SEPTEMBER’S BIRTHSTONE - Sapphire Jewellery

Calmness, soothing ness, peacefulness and tranquillity: all are feelings we associate with the colour blue, which happens to be the colour of September’s birthstone, Sapphire. A gemstone that has hypnotized eyes across civilizations and adorned a lengthy list of royals those born in September are lucky to deem it their stone.

Although sapphire is often seen as a considerable opposite to July’s red Ruby — with a whole different vibe altogether — both gemstones are actually made of the same mineral, Corundum, and separated by the iron found in sapphire and chromium in ruby. Because of its corundum composition, sapphire has a hardness level of 9 (only just below that of Diamond, the hardest known gemstone) making it not only lovely to look at but functional, even being used in car windshields. The earliest known sapphires take us to Sri Lanka, where these stones were then found in Etruscan jewellery dating back to 600-275 BC. The name ‘sapphire’ comes from the Latin word ‘saphirus’ and Greek word ‘sappheiros’, both of which mean blue. Across history the powerful blue gemstone was often associated with nobility and regality, being worn around the necks of kings for protection. In the middle ages, they were believed to dispel evil thoughts and bring about peace. In the 1800s, the traveller Sir Richard Francis Burton was known to carry along a star sapphire which he’d show to people along his travels, believing it to bring good luck. In more recent years, sapphires have grown in desirability. This can be accredited to Prince Charles’s engagement ring for Princess Diana, the same ring now worn by Kate Middleton.

By their colour alone, sapphires can have a great effect on their wearers and adorers. With their deep blue hue soothing the eyes, reminiscent of both the sea and the sky as well as the powerful vastness that accompanies them. Known to bring balance to emotions, sapphires are synonymous with stability, purity, and stillness, as they cleanse any negative thoughts, enhancing mental clarity and creativity. For this, they are perceived as an intellectual’s stone and the stone that symbolizes wisdom. It’s not uncommon to get stuck in a rut nowadays or to find ourselves wrapped up in the stresses that may accompany everyday life. A lovely sapphire charm might be just what’s needed to reground and get the ball rolling once more.

Sapphires stimulate the throat chakra, and when placed on it, allow for all the other chakras to exit and be expressed. This helps with the release of frustrations and the sense of stability that sapphires bring about. They restore balance between the physical, mental, and spiritual planes, as they channel sobriety and decisiveness.

Symbolic with new love and faithfulness, sapphires make an elegant alternative to a diamond when considering gifts for a loved one. As with the sapphire ring now having been worn by two princesses of the royal family — they exude regality and flourish with charm. Traditionally they are the gift for one’s 45th anniversary, emphasizing the commitment between two partners, but that sentiment holds strong for younger relationships too. Gift a loved one a piece of sapphire jewellery and the gemstones soothing ness will help bring about security between both partners, letting the world know of the deep blue maturity you hold for one another.

Abundant in elegance and mystique, style your sapphire jewellery with those elements in mind. Though elegant, sapphire makes for a splendid everyday companion. No matter if you’re concentrating at the office, dressing up for a special night, or travelling on a vision quest like Sir Richard Francis Burton with his star sapphire. The endless gaze of a blue sapphire stone signals both depth and wisdom and will draw curiosity from those in its presence. An anonymous poet once described the unique shade of blue that pertains to sapphire as “the blue of a clear sky just minutes after sundown”, and we couldn’t agree.