Birthstones / September
September: Sapphire, Lab-created sapphire
Traditional: Sapphire · Blue; also pink, yellow, green, white, 'padparadscha' orange-pink · Mohs 9
What it is
Corundum in every color but red; from Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Myanmar, Montana and Australia. Hard enough for daily rings. Most sapphires are heated, which is stable and must be disclosed; lab-created sapphire is the same material and has been grown for over a century (it is also the glass on many watch faces).
In the glossary: Sapphire, Lab-created sapphire.
Care
Anything: soap, ultrasonic, steam.
Before you buy
Blue sapphire grades on saturation; a bright medium blue costs more than a very dark one. 'Sapphire' in a low-priced listing is usually lab-created or a blue spinel or glass; the word before the name tells you.
Sources: Jewelers of America modern birthstone list; GIA gem encyclopedia; FTC Jewelry Guides on treatment and lab-growth disclosure. Clasp & Lens does not appraise or grade stones; what a listing says is the supplier's statement.