Sapphire: Splendor Endures
 Sapphire, along with diamonds and rubies, has been one of the most treasured gemstones through the ages. Many royal figures have possessed sapphire, and fortunately, sapphire is available for everyone to enjoy. Truly a remarkable gemstone, sapphire has withstood the ages and is still popular.
Sapphire is both the modern and the traditional birthstone for those who were born in the month of September. Its popularity through the years has been strong, and sapphire also has the characteristic of being a durable gemstone. Sapphire is second only to a diamond on the Mohs scale of hardness. A diamond rates a 10.0, whereas a sapphire rates a 9.0.
 Sapphire is a member of the corundum family of minerals. Sapphire occurs in many different colors, such as blue, pink, yellow, green, and purple. All corundum is sapphire unless it is red. If the corundum is red it is a ruby. A pinkish orange variety of corundum is known as padparadscha. The presence of chromium, iron, or titanium will affect the color of the sapphire.
Sapphire has been found in many places. Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Australia, Africa, and Thailand are just some of the places that have produced this mighty gemstone.
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