What Is September’s Birthstone? A Complete Guide to Sapphire
Table of Contents
- What is September’s birthstone?
- What is sapphire?
- Are all sapphires blue?
- What gives sapphire its color?
- What does sapphire symbolize?
- Where are sapphires found?
- How durable is sapphire?
- Are sapphires treated?
- What should you look for when buying sapphire jewelry?
- How should you care for sapphire jewelry?
- Why is sapphire a popular choice for engagement rings?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Summary
September’s traditional birthstone is sapphire, a gemstone treasured for centuries for its beautiful color, durability, and symbolism. Although rich blue is the color most commonly associated with sapphire, sapphires naturally occur in an impressive range of colors.Sapphire is a variety of the mineral corundum and ranks 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness, making it one of the hardest natural gemstones. Its durability makes sapphire an excellent choice for rings and other jewelry that may be worn frequently.
Whether you are celebrating a September birthday, an anniversary, an engagement, or simply love colorful gemstones, sapphire jewelry offers beauty, history, and plenty of choices.
What Is September’s Birthstone?
Sapphire is the birthstone for September.Sapphires have been admired for thousands of years and have long been associated with royalty, wisdom, faithfulness, and sincerity. Today, sapphire remains one of the world's best-known colored gemstones.
September babies may immediately think of a deep blue sapphire when they hear "September birthstone," but blue is only the beginning.
What Is Sapphire?
Sapphire belongs to the corundum mineral family. Pure corundum is colorless, but trace elements within the crystal structure can create different colors.Interestingly, sapphire and ruby are varieties of the same mineral.
Red corundum is called ruby. Corundum of other colors is classified as sapphire.
This means that a blue sapphire, pink sapphire, yellow sapphire, and ruby share the same basic mineral composition but owe their different appearances to trace elements.
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Are All Sapphires Blue?
No. While blue is sapphire's most famous color, sapphires can occur in many colors, including:- Blue
- Pink
- Yellow
- Green
- Purple
- Orange
- Colorless
- Combinations of colors
Some sapphires can even display more than one color depending on the lighting and viewing direction.
One particularly prized variety is the padparadscha sapphire, known for its distinctive combination of pink and orange hues.
What Gives Sapphire Its Color?
The colors found in sapphire result from trace elements incorporated into the corundum crystal as it forms.For example, the interaction of iron and titanium is responsible for the blue coloration found in many blue sapphires. Other trace elements can contribute to yellow, green, pink, purple, and other colors.
This is one reason natural sapphires can vary so dramatically in appearance. Even two sapphires described as "blue" may look completely different.
One may be a lighter cornflower blue, while another may display a rich, deep blue.
Color is an important consideration when evaluating a sapphire, and personal preference plays a major role when selecting one for jewelry.
What Does Sapphire Symbolize?
Throughout history, sapphire has been associated with several positive qualities, including:Loyalty, sincerity, wisdom, faithfulness, truth, and nobility.
These associations make sapphire especially meaningful in jewelry given to celebrate relationships and important milestones.
Sapphire is also traditionally associated with the 5th and 45th wedding anniversaries, making sapphire jewelry a beautiful anniversary gift as well as a September birthday gift.
Where Are Sapphires Found?
Natural sapphires have been discovered in several areas around the world. Important sources have historically included locations such as:- Sri Lanka
- Myanmar
- Madagascar
- Australia
- Thailand
- Cambodia
- India, including the historic Kashmir deposits
- Montana in the United States
How Durable Is Sapphire?
Sapphire is an excellent gemstone for jewelry that will be worn regularly.Corundum measures 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Only diamond, at 10, ranks higher on the traditional Mohs scale among commonly encountered natural gemstones.
However, hardness specifically describes a gemstone's resistance to scratching. It does not mean a sapphire cannot chip, fracture, or become damaged.
A sapphire ring should still be removed when doing activities that could expose it to a hard impact.
Its combination of beauty and durability makes sapphire suitable for many types of jewelry, including:
- Rings
- Earrings
- Pendants
- Necklaces
- Bracelets
- Anniversary jewelry
- Engagement rings
Are Sapphires Treated?
Many sapphires available in today's jewelry market have been treated to improve their appearance.Heat treatment is commonly used to improve the color and/or clarity of sapphire and has a long history within the gemstone trade.
Other treatments also exist, and some can have a significant effect on a gemstone's value and care requirements.
When purchasing an important sapphire, especially a valuable loose gemstone or significant piece of sapphire jewelry, treatment disclosure is important. Independent gemological laboratory reports may also provide useful information about whether certain treatments were detected and, in some cases, geographic origin.
What Should You Look for When Buying Sapphire Jewelry?
Unlike diamonds, where consumers frequently hear about the traditional "4Cs," evaluating colored gemstones places particularly strong emphasis on color.When looking at sapphire jewelry, consider several factors.
Color
Look for a color you find attractive. There isn't one shade of blue that everyone should prefer.Consider the sapphire's hue, tone, and saturation, as well as how it appears under different lighting conditions.
Clarity
Natural sapphires can contain inclusions. Some inclusions are expected and can provide useful gemological information.However, inclusions that significantly affect transparency, beauty, or durability may affect the sapphire's desirability.
Cut
A well-cut sapphire should display its color attractively while returning light to the viewer.Because natural sapphire rough can be valuable, cutters sometimes make compromises to retain weight. As a result, proportions can vary considerably from one sapphire to another.
Carat Weight
Carat measures weight, not physical dimensions.Two sapphires of identical carat weight may have different measurements depending on their proportions and cutting styles.
Treatment
Ask whether the sapphire has been treated and what type of treatment was used. Treatment can be an important factor when comparing sapphires and determining value.How Should You Care for Sapphire Jewelry?
Although sapphire is durable, it still deserves proper care.For routine at-home cleaning, you can generally use warm water, mild dish soap, and a soft toothbrush for suitable sapphire jewelry.
Gently clean around the gemstone and underneath the setting where lotions, soap, cosmetics, and everyday debris can accumulate. Rinse carefully and dry with a soft, lint-free cloth.
Before using an ultrasonic or steam cleaner, it is wise to have the jewelry inspected and to consider the gemstone's treatment and overall condition.
You should also periodically have frequently worn sapphire jewelry professionally inspected. A jeweler can check the prongs, settings, and other areas for wear before a loose stone becomes a lost stone.
Why Is Sapphire a Popular Choice for Engagement Rings?
Sapphire has a long history in engagement jewelry, and its durability makes it especially well-suited for a ring intended to be worn frequently.A sapphire engagement ring also gives couples an opportunity to choose something beyond a traditional diamond center stone.
Blue sapphire can look beautiful with diamonds, while pink, yellow, green, and other fancy sapphires offer even more possibilities.
Sapphires can also be incorporated into custom-designed engagement rings, allowing couples to create jewelry with a personal connection.
At Hopman Jewelers in Downtown Elkhart, our team can help you explore sapphire jewelry, engagement rings, gemstones, and custom design possibilities to find a piece that fits your style and occasion.
Shop sapphire jewelry here.
Jewelry for every engagement.
Frequently Asked Questions About September’s Birthstone
What is the birthstone for September?Sapphire is the traditional birthstone for September. Blue is the best-known sapphire color, but sapphire occurs naturally in many colors.
Is sapphire always blue?
No. A sapphire can be blue, pink, yellow, green, purple, orange, colorless, and other colors. Non-blue varieties are commonly called fancy-color sapphires.
Are ruby and sapphire related?
Yes. Both are varieties of the mineral corundum. Red corundum is classified as ruby, while all other colors are in the sapphire category.
Is sapphire durable enough for an engagement ring?
Yes. Sapphire ranks 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness and is an excellent choice for jewelry worn regularly. However, sapphires can still be chipped or damaged by a sufficiently hard impact.
Can sapphire jewelry be worn every day?
Sapphire's hardness makes it well suited for frequent wear, provided the gemstone and setting are in good condition. Rings should still be removed during activities that could subject the jewelry to hard impacts, harsh chemicals, or unnecessary wear.