What you should know about Birthstones.
Just about everyone knows what his or her birthstone is. Why is that?
Because people still enjoy the folklore associated with the tradition of the birthstone. They like believing that wearing a birthstone brings them good luck and protects them.
Early civilization as far back as the Assyrians (1400 BC) invested rare and beautiful gemstones with magical properties. Some minerals were thought to contain a force or possess certain values and powers. For instance, amethyst was said to prevent intoxication.
Tradition associates a gem with each sign of the zodiac based on a color system. Color was thought to unleash the power attributed to the stone.
In time, birthstones became associated with calendar months rather than the zodiac. And people began to select birthstones in colors other than the original.
The Roman, Arabic, Jewish, Polish, Russian and Italian lists were all different.
The following list of birthstones, which is the one commonly used today, was adopted in 1912 by the American National Association of Jewelers, which later evolved into the Jewelers of America.
Month Color Stone
January :: Garnet
February :: Purple Amethyst
March :: Pale Blue Aquamarine
April :: White (Clear) Diamond
May :: Bright Green Emerald
June :: Cream Pearl Moonstone
July :: Red Ruby
August :: Pale Green Peridot
September :: Deep Blue Sapphire
October :: Variegated Opal or Tourmaline
November :: Citrine or Yellow Topaz
December :: Sky Blue Turquoise or Blue Topaz
The following information includes the fascinating facts and folklore attributed to each birthstone.
January :: Garnet
Garnet is the accepted birthstone for the month of January. It is also the accepted anniversary gemstone for the second year of marriage.
When most people think of garnet, they picture the dark red bohemian garnet that was popular in Victorian times. You may be surprised to learn that garnets are found in every color except blue, including brilliant green tsavorite garnet, raspberry pink rhodolite garnet, and orange malaya garnet. Bright red "anthill" garnets are found in Arizona. The Tsars of Russia favored rare green damantoid garnets.
Garnets offer enough variety in appearance to suit every taste, as well as an outstanding price range to suit every pocketbook. Legend holds that Noah hung a large garnet in the ark for illumination. It reportedly also gives its wearer guidance in the night, protection from nightmares, and according to the Egyptians, is an antidote for snake bites and food poisoning. It was also thought to have a special affinity with the blood.
Garnets are durable and brilliant and will give years of pleasure.
As with all gemstones, care should be taken to protect it from scratches, sharp blows, and extreme tempera-ture changes.
Garnets are found in the U.S., Africa, Sri Lanka, Brazil and India.
February :: Amethyst Amethyst is the recognized birthstone for February and the accepted anniversary gemstone for the sixth year of marriage.
Amethyst is a variety of quartz, and comes in pale lilac to rich, deep purple shades. Ideally, it is a deep medium purple with rose-colored flashes that give amethyst its beauty and fire.
Because of its abundance, it is readily available in all sizes and shapes. It is durable and can be worn every day. Coupled with the folk legend of the Greeks that it will prevent intoxication when worn, it becomes a most desirable gem!
Amethyst was said to have a sobering effect on the wearer-not only those who indulged but on those over-excited by love's passion as well. It has symbolized peace, protection and tranquility. Some say it will prevent baldness and improve the complexion, as well as protect from treason and deceit. Because royalty has always adored the color purple, amethysts abound in the ornaments of ancient Greeks and Egyptians, and in the British Crown Jewels.
As with all gemstones, care should be taken to protect it from scratches and sharp blows.
It is found mainly in Brazil, Uruguay and Zambia.
March :: Aquamarine If you can picture the cerulean blue waters of the Mediterranean, you will understand why the birthstone for March is named Aquamarine. Derived from the Roman word "Aqua," meaning water, and "mare," meaning sea, this pale blue gem does indeed resemble the color of seawater and is a member of the Beryl family of stones.
The ancient Romans believed that the Aquamarine was sacred to Neptune, the god of the sea, having fallen from the jewel boxes of sirens and washed onto shore. Early sailors wore aquamarine talismans, engraved with the likeness of Neptune, as protection against dangers at sea.
The color ranges from very light to medium light blue, frequently with a light touch of green and the color is determined by the amount of iron in it.
A gift of Aquamarine symbolizes both safety and security, especially within long standing relationships. Some people even say that the Aquamarine reawakens love in a tired marriage to have a soothing influence on married couples and its power to help husbands and wives work out their differences.
Folklore states Aquamarine is said to protect sailors while they are at sea. The gems were also worn to prevent seasickness and other types of stomach ailments. A dream of aquamarine means that you will meet new friends, so if you want to bring back that spark in your partner's eyes, you might consider this gem as an anniversary gift!
Aquamarine is found in Brazil, Africa and in all other continents.
Aquamarine is very durable and well suited for jewelry..
April :: Diamond Diamonds are the hardest substance on earth. They are more brilliant than any other natural gem. Their sparkling fire, durability, and rarity make them the most prized of gems. Diamonds are made, at high temperature and under tremendous pressure, in the kiln of the Earth below the ground. They are most coveted for their brilliance and the investment, they represent. Diamond (from the ancient Greek ἀδάμας adámas, meaning "unbreakable," "proper," or "unalterable") is one of the best-known and most sought-after gemstones. Diamonds have been known to humankind and used as decorative items since ancient times; some of the earliest references can be traced to India.
The most popular diamonds are colorless. However, most diamonds have a light tint, usually yellowish or brownish. Yellow diamonds as of recently have gained popularity and are popular in fine karat jewelry. Very rarely, diamond occurs in deep hues of red, blue, and green. Such diamonds, known as "fancies", are extremely valuable.
Diamonds are associated with love and romance. It is the stone traditionally chosen for engagement rings. And, rightly so, because diamonds foster unity, trust, and fidelity.
Diamonds are the most lustrous of true gems. They have a brilliant luster, and also exhibit dazzling color flashes known as "fire". This is caused by dispersion, where light enters the diamond and splits into the colors of the spectrum.
When diamonds flash when you move them in the light--that effect is called scintillation, and it occurs when light bounces among the facets.
A grading system, instituted by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), was implemented to evaluate diamonds based on their clarity. Three additional evaluation systems were devised by the GIA. This leads to four attributes, known as "the four C's", in which diamonds are evaluated:
The color of diamond is graded on an alphabetical scale ranging from D to Y. This scale measures the color saturation, ranging from absolutely colorless to deep yellow (or yellow-brown). D is bright white -- not a hint any other color. Y is deep yellow or yellow-brown. The letters in-between D and Y indicate the color, depending on the amount of yellow. The bar below depicts the letter and the color saturation it represents. (The bar is not limited to yellow; it may also be yellow-brown.) The letter Z in the color grade of a diamond indicates that it is a fancy, or deep-colored diamond.
The cut, or facet of the diamond, is the manner in which the diamond is cut. The most preferred cut is the brilliant cut, a facet specially designed to bring out the most "fire" in the stone. Other cuts are not as valuable as the brilliant cut.
Clarity is graded on the size and notice ability of the flaws and inclusions. Letters are assigned to a stone to label the quality of its clarity.
The size of a diamond is measured in carats (abbreviated as "ct"). Larger diamonds are worth more than proportionally smaller ones, meaning a 3 ct. diamond surpasses the value of three 1ct. diamonds. There are diamonds of all sizes and prices, and you can discuss them frankly with Mark at Argenti Designer Jewelers.
May :: Emerald
Emerald is the birthstone for the month of May. It is also the anniversary gemstone for the 20th and 35th years of marriage.
Emerald is one of the most highly-prized of all the gems. The name comes from the Greek "smaragdos" which means green stone. The most prized is pure grass green.
Emeralds are often characterized by a garden of included crystals trapped within, known as the "jardin", because under magnification you will see all sorts of lovely patterns resembling foliage in a garden. A flawless, clear emerald is very rare and is usually found in only small sizes. Small to medium sized stones are often faceted in the "step" or emerald cut. The gem is also lovely when cut into a cabochon or dome shape. Sometimes emeralds are even carved.
According to legend, the wearing of emerald not only cured a wide range of ailments, including low I.Q., poor eyesight and infertility, but also enabled the wearer to predict the future.
As part of the normal fashioning process, most emeralds are immersed in colorless oil or resin so small voids are not as noticeable.
Care should be taken to protect it from scratches, sharp blows, household chemicals, and extreme temperature changes. Do not use a home ultrasonic machine.
Emeralds are found mainly in Colombia, Brazil, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
June :: Pearl
Pearl is the official birthstone of the month of June.
The word Pearl is derived from the Latin word "pirum" which means "pear" and reflects the shape of the gem.
Pearl is from one of the humblest of life forms, the mollusk, comes the pearl -- a gem of unsurpassed beauty and elegance. Ancient civilizations had many stories to explain the origin of June's birthstone, such as the Greek belief that pearls were the hardened tears of joy that the goddess of love shook from her eyes as she was born from the sea. According to Arab legend, pearls were formed when oysters were lured from the depths of the ocean by the beautiful moon and then swallowed moonlit dewdrops. And the Ancient Chinese thought that these gems originated from the brains of dragons.
Pearls have been a passion and even an obsession of people throughout the ages. They have been ground up and used in cosmetics and as a medicine to treat heart and stomach conditions. Some cultures swear by pearls as an aphrodisiac. These gems have adorned crowns, clothing, and temples, and were said to be a favorite of Cleopatra.
The ancient Romans also enjoyed the pearl as being symbolic of prominence and prosperity, while the rich among them banned those less fortunate from being able to own pearls. They actually upholstered their furniture and beaded their clothing with pearls.
Pearls, according to Indian mythology, were dewdrops from heaven that fell into the sea. They were caught by shellfish under the first rays of the rising sun, during a period of full moon. In India, warriors encrusted their swords with pearls to symbolize the tears and sorrow that a sword brings.
A pearl is created when a very small fragment of rock, sand grain or parasite enters the oyster or clam. It irritates the mollusk, who responds by coating the foreign material with layer upon layer of shell material. Those formed within the tissue of the mollusk are either spherical or pear-shaped, and are highly sought out for jewelry.
Some pearls also come in delicate shades of black, cream, gray, blue, yellow, lavender, green and mauve. Black pearls can be found in the Gulf of Mexico and waters off some islands in the Pacific Ocean. The Persian Gulf and Sri Lanka are well-known for exquisite cream-colored pearls called Orientals.
Whatever their origins, pearls are magnificent!
You are cordially invited to Argenti Designer Jewelers to view the entire collection of Affordable, Unique Designer Jewelry set in 14 K Gold or Sterling Silver.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
July :: Ruby
Which one of all the colors would you automatically associate with love, passion and power? Of course it's Red. Red is the color of love. It radiates warmth and strength. And red is also the color of the ruby, called the king of gemstones. Rubies are light pink to blood red in color. The brightest and best red in ruby colors is called Pigeon Blood Red. The red of the ruby is unequaled in warmth and fire. Ruby red is not just any old color, it is a sensual, passionate, powerful color. The ruby is the perfect way to express powerful feelings. Jewelry with a precious rubies attests to that passionate, intense love that people can feel for each other.
Ruby is the red variety of the mineral corundum, one of the hardest minerals on Earth, of which the sapphire is also a variety.
The ruby is considered to be the most powerful gem in the universe, and is associated with many astral signs. To own a ruby is said to have contentment and peace. Placed under a pillow the ruby may ward off bad dreams. Given as a gift, the ruby is a symbol of friendship and love. The ruby is also the symbol of vitality and royalty.
Ruby brings love, confidence, loyalty, and courage. It instills stamina, vitality and strength. A good stone for removing blocked energies in the reproductive system. It re-energizes one after exhaustion. Also good for balancing the blood's sugar. It also helps to reduce negative thought patterns.Additionally, Ruby works with the flow of blood as an aid to circulation. It aids the cleansing and removal of infection or germs in the blood.
Ruby allows you to face old fears and put them behind you. It is the chosen stone for many Leaders, Kings and Priests for its ability to guide and help which path to take or if you are stuck in a rut of any kind, (work, love etc.). It is said that if you keep a ruby with you either loose or wearing it in a piece of jewelry, you should then become clear as to what you should do.
Rubies are mined in Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Kenya, Madagascar, and Cambodia, but they have also been found in the U.S. states of Montana, North Carolina and South Carolina.
The ruby is considered one of the four precious stones, together with sapphire, emerald, and diamond.
Prices of rubies are primarily determined by color. The brightest and most valuable "red" called pigeon blood-red, commands a huge premium over other rubies of similar quality.
Rubies have a hardness of 9.0 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness. Among the natural gems diamonds are harder, with diamond having a Mohs hardness of 10.0.
Ruby's wisdom is in teaching you how precious you are.
You were created in Love and meant to be happy.
August :: Peridot
Peridot is the accepted birthstone for August. It is also the accepted anniversary gemstone for the 16th year of marriage.
Peridot should be a lively lime green, without a brownish or olive cast.
Peridot is the child of volcanic action. Tiny peridot crystals are sometimes combed from the black sands of Hawaii.
Peridots were favored by pirates, considered powerful amulets against all evil, and when set in gold, were said to protect the wearer from the terrors of the night. They had medicinal uses, too. If fashioned into a chalice from which medicines were drunk, they intensified the effects of the drug.
Care should be taken to protect peridot from scratches, sharp blows, household chemicals and extreme temperature changes. Do not use a home ultrasonic machine for cleaning.
The peridot is abundant, and is available in larger sizes. It is found in Burma and the U.S.
The most important source of peridot in the world is the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation near Globe, Arizona, where it is mined by native Americans.
Large sizes are mined in Myanmar (Burma) and peridot is also found in China.
September :: Sapphire
Sapphire is the September birthstone as well as the accepted anniversary gem for the 5th and 45th years of marriage.
Sapphire, a variety of corundum, comes in all colors except red (the red variety being known as ruby), but is especially popular in deep blue. Fancy colored sapphires-including pink, green, orange, and golden yellow-are magnificent when combined in a necklace or bracelet.
Prince Charles chose a blue sapphire for Princess Diana's engagement ring. The stone's durability, combined with its beauty, makes it the perfect alternative for an engagement ring.
Ancient priests and sorcerers honored sapphire above all gems, for this stone enabled them to interpret oracles and foretell the future. Ancients believed the Ten Commandments were written on a sapphire tablet. Marriage partners put great faith in the stone. If its luster dimmed, one knew his or her spouse had been unfaithful. Sapphire refused to shine when worn by the wicked or impure.
As part of the customary fashioning process, virtually all blue, yellow and golden sapphires are heated to permanently produce or intensify their color.
As with all gemstones, care should be taken to protect it from scratches and sharp blows.
Sapphire is found in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar (Burma), Kasmir, Australia, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, China and the U.S.
October :: Opal
Opal is the October birthstone as well as the accepted anniversary gemstone for the 14th year of marriage.
The well-known Roman naturalist Pliny described opal as "made up of the glories of the most precious gems... the gentler fire of the ruby, the rich purple of the amethyst, the sea-green of the emerald, glittering together..."
White opal has a white or light body color with flashes of many colors. Black opal has a black, dark blue, dark green or gray body color with vivid flashes of color such as red, pink and bright green.
Opal has symbolized hope, innocence and purity through the ages. In the Middle Ages, young, fair-haired girls wore opals in their hair to protect its lovely blond color. Medieval writers believed opal could render its wearer invisible when the need arose. It was also said to have a beneficial effect on eyesight. It was thought to banish evil spirits and favor children, the theater, amusements, friendships and feelings.
Care should be taken to protect it from scratches, sharp blows, household chemicals, and extreme temperature changes. To maintain the brilliance of opal, it should be wiped clean with a soft cloth. Do not use a home ultrasonic machine or jewelry cleaner.
Opal sources are Australia, Mexico and the U.S.
Sometimes tourmaline is used as a birthstone for October and spans the spectrum from red to violet. It also occurs in color combinations in one stone which accounts for its popularity. It is not as fragile as opal and is sometimes selected by those who prefer faceted stones.
November :: Citrine
Citrine is a name derived from the French word “citron” which means “lemon”. It is actually a gemstone that is given the name because of its lemon-yellow color.
During the ancient times, the gemstone citrine was worn by travelers and nomads because it is believed to carry a protection against snake venom, evil and impure thoughts. It is even nicknamed as the “success stone” since it is known to attract abundance, prosperity and success.
Citrine is believed to help the heart, kidney, digestive tract, liver and muscles. It also promotes creativity, helps personal clarity and eliminates self-destructive tendencies. It is one of the few minerals on the planet which does not hold and accumulate negative energy, but dissipates and transmutes it, working out problems on both physical and subtle levels. Citrine is called merchant's stone and some merchants place citrine in their cash registers to help produce more income. Diminishes most self-destructive tendencies and raises the self esteem, lightheartedness, cheerfulness, hope.
The gemstone Citrine is the official birthstone for the month of November as adopted by the American National Association of Jewelers in 1912. It is also the Planetary stone for the Sun Sign of Virgo and the accepted gem for the 13th and 17th wedding anniversary.
Citrine is a variety of quartz ranging in colors of yellow, yellow-brown, orange, dark orange-brown, reddish-brown. Citrine crystals can form together with amethyst or smoky quartz to form a bi-colored quartz called ametrine.
Most citrine comes from Brazil and natural citrine can also be found in the Ural Mountains of Russia, in Dauphine, France, and in Madagascar. Darker colors are considered more valuable, including the medium golden orange.
December :: Blue Topaz
Blue Topaz is the accepted birthstone for December and is the accepted anniversary gemstone for the 11th year of marriage.
Blue topaz has become a popular gemstone for those who prefer faceted stones.
Sky Blue Topaz, Swiss Blue Topaz, London Blue Topaz are names used in the gem trades to refer to the depth of color. Sky Blue is the lightest while London Blue is the darkest blue.
A mineral of somewhat varying composition belonging to the silicate group. It is not a quartz and therefore has nothing in common with citrine quartz, a far less valuable stone. True topaz may be yellow, gold, pink, blue, green, mauve or red It does not reflect the light to any great extent; so the larger the stone the better. It is widely used in jewelry making and frequently imitated by citrine quartz.
Whatever the color, topaz has some wonderful gem qualities due to its high refractive index and its ability to take a fabulous polish. At hardness 8 topaz makes a good gem for occasional wear rings, pendants, earrings or brooches. It comes from Brazil, where it is as widespread as amethyst, Australia, Madagascar, USA, Mexico and Ceylon. |