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The Sapphire: Everything You Need to Know About the September Birthstone

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The Sapphire: Everything You Need to Know About the September Birthstone

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September’s birthstone is the sapphire, one of the most universally loved gems. The best sapphires have an intense yet vibrant blue hue, and are usually found in Kashmir or Burma. The blue hue typically associated with the sapphire has made it a symbol of the heavens and of protection from evil. Apart from its status as a spiritual emblem, the blue sapphire also left a heavy mark on royal history when Princess Diana wore a 12-carat sapphire engagement ring in 1981. Hence, the sapphire became closely associated with dignity and royal status.

What also makes the sapphire such a desired gemstone are its durable physical qualities. The sapphire is rated a 9 out of 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness, only second to the diamond. It is also extremely heat resistent, with a melting point of 2044° Celcius or 3711.2° Fahrenheit (silver’s melting point is only 961° Celcius). It is unlikely for a sapphire to break while being set, as it has no cleavage. This makes the sapphire an ideal gemstone for collecting and for daily wear.

Two padparadschas.

Padparadscha sapphires.

The vast majority think of the sapphire as a blue gemstone, but it actually comes in a variety of colors. The padparadscha, name meaning “lotus flower” in Sinhalese, is the rarest naturally-occurring sapphire. Its hues range from orangish pink to light magenta and can be found in varying degrees of saturation, with the most desireable generally being a light or medium stone with a perfect balance of orange and pink. Originally, the gems that could be branded as padparadschas only came from Sri Lanka, where they are prized as sacred stones.

Yellow Sapphire Ring
$1,150.00

18k yellow and white gold ring set with 3 square cut yellow sapphires in yellow gold.

The ring is also set with 18 round brilliant white diamonds also set in yellow gold.

Finger size 8.75

This Cresalia ring can be carefully resized upon request.

Sri Lankans also discovered the yellow sapphire, a gem known for its vibrance. The yellow sapphire’s color ranges from a soft lemon to a golden-orange. Yellow sapphires may not have the prestige associated with the yellow diamond, but they do not shy too much in terms of sparkle and have more variety at a less wallet-hollowing cost, making them a great investment following the popularization of colored diamonds in the past year. Plus, the yellow sapphire is believed to hold healing properties and attract wealth, so it is an ideal gemstone for any occasion.

Sapphires come in all colors of the rainbow except red. Red corundum, from which sapphires are formed, is called the ruby. Deep pink or orange corundum that does not meet the color standards for rubies is often marked as sapphires.

The sapphire is a sophisticated and versatile gemstone that is suitable for all styles of jewelry. Check out some sapphire pieces in our Shop this Semptember.