September Birthstone: Sapphire
September's birthstone is sapphire. Blue, and traditionally a symbol of wisdom, loyalty, truth.
- Stone
- Sapphire
- Colour
- blue
- Hardness
- Mohs 9
- Zodiac
- Virgo · Libra
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 mined chiefly in Ratnapura, Sri Lanka (Ceylon) — the historic 'City of Gems'. It's also found in Madagascar.
Ratnapura, Sri Lanka (Ceylon)
the historic 'City of Gems'
Madagascar
the leading modern producer
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 — the modern one was standardised by the American jewellers' trade in 1912 and updated since. Sapphire is the modern choice 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 mined?
Chiefly Ratnapura, Sri Lanka (Ceylon) — the historic 'City of Gems'.
What is the Virgo and Libra birthstone?
September runs from Virgo into Libra, and sapphire serves both — though sign-based tables can differ from the calendar-month lists.
Is sapphire tough enough for everyday wear?
Sapphire is Mohs 9, hard enough for daily wear.