September Birthstone Guide
September has officially arrived, which means it's sapphire season. And while sapphire may be best known for its unmistakable blue, calling it simply a "blue gemstone" is selling one of the world's most fascinating gems very short.
Sapphire has been treasured for centuries for its extraordinary color, symbolism and durability. It can be deep royal blue, vibrant cornflower blue, pink, yellow, green, violet, orange and even colorless.
Sapphire belongs to the mineral family corundum. Nearly every color of gem-quality corundum is considered sapphire—with one very famous exception. When corundum is red, we call it ruby.
So yes, September babies get one of the better birthstones.
We said what we said.
Why Is Sapphire the September Birthstone?
Sapphire is the traditional birthstone for September and has historically been associated with sincerity, truth, faithfulness and nobility. For centuries, blue sapphires were worn by royalty, clergy and collectors who were captivated by their intense color and symbolic meaning.
Sapphire is also traditionally associated with the 5th and 45th wedding anniversaries, giving us several excellent excuses to give sapphire jewelry.
Sapphire can be especially meaningful for:
- September birthdays
- 5th and 45th wedding anniversaries
- Engagement rings
- Graduations and milestone gifts
- Push presents
- Family heirloom jewelry
- And, of course, the perfectly legitimate "I saw it and wanted it" occasion
Wait... Sapphires Aren't Always Blue?
Correct.
Blue sapphire may be the celebrity of the family, but sapphires occur naturally in an impressive variety of colors. Non-blue varieties are commonly referred to as fancy sapphires.
Fancy sapphires can occur in pink, yellow, green, orange, violet, purple and intermediate shades. One of the rarest and most prized varieties is padparadscha sapphire, famous for its distinctive pinkish-orange color.
That's part of what makes sapphire jewelry so interesting. Someone who loves classic jewelry may immediately gravitate toward an intense royal blue sapphire surrounded by diamonds. Someone looking for something more unexpected might fall in love with a pink, peach or yellow sapphire.
Same gemstone family. Completely different personalities.
Sapphire gives jewelry designers an unusually broad color palette while maintaining the durability that makes corundum such a practical gemstone for fine jewelry.
What Makes a Beautiful Blue Sapphire?
When shopping for a blue sapphire, color is usually the first thing your eye notices—and it is one of the gem's most important quality factors.
Blue sapphire can range from lighter, brighter blues to intense royal blue and deep navy tones. Some stones show violet or green undertones, while others display exceptionally vivid saturation.
Here's our advice: don't buy a sapphire simply because someone tells you which shade you are supposed to prefer.
Look at several stones.
Some people immediately fall for a deep royal blue. Others love a brighter, velvety blue sometimes described as cornflower blue.
The right sapphire is often the one you keep looking back at after the tray is put away.
That's usually the giveaway.
Is Sapphire Durable Enough for Everyday Jewelry?
Yes. This is one of sapphire's greatest advantages.
Sapphire ranks 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Corundum also has excellent toughness, making sapphire one of the most practical colored gemstones for jewelry that may be worn frequently.
That makes sapphire an excellent option for:
- Engagement rings
- Anniversary rings
- Right-hand rings
- Earrings
- Pendants and necklaces
- Bracelets
- Everyday fine jewelry
Are Sapphire Engagement Rings a Good Alternative to Diamonds?
Absolutely.
Sapphire engagement rings offer something distinctive without requiring you to choose a gemstone that is too delicate for normal everyday wear. Their durability, color and long history in fine jewelry have made sapphires one of the most important alternatives to diamond center stones.
One of the world's most recognizable engagement rings features a large oval blue sapphire surrounded by diamonds: the ring famously worn by Princess Diana and later by Catherine, Princess of Wales.
But a sapphire engagement ring certainly doesn't have to look royal or traditional.
We can pair sapphire with:
- Yellow gold for warm contrast
- White gold or platinum for a crisp, classic appearance
- Rose gold for a softer and more romantic combination
- Diamond halos
- Diamond side stones
- Vintage-inspired settings
- Clean modern solitaires
- Fully custom-designed settings created around an individual sapphire
For someone who wants an engagement ring that feels personal rather than predictable, sapphire gives a jewelry designer a lot to work with.
Natural, Heated & Lab-Grown Sapphire: What Should You Know?
This is where working with someone who understands gemstones becomes especially important.
Many natural sapphires are heat treated to improve their color or clarity. Heat treatment is widely accepted within the gemstone trade, and its effects are generally permanent.
Other treatments also exist, including lattice diffusion, fracture filling and dyeing. Those processes can influence value and may change how a sapphire should be cleaned or repaired.
Laboratory-grown sapphire also exists. A lab-grown sapphire is not simply blue glass or an imitation stone. Synthetic sapphire can have essentially the same chemical, physical and optical properties as natural sapphire while being grown under controlled laboratory conditions.
The important question is knowing exactly what you are buying and understanding how origin, treatment, beauty and rarity affect the gemstone.
How Do You Evaluate a Sapphire?
Unlike diamonds, where shoppers often begin with familiar grading terms, colored gemstones require a slightly different way of looking at beauty and quality.
1. Color
Does the sapphire's color immediately appeal to you? Look at the stone under different lighting whenever possible and pay attention to its hue, tone and saturation.
2. Cut
A good cut should showcase the sapphire's color while returning light attractively instead of allowing the stone to appear unnecessarily dark or lifeless.
3. Clarity
Natural sapphires may contain internal characteristics. The objective isn't necessarily to find a gemstone that looks like a flawless diamond; it is to choose one whose inclusions don't distract from its beauty or compromise durability.
4. Treatment
Ask whether the sapphire is natural or laboratory-grown and what treatments, if any, are known or expected.
5. Setting
A beautiful gemstone still needs the right mounting. The design should complement the sapphire's shape and proportions while protecting it appropriately for how the jewelry will be worn.
6. The "Keep Looking at It" Test
Specifications matter, but colored gemstones are emotional. When comparing several quality sapphires, the one that continually pulls your eye back is often the one worth considering.
How Should You Clean Sapphire Jewelry?
For most sapphire jewelry, warm water, mild soap and a soft brush are the safest place to start.
Ultrasonic and steam cleaning can generally be appropriate for untreated, heat-treated and some diffusion-treated sapphires. Fracture-filled, cavity-filled or dyed stones may require much gentler care.
If you don't know how your sapphire was treated, don't experiment.
Bring it to a jeweler and ask.
That's considerably less expensive than discovering the answer the hard way.
Looking for Sapphire Jewelry Near Chicago?
At Arezzo Jewelers in Elmwood Park, Illinois, we help customers from Chicago and the surrounding suburbs select gemstones and fine jewelry for birthdays, anniversaries, engagement rings, milestone gifts and custom designs.
Whether you're searching for a classic blue sapphire ring, sapphire earrings, a September birthstone gift or a completely custom sapphire engagement ring, our goal is to help you compare your options based on beauty, quality, durability and budget—not simply whatever happens to be sitting in a display case.
Already own a sapphire? Bring it with you. Sometimes the perfect September jewelry project isn't buying something new at all. It may be redesigning an inherited sapphire into something you'll actually wear.
Visit our showroom at 7544 W. North Ave., Suite 1, Elmwood Park, IL 60707, or contact Arezzo Jewelers to speak with our team.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sapphire
What is the birthstone for September?
Sapphire is the traditional birthstone for September. Blue is its most famous color, although sapphire occurs naturally in several other colors.
Are all sapphires blue?
No. Sapphire can occur in blue, pink, yellow, orange, green, violet, purple, colorless and other shades. Red corundum is classified separately as ruby.
What does sapphire symbolize?
Sapphire has traditionally been associated with sincerity, truth, faithfulness and nobility, which helps explain its long history in meaningful and ceremonial jewelry.
Is sapphire good for an engagement ring?
Yes. Sapphire ranks 9 on the Mohs hardness scale and has excellent toughness, making it one of the better colored gemstone choices for engagement rings and jewelry intended for frequent wear.
Can sapphire be lab-grown?
Yes. Laboratory-grown sapphire can have essentially the same chemical, physical and optical properties as natural sapphire, but it is produced under controlled laboratory conditions rather than formed naturally underground.
Are natural sapphires heat treated?
Many natural sapphires are heat treated to improve color or clarity. Heat treatment is widely accepted in the gemstone trade, although untreated fine-quality sapphires may command premiums because of their rarity.
How do you clean sapphire jewelry?
Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush are generally safe for sapphire. Cleaning recommendations can vary for treated gemstones, so ask a jeweler if you're uncertain how your sapphire was treated.
Is sapphire a good September birthday gift?
Absolutely. Because sapphire is September's birthstone, sapphire rings, earrings, pendants and bracelets can make especially meaningful birthday gifts that can be worn for decades.
A Final Word on Sapphire
Diamonds may get most of the attention in a jewelry store.
Sapphire doesn't seem particularly bothered by that.
It has been worn by royalty, chosen for engagement rings, passed down as an heirloom and collected in nearly every color imaginable. Sapphire is beautiful, durable and distinctive enough to become the kind of jewelry someone remembers.
And if you were lucky enough to be born in September?
You have an excellent excuse.
Celebrate September With Sapphire
Explore fine jewelry at Arezzo Jewelers or visit our Elmwood Park showroom to compare sapphires and discuss creating a custom piece designed around a gemstone you love.
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