September Birth Stone- Sapphire

 The word sapphire has its roots in several ancient languages: the Arabic safir, the Latin sapphirus (meaning blue), and the Greek word sappheiros for the island of Sappherine in the Arabian Sea which is where sapphires were found in ancient Grecian times.

Sapphires’ blue celestial hue symbolises divinity, purity and wisdom. It is a jewel steeped in history and favoured by royalty throughout the ages.

Sapphire comes from a family of gemstones called Corundum, and occurs naturally in shades of blue, yellow, pink, purple, orange and green. The different colours are caused by different kinds of impurities within the crystal. The blue colour is caused by the presence of small amounts of titanium and iron within the crystal structure.

 Sapphire is prized for its durability and its brilliance. It's found all over the world, including Burma, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Australia, Thailand, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Tanzania, Kenya, and China.

One of the most famous sapphires rests on the Imperial State Crown, worn by Queen Victoria in 1838. It resides in the British Crown Jewels in the Tower of London. This gem is called the St. Edward’s Sapphire because it once belonged to Edward the Confessor, who wore the stone on a ring during his coronation in 1042.

 We have a large selection of beautiful sapphire jewellery and loose sapphires.

Conflict Free Diamonds

At Hatton Jewels we are passionate about diamonds, new and old. Diamonds are extraordinary gemstones. They were created by nature as long ago as 4.2 billion years ago when elemental forces of heat and pressure transformed carbon into diamond 150-200km beneath the earth’s surface.

 

Diamonds are exciting to give, and amazing to receive. Diamonds are the most prized and highly valued of gemstones; the ultimate gift of love. Throughout history they have been revered for their beauty, and have been worn as a symbol of strength, courage and invincibility.

 

In the late 1990s the world became aware that rough diamonds mined in African countries were being traded to fund rebel military conflict. In May 2000 Southern African diamond-producing states met in Kimberley, South Africa, to discuss ways to stop the trade in ‘conflict diamonds'. The resulting initiative was called the Kimberley Process and has been in place since 2003, which ensures that diamonds have been purchased from a legitimate source and are therefore not financing violence by rebel movements. Now that diamond trade is highly regulated, the diamond industry has a hugely positive impact on diamond producing countries.

 

We are an independent jewellery company with a conscience, and are proud to only sell ‘conflict free’ diamonds.