Sapphire – the wisdom stone
Sapphire belongs to the group of four most precious stones in the world along with diamond, ruby, and emerald. Known as the “wisdom stone”, each color of sapphire brings its own particular wisdom. It releases mental tension, depression, unwanted thoughts and spiritual confusion. Sapphire restores balance within the body, aligning the physical, mental and spiritual planes, bringing serenity and peace of mind. It stimulates concentration, brings lightness, joy and peace of mind. Sapphire is also known as a “stone of prosperity”, attracting gifts of all kinds and fulfilling dreams and desires.
Besides blue sapphire and ruby, the corundum family also includes so-called “fancy sapphires.” They come in violet, green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, and intermediate hues. There are also “parti-colored” sapphires that show combinations of different colors. Some stones exhibit the phenomenon known as color change, most often going from blue in daylight or fluorescent lighting to purple under incandescent light. Sapphires can even be gray, black, or brown.
Sapphires have an esteemed history. Tradition holds that the tablets containing the Ten Commandments were composed of sapphire, so strong that a hammer swung against them would be smashed to pieces. The ancient Persians believed that the earth rested on a giant sapphire and its reflection colored the sky. Many other cultures have believed that sapphires imparted healing and calming properties.
Sapphire is the birthstone of September
Sapphires have been worn by royalty throughout the ages as a symbol of good fortune, virtue, wisdom and holiness. Princess Diana and Princess Anne both received sapphire engagement rings and the British Crown Jewels are full of large blue sapphires, the symbol of pure and wise rulers. In ancient Greece and Rome, kings and queens were convinced that blue sapphires protected their owners from envy and harm. During the Middle Ages, the clergy wore blue sapphires to symbolize Heaven, and ordinary folks thought the gem attracted heavenly blessings. In other times and places, people instilled sapphires with the power to guard chastity, make peace between enemies, influence spirits, and reveal the secrets of oracles.
In folklore, history, art, and consumer awareness, sapphire has always been associated with the color blue. Different sources claim various origins of the name ‘sapphire’. They mention derivatives from the Greek word ‘sappheiros’, Hebrew ‘sapir’ and Latin ‘sapphiru’. Since Greek is the oldest language of the three it seems logical that the name comes from its ‘sappheiros’- meaning ‘blue stone’, but at the time referred more to Lapis Lazuli ( Lapis ) which is a deep blue semi-precious stone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense color. Most jewelry customers think all sapphires are blue, and when gem and jewelry professionals use the word “sapphire” alone, they normally mean “blue sapphire.”
A special orange-pink sapphire color is called padparadscha, which means “lotus flower” in Sinhalese, the language spoken in Sri Lanka. Stones from Sri Lanka were initially the only ones labeled with this marketable name. There’s no telling how many padparadschas have been sifted from Sri Lank-an river gravel throughout history. Sri Lank-ans have a special affection for the color that’s traditionally been linked with their country.
sources:
wikipedia.org
addmorecolortoyourlife.com
minerals.net
