What you did not know about sapphires

The sapphire is the stone of September and one of the most used in the world of jewelry. Considered a symbol of royalty and romance, the sapphire is also associated with astrological beliefs as it is considered "the gemstone of Saturn."

Sapphire is the hardest gem after diamond (9 on the Mohs scale). This is one of the reasons why it is considered ideal for everyday rings and jewelry, as well as engagement rings. Sapphires are found in vivid colors and tend to be cheaper than diamonds.

This was a ring we made in 2018 with an emerald cut central sapphire and 6 white diamonds of 0.02 ct each. For more information about our process and special requests contact us at: info@paar.mx

Princess Diana’s and Kate Middleton’s engagement ring, from the jewelry house Garrard & Co.

One of the most famous sapphire engagement rings is that of Lady Di, which now belongs to Kate Middleton. This ring caused quite a bit of controversy in the royal family since it was a catalog ring that Lady Di chose, and not a custom-made ring, as the royal family usually does. Apparently the royal family was annoyed that it was a ring that anyone could have (and this is relative, since it is a ring with an oval sapphire of more than 12 carats, that not everyone can have!).

Sapphire is the blue variety and other colors of the corundum mineral

For many years, only blue sapphire was recognized as the 'true' sapphire, but actually sapphires come in a wide variety of colors (except red). Ruby and sapphire are scientifically the same mineral: corundum. Ruby is the red variety of corundum and sapphire is the blue and other colored variety.

Some of the various sapphires are:

KASHMERE SAPPHIRE

This sapphire is characterized by having a unique color among blue sapphires, it is a very saturated and luminous blue with a point of violet. They are extremely valuable because nowadays they are difficult to obtain, especially because of the area where the deposits are located. Kashmir is an area of ​​tension between India and Pakistan that has been controlled by the military for many years.

“BLUE ROYALE” SAPPHIRE

These are the most popular sapphires, it is the one in Lady Di's ring. Their deposits are located in Myanmar, which is why they are also known as “Burmese sapphires”.

PADPARADSCHA SAPPHIRE

This sapphire is a very special variety of corundum, it is a mixture of pink and orange, like a combination between a ruby ​​and a yellow sapphire. Unlike the rest of the sapphires, the finer color of the padparadscha does not depend on the intensity of the color (saturation). The most valuable are those that have the perfect mix between pink and orange.

MONTANA SAPPHIRE

This sapphire is characterized by its intense color without the need for extra treatment, it also has a clarity that no other sapphire has. The deposits were found accidentally in the mines of Yogo Gulch, Montana. The shades of these sapphires can range from green to gray.

STAR SAPPHIRE

This is a variety of sapphire that presents a "star" or "asterism" effect that is caused by needle-shaped inclusions that go parallel in at least two different directions, forming a reflected star on its surface. Generally, 6-pointed stars are reflected, but there are also sapphires with stars of up to 12 points.