Gemstones and jewelry have been around us for millions of years. From early man who would wear jewelry made out of sea shells, feathers, etc. to the modern civilized man who is creating a milestone in contemporary jewelry designs, we never looked back when it came to experimenting with gems and metals. And today, with a vast and ever-growing market of semi-precious and precious gemstones, we have reached a point where people wear gemstones not only as embellishments but also as birthstone jewelry.
In this blog, we have focused on one such gemstone that has created a lot of buzz in the market for its enticing range of colors and magnetic charm. Recognized as the traditional and modern birthstone for September, this mesmerizing gemstone is none other than a Sapphire birthstone.
History Behind Sapphire Birthstone
Sapphire history has long been influenced by the blue-colored sky, spirituality, and purity. The ancient Greek believers would wear blue sapphires during religious ceremonies to worship the god of the blue sky called Zeus and would also offer the stones to his son Apollo, the god of the sun.
Similarly, the people from ancient Persia believed that the color of the blue sky is reflected by a big blue sapphire. The Christian popes and bishops during the middle ages would wear sapphires to reflect strength in their faith and purity. Star sapphires are favored by Christians as the “stone of destiny” as they provide protection against evil energies, especially during traveling.
Meaning & Symbolism Behind Sapphire Birthstone
The sapphire meaning can be understood in a way that the English term “sapphire” originated from another term “sapphirus” in Latin the meaning of which is blue. Other related terms were “saphir” from French, “sapir” from Hebrew, and “sappheiros” from Greek. The ancient people would consider wearing sapphires as an emblem of royalty and nobility, hence the stones were mostly adorned by people from royal background.
Those from ancient Rome and Greece would believe that the sapphires have the power to ward off evil eyes. The people from Medieval Europe would see sapphires as a remedy to treat the plague and heal eye ailments. Some others believed that the stone could act as the antidote to some poisons.
Love & Loyalty of Sapphire Birthstone
Sapphires have been synonymous to fidelity, romance, and sincerity. People associate sapphires with truthfulness and faithfulness in love relationships. So if you wish to strengthen your bond with your lover, partner, or spouse, wearing a sapphire may bring your unstable relationship on track provided you wish to keep your union joyous and healthy for the rest of your life.
Fancy Color Varieties of Sapphire Birthstone
Belonging to the corundum mineral family, the combination of different trace elements provides different color species to the multi-hued sapphires. Except for red colored corundum which is referred to as ruby, you could find sapphires in a band of rainbow colors such as blue, yellow, brown, green, pink, purple, violet, orange, black, white, etc. Except for blue, all the other color stones are called fancy sapphires. While the blue sapphire is the most popular variety, padparadscha sapphire, a pinkish-orange variety, is the most valuable of all fancy sapphires.
Be it a sapphire necklace, sapphire earrings, or sapphire bracelet, sapphires are one of the most coveted precious gemstones in jewelry. Sapphires are available in different color varieties, sizes & carat weights, and that too in a wide range of prices that makes the stone affordable to all budgets. This is the most prominent reason why sapphire engagement rings are extremely popular among the young generation.
Availability of Sapphire Birthstone
Natural sapphire reserves are located almost everywhere on the earth. This makes sapphires not rare but an abundantly found precious gemstone. Some primary mining locations are in countries such as Madagascar, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Australia, the United States, and India.
Other reserves are located in Afghanistan, China, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Vietnam, etc. It is to be noted that the rich and vibrant blue sapphires from Sri Lanka are the most popular. Similarly, Myanmar and Kashmir also offer some of the best varieties of blue sapphires in the world and hence command high prices.
Treated & Lab-Grown Sapphire Birthstone
Most natural sapphires are treated with heat in order to improve the color and get rid of inclusions in the stones. Such heat treatments elevate the appearance of the stones, making them more attractive. However, untreated stones that are of high quality command a higher price than treated ones. So if you are a fan of natural ones, you can always ask your seller to provide you with evidence of the sapphire being natural.
Talking about lab-created sapphires, they are absolutely real since they are identical to natural sapphires in terms of their physical and chemical composition. Synthetic sapphires are very common in the market today since they are affordable, offer brighter color & clarity, and can be grown in big carats than natural sapphires. The artificial sapphires were first introduced at the end of the 1800s and today synthesis is performed using several techniques throughout the world.
End Note
Sapphires offer such a marvelous treat to the eyes because of the classic hues and charismatic aura of the stones. Another reason why sapphire gemstones have secured their place in the hearts of admirers is because of sapphire birthstone jewelry that has been popular among those born in the month of September.
So if you are also a September born or colored gemstone jewelry appeals to you then the best destination for your sapphire jewelry shopping would be GemsNY. We are one of the biggest dealers of all precious and several semi-precious gemstones, in the United States. Check out our sapphire gemstone and jewelry section to learn about our latest offerings and deals.
