The September birthstone is none other than the sapphire. This precious gemstone (only diamonds, rubies and emeralds can also claim to be “precious gemstones”).  From antiquity to the 21st century the sapphire fascinates as much as it questions. It is a gemstone that has been worn by blue bloods to today’s trendy millennials!  This is why we’re dedicating this month’s article to a “gem” of a stone!

Etymology

There are multiple sources to this subject. However, it appears that the word “sapphire” traces its origins to the Latin term “sapphirus”, itself derived from the Greek “sappheiros” and Hebrew “sappir”. If other etymological studies advance the Sanskrit (sauriratna or sanipriya) or Chaldean (sampir) origins, one thing is certain: sapphires do not leave us without wondering more about the stone. Regardless of time or culture, sapphires do stand the test of time!

Physical properties

The bio chemical nature and making of the sapphire may be somewhat daunting for a large number of our readers, therefore, I will not go into details in this article yet invite those who wish to learn more to click on this link!

Legends and meanings

For the Persians, the blue sky was due to the reflection of the sapphire.For the Greeks, the sapphire is linked to Prometheus, who lent him, like his contemporaries, virtues of joy and peace.For Egyptians, sapphires symbolized truth and justice.In the Bible, sapphire is also present. The throne of God would thus be adorned with a blue sapphire of a clarity qualified as heavenly (Exodus, 24, 10). A sapphire would also be set in Aaron’s breastplate (Exodus, 28, 15-30). And finally, it would be one of the founding stones for the heavenly Jerusalem (Revelation 21:19). It is also important to note that the cardinals wore in their right hand (the one giving the blessing), from the 13th century, a ring decorated with a sapphire (by order of Innocent III, the Pope of the time).In Kashmir (the region separating India from Pakistan), ancient teachings state that the giants had stolen piece of heaven from the gods. Furious, the gods then turned the giants into mountains. Once restored, the “piece of heaven” then gave light to what we now know as the famous sapphires of Cashmere. According to some sources, sapphires would also act as a traveler’s talisman, protecting him from plague, lightning and injury as well as guaranteeing peace and comfort.

Today, even if these ancestral beliefs and traditions are still present and the appeal of sapphire still relevant, its symbolism has changed. This gemstone is now the stone of fidelity. This is why we are seeing more often that sapphires adorning a large number of engagement rings now a days. Certainly for its beauty and brilliance … but especially for its symbolism of fidelity.

Sapphires & Royalty

From the beginning of the 9th century, sapphires arrived on the crowns or ornaments of kings and queens of Western Europe. The most famous of them, Charlemagne, had indeed been offered by a Caliph several jewels set with sapphires in solid gold. More recently, it was Prince Charles who, in 1981, offered an engagement ring adorned with a sapphire to Lady Diana, who would gain the tile Princess of Wales. In 2010, the same engagement ring was passed on and offered  by Prince William, their eldest and heir to the throne of England, to Kate Middleton, now Duchess of Cambridge.

 

 

What sapphire jewellery shall you offer?

At Doucet Latendresse, we offer a wide range of sapphire jewelry. As some products are only available in stores, we invite you to visit any   Doucet Latendresse jewellery store nearest  you!Some flagship products, such as the following engagement ring (incorporate the photo of the “copy” of Lady Di’s), are inspired by the princely engagement ring received by Lady Di in 1981.

 

                                                         

These days we are witnessing our increasing “millennial” clientele enjoying our bestselling rings set with sapphire stones:

 

Affordable, aesthetically attractive and symbolically significant, these engagement rings are a huge success with the new generation which is also more product savvy and knowledgeable. Looking to purchase a piece of sapphire jewellery? Need to know more about this gemstone? Come visit us at any of our 34 jewellery stores. We will be happy to share our passion and our knowledge with you! In the meantime, we hope you enjoyed our blog and look forward to launching more informative information for your to read and follow in the coming months. Stay tuned!