Ushered in with the fall season is the celebration of the lovely September birthstone, sapphire. Widely recognized as a deep blue gem, the sapphire also comes in “fancy” color varieties such as pink, yellow, purple, orange, green and many others. My personal favorite sapphire is the rare and highly prized peachy-pink Padparadscha sapphire, which is sourced in Sri Lanka and named after the Sinhalese word for lotus flower. While sapphires have long been associated with royalty (think "royal blue"), they were hugely popularized as alternatives to diamonds for engagement ring stones after Princess Diana (and subsequently Catherine, Princess of Wales) was proposed to with a beautiful 12 carat Ceylon sapphire ring. Sapphires are extremely hard and durable stones (making them a great option for everyday wear). Here's a fun fact: synthetic sapphires are used for spacecraft and cell phone screens! So.....the next time you see a NASA launch or just look down at your phone, take a moment to appreciate the versatility and durability of the sapphire that you (hopefully) own!