About Sapphires
Sapphire is the traditional gift for celebrating a 45th or 65th wedding anniversary or birthday, and it is also the birthstone for September. In ancient times, people thought sapphire could protect against evil spirits and creatures of the night. There are a number of famous blue sapphires, including the sapphire that Prince Charles selected for Princess Diana (now Kate's) engagement ring.
The name sapphire derives from the latin word "sapphirus", which means blue, and the Greek word “Sappheiros”, which means “precious stone”. There are many shades of blue sapphire, which occur naturally when a sapphire crystal grows in the presence of titanium. The darker colours are often described as Kashmiri, as the best of these stones come from Kashmir. Montana sapphires (also a nod to origin) tend to be dark blue with a hint of green. The lighter colours, often from Sri Lanka, are usual described as "cornflower" or Ceylon sapphire.
