September Birthstone: Sapphire
Sapphire - a gem that has been cherished for thousands of years. Although most people think of sapphires only being blue like the deep royal blue of Princess Diana's engagement ring, this gem comes in every color of the rainbow, except red. Sapphire's are a variety of the mineral corundum, and when corundum is red, it is a Ruby.
The September birthstone has traditionally symbolized sincerity, truth, faithfulness and nobility. For countless centuries, sapphire has adorned royalty and the robes of the clergy. The elite of ancient Greece and Rome believed that blue sapphires protected their owners from harm and envy. Clerics of the Middle Ages wore sapphires because they symbolized Heaven. Ancient Persians believed the earth actually rested on a giant sapphire, which made the sky blue. Rulers of ancient Persia believed the sky was painted blue by the reflection of sapphire stones. And a great poet once described the sapphire as “the blue of a clear sky just minutes after sundown".
Sapphires are relatively hard stones ranking 9 on the Mohs scale, just below diamonds, making them a great choice for jewelry you can wear every day. With their excellent durability and vast variety of colors, sapphires make the perfect alternative gem for engagements rings.
Shop some of our favorite A+T gems below and shop our full collection of sapphire beauties online!
This 14k yellow gold ring features a teal sapphire center stone with a beautifully detailed metal halo.
This 14K rose gold band features a fair trade green sapphire with accent diamonds.
Tanzanite Sapphire Necklace, $3500
This one-of-a-kind 14K yellow gold necklace features tanzanite and blue sapphire gems with decorative gold details.
Inspired by the details of Venetian masks, the Masque Ring features side-by-side, pear-cut white sapphires that emulate mystery and romance, surrounded by diamonds and textured gold that complete this ornate design.