For over a century, sapphire has been recognized as September’s official birthstone. The name “sapphire” comes from the Latin sapphirus and the Greek sappheiros, which both mean “blue stone,” though the gem comes in many other colors, too. Sapphires have been treasured and used in jewelry making for thousands of years, and it’s no mystery why! Not only is this gem stunningly beautiful, but it also scores a 9 on the Mohs scale—only one rank below the diamond—making it tough enough to wear daily without having to worry about chipping or scratching the stone. But it wasn’t just superb durability that attracted the ancients to sapphires—it was also something more…