Sapphire is said to be the gemstone of harmony, friendship and loyalty. Part of the corundum family, which also includes ruby, sapphire comes from the Persian "Saffir", or the Greek "Sapphiros", meaning beloved of Saturn. Blue is the best-known colour but it can be found in all colours of the spectrum. After diamond it is the hardest gemstone.
This month we are celebrating natural sapphires in all their splendour and those lucky enough to be born in September who have this extraordinary gem as their birthstone.
At Berganza, every sapphire is natural and unenhanced, no treatments have been applied. Today intensity of colour, optical phenomenon and even the actual colour hue can be altered and created by various treatments. To see a naturally occurring and unenhanced sapphire is becoming increasingly rare.
Of particular note are Ceylon sapphires, known for their bright mid blue colour, often referred to as ‘cornflower' blue. These sapphires are highly prized and are typically a lighter shade of blue than sapphires from other mines around the world.
Burmese sapphires are particularly sought after for their exceptional quality and an intense, highly saturated rich colour. The term ‘Royal Blue', is reserved for sapphires of a pure and saturated blue and is usually associated with the finest of Burmese sapphires.
Kashmir sapphires are most famous for their superiority of colour, a colour unlike any other sapphire. It is possibly best described as an intense cornflower or cobalt blue with a fine velvety, milky softness. Their beauty is unparalleled and they have a rarity to match. Within just six years, the old Kashmir sapphire mine was exhausted. In this short space of time they earned a reputation as being the very best sapphires in the world. Incredibly, all of the fine Kashmir sapphires in existence were mined between 1881 and 1887. Even today, these stones remain the exemplar by which other sapphires are compared.
Fancy colour sapphires ranging from pink, violet, purple, yellow and green offer a multitude of colour options. The most prized and rarest of the fancy coloured sapphires is the Padparadscha, these extremely scarce sapphires are a prized for their beguiling orangey pink colour. They are so scarce that in fact you may never have heard of their existence! Their name is derived from the Singhalese word for ‘lotus flower'- a blossom of exquisite colour which in turn echoes the gemstone's exotic origins as the tropical island of Sri Lanka is historically their main source.
Rare natural and unenhanced star sapphire set rings showcase an optical phenomenon known as ‘asterism', displaying a spectacular shimmering star effect on the top of the stone.
Celebrating a birthday for yourself or a loved one this month? At Berganza we have a range of sapphire set jewellery from the ancient, antique and vintage worlds. Choose from a wide selection of rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, pendants and brooches to secure a unique sapphire set jewellery piece today.
