The Sapphire is technically a blue corundum.
The blue coloring comes from the presence of iron and titanium in the sapphire.
The sapphire is much more readily available than the ruby or emerald, and as such is one of the
most favored colored gems.
The highest quality sapphire is generally recognized as those coming from Kashmir in India.
Although long ago mined out, gem dealers still recognize these sapphire as being the highest quality.
These are occasionally available as second hand family air-looms.
Now days much of the sapphire sold around the world comes from Sri Lanka (Commonly called the Ceylon Sapphire).
These light blue sapphires are generally considered to be the best found on the new jewelry markets.
Other sources of sapphire include Australia, Thailand, Nigeria, Cambodia, Myanmar and Brazil.
Sapphire can sometimes exhibit the gem phenomena asterism.
These sapphire are known as star sapphire.
Sapphire, like ruby, are dichroic, displaying two separate shades of blue depending on the direction of light.
The largest ever sapphire found is purportedly a massive 100,000 carats (20kg/44oz).
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