Sapphires: The Blue Beauty – INSIDE THE VAULT

There is more than what meets the eye with this extraordinary gemstone. Sapphires have been the jewel of choice for nobility and churches for centuries. While most associate this gemstone with a brilliant blue color it can be found in a rainbow of hues. What better time than now to learn a little more about September’s birthstone, the sapphire.

This is one of the hardest gemstones on the planet. The sapphire is at a 9.0 on the Mohs scale of hardness. The only gemstone that is harder than a sapphire is a diamond which at a 10!

Because of their hardness they are not only used for beautiful jewelry but for optical components, windows, blue LEDS and watch crystals.

This blue beauty can also be found in an array of colors ranging from yellow to green.

The rarest color sapphire is the Padparadscha which is an orange/pink color only found in Sri Lanka.

In 1995, the world’s largest sapphire was discovered on the island of Madagascar. It is called the Millennium Sapphire and is 61,500 carats! Artist, Alessio Boschi, was tasked with carving the massive stone with intricate designs that marked significant events and people in history. In 2001, Guinness World’s Records designated the sapphire as the world’s largest carved sapphire.

Two other equally stunning sapphire pieces are the Hall sapphire and diamond necklace and the Bismarck Sapphire. The Hall Sapphire and Diamond necklace is made up of 36 sapphires all from Sri Lanka totaling 195 carats. The sapphires are complemented by diamonds totaling 83.75 carats! This stunning necklace was designed by Harry Winston.

The other impressive piece is the 98.6 carat blue sapphire known as the Bismarck Sapphire. The necklace gets its namesake from Countess Mona Von Bismarck who purchased this huge stone in Sri Lanka in 1926 while on her honeymoon.

Sapphires have always held a special place in the hearts of royalty especially the late Princess Diana. She caused quite the stir when instead of choosing a conventional diamond for her engagement ring she chose a sapphire. Her engagement ring featured an 18 carat oval sapphire surrounded by diamonds.