Church of Yesteryear: Cornflower Blue Sapphire

Remembering the Past The longer we live, the more memories we accumulate from the past, and the more memories we forget. What I suddenly remember is the deep blue color of the sky. Not the bright blue of a sky, nor the cloudy blue of a sky. It's that kind of sky color. The color of the sky I remembered when I visited Europe was different from that of Japan. And the old church in the town, illuminated by that sky. Stepping into the church from under the blue sky, I felt as if the world had changed in that moment. That church of yesteryear brings back such feelings. I feel incredibly fortunate to think that those memories have shaped who I am today. This is a simple pendant made by cutting a cross motif from a slightly thick silver plate with a jeweler's saw and setting a single cornflower blue sapphire in it. I hope you will enjoy its deep image and undeniable brilliance. *This piece was made with a cornflower blue sapphire, but it can also be made with other stones. Availability depends on the stone's stock and sourcing, but please feel free to inquire if you are interested. (Prices vary depending on the stone, so please consult before purchasing.) *Since each piece is cut from a silver plate individually, there may be slight differences from the photos. Please understand this before ordering. ~Product Details~ *Metal: Silver 925 *Cornflower Blue Sapphire: Faceted cut, round 1.5mm *Chain: Silver 925, 40cm length *Top part: Approx. 9mm x 6mm *Length including bail: Approx. 14mm *Top part thickness: Approx. 2mm ~Natural Stone Explanation~ 'Sapphire' Historically, sapphire referred to blue stones, and in the time of the Old Testament, lapis lazuli was called sapphire. Therefore, it is generally perceived as a blue stone, but in reality, it comes in various colors. Excluding diamonds, it belongs to the corundum group, the hardest mineral group. Bright red ones are called rubies, and all others are called sapphires. The most beloved gemstone color worldwide is blue sapphire, and it seems that different shades of blue exist depending on the origin. 'Silver 925' Silver 925 (also known as sterling silver) is silver that is 92.5% silver mixed with other metals such as copper. Because 100% pure silver is not durable enough for use in jewelry, silver 925 is very commonly used in jewelry. It's also worth noting that silver 925 as a base metal is rarely sold to the general public. Like brass, silver tarnishes and yellows due to components in the air, so wiping it after contact with water or sweat, and storing it away from air, will help maintain its shine. While you can remove tarnish by polishing with silver polish, be careful as silver polish contains abrasives and can damage natural stones if over-polished. The most important thing to be careful about is bathing in hot springs. Please absolutely avoid wearing silver jewelry when bathing in hot springs, as the sulfur and other elements can cause silver items to turn completely black, making them impossible to polish.