16 November 2010 BBC

Prince William said giving Kate his mother Diana's distinctive sapphire and diamond engagement ring was "my way of making sure my mother didn't miss out on today and the excitement".

WHITE SAPPHIRE: This is the “poor man’s diamond”, since it looks like a diamond though it does not have the fire and color sparkle of color of a diamond. But it costs far less and can be absolutely beautiful. Try it out.
Its hardness, 9 is right next to that of a diamond in the Mohrs scale.

It would be nice to have a personal collection of sapphires of  different colors.

Sapphires mostly come from Burma and Sri Lanka, and I am originally from Sri Lanka where I traded in Sapphires. I still get my Sapphires from there for their supply is rich and prolific. Kashmir used to produce them but the supplies from there are dried up.

Sapphire stones bring out the beauty of the color blue and cornflower blue is what many people ask for. Though expensive, this is a most pleasing color. Princess Diana chose a Sri Lankan cornflower blue sapphire for her engagement ring. Kashmir stones are dark and may be described as midnight blue color. Sri Lanka or Ceylon produces lighter shades of blue, which too are handsome colors. These September birthstone can be had in settings for rings, bracelets, pendants, etc.

There are sapphires which are green, yellow, orange, pink and purple. Then there are color-changing blues which change with the light. Asterism is a phenomena found in sapphires, where you see a 6-rayed star on the stone whose top surface is rounded. You can see the diamonds around the Star Sapphire. These enhance its beauty and the star is like a King seated on his throne and surrounded by his court.

Recently, as the economic situation of India has improved, lots of
people have been searching for Yellow Sapphires(for good luck) and so the demand of Yellow Sapphires has grown. Prices are escalating beyond limits. Americans too are asking for yellows and so you will do well to buy these stones before these prices reach impossible levels. Soon these yellow gems will not be available freely.

For colored stones, I would suggest Silver Rings or White Gold rings as an excellent way to wear them unless the sapphire is a yellow sapphire.
Gold does not go well with a yellow gemstone, unless the color of the stone is yellow. Just look at this Star Sapphire ring!

Then there is incomparable Padparadcha! The color is describes as the color of the setting sun in California-a curious mixture of pink and yellow. T