10 Fun n’ Nerdy Facts about Sapphires

Here are some fun facts about the September birthstone

1.Sapphire is a term for all varieties of the oxide mineral corundum consisting of the elements aluminum and oxygen, that are not red. That’s right, sapphires come in many, many colors; some are even multi-colored. Red varieties of corundum are called rubies!

2. Blue sapphires contain iron and titanium while trace elements of chromium result in pink sapphires.

3.Gem quality sapphires are rare.There are only a handful of locations in the world where they are found.

4. Sapphires measure 9 on the Mohs scale The only gem stronger than a sapphire is a diamond.

5. Sapphire has industrial uses because of its hardness. The Apple Watch Series 3 features lab-created sapphire crystal in its screen to make it more scratch resistant, as do several Swiss watch companies.

6. In 1981, sapphires became a royal symbol of love when Britain’s Prince Charles gave Lady Diana a 12-carat sapphire ring. In 2010, Prince William gave the same ring to Kate Middleton.

7. Sapphires were the most popular stone for an engagement ring for centuries until the 20th century when the diamond took the top spot.

8. Inclusions in sapphires create a star pattern of rays on the surface of a dome-like cabochon-cut sapphire, often called a “star sapphire.” This phenomenon is called the “star effect."

9. “Color Change” sapphires are exactly what they sound like. They change colors depending on the light source. These are exceptionally rare.

10. The rarest type of sapphire in the world is called “Padparadscha”, with the name coming from the Sinhalese word for lotus flower. They are a light pinkish orange color and are traditionally found in Sri Lankan rivers.