Sapphires are hearty stones and are found in many colors. It is the Birthstone for the month of September.

Sapphires are usually thought of as a deep blue color, but are found in different hues of blue, also pink, violet, colorless, orange, yellow and green. Usually colored stones are called fancy sapphires.

Orange with a pink tinge is called 'padparadsha', and is probably the most valuable and a popular collectable. The best colors of blue sapphires are Kashmir blue and cornflower blue from India.

Hundreds of years ago, most all blue stones were thought to be sapphires; stones such as lapis lazuli. Around the 1800's it was discovered that rubies and sapphires are of gem quality corundum; and are 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness. At that time the different colors were named Topaz for yellow stones, Peridot for the greens, Ruby for the reds and blues were Sapphires.

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All of the colors of corundum are usually called sapphires. Small amounts of iron of iron gives yellow and green tones. The coloring agents in blue sapphire are iron and titanium, chrome produces pink, vanadium results in violet, iron and vanadium gives orange tones. Some sapphire can appear to be black with a slightly blue tint. Some cloudy sapphires of nondescript color, can be changed to a vibrant blue color when heat treated at high temperatures.

Inclusions of rutile needles give a silky shine to sapphires, also tiny fissures result in six-rayed star known as star sapphire or cat’s eye. Most pale or colorless stones can be turned into brilliant yellow or blue sapphires by heating process.

Synthetic corundum is being produced in many colors and is being used as synthetic sapphires and other gemstones. Colorless is also used as diamond simulants. Star sapphires are also produced in colors of blue,

violet, pink, brown and almost black. Just like rubies, fakes are also made to look like star sapphires.

Sapphires are fond in Australia, Burma (Myanmar), Thailand and Sri Lanka. There are also deposits in Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, China and Brazil. Star sapphires have been found in Finland.

Rare large sapphires are named as the famous diamonds are. star of India and Midnight Star belongs to the

American Museum of Natural History and the Star of Asia is owned by the Smithsonian Institute. Beautiful

blue sapphires have been mined near Yogo Golch, Montana since 1895, and have belonged to some of the most prestigious collections including the British Crown Jewels. The largest faceted Yogo sapphires is 10.2 carats.

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