Sapphire History – Famous Examples

Ancient civilizations associated sapphires with one of the three noble precious gemstones (rubies & emeralds). In fact, they viewed these noble gemstones in the same light as royalty and romance. Throughout the ages, sapphire history has been synonymous with  nobility, truth, sincerity and faithfulness – protecting bearers from envy and harm. Moreover, religious figures associated the rich blue with heaven. Some linguists believe the attraction to sapphires can be traced back to the ancient Sanskrit language from the work “shanipriya” meaning “dear to Saturn”.

Sapphire History

In recent years the precious gemstone has solidified its association to nobility, in part by the blue sapphire engagement ring of Princess Diana. Jewelers made Princess Diana’s engagement ring with a 12-carat oval cut sapphire and 14 diamonds all set in 18k white gold. An interesting fact about this engagement ring is that it doesn’t originate from any royal origins; in fact, it was on display at Gerrard & Co., limited for anyone to purchase. Additionally, the Duchess of Cambridge is currently wearing the engagement ring as a symbolic way to ensure that Princess Diana did not miss her son’s, Prince William, wedding.

Padparadscha Sapphires

Another type of sapphire that is unique in itself is the padparadscha sapphires. Furthermore, gemologist defined padparadscha sapphires as strictly orange-pink sapphires originating from Sri Lanka.

Star of Asia

Another famous sapphire, known for its star effect, is the Star of Asia. This 330-carat “cabochon” is believed to belong to the Maharaja of Jodhpur, a ruler of Jodhpur (established in 1250). Geologists consider the Star of Asia as the most perfectly cut star-exhibiting sapphires.

We invite you to stop by our Whitefish Bay location to browse our expansive collection of beautiful sapphire jewelry or visit us one line to see select pieces. Also, make sure you check out Schwanke-Kasten Jewelers sapphire shopping guide.