Sapphires from Ilmeny Mountains

Idiomorph crystals of natural blue corundum - sapphires from Ural Mountains, Ilmeny Gory. A number of ruby and sapphire occurrences are found along the eastern slope of the Ural Mountains in Russia. The corundum is reported in placers and in the primary host rocks of marble, ultramafics and syenite pegmatite. Those specimens are very rare on market.

According to Rebbenu Bachya, the word "Sapir" in the verse Exodus 28:20 means "Sapphire" and was the stone on the Ephod representing the tribe of Issachar. However, this is disputed as the sapphire of the Bible was likely lapis lazuli (Texas Natural Science Center, 2006).
Supernatural powers were attributed to gems in India. One way this was manifested was the interdependence between gems and planets. Ruby, associated with the Sun, was the Lord of Gems, for the Sun lorded over all the planets. Blue sapphire is associated with Saturn (Wojtilla, 1973), yellow sapphire with Jupiter.
Sapphire is the birthstone associated with September.
The 45th wedding anniversary is known as the sapphire anniversary. (from wikipedia)