Fancy
colored sapphires are those colors of corundum that are
not considered ruby or blue sapphire. They can come in green,
violet, purple, yellow, gold, pink, light orange, and the
famous pinkish-orange color known as Padparadscha, named
for the Hindu word 'lotus.' Many are affordable and available
in large quantities.
To improve a sapphire's color and clarity, it is often
subjected to controlled heating. This is a permanent enhancement
that is well accepted by jewelers. Sapphire is second only
to diamond in hardness, which made them difficult to facet
until modern cutting technology was developed. Cut stones
are available in sizes up to 10 carats, with one to five
carat gems most common.
Sapphire is remarkably tough and safe in most types of
cleaning. However, it should be given the same care as any
other precious gem to avoid scratching. Most damage to sapphires
occurs from rubbing them against another sapphire or diamond,
careless handling and hard knocks directly to the stones.
With the magnificent range of sapphire colors available
at all price levels today, sapphire is not just the gem
of wisdom, it's a wise buy as well.
Styles
