Sapphire: 9 Facts About September’s Birthstone

Did you know that some sapphires have a star pattern on their surface? Or how about that not all sapphires are blue? You’ll learn about this and more by reading our top nine facts about September’s birthstone!

1. Sapphires are a type of corundum mineral.²

These minerals are aluminum oxide minerals, comprised of the elements aluminum and oxygen when found in their purist form. Ruby is another well-known type of corundum mineral.²

2. While you probably think of sapphires as blue, they exist in many other colors.¹

These colors include yellow, pink, green, and purple. A sapphire’s color is determined by the different types and amounts of elements that are located within the corundum mineral’s structure.¹

3. Some sapphires exhibit asterism.²

Asterism is a star pattern where rays originating from the center of the stone extend outward towards the stone’s perimeter.

Sapphires with this pattern are known as “star sapphires.” When shopping for star sapphires, you may also come across “Linde star sapphires.” Linde stars are a type of synthetic sapphire that, like star sapphires, come in a variety of colors and display asterism.

4. Currently, most sapphires originate from mines in Madagascar.¹

Myanmar, Australia, the United States, Thailand, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, as well as several other countries also mine sapphires.²

5. Throughout history, people have attributed a variety of special powers and symbolic meanings to sapphires.

Members of the nobility and priests wore sapphires throughout history as they were used to symbolize heaven and honesty. It was also thought that wearing sapphire jewelry could protect the wearer from evil.^1,2,3

6. One famous sapphire ring was Lady Diana’s engagement ring, which is now worn by Kate Middleton, the current Princess of Wales.

This ring features a gorgeous 12 carat blue sapphire surrounded by a halo of 14 white diamonds set in 18 karat white gold.¹

7. Sapphire scores a 9 out of 10 on the Mohs hardness scale.³

While they aren’t as hard as diamonds, sapphires are still very durable and scratch resistant gemstones.³

8. Be sure to take extra consideration and care when cleaning your sapphire jewelry.

Before you clean your sapphire jewelry, you should know if they’ve undergone any clarity or color enhancement treatments.

Typical treatments performed on sapphires include fracture-filling and dying. You should take extra care with these sapphires as they’re easier to break and discolor than untreated sapphires.

For example, treated sapphires should not be cleaned using an Ultrasonic cleaner, but untreated sapphires and sapphires that are not chipped or broken can be placed in Ultrasonic cleaners.²

To clean your treated and untreated sapphires at home, we recommend gently scrubbing them using a soft toothbrush and warm, soapy water.

9. Traditionally, husbands will give this gemstone as a gift for 5th and 45th wedding anniversaries.³

Celebrate your anniversary with sapphire jewelry! This is the perfect gift for 5th and 45th anniversaries.

Shopping for Sapphire Jewelry at Necker’s Jewelers

We have a large selection of sapphire jewelry in our stores in DeWitt and Davenport, IA, and on our website.

Sources

1. Sapphire Gem Overview | September Birthstone – Sapphire (americangemsociety.org)

2. September Birthstone: Sapphire – International Gem Society

3. September Birthstone | Sapphire Birthstone History & Location | GIA