If your September birthday girl is also the one you’re planning to marry,  surprise her with a beautiful sapphire and diamond engagement ring this year? Even before Princess Diana chose her epic 18 carat sapphire and diamond engagement ring after Prince Charles popped the question back in 1981, sapphires were popular as center stones and accent stones in both engagement and wedding rings. Sapphires are the birthstone for September, and they are also one of the most highly valued gemstone out there. The sapphire’s folklore claims that the stone’s powers include spiritual enlightenment and inner peace. The sapphire is said to possess healing properties for colic, rheumatism, depression and mental illness.  The sapphire is believed to aid psychokinesis (the ability to move things with the mind, to bend metal spoons and keys, and to be able to influence the outcome of events. The sapphire is also believed to be an aid in telepathy, clairvoyance and astral projection. There are sapphires that cost more than good quality diamonds, and of course there are more affordable sapphires, as the range of the blue gemstones is wide. Color is the primary determining factor when it comes to a sapphire’s value.  A medium blue saturated sapphire is the most desirable.  But sapphire color can vary dramatically in shades of blue, and so can their prices. Visible inclusions or flaws are fairly common in sapphires, and can affect the stone’s value. Visibility and type of inclusion is what matters, although a sapphire that has no blemishes visible to the naked eye may still have inclusions visible under magnification. If you choose a heavily included sapphire, you lose the brilliance that is characteristic of the gemstone. Cut is the next factor when it comes to evaluating a sapphire for an engagement ring. Some cuts cost less than others, but there are also specific features in the cut of a sapphire that can raise or lower the stone’s value. Carat is what determines the cost, as is the case with most gemstones. Sapphires above one carat are going to start getting very pricey; large sapphires always command a higher value that two small sapphires that add up to the same weight. Sapphires are mined worldwide, although the highest quality sapphires come from Ceylon. Burma, Madagascar, and Thailand produce large quantities of sapphires, and these sapphires will cost less than sapphires from Ceylon. Sapphires are among the hardest gemstones, second only to diamonds, which make them a perfect stone for a ring that will receive a lifetime of everyday wear. A sapphire and diamond engagement ring is as striking as it gets. Sapphires can also be found in pink, yellow, and green, although it is the rich blue sapphire that most people look for. Blue sapphires combined with diamonds translate to chic elegance with a timeless appeal. Whether or not your bride is a September birthday girl, a sapphire and diamond engagement ring will sweep her off her feet. If she is a September birthday girl, make it a birthday she’ll always remember with a sapphire and diamond proposal.