Gorgeous natural vibrant red Songea Sapphire(.25ct, VVS, Songea Africa) hand set into a sterling silver rose, on a sterling silver chain. Sapphires from the Songea mine have amazing color and vibrancy, unfortunately the mine has been closed for some time now.September's birthstone has come a long way since the days when any and every blue stone was called a sapphire. Though its fame is shared with its "Big Three" counterparts ruby and emerald, sapphire has enjoyed a long run as one of the world's most beloved gemstones, earning itself a place of honor in crown jewels, royal accessories, museums, and even in modern royal engagement rings. Lest sapphire get too haughty, it has common uses as well. The rough polishing material on emery boards is made up of lower-quality corundum grains, strengthened with hematite, magnetite, and quartz.The word "sapphire" comes from the Greek word sappheiros or sapphirus, which is derived from the Hebrew sappir. However, according to Pliny's Natural History, while the stone referred to as sapphirus was blue, it was not transparent and, as he noted in more than one instance, was speckled with gold, leading scholars to believe that it was lapis lazuli instead of sapphire. In other ancient texts, the word cyanus appears to refer to the stone we now know as sapphire, from the Greek root word cyan, meaning "blue."Please ask questions.