Today, top-quality blue sapphire remains one of Mother Nature’s rarest gemstones.Gem 101 Gem wearability Gem hardness Gem color Alexandrite How to pick the perfect alexandrite Is alexandrite a good choice? Exploring alexandrite's color Amethyst How to pick the perfect amethyst Is amethyst a good choice? Exploring amethyst's color Aquamarine How to pick the perfect aquamarine Is aquamarine a good choice? Exploring aquamarine's color Emerald How to pick the perfect emerald Is emerald a good choice? Exploring emerald's color Lab vs.
Prince William later gave this ring to Kate Middleton when he proposed in 2010. Sapphire became a symbol of royal love in 1981 when Britain’s Prince Charles gave Lady Diana a 12-carat blue sapphire engagement ring. The abundance of synthetic sapphire unlocked industrial applications spanning integrated circuits, satellite communication systems, high-durability windows, and scientific instruments.
In 1902, French chemist Auguste Verneuil developed a process to make synthetic sapphire. Madagascar now leads the world in sapphire gemstone production. The world record price-per-carat for sapphire was set by a gemstone from Kashmir, which sold at auction for $242,000 per carat (more than $6.74 million total) in October 2015.įamous star sapphires, like the 1404.49-carat Star of Adam, the 563.4-carat Star of India, and the 182-carat Star of Bombay, came from Sri Lankan mines.Īustralia was a significant source of sapphires until deposits were discovered in Madagascar during the 1990s. Early Christian kings cherished sapphire’s powers of protection by using it in ecclesiastical rings.Īncient Hebrews believed that the Ten Commandments were engraved on tablets of sapphire, though historians now believe the blue gemstone referenced in the Bible may have been lapis lazuli.Ĭlassical violet-blue sapphires traditionally came from the Kashmir region of India between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Buddhists believed that it brought spiritual enlightenment, and Hindus used it during worship.
Greeks wore sapphire for guidance when seeking answers from the oracle. The celestial blue color of this gemstone symbolized heaven and attracted divine favor and wise judgment. September’s birthstone, the sapphire, has been popular since the Middle Ages.
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