SAPPHIRE - from the Latin word meaning
blue, the birthstone for September.
Despite the huge gems you see in museums and
Royal collections, sapphires available on
the market are of a more modest size.
Sapphires of the top blue color over 5
carats, if clean, are rare and expensive.
Next to diamond, sapphire and ruby (both
corundum) is the hardest mineral known and
is very compact and dense, with no cleavage.
As a result, sapphires and rubies are tough
and relatively scratch-resistant. That's
why, in addition to their beauty, sapphires
and rubies are two of the best jewelry.
