September's birthstone is the sapphire, a gem of deep blue color, royal history and quiet strength. It has crowned kings, sealed engagements and been handed down through families for generations. Whether you are celebrating a September birthday, a 45th anniversary or simply love the color blue, a sapphire is a gift that lasts a lifetime.
💎 What Is a Sapphire?
The name comes from the Greek word sappheiros, used in the ancient world for a precious blue stone. Today we know sapphire as a member of the corundum family, the same mineral as ruby. Red corundum is called ruby, and every other color is called sapphire.
💡 Sapphire is a 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, second only to diamond. That is why a sapphire ring can be worn every day and still look beautiful a hundred years later.
🌈 Not Just Blue
Blue sapphires range from soft cornflower to deep, inky midnight. But sapphire also comes in a whole rainbow of colors, called fancy sapphires: pink, purple, green, yellow, orange and the rare pink-orange padparadscha. Discoveries in Africa and Madagascar in the 1990s brought many of these colors to the jewelry world.
Parti-color sapphires show two or more colors in one stone, often blue and yellow, or blue and green.
Color-change sapphires can look blue in daylight and purple under warm indoor light.
Star sapphires show a glowing six-rayed star across a smooth, rounded stone.
Colorless sapphires were once used as a diamond substitute and are popular today as accent stones.
👑 A Gem Worn by Royals
Sapphire was a favorite of kings and queens for centuries. Medieval kings wore it for protection, and the night before her wedding, Queen Victoria received a sapphire and diamond brooch from Prince Albert. In 1981 Lady Diana Spencer chose an oval Ceylon sapphire for her engagement ring, and in 2010 Prince William proposed to Catherine Middleton with the very same ring. Today sapphire is the most popular engagement stone after diamond.
👉 Read the stories behind these rings in The Legends of Sapphire.
🕰 Sapphires Through the Eras
Victorian (1837–1901): romantic cluster rings, hearts and flowers in warm yellow gold, sapphires paired with diamonds or pearls.
Art Nouveau (1890–1910): flowing, nature-inspired designs with dreamy colored stones.
Edwardian (1901–1915): delicate platinum settings with lacy filigree and milgrain edges.
Art Deco (1920s–1930s): bold geometric rings with tiny calibré-cut sapphires framing a diamond, in crisp blue and white.
Retro & Mid-Century (1940s–1960s): cocktail rings and clusters in rich yellow gold, and mixes of blue and fancy colors.
Owning a vintage sapphire is like holding a piece of history, and giving one is like passing down a legacy.
💙 What Sapphire Means
Loyalty & faithfulness
Wisdom & truth
Protection
Royalty & nobility
That is why sapphire is so loved for engagement rings and anniversaries. It is the traditional gift for a 45th wedding anniversary.
🎁 Sapphire Gift Ideas
💍 Vintage sapphire rings, for engagements, anniversaries or simply because
💎 Sapphire stud earrings, understated elegance for every day
✨ Sapphire pendants, sentimental and perfect for layering
💫 Antique sapphire brooches, for collectors and anyone who loves something unique
💚 Green, pink or yellow sapphires, for someone who loves the unexpected
👗 How to Wear It
Choose your metal: yellow gold warms the blue, while white gold and platinum make it crisp and modern.
Layer it: a small sapphire pendant on a fine chain layers beautifully with other necklaces.
Mix your metals: stack a white gold sapphire ring between yellow gold bands.
🧼 Caring for Your Sapphire
Clean sapphire jewelry with warm water, a drop of mild soap and a soft toothbrush, then rinse and pat dry. The stone itself is very tough, but the gold or platinum holding it is softer, so store pieces separately to avoid scratches and have the prongs checked now and then.
👉 Ready to shop? Read How to Choose a Sapphire first.
🛍️ Explore Our Sapphire Jewelry
Hand-picked vintage and antique sapphire rings, pendants, bracelets and earrings, at our shop on Royal Street and online.
