September's Birthstone: The Sapphire
Sapphire and ruby are the same material, the mineral corundum. They are the second hardest gemstone after diamond. Red corundum is known as ruby. All other colors are known as sapphire. Blue is the most famous of the sapphire colors. Sri Lankan and Madagascar sapphires are the most common today, with a wide range of colors from light sky blue to dark blue. Other producers of blue sapphire are Australia, Tanzania, Thailand, Cambodia, and the USA (Montana). Large sapphires are rare and attract fame. The largest star sapphire is the Star of India at 536 carats. Discovered about three hundred years ago in Sri Lanka, the Star of India was donated to the American Museum of Natural History by J.P. Morgan. Later burglar Jack Murphy stole the stone. Its recovery two months later only added to its fame. The 423 carat Logan Sapphire is displayed in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. It is the largest faceted sapphire on public display and may be the largest blue sapphi...