True blue – the month of September is all about sapphires

Deep blue has always been associated with royalty. Here at me·mi jewellery we just can’t get enough of it – especially in spring time, as we enjoy more days with brilliant blue skies and celebrate the September birthstone: sapphires.

Long ago it’s rarity in natural elements made Sapphire difficult to obtain and even more difficult to convert into a substance that could be used for painting or dyeing material. More recently, the regal association was reinforced by Lady Diana’s iconic engagement ring from Prince Charles which contained a 12-carat blue sapphire. That was the year 1981. Prince William later gave this same ring to Catherine Middleton when he proposed to her in 2010.

Another one of our favourite stories about sapphires is that many cultures throughout history attributed mystical powers to this precious stone. In ancient times it was believed to not only protect the wearers from evil, but if held near a spider it could kill it!

Sapphires have also come to symbolise nobility and faithfulness, honesty, wisdom and serenity. Which September babies do you know that have some of these wonderful qualities?

Like many of the quality ladies it represents, this gem rivals others, not only in unique beauty and rarity, but also in practicality and versatility. Synthetic sapphires were developed in 1902, by French chemist Auguste Verneuil and are now used in many industrial applications.

Today they are even put to use in integrated circuits, satellite communication systems, high-durability windows and scientific instruments. Synthetic sapphire is also used for shatter resistant windows in armoured vehicles and various military body armour suits, in association with composites due to its toughness.

We guess this isn’t all that surprising, as sapphires are the second hardest mineral after diamonds.

Oh, and did we mention that this remarkable gem does not only come forth in its classical violet-blue, but also yellow, orange, green, brown and purple. These are termed "fancy" or "parti colored" sapphires and are seldomly used in mainstream jewellery. They remain relatively unknown as they can’t be created synthetically and only occur naturally.

A top-quality blue sapphire, one of Mother Nature's rare gems, was once valued at an auction for $242,000 (R3,6m) per carat in October 2015. This specific gem was mined in India at the turn of the 19 ^th century.

Thankfully, the stunning high quality SWAROVSKI crystals that emulate the colour of a genuine sapphire which we use in our range of personalised jewellery have all the pomp and flair of a traditional sapphire, at a fraction of the cost. The crystals are made to resemble the traditional deep, ocean hue of the rarest sapphires. This gem displays beautifully when paired with any of our charms or necklaces.

Our personal favourite is the crown necklace from our designer collection which shows off the regality of the crystal in a literal tongue in cheek way that still affords elegance. The deep blue off sets white gold magnificently and is a beautiful token of love for anyone born in September.

Create a unique and exquisitely beautiful piece for you or a loved one that can be worn with pride and joy. Shop our collections today and we will ship it anywhere in the world for free!