Sapphire for September

Sapphire, the birthstone of September, is renowned for its mesmerising beauty. As one of the “Big Three” gemstones, alongside rubies and emeralds, sapphire has captivated the hearts of many with its vibrant hues and rich history. This precious gemstone is a symbol of wisdom and nobility. However, it also carries a mystical association with the planet Saturn, bringing in the bad with the good.

What is a Sapphire?

Sapphires belongs to the corundum family, which also includes rubies. If a corrundum is red, its a ruby. All remaining colours are sapphires. It is composed primarily of aluminum oxide (Al2O3). The crystal structure of sapphire is trigonal, meaning it has a hexagonal arrangement of atoms. Therefore, it ranks 9 on the Mohs scale, making it second only to diamonds in hardness. This makes it greatly suited to engagement rings or for everyday wear jewellery.

Heat treating sapphire is a commonly accepted treatment but fracture filling and infusing colour by lattice diffusion is also done. Please ask your jewellery before treatments before purchasing a stone.

Sources of Sapphire

Sapphires are found in various parts of the world, each location offering distinct characteristics. The most famous sources according to GIA include:

Kashmir, India: Known for producing sapphires with a velvety blue hue, Kashmir sapphires are highly prized for their rarity and rich colour.
Sri Lanka: Produces a whole host of various colours and the milkish sapphire can be heat treated to produce a blue
Thailand – The Chantaburi provonce in Thailand is another important source of sapphires
Myanmar (Burma): Burmese sapphires are renowned for their deep, intense blue shades can be found in the Mogok area.
Madagascar and Australia are other places were you can find sapphires.

Yellow and Padparadscha sapphire necklace and bracelet – generated by Divya N using Leonardo.ai

The Rainbow of Sapphire Colors

While sapphire is most commonly associated with its iconic blue shade, it actually comes in a spectrum of colours. These include:

Blue: The classic and most sought-after hue, ranging from light to deep blue.
Pink: Can be a dull soft pink to ruby like and bright
Yellow: Known as Phukraj in Hindi and and Kanaga pushparagam in Tamil, the yellow sapphires is one of the navaratnas. It is associated with Guru (Planet Jupiter) and it furthers education, brings prosperity and domestic bliss.
Green: Ranging from olive green to teal, Australian green sapphires are tantalising
Purple: You can find both purple (reddish pinkish hue) along with a more blueish violets. You can find colour shifting sapphires that shifting violet to purple.
White: Colourless sapphires are an affordable alternative to diamonds.
Padparadscha: A rare and highly prized variety, this sapphire is a blend of pink and orange, reminiscent of a lotus flower.

Sapphire for September AI necklace — Blue Sapphire necklace – generated by Divya N using Leonardo.ai

Sapphire and Saturn

In Vedic astrology, sapphire is closely associated with the planet Saturn (Shani). Saturn is a powerful planet that governs discipline, responsibility, and karma. Wearing a blue sapphire (Neelam) is believed to harness Saturn’s energy, bringing structure, stability, and protection to the wearer. However, it is advised to consult with an astrologer before wearing a dark/deep blue sapphire, as Saturn’s influence can be both beneficial and challenging, depending on one’s birth chart. If you want to use sapphires in your jewellery without any astrological botherations then go for white sapphire.