August’s birthstone, sapphire, is among the most popular gemstones in the world, and for good reason!
These beautiful stones are typically thought of as being a vivid, violet-blue color, but sapphires can present varying colors in different lighting and when viewed from different angles.
What’s more, sapphires actually occur in every color of the rainbow — except for one.
Here are some interesting facts about sapphires:
1. Sapphires Come In Every Color Except Red
Sapphires are a variant of the mineral corundum, which is something they share with rubies.
Every color of corundum is considered a sapphire, with the exception of red corundum — that’s a ruby!
Blue is the most common color of sapphire, but the stones can also be yellow, green, white, orange, pink, or purple.
The rarest and most valuable color of sapphire is called “padparadscha” and is a mix of pink and orange.
2. Sapphires Can Be Found Around The World
Blue sapphires can be found in countries all over the world, including Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Australia, and the United States.
The finest quality and most expensive blue sapphires generally come from Sri Lanka and Kashmir.
In the United States, sapphires are mined in southwestern Montana.
3. Sapphires Are Extremely Durable
Rating a 9 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, sapphires are quite durable and nearly has hard as diamonds.
Because of this, they are often used in industrial applications such as watch crystals, optical components, and other scientific instruments.
Sapphires can and do scratch or chip, however, so if you’re wearing sapphire jewelry, do be careful with this precious stone!
4. Sapphires Are Among the 5 Cardinal Gems
Sapphires are one of the 5 Cardinal Gems, which have historically been valued above and beyond other gemstones.
They are a part of this exclusive club along with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and amethysts, and have often been associated with royalty.
5. The World’s Largest Sapphire Is More Than 1,400 Carats
That’s not a typo: the largest star sapphire in the world is an oval-cut gem called the Star of Adam, weighing in at 1,404.49 carats!
The Star of Adam was found in 2015 in the city of Ratnapura, which is in southern Sri Lanka. Ratnapura is appropriately nicknamed the City of Gems.
A star sapphire presents a six-pointed star when viewed with an overhead light, a phenomenon known as “asterism.”