What precious stone looks like a sapphire?

The precious stone that closely resembles a sapphire is the blue spinel. Like sapphires, blue spinels exhibit a rich blue hue, but they are generally less expensive and can be found in a variety of other colors as well. Another stone that may be mistaken for a sapphire is the tanzanite, which has a vibrant blue-violet color. Both stones provide beautiful alternatives to traditional sapphires.