In 1942 several persons in New York, who were deeply interested in the betterment of acetate master recordings got together to discuss their special problems. Wall Rose of the Frank L. Capps Company headed the group which included George Stewart of N.B.C. Recording Division and Vince Liebler of Columbia Records Corporation.

These three men often had lunch together, talking over their various recording and disc problems and the possibilities of designing new acetate master recording styli for higher precision work. Soon other recording engineers joined the group and as their discussions became more involved the found it impossible to come to any definite conclusions during their lunch period. It was from these meetings that the New York Sapphire Group, as they were to be later known, came into existence.

The name, "Sapphire Group", was a tribute to Wally Rose who first saw the need of getting such a group together. This name would not interfere with any other audio or electronics group. Then too, the sapphire cutting styli has played a very important role in the art of sound recording since the day Mr. Frank L. Capps designed the first sapphire cutter for Thomas A. Edison. The first meetings of the Sapphire Group were held in the New York Athletic Club. It wasn't before long before the Sapphire Group found it necessary to limit their membership because they wished to only have those who were qualified recording engineers and those who were related to the allied fields as members of the Group.

In 1945 several members of the New York Sapphire Group were transferred or became affiliated with various recording and motion picture studios in Hollywood. Two of these members were Chet Boggs of Columbia Recording Corporation and Bob Callen of N.B.C. Recording division. Chet and Bob tried to form a Hollywood Sapphire Group, but it wasn't until 1946 when Chuck Phillips, a New York member, was sent out to Hollywood on an assignment for the O.W.I. that these three men got together and arranged the first Hollywood Sapphire Group meeting.

The first meeting was held at Brittingham's restaurant in Columbia Square on February 13, 1946. Invitations were sent out to thirty recording engineers. Seventeen attended the first meeting with Chet Boggs as chairman. It wasn't long before a membership committee was formed and the rules and regulations were established. At this time the Group voted on a full membership to consist of fifty members. To date the active membership is just over fifty persons, and many are well over 50.... Click above to view the Charter Members The Hollywood Sapphire Group's first endeavor was setting the original standardization for the recording industry. However, a majority of the members voted for a more social group and the standardization was left to the A.E.S. and I.R.E.

There used to be a San Francisco Sapphire Group known as the Golden gate Sapphire Group, but sadly, they and the New York Sapphire Group have been defunct for a number of years. Inasmuch as the New York and San Francisco Groups have disbanded, the Hollywood Sapphire Group's membership limit has been waved