The Gem Mountain Sapphire Mine is one of the largest, oldest, and best Sapphire Mines in the World.  You could call it the “Quiet Giant” of sapphire mines, because it has produced over 180 million carats of sapphires for over 130 years without receiving much “press”.  Mining first started in 1892 with large stones exhibiting good color and clarity faceted as finished gemstones.  The small and fractured stones were sold by the ounce for industrial purposes.  The vast majority of early production targeted the uniform round small sapphires which were shipped to Switzerland for use as watch bearings.  The invention of synthetic sapphires curtailed the large scale mining operations but did not halt sapphire mining altogether.  Following WW II, an active business developed for rock hounds to visit Gem Mountain and dig for sapphires by hand.