Whether they are the deep blue, black of the night sky, vibrant cornflower hues, or rolling with a velvet sheen in greys, and rich browns, sapphires have, since ancient times, always held our attention.
Being the hardest gem (along with ruby) after diamonds, their durability and beauty has made them a timeless gemstone in many kinds of jewellery, but they are also central to many legends and magical scriptures.
The names of antiquity for the sapphire are saphirus, sapphirus, saphyr, saffir, saphyre, zaffiro, sirites, sirtites, sacred stone, and I am sure there are many more lost to ravages time. It was actually until the thirteenth century that the name saphirus referred to the lapis lazuli stone, and not the sapphire at all, the name sapphire having semitic origins, is one of the most spoken about gemstones in the ancient world, it has numerous mentions in the bible and was spoken about by all the Christian lapidaries, it was one of the precious stones in the high priest Aaron’s breastplate, along with carnelian, chrysolite, emerald, turquoise, sapphire, amethyst, jacinth (zircon), agate, crystal, beryl, lapis lazuli, and jasper.
Sapphire is held in such high esteem by the Christian faith that it is said that the throne of God (who called it the “the holy stone and gem of gems”) is made entirely of this mystical gem, and that it is one of the twelve sacred stones of the heavenly Jerusalem. So important to the church, sapphire was to be worn on the right hand (the hand used to give blessings) by cardinals and bishops. It is also said that the famous Seal of Solomon, and even the Tablets of Law given to Moses were made with sapphire.
The colour of the individual gem must be taken into consideration when deciphering its meaning.
All sapphires are said to ward off illness and bad fortune, which makes them a versatile amulet to wear in jewellery.
sky blue sapphires- are seen as a male stone, which given that sapphire is also associated with the planet Saturn (Named old man Saturn, the planet of practicality, restrictions, and responsibility, just to name a few), makes sense. Blue sapphires are also a stone of purity that clears the mind and brings peace and calm.
Star sapphires- also called star stones or stones of destiny (the rays symbolising faith, hope, and destiny) are meant to be especially lucky and are a suitable stone for lovers. They are also a suitable gem to wear for building intuition.
Yellow Sapphires- are a talisman for wealth and prosperity, and from a sympathetic magic perspective, they bring happiness and good health into one’s life.
Green sapphires- In medieval times, this was said to be the most desirable colour, associated with the sun, it encourages harmony and purification. Another suitable stone for lovers, this is a gem of loyalty, trust, and fidelity, and also a wonderful jewel for calming the mind. Green sapphire is also revered as a stone that can soothe headaches, and when touched several times can heal disease.
Brown sapphires- usually a sapphire of this colour will be cut into a cabochon and will have rolling chatoyance over the surface, they are a stone for grounding and strength.
Sapphires also have their own magical uses for talismans and legends associated with them.
It is said that when sapphire is carried on the body, it can unlock doors and undo all bonds, by touching each side of one’s shackles with the gem, along with the four walls of a cell. As with much magic, nothing should be taken at face value, there will always be some reading between the lines and hidden keys to find. Jail cells are not always in the literal sense, have we not all been in some kind of prison of the the mind? Indicating that this would be a suitable gem worn as a talisman to free ones-self from difficult situations in life. Likewise, sapphire is used for watering down lust and protecting from poisons, therefore I would also use this jewel as a talisman for various addictions, and as mentioned before, for fidelity. The ancient Greeks would engrave the image of Aphrodite on a sapphire, turning it into an amulet, bringing grace and victory to the wearer, an image of the bearded man Aries will alleviate illness, the image of a man playing a musical instrument will make the wearer liked by all, and the image of a virgin wearing a toga while holding laurel will protect the wearer of the engraved sapphire from danger, same is to be said for a sapphire carved with the image of a man wearing armour.
Conclusion.
The sapphire is a stone central to many historical and spiritual accounts, from two thousand solid sapphire stairs leading to the peak of Mount Adam in Ceylon, God’s throne completely constructed of sapphire, to the amulets worn by lovers and the talismans worn by those who wish to escape a cell, that either imprisons their physical body, or their mind.
If you have a particular gemstone, you would like me to cover, or amulets and talismans you wish to know more about, please leave a comment, or message me through the contact section.
