All the blues
Why do blue sapphires have such a hold over us?
Emeralds are green, rubies are red and sapphires? Well, they are not always blue. They are drawn from the earth in a variety of dazzling hues, from pink to orange and purple. And yet it is the blue sapphire that continues to compel us. In her book, ‘Sapphire: A Celebration of Colour’ the gemmologist and jewellery specialist Joanna Hardy points out: “Blue stones come in all different shades, but you will never confuse a sapphire with any other because its saturation of colour sets it apart.”
Burmese sapphires are coveted for the depth of their royal-blue tone, while those that have been found on the Kashmir-Pakistani border are prized for their ‘velvety’ cornflower colour. Yet, Hardy believes that the quality of a stone does not come down to origin, “Geology knows no boundaries,” she offers, “It’s all about how a stone speaks to you, and I think we are all drawn to blue without knowing why.”
One of the most mythical blue sapphires is the ‘Indore’, a simple 23-carat oval 18th-century sapphire taveez (amulet) bead mounted by Cartier, for the Maharaja of Indore, Yashwant Rao Holkar II. You can see him wearing it on a fine, 18ct-gold chain in one of the portraits Man Ray did of him and his wife, the Maharani Sanyogita. They became superstars as society darlings of the French art and social scene in the 1920s and 30s.
Man Ray recalls them in his biography: “The Maharaja of Indore came to the studio in Western clothes – sack suits and formal evening dress. He was young, tall, and very elegant. Next year, the Maharaja was in the South of France with his young bride. He had taken an entire floor of a hotel in Cannes. I arrived in Cannes before noon, was assigned to my room in the suite… The Maharanee was an exquisite girl in her teens. She wore French clothes, and a huge emerald ring. The Maharaja had bought it for her that morning while taking a walk.”
Somewhat poignantly, the Indore sapphire was sold at Christie’s in June 2019 for $206,000, but as it is often loaned for exhibitions in museums across the world, you may get a chance to see it some day.
So why is it are we so drawn to blue sapphires when there is a dazzling spectrum to choose from? The Pantone Institute of Colour may have the answer: “When used together, the clean and crisp character of cool colours, such as blues, can imply status and calm”. I think we could all do with a bit of that.
Baby’s got blue eyes
If, like me, you are a fan of Victoria Beckham’s make-up range, you will know that whatever she says about the way her products work is true. Her super-creamy Satin Kajal Liner eyeliner in ‘Surfside’ is a deeply pigmented blue for an instant flick of sharp colour or an effortlessly smoky eye. Navy Noir is another VB blue to try. We used a slick of blue eyeliner on this model to make the tiny blue sapphires on Raphael Canot’s white-gold, diamond, and sapphire Set Free hoops, pop.
Watch this
An Oyster Perpetual Datejust Rolex from 1979 is always worth a look but this women’s 18ct-gold, ombré blue-dial version with diamond-dot markers is a real find. The gold President bracelet is defined by a central path of baguette-cut sapphires, with a row of brilliant-cut diamonds either side. There are so many details to love but for me, the baguette sapphires make this piece a stand-out. It’s up for auction on 7th June, with an opening bid of 3,400 GBP and an estimate of £8,000. Pair it with these oversized Prada Peacock and Crystal Sky blue sunglasses, which are less ‘boring-cool-people’ and more fun-by-the-pool. Dive in.
Bow belles
The Outnet is a good source of high-quality swimwear, often by brands that you’ve probably never heard of. These are the ones I tend to like, as they always have an added ‘flourish’ that should probably have been reconsidered before it left the design board for the manufacturer. This Rebecca Vallance Alegria ‘bow’ indigo swimsuit is a case in point. The bow is just too big, flouncy, and blousy. Hence, I will be purchasing it tout suite. Think you’ve got finer taste? Then this channel-set blue sapphire-and- diamond brooch with classic Art Deco motifs might be the one for you. The opening bid is £220, at Lyon & Turnbull on 7th June.
Step up
A little sassy, a bit saucy and swaggering all the way into your basket, what’s not to love about Saint Laurent’s La 16 mules in cobalt-blue crepe de chine? Apart from the no-holds-barred tone, there’s a whole lotta Gerri from Succession going on. Just add Lily Gabriella’s Swirl sapphire earrings and before you know it, you’ll be sashaying up to the board room to let them know who’s boss (that part was originally written for a man, after all). Each stone is expertly sourced for size and colour so that the light-blue stones subtly graduate into deep-blue ones for a precious op-art effect.
The one, the only…
Diana Ross was my absolute favourite singer when I was young. And, through her first film, she introduced me to another long-time fave, Billie Holiday. Ross played the lead in Lady Sings the Blues, a film based on the life of the doomed jazz singer. There’s a great archive review of the film by Vincent Canby for the New York Times in 1972. Here’s a snippet: “Miss Ross is an actress of exceptional beauty and wit. Most important, her singing of the more than a dozen songs once sung by Miss Holiday is a talented, very intelligent singer's homage to a jazz style of a sophistication never, since matched by anyone.” Do watch it if you get a chance. Or you might try the recent Netflix drama The United States vs. Billie Holiday