The September birthstone is sapphire, a variety of the mineral corundum that ranks 9 on the Mohs hardness scale. Sapphire is best known in deep blue, but it also comes in pink, yellow, orange, green, purple, white and black. Only red corundum is excluded, because red corundum is ruby.
Sapphire symbolizes sincerity, truth, faithfulness and nobility, which makes it a classic September birthday gift. Compare every month in the birthstone chart by month.
What Is the September Birthstone?
Sapphire is the official modern September birthstone in the United States, and it is the only stone on that list for September. Some traditional and British charts add lapis lazuli as an alternate, which is why searchers sometimes ask whether September has two birthstones.
| Quick fact | September birthstone: sapphire |
|---|---|
| Mineral | Corundum (aluminum oxide, Al2O3) |
| Mohs hardness | 9 |
| Signature color | Blue |
| Other colors | Pink, orange, yellow, green, violet, purple, white, gray, brown, black |
| Traditional meaning | Sincerity, truth, faithfulness, nobility |
| Notable sources | Kashmir, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Australia, Thailand, Cambodia, Madagascar, Montana |
| Zodiac signs in September | Virgo and Libra |
Sapphire ranks 9 on the Mohs scale, and GIA describes the September birthstone as having excellent toughness and no cleavage. That combination makes sapphire one of the few colored gemstones that suits rings and bracelets worn every day, where softer stones would scratch or chip much sooner (GIA, accessed October 2026).
The facts above come from the GIA September birthstone guide and the GIA sapphire gem encyclopedia.
September Birthstone Colors: Blue, Fancy and Padparadscha
The September birthstone color is traditionally blue, but sapphire covers almost the full spectrum. Any corundum that is not ruby red can be called sapphire, according to GIA.
Sapphires in colors other than blue are often called fancy sapphires. Pink, yellow, orange, green and violet stones fall into this group, along with colorless white sapphire. The American Gem Society lists white, pink, orange, yellow, green, violet, purple, brown and black among sapphire's colors.
Padparadscha is the most famous fancy sapphire. GIA describes it as a rare and valuable pinkish orange sapphire whose name comes from the Sinhalese word for lotus blossom. Star sapphires, which show a six rayed star when cut as a dome, are another collector favorite.
Natural vs Lab-Created Sapphire
Lab-created sapphire is real corundum grown in a laboratory instead of mined from the earth. Lab-created sapphire shares the chemistry and hardness of natural sapphire, so it wears just as well in jewelry.
Lab-created sapphire has the same chemical composition as natural sapphire, aluminum oxide (Al2O3), and the same Mohs hardness of 9. The flame fusion method developed by French chemist Auguste Verneuil in the early 1900s made synthetic corundum widely available, which is why lab-created sapphire typically costs far less than comparable mined stones (Britannica, Verneuil process).
Read more in the Britannica entry on the Verneuil process. The main differences are origin and price, not durability. Ask the seller to confirm in writing whether a sapphire is natural or lab-created.
Many natural sapphires are also heat treated to improve color. GIA calls heat treatment permanent and widely accepted. Less common treatments, such as fracture filling or dyeing, need gentler care.
Why Sapphire Became the September Birthstone
Sapphire became the official September birthstone in 1912, when the National Association of Jewelers (now Jewelers of America) published a list of modern birthstones, as the International Gem Society notes. Later revisions of the US list kept sapphire for September.
The stone's symbolism is far older than the list. GIA notes that ancient Greeks and Romans believed blue sapphire protected its owner from harm and envy. Medieval clergy wore sapphire as a symbol of Heaven, and an ancient Persian legend held that the earth rested on a giant sapphire that colored the sky blue.
The Logan Sapphire in the Smithsonian's National Gem Collection weighs about 423 carats and was cut from a crystal mined in Sri Lanka. The Smithsonian describes the Logan Sapphire as one of the largest faceted blue sapphires in the world, and a 1997 GIA report found no evidence of heat treatment in the stone (Smithsonian Institution).
See the Smithsonian Logan Sapphire record. Other famous examples include the 62.02 carat Rockefeller Sapphire from Myanmar and the 12 carat sapphire in the engagement ring of Princess Diana, both cited by GIA.
September Birthstone Alternatives Compared
Sapphire is the strongest everyday choice among September options, but alternatives make sense for a specific color, budget or style. The table compares the stones shoppers most often consider.
| Stone | Mohs hardness | Color range | Relative price tier | Everyday wear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural sapphire | 9 | Blue plus nearly every color except red | Highest | Excellent, including rings |
| Lab-created sapphire | 9 | Blue and fancy colors | Lower than natural | Excellent, including rings |
| Blue spinel | 8 | Blue, plus many other colors | Moderate to high | Very good |
| Lapis lazuli | About 5 to 5.5 (main mineral lazurite) | Opaque deep blue, often with gold flecks of pyrite | Low to moderate | Best for pendants and earrings |
Hardness values come from GIA for spinel and from Mindat's lazurite data for lapis lazuli. GIA describes lapis lazuli as a rock made mainly of lazurite, calcite and pyrite, so it is softer and better suited to pieces that avoid knocks.
How to Care for Sapphire Jewelry
Clean sapphire jewelry with warm, soapy water and a soft brush. GIA calls warm, soapy water always a safe choice for the September birthstone.
- Ultrasonic and steam cleaners are usually safe for untreated and heat treated sapphires.
- Clean fracture filled or dyed sapphires only with a damp cloth.
- Store sapphire apart from softer gems, because a Mohs 9 stone can scratch them.
- Follow the care needs of the setting as well as the stone. For plated metals, use the gold plated jewelry care guide.
How to Wear and Gift a September Birthstone
A September birthstone necklace is the easiest way to wear the month's color daily. A small pendant sits close to the collarbone and layers well with fine chains, and the necklace length guide helps you choose where it should fall.
Start with birthstone styles such as the Kali Birthstone Necklace, Noa Birthstone Necklace, Faye Birthstone Necklace and Celeste Birthstone Necklace. Check each product page for the stone used for September and current availability.
For more color options, browse gemstone rings, gemstone earrings and gemstone necklaces. September birthdays also fall under Virgo and Libra, so a sign piece from the zodiac collection makes a thoughtful pairing.
Frequently Asked Questions About the September Birthstone
What are the two birthstones for September?
The modern US list names only one September birthstone: sapphire, assigned in 1912 by the National Association of Jewelers. Lapis lazuli appears as a second, alternate September stone on some traditional and British charts. The two stones differ a lot in wear: sapphire ranks 9 on the Mohs scale, while lazurite, the main mineral in lapis, ranks about 5 to 5.5. Choose sapphire for rings and lapis for pendants or earrings.
Does September have three birthstones?
No official list gives September three birthstones. Sapphire is the single modern US stone, and lapis lazuli is the most common alternate. Confusion comes from sapphire's many colors: blue, pink, yellow and white sapphire can look like separate stones, but all are the same mineral, corundum. Some shoppers also choose blue spinel, a Mohs 8 gem, as a September look alike, though it is not an official birthstone.
What color is the September birthstone?
The September birthstone color is blue, the classic sapphire shade. Sapphire also occurs in pink, orange, yellow, green, violet, purple, white, gray, brown and black, and GIA notes that the name sapphire applies to any corundum that is not ruby red. That range means a September birthday gift can match personal style, from soft pink to inky navy, while staying true to the month.
Is a lab-created sapphire a real sapphire?
Yes. A lab-created sapphire is real corundum with the same chemical composition (Al2O3) and the same Mohs hardness of 9 as a mined stone. The difference is origin: lab stones are grown under controlled conditions, a process dating to the flame fusion method of the early 1900s. Lab-created sapphires usually cost less, so always ask whether a stone is natural or lab grown. Both are durable enough for everyday jewelry.
What is the rarest sapphire color?
Padparadscha is widely treated as the rarest sapphire color. GIA describes padparadscha as a rare and valuable pinkish orange sapphire, named for the Sinhalese word for lotus blossom. Fine blue sapphires from classic sources such as Kashmir are also highly prized. For September gifts, personal color preference matters more than rarity, since every sapphire shares the same Mohs 9 durability.
Find a September piece to celebrate the month in the EVRY gemstone necklaces collection.
