September’s birthstone is sapphire and is thought to bring physical and emotional balance. Sapphire is also normally given as the 5th and 45th wedding anniversary. The Greek word for blue “sapphirus” gives sapphires their name.
Sapphires have long been a tradition for priests who think they embody purity, as well as king's who thought they symbolized wisdom.
Compared to other gemstones, sapphires, like rubies, are a type of corundum. Sapphires come in magnificent colors that span from pink and lavender hues to a rare orange color and the most admired deep blue sapphire that helped earn its name.
Sapphires have been mined since the 7th century BC in an part of India now known as Sri Lanka. They are also found in other areas around the world such as Australia, Nigeria, Kenya, Madagascar, America, Thailand, Myanmar, Tanzania, China, and Myanmar.
Due to the way that corundum crystals are created, it causes large sapphires very seldomly making the biggest ones extremely valuable. The 563 carat Star of India which is on show at the Museum of Natural History in New York City. This sapphire is known as the most famed of star sapphires, which has been cut to reflect light from inclusions within the stone and reveal a bright six pointed star shape.
It was said that a venomous snake put in a vessel made of sapphire would immediately die. Sapphires have earned a reputation as being a great all purpose medicine and have been ingested as an antidote to poison. Sapphires have also been ground into powders as a remedy for troubles ranging from colic to mental illness.
Egyptians once associated the transparent sapphire with the eye of Horas, the “eye in the sky”. Sapphires were used by Greeks to tap into their subconscious mind by opening of the “third eye”.
By: Martin Mallett