Sapphire

Blue Sapphire is classified as a precious stone and has a shade of blue tinged with violet and purple. Its value depends on the hue of blue in addition to its colour, clarity, size, cut, and overall quality. The darker blue it has, the more valuable the gemstone is. Its name has origins in the Greek language; it comes from the word "sappheiros" meaning blue. Sapphire is a member of the corundum family like ruby which makes them the ones of hardest gemstones. The most known and popular type of blue sapphire is the star sapphire that exhibits a star-like phenomenon which owes its name to its Cabochon cut. The Black Star of Queensland, the largest star sapphire in the world, weighs 733 carats. Significant sapphire deposits are found in Eastern Australia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, China, Madagascar, East Africa, and in North America in a few locations, mostly in Montana.