September’s Birthstone Guide for Gem Amateurs

September’s birthstone, the sapphire, is one of the “Big Four” - the four most sought after, valued and prized gemstones in the world. Its extravagant blue hues make for a gemstone like no other. One way this stone was formed took place millions of years ago in the earth’s crust when metamorphic rocks were exposed to extreme pressure and heat. Over time, these rocks became corundum. Sapphires are a variety of corundum which is a mineral.

Sapphires have made their mark throughout history with Greek mythological figures, explorers, royalty and more. Along with a famous background, September’s birthstone comes in a variety of colors and qualities that sparkle in rings, necklaces, earrings and more! This gem has varying symbolism behind it which originates from across the seas.

Throughout history, some prominent figures such as Helen of Troy, King Solomon, Marco Polo and Charlemagne supposedly all sported September’s birthstone. For a more modern celebrity, you cannot forget about Princess Diana who wore a sapphire engagement ring that was given to her by Prince Charles. The famous ring would later be passed down to her daughter-in-law, Kate Middleton. With a deep blue sapphire at the middle surrounded by diamonds and set in a white gold band, this treasure is a sight for sore eyes.  

Aside from the famous people who have been associated with sapphire, this gemstone has a few stars of its own. The Star of India, Star of Adam and Star of Bombay are all sapphires with a distinct star shape on them. This effect is called asterism which is a reflection effect that seems to show two or more bands of light intersecting across the surface of a gem. 

If you are a fan of sapphires but not the well known blue color, you are in luck! Deep blue is just one of many astonishing colors of sapphire. These other shades, like purple, hot pink, lime-green or orange, come from the presence of trace elements. When someone says “sapphire,” they typically are referring to the blue stone. The other shades of sapphire are referred to as “fancy sapphires.” The one shade this precious stone does not come in is red. If a sapphire is red, then it is likely a ruby which is pretty easy to distinguish. When different elements appear in this mineral, you get different gemstone colors. If iron is the only element, you will get a purple gem, but if iron and chromium appear, the gem will be orange.

The gemstone itself can withstand a lot thanks to scoring a nine on the Mohs Hardness Scale. Sapphires take second place right behind diamonds which makes it pretty durable yet still breathtaking for September birthstone jewelry.

The birthstone of September can be found in all corners of the world, which results in different qualities and sizes. For instance, Australia yields some of the largest sapphires while Sri Lanka’s sapphires are known to be of the highest quality. Some other locations include: Thailand, China, Madagascar, Nigeria, Cambodia and Tanzania. With a growing number of sources for sapphire, that means a variety to choose from!