The September Birthstone Sapphire and Its 8 Colorful Hues

An Introduction to the September Birthstone Sapphire

If you were born in September, you have one of the most captivating gems in the world as your birthstone — the sapphire. Known for its breathtaking blue tones, exceptional durability, and deep symbolic meaning, the September Birthstone Sapphire has been cherished by royalty, admired by collectors, and treasured in fine jewelry for centuries. In this guide, you’ll discover its rich history, unique varieties, and why it remains one of the most sought-after gemstones today.

What Makes The Sapphire Unique

The Science Behind Sapphire’s Colors‌‌

Sapphires are a precious variety of corundum, a mineral composed of aluminum oxide. Trace elements such as titanium, iron, vanadium, chromium, and magnesium create the rainbow of colors sapphires can display.

• Blue sapphires — caused by titanium and iron — are the most prized.
• Other shades, called fancy sapphires, include pink, purple, yellow, green, white (colorless), black, and the rare pinkish-orange padparadscha.
• Some sapphires even change color, becoming the chameleons of the sapphire family, depending on the light, incandescent versus daylight, due to high vanadium content and absorption and refraction properties.

Interestingly, when corundum turns a deep red from high chromium levels, it’s classified as a ruby instead of a sapphire. You would be technically correct, in that case, to refer to rubies as red sapphires; however, no one does that, so you shouldn’t either.

Types of Sapphires
Blue

Blue sapphires are the most prized and are known in the trade as “sapphire,” while all other colors are known as “fancy sapphires”. Some fancy sapphires even change color when they move from daylight to incandescent light because they contain high amounts of vanadium. But if you see gemstone corundum with a beautiful red color with an abundance of the element chromium in its chemical structure —you’re looking at a ruby.

Padparadscha

The padparadscha is the next most-sought-after sapphire, and it’s rarer than the blue variety. Its delicate pinkish orange coloration is reminiscent of the blossom of the sacred lotus Nelumbo nucifera.

This is also where it gets its name — from the Sinhalese word for lotus blossom.

Pink and Purple

Fancy sapphires also come in pink and purple tones that range from light pinkish red to light purple and violet. Sapphires with more pink tones have more chromium, while those with purple and violet tones have more vanadium.

‌‌Reddish-pink sapphire can be vaguely similar to a ruby. Sometimes, there are just a few minor differences — such as color saturation or percent of chromium — that make the difference.

Yellow and Green

Yellow sapphires can range from soft yellow to orange-yellow and even deep golden or mandarin. Green sapphires are typically an attractive khaki or olive, but they can range from mint green to deep forest green, and most have a slight blue or yellow cast. Both yellow and green sapphires get their color from iron.

White and Black

‌White (transparently clear) sapphires, also called colorless, are pure corundum and are unaffected by trace elements. They’re also quite rare. White sapphires lack the refractive index and sparkle factor that diamonds have, so the impurities imparting a hue constitute a significant bonus for the second-hardest natural mineral known to man. Black (translucent to opaque) sapphires have a mixture of iron and titanium along with graphite.

Symbolism and Meaning

‌‌Throughout history, the September birthstone, sapphire, represents truth, innocence, peace, good health, loyalty, and dignity, and symbolizes virtue, wisdom, and holiness for nobility.

The ancient Greeks and Romans thought these gems would protect the wearers from harm. They also believed the stone would offer guidance and prophecies from one of their oracles. Medieval kings believed the sapphire would protect them from their enemies. At the same time, Europeans in the Middle Ages thought the sapphire would cure eye disease and preserve chastity, as the color was associated with the heavens.

Sapphires were also crucial in many religious ceremonies, with Buddhists, Hindus, and early Christians all seeing the vivid blue as a symbol of heaven or spiritual enlightenment.

‌‌Along with color symbolism, the sapphire is also the gemstone for those celebrating a 5th or 45th anniversary.

History of the Sapphire

‌‌‌‌Like rubies and other precious gems, sapphires have a lengthy history. The earliest ancient Greek texts say that Seilam, now called Sri Lanka, was the birthplace of sapphires. It was from here that these attractive gems — mostly blue sapphires — came to adorn the clothing, jewelry, and battle armor of ancient Greeks and Romans. Today, Sri Lanka is still a source of sapphires of all colors, but it is no longer the primary mining area. In modern times, sapphires of various colors come from Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Madagascar, Australia, and Montana in the United States. Smaller sapphire mining also happens in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Colombia, and Brazil.

‌‌Kashmir became a short-lived but exceptional mining source in the late 1800s and early 1900s, producing highly prized blue sapphires.

Across the eras, sapphires continue to be popular and highly sought after.

Famous sapphires:

• Napoleon’s sapphire-and-diamond ring for Joséphine, sold for $1.17M in 2013.
• The Blue Belle of Asia, sold for $17M in 2014.

‌How to Wear The September Birthstone

Sapphires are incredibly durable, ranking 9.0 on the Mohs Scale, making them ideal for everyday wear in rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Popular cuts include:

• Round, cushion, and oval — for maximum sparkle
• Princess, pear, marquise, emerald, and trillion — for unique designs

Inspiration from Brinker’s Jewelers:

Whether sapphire is your own September birthstone or simply a gemstone you adore, there are endless ways to wear its captivating sparkle.

Consider a 14KT White Gold Sapphire and Diamond Double Halo Pendant, or 14KT White Gold Trillion Shaped Sapphire & Diamond Halo Dangle Earrings for a timeless look. For something with more character, explore a dragon head bracelet with bright white sapphire eyes, or a vintage platinum necklace featuring a princess-cut sapphire.

Searching for something truly unique? Browse Brinker’s Jewelers’ hand-selected sapphire collection—ranging from heirloom pieces to statement pendants, bracelets, and dazzling necklaces. However you wear your sapphire, you’ll be carrying a gem treasured around the world.

Visit Brinker’s Jewelers’ showroom today or contact us to discover the perfect sapphire piece.