Sapphires
Traditionally, sapphire symbolizes nobility, truth, sincerity, and faithfulness. It has decorated the robes of royalty and clergy members for centuries. Its extraordinary color is the standard against which other blue gems--from topaz to tanzanite--are measured.
The sapphire belongs to the corundum group, the members of which are characterised by their excellent hardness. Indeed their hardness is exceeded only by that of the diamond – and the diamond is the hardest mineral on Earth. Thanks to that hardness, sapphires are easy to look after, requiring no more than the usual care on the part of the wearer.
The gemstones in the corundum group consist of pure aluminium oxide which crystallised into wonderful gemstones a long time ago as a result of pressure and heat at a great depth. The presence of small amounts of other elements, especially iron and chrome, are responsible for the coloring, turning a crystal that was basically white into a blue (what is most commonly associated with the sapphire), red, yellow, pink or greenish-blue. However, this does not mean that every corundum is also a sapphire. For centuries there were differences of opinion among the specialists as to which stones deserved to be called sapphires. Finally, it was agreed that the ruby-red ones, colored by chrome, should be called ‘rubies’ and all those which were not ruby-red would be known as sapphires.
For centuries, sapphire has been associated with royalty and romance. The association was reinforced in 1981, when Britain's Prince Charles gave a blue sapphire engagement ring to Lady Diana Spencer. Until her death in 1997, Princess Di, as she was known, charmed and captivated the world. Her sapphire ring helped link modern events with history and fairy tales. The sapphire belongs to the corundum group, the members of which are characterized by their excellent hardness. Indeed their hardness is exceeded only by that of the diamond – and the diamond is the hardest mineral on Earth. Thanks to that hardness, sapphires are easy to look after, requiring no more than the usual care on the part of the wearer.
