Let’s talk about sapphires. It’s just over seventy years since copy writer Frances Gerety came up with De Beers’ famous slogan ‘Diamonds are Forever’. From that moment onwards, diamonds have been synonymous with engagement rings. But are we falling out of love with diamonds? In recent years, coloured gemstones have gathered momentum as couples wanting to stand out from the crowd have turned their back on the traditional ‘girl’s best friend’.
Enter sapphire. Mysterious, romantic and still one of the ‘Big Four’ precious gems, sapphire is luxurious enough to make a statement, yet sufficiently versatile to make that statement unique.
The British Royal connection has helped boost sapphire’s profile, too. In 2012, Prince William famously proposed to Kate Middleton with the stunning 12 carat Ceylon sapphire that once adorned the left ring finger of his mother, Diana Princess of Wales. In early 2018, Princess Eugenie revealed her engagement to Jack Brooksbank, along with a delicately beautiful pink padparadscha sapphire ring.
It’s not just the Royals who love their sapphires. A-listers worldwide, from Liz Hurley to Penelope Cruz, have been seen sporting sapphire engagement rings. The prize for most impressive sapphire must surely go to Victoria Beckham though, whose Ceylon blue ring (one of 13 engagement rings from loving husband David Beckham) weighs a staggering 40.89 carats!
Understanding why sapphires are so popular isn’t hard. Sapphires, though, are very hard indeed. It’s their hardness that makes sapphire such a good choice for rings worn every day. Resistant to scratches, a sapphire ring will not lose its dazzling good looks, like a softer stone – or, dare I say it, a husband 😉
Sapphires also occur in a huge range of colours. Green, blue, red, pink, yellow… name your favourite hue and you’ll find a sapphire to match. Not red though – did you know that sapphires and rubies are made of the same mineral, corundum? If the corundum is red, we call it a ruby; any other colour and we call it a sapphire.
There’s something else that makes a sapphire a truly perfect choice for two people promising to stay together no matter what. Almost all sapphires contain inclusions – small flaws. It’s one way to be sure that you’ve got the real deal. What a metaphor! Like a lifelong marriage, sapphire has its imperfections, but is nevertheless beautiful, precious, rare and resilient.
Kim Rix
Credit to Rubyvale Gallery for use of their multi-colour sapphires image.