A purple variety of sapphire (8)

I believe the answer is:

amethyst

(Other definitions for amethyst that I've seen before include "February stone" , "Purple gem" , "what's in ring" , "Purple quartz used in jewellery" , "Violet-coloured stone" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.