Sapphire - September's Birthstone

This beautiful gemstone has been popular since the Middle Ages, and according to folklore will protect your loved ones from envy and harm. One of the most popular Sapphire jewelry is undoubtably Princess Diana, and now Kate Middleton's 18 carat deep blue oval sapphire engagement ring which is surrounded by fourteen diamonds. Prince Charles created quite the stir when presenting his bride with this ring  by choosing a sapphire over a diamond, a long standing tradition that was not welcomed by the royal family.

As sapphires are gemstone varietal of corundum, which is naturally white, sapphires can occur in a wide range of beautiful shades such as blues, pinks, purples and even yellows. Sapphire is pleochroic, displaying a lighter and more intense color when viewed at different angles. Some pleochroic Sapphire is blue when viewed at one angle, and purple at a different angle. Sapphire is a tough and durable gem, and the only natural gemstone harder than Sapphire is Diamond. Despite this, Sapphire is still subject to chipping and fracture if handled roughly, and care should be taken to ensure it is properly handled. Sapphire was first synthesized in 1902. The process of creating synthetic Sapphire is known as the Verneuil process. Only experts can distinguish between natural and synthetic Sapphire. Sapphires score a 9 on the Moh's Hardness Scale.

Additionally to being September's birthstone Sapphires are also a common gift for 5th, 23rd and 45th anniversaries.