September Birthstone: Sapphire
The September birthstone is sapphire, the lovely and sparkling deep blue precious gem. Composed of the mineral corundum, sapphires interestingly come in a rainbow of colors aside from their favored blue hue, including yellow, pink, purple, green, black and white. The most desirable color for sapphires is a beautiful deep shade, although almost all sapphire gemstones on the market today are heat treated to intensify their color.
Sapphire History and Myth
The word sapphire originated from the Green word “sappheiros”, meaning blue. Because of this, during much of the ancient world all blue gemstones were referred to as sapphires, even if they were technically different gems. The irony is that, as mentioned above, sapphires come in colors other than blue. Sapphires are actually the same mineral as rubies; whenever the stone appears in a red color it is known as a ruby and when corundum is any other color it is a sapphire. Blue sapphires have been long been favored by royalty as a symbol of wisdom, virtue and holiness, and many rulers have worn sapphire necklaces or pendants as a protection from harm. Supposedly the Ten Commandment tablets were actually made of sapphire, likely due to the sapphire’s role throughout history as a symbol of virtue and holiness.
Ancient Persians poetically believed that the earth rested on a large sapphire, and that the skies reflected the brilliant blue color of the gemstone. The sentiment that sapphires were symbolic of the heavens runs through many cultures in history, and even today many people feel that sapphires are a representation of heaven. 
When Prince Charles proposed to Princess Diana he used a ring with sapphires, boosting the gemstone’s popularity in engagement rings. Even today many engagement rings utilize sapphires, whether sapphires are flanking a diamond center stone, the center stone is a blue sapphire or the center stone is a clear sapphire used to mimic the appearance of a diamond.
Sapphire Mystical Properties
Perhaps due to their frequent use in engagement rings, sapphires are said to encourage respect, shared mutual trust and a loving relationship. The September birthstone also retains its divine roots, and is worn to protect against evil, bring about good, aid in meditation and to increase clairvoyance.
Apples of Gold carries a number of stunning Sapphire jewelry pieces that will impress the September birthday girl in your life, from earrings and sapphire pendants to a myriad of sapphire rings.
Category: Jewelry History
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