Long before science named it, the sapphire was believed to hold a piece of the heavens. Its deep, velvety blue reminded the ancient world of the evening sky, and many cultures thought the earth itself rested upon a giant sapphire, whose reflection gave the sky its color. To gaze into a fine sapphire is to feel that same sense of looking into something infinite and calm.
Geologically, the sapphire is a variety of the mineral corundum, the same family as the ruby, colored blue by traces of iron and titanium woven into its crystal over millions of years. The most storied sapphires have come from the valleys of Kashmir, the mines of Burma, and above all the island of Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, whose stones have adorned royalty for centuries. A truly untreated, “no heat” sapphire of pure royal blue is among the rarest treasures the earth offers.
Through history, the sapphire has been the stone of kings, clergy, and seekers of truth. Medieval priests wore it as a symbol of heaven; monarchs set it into their robes and crowns to guard against envy and harm. It has long been associated with wisdom, loyalty, and nobility of spirit — a stone believed to focus the mind and calm the heart. Perhaps this is why, to this day, it marks some of the most famous engagements in the world.
As the birthstone of September, the sapphire is thought to bring its wearer clarity of thought and steadfastness of purpose, a quiet guardian of faithfulness and truth. It has traditionally been exchanged as a pledge of loyalty and lasting commitment — a promise made in the color of the heavens.
At D Asghar, we cherish the sapphire for its extraordinary depth — that sense of a light glowing from somewhere far within. Each stone we select carries not only its color but its centuries of meaning: wisdom, devotion, and a fragment of the eternal sky.