Sapphire

Sapphire - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

Associated with diamonds (Ex. 28:18) and emeralds (Ezek. 28:13); one of the stones in the high priest's breastplate. It is a precious stone of a sky-blue colour, probably the lapis lazuli, brought from Babylon. The throne of God is described as of the colour of a sapphire (Ex. 24:10; comp. Ezek. 1:26).

Sapphire - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

SAP'PHIRE, n. [L. sapphirus; Gr. to scrape, to shine, to be fair, open, beautiful.]

A species of silicious gems or minerals, of several varieties. In hardness it is inferior to the diamond only. Its colors are blue, red, violet, yellow, green, white, or limpid, and one variety is chatoyant, and another asteriated or radiated.

Sapphire is a subspecies of rhomboidal corundum.

The oriental ruby and topaz are sapphires.

Sapphire is employed in jewelry and the arts.