When you think of Sapphires, the color blue immediately comes to mind-from sky-like cornflower blue to deep, dark midnight blue. Ancient legends closely tied the color of the sky to sapphires, describing the world as resting in a giant sapphire. In fact, Sapphires come in many other colors including pink, yellow, green, lavender, clear, and red, which you probably know by its more common name, Ruby. All of these colorful gems are part of the Corundum family and are harder than any other gemstone except for the diamond. Sapphire is both the traditional birthstone for the month of September, as well as the stone for fifth and forty-fifth anniversaries.

Some of the finest sapphires known were found in Kashmir beginning in 1880. Although the original sapphire mine in Kashmir was tapped out long ago, the gem industry still uses the name "Kashmir" to denote exceptional royal-blue sapphires. Today, sapphires are found in many countries, including Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Columbia, and Brazil. Here in the United States, sapphires are mined in the Yogo Gulch of Montana.

Most of the sapphire that you see either as fine solitaire gemstones or as strands of beads are faceted to enhance their sparkle and luster. The exception to this rule is the Star Sapphire, which has rutile (needle-shaped) inclusions which cross, creating a star-like pattern. This star quality is called asterism and is best displayed by cutting the stone as a smooth, polished cabochon.

Sapphires of colors other than blue are sometimes called "Fancy Sapphires." Most of these fancies are found in the mines of Sri Lanka, and in smaller quantities in Thailand, Burma, Australia and Montana. Padparadscha (pad pa rad scha) is one of the rarest colors of sapphires and is the only other Corundum other than ruby to have its own name. Padparadscha is very rare, and has a beautiful pinkish orange tint. The name comes from the Sinhalese word meaning "lotus blossom." If you can't afford such a rare gem, you can always have the next best thing, Padparadscha Swarovski™ crystal in the color inspired by the stone.

The best quality sapphires are nearly as expensive as diamonds and rubies. However, sapphires that have less clarity, or are darker or lighter than the "ideal" sapphire are priced in the range of semi-precious gems. The sapphire beads that you find at Beadworks generally fall into this category, making them an affordable indulgence. Like all corundum gems, sapphires of all price ranges have amazing luster and color.

Beadworks carries a range of sapphires, from delicate fancy briolettes and rondelles, to large midnight blue drops.

Sources:
Smithsonian Handbooks: Gemstones by Cally Hall ©2002 Dorling Kindersley, Inc.
Simon & Schuster's Guide to Gems and Precious Stones ©1986 Edited by Kennie Lyman
Gems: A Lively Guide for the Casual Collector by Daniel J. Dennis, Jr. ©1999 Harry N. Abrams, Inc.