When most people hear the word Sapphire they think Blue, but Sapphires come in every color of the Rainbow except red.  Red Sapphires are Rubies.
Sapphires can come in pure white, looking very much like a Diamond to almost black which is called Midnight Blue Sapphire. In the past few years Pink Sapphires have become very popular. Now Canary Yellow and Orange are the new HOT colors. 

Amazingly these colored Sapphires are often much less expensive than the common blue variety. 
A savy buyer can purchase a White or Canary Yellow Sapphire for a fraction of the cost of a Diamond.  Buy White or Yellow Sapphires

Padparadscha Sapphires are a fancy colored orange-pink or pinkish-orange.  These are very rare and are not often found in large sizes. Padparadscha Sapphires are costly and often reproduced by man in the lab.  When shopping for a Padparadscha Sapphire make sure you know if it is a natural, mined from the earth, gem you are buying or one created by man.

Sapphires are mined all over the World, even in several locations in the United States.  The location where the Sapphire was mined can have a great effect on the price. 

When buying a Sapphire ask if the stone has been treated in any way. Some common treatments to enhance gems include irradiation, heat treatment, dyeing and coating. Not all of these treatments will devalue the stone, but always ask so you know what you're getting.

Sapphires can be heated at high temperatures to give them a better color and clarity. It is estimated that 90 percent of the Sapphires on the market have undergone some sort of treatment, which does not affect the value of the stone. However, untreated Sapphires do command a higher price.

When buying a Blue Sapphire look at the color. The most valuable sapphires are deep, pure blue, which does not change color when moved into different light. Stones that are too dark or too light are of less value than a royal blue stone. Buy Blue Sapphires

All Sapphires have a Hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale, with Diamonds being the hardest at 10.   Sapphires are very durable and can be worn everyday with out much risk of damage.

Sapphire is the Birthstone for September.

Some people believe that wearing Sapphires brings clarity of mind and disintegrates disharmony.
Sapphire is believed to offer healing properties for rheumatism, colic, and mental illness.