
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They also may be created synthetically in laboratories for industrial or decorative purposes in large crystal boules. Commonly, natural sapphires are cut and polished into gemstones and worn in jewelry. Pink-colored corundum may be classified either as ruby or sapphire depending on locale. Red corundum stones also occur, but are called rubies rather than sapphires. It is typically blue, but natural "fancy" sapphires also occur in yellow, purple, orange, and green colors "parti sapphires" show two or more colors. The name sapphire is derived via the Latin "sapphirus" from the Greek "sappheiros", which referred to lapis lazuli. Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminium oxide ( α- Al 2 O 3) with trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, vanadium, or magnesium.
