Sapphires and rubies have the same composition, aluminum oxide, yet sapphires run the gamut of the spectrum. They may be transparent or translucent, and white, black, violet (AKA Oriental Amethyst), green (AKA Oriental Emerald), yellow (AKA oriental Topaz), brown, pink, or orange. The title of ruby is only discriminately bestowed upon select red hued sapphires. Next to diamonds, sapphires are the hardest gemstone, making durable and scratch-resistant jewelry.
The word sapphire comes from the Persian saffir, the Arabic Safir, and the Greek Sapphiros, all meaning beloved of Saturn. Sapphire was an English translation of the biblical sappur however, the substance of God’s Throne (Ezekiel 1:26). According to Jewish tradition the tablets of law given to Moses by God were also made of sapphire (though the biblical term actually referred to lapis lazuli). Moslems claim that the seal of Solomon was a sapphire, and the Persians said the world rested on a great sapphire and the blue of the sky was only its reflection. Saint Jerome said that the sapphire was useful in gaining the goodwill of princes, liberating prisoners, counteracting sorcery and enemy plots, and might actually turn the Wrath of God itself (lightning?). The twelfth century Pope Innocent III ordered that all bishops’ rings contain sapphire, and Pope Gregory XV decreed them for cardinals.
Inscribed with the image of an astrolabe, a sapphire will increase wealth and enables the wearer to predict the future. The figure of a ram or bearded man will cure and preserve the wearer from illness, poisons, and evil spirits. It will confer dignity, honors, and exaltation. Sapphire is sacred to Zeus, Saturn (Chaldean), Jupiter, Venus, and Taurus.
If on your hand this stone you bind,
You in Taurus born will find
‘Twill cure diseases of the mind,
The sapphire.
However in the old Spanish lists, it represents Gemini. This is probably a refection of Arab tradition. It represents the tenth hour of the day. Dreaming of them indicates an escape from danger. Sapphire brings life and friendship, while yellow sapphire represents charity. Sapphire is the stone of Greece as well as the United States. For wedding anniversaries, the sapphire is appropriate for the twentieth anniversary, the blue star sapphire is for the twenty-sixth, the gray star sapphire is for the sixty-fifth, and the purple star sapphire is for the sixty-seventh.
In the hands of witches, sapphires were considered especially powerful. Known as a Stone of Prosperity, it protects against envy, evil intent, and frustration, and sustaining life, dreams, and conscious desires. They facilitate astral projection, telekinesis, telepathy, clairvoyance, and channeling. More than any other stone, necromancers sought after sapphire as it enabled them to hear and understand the dead. Buddhists believe sapphire favors devotion and spiritual enlightenment. In medieval Europe, both churchmen and witches were said to gain prophetic power from sapphires. Given as a love gift, sapphires would grow pale if the lover were unfaithful. Black sapphires are the most grounding and protective of the family and are supposed to be particularly good when seeking or maintaining employment.
Sapphires are among my favorite stones, especially star sapphires, which were referred to as Stones of Destiny by ancient writers and Siegstein (Victory Stone) by the Germans. These “asteria” very rarely exhibit the deep blue of other sapphires, more often appearing milky blue, gray, or white. They are said to extend the benign influence of their owner, sometimes even from the grave. The star is formed in rubies and sapphires by the inclusion of rutile materials. Star sapphires treble the ability of normal sapphires. They are not only lucky they are also said to attract love, ward off the Evil Eye (like cat’s eyes), and ward off evil spells of all kinds. One of the most famous star sapphires, the star of India, is a jewel of much religious significance. Some say the three bars which cross the face of star sapphires represent faith, destiny (or charity), and hope. The yellow sapphire is considered sacred to Ganesha, bringing prosperity, endurance, fulfillment, and wisdom.
Persians claimed sapphires formed from the last drops of amrita (soma). In the orient, some sapphires were so potent they would not only counteract poison, but also instantly kill venomous creatures. In fact, if a spider were held in a box with a sapphire placed at the opening, the spider would die. They were used as charms against plague, sorcery, smallpox, and headache. It was said that sapphire could heal boils and sore eyes by touch alone, and Epiphanius suggested powdered sapphires in milk as a cure for ulcers. Charles V was said to own an oval sapphire from the Orient for the express purpose of healing the eyes.