September Birthstone: Sapphire
September's birthstone is sapphire. Sapphire is blue and traditionally associated with wisdom, loyalty, truth.
Modern U.S. list · reviewed by MyPiece Editorial · 2026-08-04
- Stone
- Sapphire
- Colour
- Sapphire: blue
- Hardness
- Sapphire: Mohs 9
- Zodiac
- Virgo · Libra
Sapphire
Modern U.S. list · term sapphire
Corundum in every colour but red — pink, yellow, even 'padparadscha' orange-pink — though blue is the one we mean. Ceylon (Sri Lanka) has supplied the trade for two thousand years, and a Kashmir sapphire's velvety, sleepy blue, mined only briefly in the 1880s, is the rarest and most coveted of all.
Traditionally a symbol of wisdom, loyalty, truth, and Mohs 9 — tough enough for everyday wear. How to care for it →
Where does sapphire come from?
Sapphire is found around Ratnapura, Sri Lanka. A historic centre for sapphires recovered from gem-bearing gravels. Sapphire is mined around Madagascar. An important modern sapphire source.
Found around Ratnapura, Sri Lanka
Sabaragamuwa Province · Sri Lanka
A historic centre for sapphires recovered from gem-bearing gravels.
Mined around Madagascar
Madagascar
An important modern sapphire source.
Where is sapphire cut and traded?
Sapphire is cut and traded in Bangkok, Thailand and Ratnapura, Sri Lanka.
Modern & traditional
Birthstone lists have shifted across cultures and centuries. This page follows the Jewelers of America modern U.S. list. Sapphire is the modern listed stone for September. Sapphire holds September on both the modern and traditional lists.
Common questions
What is September's birthstone?
September's birthstone is sapphire. Sapphire holds September on both the modern and traditional lists.
What colour is September's birthstone?
Sapphire is blue.
What does September's birthstone mean?
Sapphire traditionally stands for wisdom, loyalty, truth — associations carried by custom, not science.
Where is sapphire sourced?
Sapphire is found around Ratnapura, Sri Lanka. A historic centre for sapphires recovered from gem-bearing gravels. Sapphire is mined around Madagascar. An important modern sapphire source.
What is the Virgo and Libra birthstone?
September runs from Virgo into Libra, and sapphire serves both in the calendar-month list. Sign-based tables can use different traditions.
Is sapphire tough enough for everyday wear?
Sapphire is Mohs 9 and is generally more suitable for frequent wear. Hardness is only one care factor, so the setting and the stone's condition still matter.
Sources & further reading
Sapphire
- GIA - Sapphire Descriptionchecked 2026-08-04
- Wikipedia - Sapphirechecked 2026-08-04