The birthstone for September is the sapphire. It is renowned for its deep “cornflower” blue color, rich history and symbolic meaning of loyalty and nobility. While traditionally associated with blue, sapphires can come in a variety of colors. Blue however, is the most well known and prized.

Kashmir, Myanmar (formally Burma) and Sri Lanka are three historically important sources for the September birthstone. (Myanmar is also know as a source for jadeite, jade, spinel, zircon, amethyst, and peridot.) Additionally, significant quantities of sapphire have been found in Australia, Thailand, Cambodia, Madagascar and Montana, US. Other countries include Asia and Africa. Sapphires typically occurs around ruby deposits.

Sapphires were discovered in Kashmir around 1881 when a landslide high in the Himalayas exposed a large pocket of blue velvety gems. Spectacular sapphire began to appear farther south and from 1882-1887 thousands of large, beautiful crystals were recovered. The stones faceted from these crystals established Kashmir sapphires as the world’s most coveted gems. Production of those gems has been sporadic since then.