Sapphires Sing The Blues
Sapphires belong to the same species as red rubies, sharing the aluminium oxide mineral called corundum. Blue is the most popular colour of sapphires, but this elegant gemstone also comes in a variety of fancy colours including yellow, orange, green, brown and black. With pink and purple sapphires, the difference when compared to rubies starts to become a matter of debate for gemologists.
Sapphires have long been loved by kings and queens.
If you plan to visit the British Crown Jewels at the Tower of London, you will be fortunate to see the famous Stuart Sapphire. It is a beautiful blue gem that was mounted in Queen Victoria’s State Crown before eventually being replaced by the Star of Africa Diamond. Today the Stuart Sapphire is set at the rear of the British Imperial State Crown.
One of the most iconic royal sapphires of recent times is the blue sapphire on the ring that Princess Diana received for her engagement to Prince Charles in 1981. After Prince William also gave the same ring to Kate Middleton in 2011, this oval shape blue sapphire surrounded by a cluster of diamonds has generated an industry of imitations.
The rich blue color of sapphires marries beautifully with the lustrous shine of pearls. Princess Diana, for example, chose to set the blue sapphire and diamond brooch that was given to her on her wedding by Queen Elizabeth into the centrepiece of a stunning pearl choker necklace.
Worn for good luck, sapphires are the birthstone for September. What better way is there to greet the Autumn blues ?
Image Credits:
Used with thanks to Bri Dragonne (http://www.mindat.org/photo-256140.html) under a CC-BY-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), via Wikimedia Commons