Asterias or star stones are corundums of three different colors; star sapphire proper is a grayish blue, star ruby red, and star topaz yellow. These stones are usually cut cabochon or convex, and display under rays of sun, or when exposed to one candle or other artificial light, a beautiful star with six points. This star is produced by foreign substances in corundum, and lapidary brings about regular effect by cutting a pointed carbuncle so that center of star begins at apex, and six bright stripes radiate to base of stone. The bright lines of star following light move over surface of stone and produce a remarkable effect. These stones are amongst most wonderful of mineral productions, and good specimens are very valuable. The corundum cat’s-eye, called Oriental girasol or sunstone, has a bluish, reddish, or yellowish reflection of light of a lighter shade than stone itself, and which moves on convex surface of stone like lines of a star stone.

To this day, sapphire is one of most important members of family of gems and is certainly one of most favored by jewelry artisans worldwide. Consequently, there is more “hanky-panky” with treatments, alteration of color and various other techniques to disguise or improve flaws etc., than almost any other precious stone. Buyer beware of bargains that look “too good to be true”. Deal with reputable jewelers both online and offline. The sapphire is birthstone for September.