A long time ago, several cultures concluded that the Earth was embedded in a firmament which was an immense sapphire. Could there be a more relevant image to explain the splendor of an immaculate sapphire? And yet this gem comes not in one but in all the blue tones of that firmament, from the deep blue of the evening sky to the scintillating mid-blue of a superb summer's day which casts its charm over us. Furthermore, this generous gemstone also comes in many other colors: not only in the transparent grayish-blue of a far horizon but also in the gloriously colorful play of light in a sunset – in yellow, pink, orange and purple. Sapphire is the gem of the sky without a doubt. Blue is the main and most notorious color of sapphires. It is also the favorite color of some 50 per cent of all people, men and women alike. The blue sapphire is connected with feelings of sympathy, harmony, friendship and loyalty.

The sapphire belongs with the corundum group, the members of which are characterized by their excellent hardness (9 on the Mohs scale). Indeed their hardness is exceeded only by that of the diamond – and the diamond is the hardest mineral on Earth! Sapphires are easy to look after, requiring no more than the usual care on the part of the owner. Their value depends on their size, color and transparency. With stones of very fine quality, these are, however, not the only main criteria, the origin of the gem also playing a major role. The most valuable are genuine Kashmir stones. Burmese (Myanmar) sapphires are valued almost as highly, and then come the sapphires from Ceylon (Sri Lanka). The possibility of the gemstone's having undergone some treatment (heating, beryllium, diffused, etc.) or other is also a factor in determining the price, since gemstones which can be guaranteed untreated are becoming more and more sought-after in this age of gemstone cosmetics.

Sapphires are mined from alluvial deposits or from primary underground workings. Mining locations include Myanmar, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Australia, Thailand, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tanzania, Kenya, and China. Madagascar is the world leader in sapphire production (as of 2007) specifically its deposits in and around the city of Ilakaka.Prior to the opening of the Ilakaka mines, Australia was the largest producer of sapphires. In North America, sapphires have been mined mostly from deposits around Helena, Montana. A new mine has just been discovered in Brasil, but it is still too early to tell if it will produce gem quality sapphires in quantity.