A guide to blue sapphire, September's birthstone and the gem of royalty
Alongside emerald (May’s birthstone) and ruby (July’s birthstone), September’s birthstone is one of the “big three” gemstones: blue sapphire.
About September’s birthstone, the blue sapphire
First things first: “Aren’t all sapphires blue?” I hear you ask. Well, here’s the thing: no! Sapphires come in almost every colour, from yellow, pink, green, purple, and even black (red sapphires are what we call rubies). However, most people think of the blue gem when they hear the word ‘sapphire’, and it’s this that’s specifically the birthstone for September.
Made from Corundum, sapphire is on the harder end of the MOHS scale at a 9, meaning it’s very durable and an excellent choice for everyday wear. They’re one of just four stones that count as “precious”, thanks to their brilliance and rarity (though if you ask me, all gems are pretty special). Some sapphires are known as ‘star sapphires’, when they feature a reflected star in the natural gemstone.
As well as being the birthstone for September, blue sapphire is also traditionally the gemstone for 5th wedding anniversaries (alongside wood) as well as 45th wedding anniversaries, hence it being known as your sapphire anniversary.
The history of blue sapphire
Pretty much as long as there’s been humans on earth, there’s been an obsession with blue sapphires – and, can you blame them?!
Thanks to their brilliant hue, the ancient Persians believed that the earth itself was one giant sapphire, and the sky was a reflection of their stunning glow. In Ancient Greece, blue sapphires were often inscribed with the head of Zeus, the god of the sky. Helen of Troy was also said to have owned a large star sapphire, which held the key to her desirability.
Why are blue sapphires associated with royalty?
Blue sapphires have long been the preferred gem of royalty in the Western world – it’s no coincidence that the colour ‘royal blue’ is that of a blue sapphire. Back in Ancient Rome and Greece, kings and queens adorned themselves with blue sapphires. Marco Polo was also a fan of leaving sapphires with the royals he spent time with – a lot of the large Ceylon sapphires that exist in royal treasuries today can be traced back to him!
In more recent history, Wallace Simpson allegedly asked her tailor to shorten the sleeves of all of her dresses and blouses so that everyone could better see her blue sapphire bracelet from Van Cleef and Arpels.
One of the most famous and iconic engagement rings in history, Princess Diana’s engagement ring from King Charles (and later Kate Middleton’s from Prince William), featured a 12-carat Ceylon blue sapphire framed by 14 diamonds, and her famous pearl choker featured a huge blue sapphire in the middle, a gift from Queen Elizabeth.
Queen Elizabeth herself was a huge fan of blue sapphires, wearing multiple brooches and necklaces featuring the gemstone, including the Prince Albert Brooch, given to Queen Victoria by (you guessed it) Prince Albert the day before they married.
These were all part of her personal collection, which is separate to the Crown Jewels, the gems and regalia worn by sovereigns at state functions like the coronation. For example the Imperial State Crown, worn at the opening of each parliament, features two huge and famous blue sapphires: the 104 carat Stuart Sapphire and the octagonal St Edward’s Sapphire.
Famous blue sapphires in history
It’s not just literal royalty that love blue sapphires, either, as they’ve been popular with Hollywood royalty since its inception too.
The first movie star in Hollywood, Mary Pickford, had a stunning 182-carat blue star sapphire known as the Star of Bombay as her engagement ring (it’s now at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.) Jean Harlow also had a large star sapphire – this time 152-carat – and Joan Crawford was said to love blue sapphires so much that she became known as Joan Blue.
The world’s largest blue sapphire, however, blows these two out of the water, as the Star of Adam, which was only discovered in 2016, comes in at 1404 carats.
And what would a historical gemstone roundup be without mentioning Elizabeth Taylor? As part of her iconic jewellery collection she had many incredible blue sapphires, from Richard Burton and others.
The meaning of blue sapphire
Though most linguists believe that the word sapphire comes from the Greek word for blue stone, some argue that it comes from the Sanskrit sanipriya, which means “sacred to Saturn”.
Throughout time, blue sapphire has been associated with nobility (see the above royal obsession), including strength, power, and kindness. Arabian kings used to wear blue sapphires to ward against physical injury and, interestingly, envy.
Early sailors believed that blue sapphires could protect them from drowning when they were at sea, and in the Middle Ages it was believed that blue sapphire could protect the wearer from poison and fever
In many different faiths, it’s been an incredibly spiritual stone: for example, in Buddhism blue sapphires were believed to have a calming effect, making them excellent for prayer and meditation. It’s also known as a stone of truth and wisdom.
Looking for blue sapphire jewellery?
It’s no secret that blue sapphires are an incredibly special gemstone, which is why I love that they’re September’s birthstone. In my birthstone jewellery collection, each piece is inspired by lichen, organically shaped and delightfully textural: designed to function as a reminder of strength and a companion for growth.
You can check them out here, or the full birthstone jewellery collection here.
