History and Mythology of Sapphire

Few gemstones carry the weight of history and beauty that sapphire does. For thousands of years, its serene blue has symbolized truth, protection, and divine favor — a link between the heavens and humankind. The word sapphire comes from the Greek sappheiros, meaning “blue stone,” though its legend stretches across cultures and centuries.

Ancient Persians believed the sky itself was a reflection of a giant sapphire beneath the Earth; medieval clergy wore it to signify purity and divine truth. Medieval priests wore it to represent purity and insight, while kings believed it protected them from envy and harm. In Asia, sapphires adorned temples and were seen as talismans of spiritual enlightenment. Sapphire has symbolized wisdom, virtue, and celestial power for over 3,000 years. Today, jewelers and collectors continue to celebrate sapphire for its dual nature — timeless yet endlessly variable, a meeting of durability and poetry.

Sapphire in Art and Jewelry

Sapphires belong to the corundum family — the same as ruby — and owe their color to trace elements of iron and titanium and chromium that create its dazzling rainbow of shades. Though best known in blue, they appear in every nearly every color of the rainbow (and even color-changing sapphires exist), making sapphire a gemstone of incredible variety. Blue remains the most iconic — with many exceptional blue tones among the most coveted.

Sapphires also played a quiet role in art: during the Renaissance, artists ground the gem into pigment to create ultramarine — the rarest and most precious blue in art. Later, sapphire became a royal favorite, from medieval crown jewels to Princess Diana’s iconic engagement ring.

Today, it’s prized both for its durability and its timeless symbolism of loyalty and clarity. Ranking 9 on the Mohs scale, sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness, a symbol of resilience and integrity. In ancient lore, it guarded against envy and harm; in modern tradition, it embodies loyalty and sincerity — values that make it a favorite of collectors worldwide.

Fun Facts about Sapphires

  • Ancient Greeks wore sapphires when consulting oracles.

  • There are not red sapphires! That’s because red corundum (what Sapphire is made from) is actually called Ruby

  • The largest known sapphire, the Star of Adam, weighs over 1,400 carats.