The History and Eternal Fascination of Sapphires:
A bewitchingly beautiful gemstone, the sapphire is much more than just a gem. Its rich history spans the ages, from the earliest mystical tales of antiquity to royal treasures and modern jewellery. Discover its origins, its evolution over the centuries and how to choose the perfect sapphire to immortalise a special moment.
The Early Records: The Mystical Origins of Sapphire
The first mentions of sapphire date back more than 3,000 years in Sanskrit texts from India, where it was considered a divine stone. The word "sapphire" comes from the ancient Greek sappheiros , meaning "blue stone." At that time, sapphires were revered for their heavenly reflections and were often associated with the gods and spiritual protection.
The Egyptians saw sapphires as fragments of heaven fallen to Earth, while the Greeks and Romans used them as talismans against envy and curses. In ancient Rome, aristocrats wore rings with sapphires, believing that they would attract the favor of the gods.
In Persia, a legend claimed that the Earth rested on an immense sapphire whose reflections gave the sky its blue color.
The "Royal Blue" and Its Connection with the Sapphire
The term "royal blue" first appeared between 1810 and 1820. The "royal" in the name comes from British royalty, as this shade was created by a tailor in a competition to design a dress for Queen Charlotte in the early 19th century.
Over time, the meaning of "royal blue" has evolved. Before the 1950s, this color was much deeper and more intense than the modern version approved in the 1980s by the World Wide Web Consortium , which defined it as a lighter blue associated with a specific RGB code.
The original royal blue, used in the flag of the United Kingdom, is the closest colour to that found in royal blue sapphires today.
The term "Royal Blue" describes sapphires with the most vivid and deep saturation. It was probably coined by British gemstone traders when Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) and Burma (present-day Myanmar) were part of the British Empire.
The symbolism of royal blue includes tranquility, as blue is the color of the sky and ocean, known to foster feelings of peace. It is also associated with meaning, confidence and importance, which explains its use in corporate suits and uniforms around the world.
Royal Blue: Evaluation Criteria
- Hue: Blue to very slightly violet-blue.
- Tone: Medium to medium dark.
- Saturation: From intense to vivid.
- Clarity: From flawless to transparent.
- Homogeneity (Uniformity): Excellent to very good.
- Total Internal Reflection: Excellent to very good (>70%).
- Treatment: None or traditional heating.
Definition and Classification of Royal Blue
Color
Color is what most influences the value of a sapphire. Royal blue describes sapphires with a pure blue to very slightly purplish blue hue, with vivid saturation, which in rare instances can range from intense to deep. Tones should be medium to medium-dark.
Clarity
Clarity has a very important influence on the value of a sapphire. Royal blue sapphire should be flawless, preferably clean to the eye or at least transparent, with no pronounced inclusions visible under the table. Color uniformity should be excellent or uniform.
Size
Cut plays a major role in a sapphire's color. Royal blue sapphires should have excellent to good proportions to maximize total internal reflection. They should not show significant windows (clear areas) or extinction when viewed face-on.
Treatment
Treatment of royal blue sapphire is only acceptable without treatment or with traditional heating. Any other treatment, such as diffusion of foreign ions into the sapphire crystal lattice (for example with beryllium or titanium), sealing of fractures with resins or lead, cobalt and/or silicate glass, disqualifies the gem from being considered as a royal blue sapphire or from receiving a gemological grading.
Color Science in Sapphires
Color grading of a gemstone is both an art and a science. The adjective “royal blue” brings together a lot of data about a sapphire. Grading the color of a transparent, anisotropic material such as a blue sapphire is not as straightforward as it may seem. Hue, saturation, and shades must all fall within a predetermined range for the sapphire to be considered “royal blue.”
The blue color of sapphire is the result of an important chromophore: iron and titanium in pairs. These elements replace some of the aluminum atoms in the sapphire crystal structure. The more iron and titanium pairs there are, the bluer the sapphire will be, up to black. The approximate iron and titanium content in most blue sapphires ranges from a few to tens of pairs of atoms per million.
Blue sapphire is almost always made up of two other chromophores: iron and chromium. Iron tends to make the sapphire more greenish, decreasing the blue saturation and increasing its hue, while chromium contributes a violet hue.
Quantifying the chromophores present in a sapphire provides a starting point for colour comparison without the influence of other factors such as the path of light through the stone and reflections. By combining this method with the overall proportions of the stone, the most influential colour factors can be analysed in isolation and compared to a reference collection of "Royal Blue" sapphires.
Sapphire: A Timeless Stone
From the earliest ancient sites to royal jewels, the sapphire remains a timeless gem. Its hypnotic blue, mystical tales and incomparable brilliance make it a precious stone that transcends the ages, symbolizing elegance and spirituality.
With its sacred origins and royal heritage, the sapphire is much more than just a gem: it is a reflection of centuries of history, science and eternal beauty.
