 
The birthstone for September is the sapphire.Sapphire, a member of the corundum family, gets its name from the Latin, sapphirus, and the Greek sáppheiros (blue). The color in blue sapphire comes from titanium and iron oxides; the depth of color depends on the amount of oxides in the stone. Prized since ancient times, sapphire has been called the "Gem of the Heavens." Persians believed the earth rested on an enormous sapphire, and the sky reflected its beautiful color. In the 12th century, the Bishop of Rennes praised the sapphire and initiated its use in ecclesiastical rings. Mohs hardness: 9 Refractive Index: 1.760-1.770 Specific Gravity: 4 The toughness of sapphire is excellent, and it may be cleaned by steaming, ultrasonic, jewelry cleaners, soap, or an untreated cloth. Color: Sapphires are found in all colors of the spectrum, from ruby red to yellow, green, blue, violet, pink, gray, black, or colorless, and all shades in between. Origin: Sapphires are found in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, India, Tanzania,Greece, Australia, and the United States.
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