Stone of September: Sapphire

The birthstone for September is the Sapphire, a precious noble and iconic stone. It is a variety of the Corundum family like its twin sister the Ruby and like the Ruby, it is part of the exclusive group of 4 precious stones with Diamonds and Emeralds. For a very long time, only the blue variety of Sapphires was well-known but it can be found in a wide range of different colours,
the most popular being Pink for passion, Yellow for happiness and Blue for loyalty.
Its name is supposed to come from the Greek word sappheiros meaning blue. 2500 years ago, the Greeks and Romans wore Sapphires coming from Sri Lanka. In ancient Egypt, the Sapphire was a sacred stone, symolising justice and truty.

Which metals for Sapphire jewellery?

The sapphire is one of the most sought after stones in fine jewellery. It is one of the hardest stone (9-10 on the Mohs scale - scratch resistant - so a long-lasting stone). The deep, mysterious blue sapphire is a popular choice as a centre stone. Sapphires are regularly chosen as engagement rings and can be offered for wedding anniversaries. They look fantastic alongside diamonds or other colourless stones. Sapphires will look amazing on any colour metal, they can be set on silver, white gold or platinum as well as yellew or rose gold.

Information, virtues and legends surrounding the Sapphire:

• The most beautiful Sapphires come from mines in Cachemire, Sri Lanka and Burma. Today, we also find sources in Tanzania and Madagascar.
• In ancient Persia, they believed that the earth lay on a giant Sapphire and that the sky was blue thanks to its reflection.
  
• The Catholic church also appreciates the symbolism of its celestial colour: the sapphire represents purity and its light is said to bring its wearer close to the kingdom of heaven. As early as the 13th century, Cardinals wore a sapphire ring on their right hand to show their loyalty to God.
  
• The magnificent sapphire ring that Prince Charles gave to Diana in 1981 was given by their son Prince William to Kate Middleton for their engagement. The ring has an 18 carat Sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds. It is supposedly one of the most valuable engagement rings in the world.
• In 2017, Queen Elisabeth II celebrated her Sapphire Jubilee, 65 years on the throne. For the occasion, a portrait of the Queen wearing her famous sapphire and diamond necklace and earrings was officially reisssued. The jewels were a gift from her father King George VI. The Queen's jewels include another famous sapphire - a large cabochon centre stone in one of the Royal crowns - the Stuart Sapphire – it was acquired by the Royal family 700 years ago.

Our collections with Sapphire jewels: As a wholesaler of jewels, discover our collections of gold jewels with sapphires including a selection of sapphire from Ceylan: 18ct Gold jewels, sapphire and diamond 18ct Gold jewels and sapphire 9ct Gold jewels and sapphire  Stud earrings with sapphire

Looking after your sapphires:

Precious stones require special care, use only lotions and cloths that have been specially developped to clean and care for them. We distribute a selection of well-reputed brands of jewellery care products. Chose the one that you prefer. Also, why not allow your customers to purchase these products, it can be great cross-selling opportunities.

• Hagerty® make efficient cleaning products for your fine jewels with precious stones such as Sapphires: Jewel Clean is available in boxes of 12 pots and allows you to clean jewels in under a minute. Hagerty also brings you a range of treated polishing cloths that will allow you to buff and shine your jewellery.

• Jolibijoux® offers a bath and a polishing cloth for precious stones. Their formula is 100% natural and  biodegradable. It is ammonia, enzyme and preservative free. Easy to use, both products will bring back the dazzle and sparkle to your jewellery with no damage.
  Made in France.

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