Sapphires, christened, "the gem of soul and autumn" - a fitting name for the September's birthstone. It is aligned with the planets of Saturn and Jupiter and commonly used for the 6th and 45th Anniversaries. Sapphire, a transparent precious stone is one of the most beautiful gemstones and the birthstone for the month of September.Sapphire is named after the Greek word "sapphirus", meaning blue. Sapphire is a variety of the mineral corundum and occurs in many colors. Sapphire is second only to the Diamond in hardness, making it a durable gemstone for setting into jewelry.Sapphire has a long and interesting history that dates back to 800 B.C. Sapphires come from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Australia, and Cambodia. Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, China, Vietnam, Madagascar, and also the United States are some other sources.
Rubies, one of the most sought after gemstones, are the birthstone for the month of July. Rubies are made from Corundum, one of the hardest substances and thus Rubies are the second in hardness after Diamonds. The name "Ruby" comes from the Latin word "ruber" which means RED, which reflects the color of the gemstone. Rubies are primarily used for ornamental jewelry. They are the perfect gemstones for creating high quality jewelry. They are strong, resistant to scratches and their color never fades out. Rubies were mined some 2,500 years ago. The most beautiful rubies are found in Burma, quality rubies are found in the following countries: Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania, Afghanistan, India and many more.Ancient traditional birthstones: