• Saphir taillé tenu à la brucelle et examiné à la loupe

    • Auvergne Sapphire, the Stone at the Heart of NAGOYA

    Written by: L'atelier NAGOYA

    At NAGOYA, the stone often guides the design of a piece. Our favorite comes from central France: the Auvergne sapphire, born of volcanoes and gathered from riverbeds.

    A stone born of volcanoes

    Sapphire is a corundum, the same mineral family as ruby. In Auvergne, it was carried toward the surface by the volcanic activity of the Massif Central, then freed by erosion and concentrated in stream gravels, especially around Le Puy-en-Velay.

    Usually small, it is still searched for the traditional way, with a gold pan or a sieve. Its blue is not uniform: it ranges from light to deep blue and sometimes lets green or yellow glints through. Each stone has a color of its own.

    Rough sapphire on a black velvet tray, back from sapphire hunting in Auvergne
    A rough sapphire, just as it comes out of the sieve.

    From the stream to the workshop

    To understand where our stones come from, our team traveled to Auvergne, to the streams where these sapphires are gathered from alluvial deposits. There we followed the whole journey of the stone: sorting the gravel, finding the rough crystal, then cutting, which reveals its color and sparkle.

    Cutting a stone on a faceting machine, during our report on Auvergne sapphires
    Cutting, one facet after another.

    Once cut in France, the sapphire is examined under a loupe before it joins our workshop in Saumur. It is often the stone that decides the shape of the piece: a single remarkable sapphire can be enough to inspire a creation.

    Unheated, untreated

    The Auvergne sapphires in our Gentiane, L’Ombrelle and La Chevalière rings are unheated and untreated: their color is the one nature gave them. That is also why no two stones are quite alike, and why the shade of your sapphire may differ slightly from the photos.

    The Auvergne sapphire of the Gentiane ring, seen in its box
    The Gentiane sapphire, in its jewelry box.

    Where to find it

    The Auvergne sapphire sits at the center of Gentiane, framed by a double crown of diamonds, and of L’Ombrelle, resting on Gogane flowers. You will also find it on the Alizé ring, on La Chevalière and on the Duo de Gogane pendant. Each piece is made subject to the stones available in our workshop.

    Diamond, its companion

    If sapphire is the stone closest to our heart, diamond often keeps it company: its brilliance brings out the color of the sapphire. We love the round brilliant, but also less common cuts that give a piece its character. To choose yours, read our guide Choosing a Diamond: The 4Cs Explained Simply.

    Dreaming of a piece built around an Auvergne sapphire? We design it with you: discover our bespoke approach.

    Would you rather talk it over in person? We welcome you by appointment at our workshop, 44 rue de Rouen in Saumur, France, or you can write to us from our contact page.