September's birthstone is the sapphire — one of the most prestigious precious gemstones, synonymous with royalty and enduring love.
Gemstone
Sapphire
Colour
Blue — from pale to deep royal blue (also pink, yellow, green)
Hardness
9 Mohs
Symbolism
Truth, nobility, and faithfulness
Sapphires have adorned royalty for centuries. The most famous sapphire in the world is the 12-carat oval blue sapphire in Princess Diana's (now Catherine, Princess of Wales's) engagement ring. This single stone reignited global interest in sapphire engagement rings.
While blue is the classic and most popular colour, sapphires occur in virtually every colour except red (red corundum is classified as ruby). Pink, yellow, padparadscha (pinkish-orange), and green sapphires are all highly prized. Kashmir blue sapphires — with their velvety, slightly milky blue — are the most sought-after and valuable.
At 9 on the Mohs scale, sapphire shares its exceptional hardness with ruby (both are corundum), making it the second hardest natural gemstone after diamond. This makes sapphires an excellent choice for engagement rings and everyday jewellery.
Blue sapphires look magnificent in platinum or white gold, which enhances their cool blue tone. Yellow sapphires pair beautifully with yellow gold. As the second hardest gemstone, sapphires are ideal for engagement rings — visit our Hatton Garden showroom to view our sapphire collection.
The September birthstone is the sapphire — a precious gemstone from the corundum family. While most associated with deep blue, sapphires occur in pink, yellow, green, and many other colours. They symbolise truth, nobility, and faithfulness.
Sapphires are excellent for engagement rings. At 9 Mohs they are nearly as hard as diamonds and extremely durable for daily wear. Blue sapphire engagement rings have a long history — most famously Princess Diana's ring, now worn by Catherine, Princess of Wales.
Sapphire prices vary enormously. Commercial-grade blue sapphires start from £200-500 per carat. Fine Ceylon (Sri Lankan) sapphires range from £1,000-5,000 per carat. Exceptional Kashmir sapphires can exceed £50,000 per carat.