For the love of Sapphires - the September Birthstone

Blue sapphires, the most popular September birthstones, have held generations in rapture with their astonishing range of hues from light icy blue to celestial blue to rich royal blue.

Those of exceptional cut and clarity are some of the most highly-prized gemstones in the world, yet what do we know of these gorgeous stones aside from their incredible prestige? Today we look at TEN facts that you may not know about September's most gorgeous jewel.

Sapphire RIngs

What’s in a name?

The word “sapphire” comes from the Greek and Latin words for “blue stone” - “sappheiros” and “saphirus”. This somewhat unsurprisingly led to the long-held and intertwined beliefs that all sapphires are blue and that all blues stones are sapphires, a recipe for mistaken identity!

Imposter syndrome

The opaque lapis lazuli, a sapphire “impostor” described by ancient historian Pliny the Younger as having “golden spots”, had us fooled until the 18th century. Today, however, only transparent blue gemstones such as iolite and tanzanite manage to sneak past the untrained eye unnoticed.

True colours

Science later came to the rescue with an enriched understanding of colour tone and purity. This allowed gemmologists to correctly identify true sapphires that exist all over a diverse spectrum of colour and consequently filter out and reclassify those that had fooled us in the past.

Firm foundation

Gemmologists found that the base mineral shared by all sapphires, corundum, is, in fact, colourless, and that small amounts of other elements found within the corundum matrix, in this case, iron and titanium, produce the stunning sapphire colours that we see and admire today.

Reign supreme

The sapphire colour, “royal blue” comes from the historical association of blue sapphires with royalty, in turn linking them to the virtues of wisdom, holiness, loyalty, truth, and nobility as well as to “royal” personality traits such as calmness, reservedness, and quietness in reflection.

Holy art thou

In ancient religious traditions, sapphires represented divine attributes like wisdom, truth, and holiness, while in some, sapphires represented heaven itself. In ancient Persia, the blue colour of the heavenly skies was the reflection of a divine sapphire on which the Earth was balanced.

Spiritual awakening

Blue sapphires are believed by many to be a source of physical, emotional, and metaphysical healing, providing remedies for the likes of headaches and insomnia, nurturing feelings of serenity and belonging, and strengthening decisiveness, truthfulness, and intuition.

Wedded bliss

Sapphires are traditionally associated with the 45th wedding anniversary. Lovers of tradition often put heart and soul into finding the perfect sapphire jewel for their beloved, with blue being by far the most popular colour. Check out our wondrous range of sapphire vintage jewellery.

Stay strong

Sapphires rank second only to diamonds on the scale of hardness and are nigh on impossible to break along internal planes when struck, yet due care and attention is warranted as they are not diamonds and can still break when suffering direct impact at the “wrong” angle.

Heat-and-treat

Treating gemstones often raises red flags, yet heat-treatment, a process used to improve colour and clarity, works wonders with sapphires when performed with care and patience by a skilled jeweller, transforming once dull sapphires into gloriously vibrant gemstones pulsing with life.

So, now you know a thing or two about September’s most popular birthstone, yet you’re still undecided. As gorgeous as they are, perhaps blue sapphires simply don’t connect with you on a spiritual level, or maybe you’re on the lookout for something a tad more in your price range. Fear not, we’ve got your back. As with other modern birthstones, there is an alternative.

BUT WAIT! There are TWO birthstones for the month of September...

Agate, the Mystical Alternative

Agate is the mystical alternative September birthstone and a member of the chalcedony family. Found in a diversity of colours with spectacular banding and often dyed to produce more vivid tones, this wonderful gemstone was worn as long ago as 3000 BCE by the ancient Egyptians, appearing in jewllery such as necklaces, bracelets, pendants and rings.

Agate is linked to the Virgo star sign and the traits of humility, practicality, kindness and empathy. In ancient times it was linked to deities blessing harvests and providing protection from extreme weather. The purported healing abilities of agate include ensuring healthy skin and blood and the reduction of anxiety, stress, and insomnia, by stimulating positive thought.

If blue sets your heart on fire, and you can’t meet the price of a shimmering blue sapphire, then blue agate is an absolutely spectacular and far more affordable alternative. Like blue sapphires, agate of the bluest hue looks surefire fabulous in all kinds of jewellery and you’ll rarely see two kinds looking exactly the same.

So here you are with a choice to make with the month of September upon us. Blue sapphire and agate are wonderful birthstones alternatives for anyone born in the ninth month of the calender year, but the choice of stone as well as the type of jewellery are yours to make.

View our beautiful range of fine jewellery and vintage rings. Meet our Principal Designer to discuss Custom Making your dream ring, choosing from an extensive range of diamonds and gemstones. We believe there are more than enough diamonds, gemstones and precious metals already mined for our jewellery needs so, we have amassed a stunning collection of recycled diamonds, gemstones, gold and other noble metals, all environmentally friendly and conflict free.