What would the beginning of the month be without a blog on it’s birthstone!? This month, the lovely and so versatile, Sapphire.

Part of the corundum family of minerals, along with Ruby, it comes in many beautiful colours. The most popular being blue, but we see orange, yellow, white, purple, green and well, nearly every colour of the rainbow.

They are mined in Australia, Sri Lanka and Madagascar to name a few. Each mine produces a different quality and colour of Sapphire, each with something different to offer. I have seen some stunning Green Sapphires in Australia. The colour of the ocean. And Sri Lankan ‘Ceylon’ Sapphires, such a pale blue, like a blue sky at dusk. I have one of my own from in my personal treasure box, and it’s stunning.

In fact, they are probably up there with my favourite gemstone. The colours and varieties have to make them a favourite with everyone don’t they?

There’s also the Star Sapphire, another truly stunning form of Sapphire which exhibits a star-like appearance known as asterism which is basically needle shaped inclusions in the crystal structure which cause this 6 rayed ‘star’ pattern.

Each colour depends on the type of minerals found in the stone, such as iron is found in yellow-green sapphires and traces of vanadium are usually found in purple Sapphires. A lot of Sapphires are also heat treated in order to bring out the very best colours.

A stone with much to offer, don’t you agree?