Many stones fall under the category of precious or semi-precious, but the sapphire is one of the best-known of all. Its beauty, rarity, and durability are astonishing. Just like ruby, sapphire consists of the mineral corundum. The sky-blue colour is the result of contaminated iron particles in the stone. To the question, "What does a sapphire look like?", most people would answer, "Like a sky-blue gemstone".
Although the colour is typical (previously all blue gemstones were called sapphires, blue diamonds as well), there are also yellow, orange, and purple sapphires. The blue variant is certainly the most popular and most valuable. But why is buying an expensive sapphire engagement ring so enticing, and what is the history and meaning behind this special stone? In this article, we'll focus on the allure and significance of the blue sapphire.
Looking for an engagement ring with history, beauty, and durability? The sapphire might be your perfect choice. While most associate sapphires with their striking sky-blue color, these corundum gems also come in yellow, orange, and purple varieties. Sapphires rank 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, making them extremely durable for everyday wear.
These gems have adorned royalty throughout history, most famously in Princess Diana's engagement ring now worn by Kate Middleton. When selecting a sapphire, consider the 4 Cs: color intensity, clarity, cut, and carat weight. The most valuable sapphires come from Kashmir, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.
At BAUNAT, you'll find high-quality sapphire engagement rings at competitive prices thanks to direct sourcing. Whether you choose a ready-made design or create a custom piece, a sapphire ring offers both timeless elegance and meaningful symbolism of wisdom and good fortune.
saffier
There is so much more to discover about sapphires and other precious stones or precious metals. To learn more about jewellery, check out our expert blog articles below:
The beautiful colour is one reason to buy a sapphire engagement ring, but the symbolism could also be a deciding factor. The meaning behind sapphires differs from one civilisation to the next. Some people believed that a blue sapphire protected someone against magic and witchcraft.
Discover our sapphire rings now
Others believed that the precious stone gave one strength, honour, virtue, and immortality. The sapphire also stood for wealth and prevented arguments. Today, sapphires are mainly thought to symbolise truth, love, purity, and sincerity.
The sapphire’s sky-blue colour is the reason the stone has been attributed so many powers. Alternative healers believe that sapphires contain energetic and healing properties. In India, they were convinced that blue sapphires could open the third eye and were the point for accessing exceptional wisdom and insight. When the ancient Greeks consulted the Oracle of Delphi, they always had a blue sapphire with them. The sapphire’s sky-blue colour is one reason that the sapphire is believed to have spiritual properties.
The Bible also mentions sapphires. Sapphires supposedly encourage feelings of deep devotion and a peaceful soul. Sapphire jewellery was and still is very popular among spiritualists for this reason. They wear the stone as a symbol of heaven. In the 12th century, Pope Innocent III instructed his bishops to wear a gold ring with a sapphire to get closer to the spiritual truth and stay virtuous. Some Christians refer to the star sapphire as the Stone of Destiny: the star’s three crossbars stand for Faith, Hope and Destiny. They used the sapphire as a talisman on journeys to protect them against illness, the Evil Eye, and demons.
Sapphires have always been popular due to their astonishing beauty. According to Jewish tradition, the ten commandments were carved in sapphire. The reference to heaven is probably not a coincidence but due to the admiration for cornflower blue. It was probably for the same reason that Greece chose sapphire as its national stone. People with royal blood, nobility and spiritualists had their cloaks decorated with blue sapphires. It was a symbol of wealth and power, and the stones were also said to protect them against jealousy and deceitfulness. According to legend, Helen of Troy owned a star sapphire. Napoleon gave his wife Josephine a seven-part set of jewellery with 29 sapphires.
The British Royal Family has a particular penchant for sapphires. Two gorgeous sapphires, the Saint Edward and the Stuart, are part of the British Crown Jewels. And many will still remember Lady Diana’s stunning and very expensive sapphire engagement ring, now worn by Kate Middleton.
This royal engagement ring is white gold 18-carat ring set with a 12-carat blue oval sapphire surrounded by 14 small diamonds. The ring stayed in the family after Diana’s death and William proposed to Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, with the blue sapphire ring. So why not buy a sapphire engagement ring for your loved one to solidify a royal touch?
Diana also had other blue sapphire jewellery. As such, Kate is now the owner of a gorgeous pair of sapphire earrings. The pair matched her sapphire engagement ring and were part of a wedding gift from King Fahd of Saudi Arabia.
According to tradition, every month has a birthstone. So, it is still a lovely gesture to gift a loved one jewellery containing their birthstone.
Sapphire is the birthstone for people born in September. So, if your future spouse was born in this month, then buying a sapphire engagement ring would be a great choice.
Discover this Toi & Moi engagement ring now
Sapphire is also the birthstone of the star signs of Aries and Virgo. In Chinese astrology, it is the birthstone of the Tiger. Astrologists associate the blue sapphire with the planet of Venus. That is why the precious stone represents Friday, the day associated with Venus. So, all of these would be perfect reasons for buying a sapphire engagement ring.
In the Middle Ages, people still fiercely believed in blue sapphires' healing properties. As such, Charles V is said to have had a sapphire ring with which he touched people’s eyes to heal them.
A more worldly application can be found in industry because of its hardness. Sapphires have proven useful in infrared concepts, durable windows, glass for wristwatches, micro-electronics, smartphone screens and bullet-proof glass.
“Logistics Champion”, which is the title Sofie was awarded with in 2018, leads and supervises the processing of orders and logistics and closely working together with the BAUNAT order team. She strives to ensure maximum customer satisfaction by keeping our clients up to date in the production process and delivering on-time. To improve her product expertise even further, Sofie completed the Diamond Foundation Course by De Beers, which makes her a true diamond specialist.
“Logistics Champion”, which is the title Sofie was awarded with in 2018, leads and supervises the processing of orders and logistics and closely working together with the BAUNAT order team. She strives to ensure maximum customer satisfaction by keeping our clients up to date in the production process and delivering on-time. To improve her product expertise even further, Sofie completed the Diamond Foundation Course by De Beers, which makes her a true diamond specialist.
How do you choose the best engagement ring for your loved one? Discover the different ladies' engagement rings at BAUNAT.
Choosing a diamond ring is not an easy task. What factors do I have to take into account? Let the experts at BAUNAT guide you.
Where can I buy a diamond at the best price/quality ratio? How can I be sure of the quality of a diamond? Find out more at BAUNAT.
Introducing BAUNAT’s Botanica Collection — an ode to nature’s most delicate wonders. With natural diamonds and exquisite gemstones, the fleeting elegance of butterflies and lilies is transformed into everlasting works of art.
