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A sapphire is a precious gemstone that's a variety of the mineral corundum, typically a blue color. While blue is the most well-known color, sapphires can also come in other colors like yellow, purple, orange, green, and pink. Red corundum stones are classified as rubies, not sapphires.

Here's a more detailed description:

Composition:

Sapphires are composed of aluminum oxide (α-Al2O3) with trace amounts of other elements like iron, titanium, cobalt, chromium, vanadium, magnesium, boron, and silicon.

Color:

The most common color of sapphire is blue, and it's named after the Latin word "sapphirus" which referred to lapis lazuli, according to Wikipedia. However, sapphires can exhibit a wide range of colors due to different trace elements.

Hardness:

Sapphires are very hard, ranking 9 on the Mohs scale, making them durable and suitable for jewelry.

Fancy Sapphires:

Sapphires that are not blue are often called "fancy" sapphires.

Parti Sapphires:

Some sapphires exhibit two or more colors within a single stone, known as "parti sapphires".

Symbolism:

Sapphires are often associated with royalty, wisdom, and the color blue, which is often linked to the sky and the sea.

Other Information:

Sapphires are one of the four precious gemstones and are part of the corundum family. They are a popular choice for engagement rings and other jewelry.