Since my favorite color is red, it’s easy to think I would own a ruby ring. That’s not what I fell in love with when my husband surprised me with a trip to the resort jewelry store while honeymooning in Jamaica, though. The ring I simply couldn’t pull myself away from was a blue sapphire and diamond band that I still adore wearing on my right hand to this day – and for good reason! Read on for a little bit of history, superstition, and symbolism behind the fabulous stone known as the sapphire.
Of course, like most other gemstones and even diamonds, the clearer and more vibrant a gem, the more valuable it is. Sapphires come in a few colors, but the most well-known is blue. The most famous royal blue sapphire engagement ring in modern history was that of Princess Diana’s, now Kate Middleton’s. The ring sports an 8-carat center sapphire surrounded by 14 diamond accents and is revered the world over for its powerful – yet dainty – appearance. These leading ladies weren’t the first royals to sport the beautiful blue hues of sapphires, however. As one of the first known gemstones and a hardness of 9 out of 10 on Moh’s Scale – meaning it has excellent hardness and won’t scratch easily – sapphires have been a favorite of royals for many, many years for their precious qualities and symbolism.
The Ancient Persians loved sapphires and even believed that the earth was created atop a very large blue one. They believed that the sky was blue because it reflected the blue gem! Other cultures throughout the ages long believed that the sapphire was capable of calming the spirit and healing the body.
So what does a sapphire symbolize today? Many sources list that sapphires are believed to symbolize wisdom, virtue, good fortune, and holiness for royals. In an engagement ring, a sapphire means faithfulness and sincerity, too. Sweet, huh?
If you’re not big on the idea of an all-diamond engagement ring, shake things up a bit with a gorgeous sapphire ring or wedding band. It’s easy to fall in love – and stay in love! – with such timeless beauty for years to come.
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All images courtesy of the Diamond Brokers of Memphis website.
