September birthstone: sapphire
The September birthstone is sapphire, best known in blue but found in many colours.
How to read it
Sapphire is corundum of any colour except red, which is ruby. The word on its own means the blue gem, but GIA and the International Gem Society both note that sapphires come in many other colours.
Also searched as: birthstone for September, sapphire birthstone, Sept birthstone.
Why sapphire is September's stone
The 1912 list made sapphire the September birthstone and moved peridot to August. George Kunz, writing in 1913, objected: he held sapphire to be properly the stone for April.
More birthstones
Sources
- September Birthstone: Sapphire (GIA), Gemological Institute of America
- Birthstone Chart: Modern and Traditional Birthstones, International Gem Society
- The Curious Lore of Precious Stones, by George Frederick Kunz, 1913, J. B. Lippincott (Project Gutenberg edition)
Last reviewed September 27, 2026 by Rory Hansen. How we research