Birthstones By Month

• January Birthstone - Garnet
• February Birthstone- Amethyst
• March Birthstone - Aquamarine
• April Birthstone - Diamond
• May Birthstone - Emerald
• June Birthstone - Pearl
• July Birthstone - Ruby
• August Birthstone - Peridot
• September Birthstone - Sapphire
• October Birthstone - Opal
• November Birthstone - Topaz
• December Birthstone - Blue Topaz
  
  

January Birthstone - Garnet

Garnet, the birthstone for January, symbolizes passionate devotion, friendship, vitality, and balance. The majority of garnet is mined from Africa; however, deposits can also be found in the United States, Canada, Spain, Thailand, and the Czech Republic. While the most popular color of a garnet is reddish-brown, it comes in other colors such as purple, pink, violet, green, yellow, orange, red, brown, black, and even colorless. Garnet was named after the pomegranate seed, called granatum, by the Greeks. Its earliest usage is believed to have been in the form of beads and jewelry as early as 3100 B.C. in Egypt.

February Birthstone- Amethyst

Amethyst, the birthstone for February, symbolizes sincerity and security. The stone’s purple tones range from deep, dark violet, to the less coveted pale lavender. The gem’s rich color is associated with royalty and nobility. Amethyst is said to have been Catherine the Great’s favorite gemstone and dark-hued stones are found in today’s British Crown Jewels. It is important to keep amethysts away from the sun, as heat strips the gem of color and causes it to turn yellow. Evidence points to the use of amethyst by Egyptian nobility beginning around 3,000 B.C., when it was used in pendants, bracelets, and crowns. Stones mined from South America tend to be bigger in size, but smaller stones mined from Africa are thought to have superior color.

March Birthstone - Aquamarine

Aquamarine, the birthstone for March, symbolizes loyalty, honesty, and beauty. Aquamarine is a pastel stone that is greenish-blue in color. The name is derived from Latin, meaning “sea” and “water.” Hues range from a nearly colorless whitish-blue to a rich teal, but the most valued color is a vivid blue aqua shade. Because of its durability, aquamarine is often used in rings. However, many believe that its beautiful color is better suited to more delicate settings of earrings and pendants. In the U.S., aquamarine deposits are found in the eastern states of Connecticut, Maine, North Carolina, Vermont, and New Hampshire, as well as the western state of Colorado. Aquamarine is also mined in India, Russia, Nigeria, and Pakistan, but the best gems are said to come from Brazil.

April Birthstone - Diamond

Diamond, the birthstone for April, is the most popular of all gemstones. A diamond is a mineral compound made of pure carbon and is the hardest natural substance on the planet. For this reason, diamonds should always be stored separately, as they can damage other jewelry. They are so strong they can only be cut or polished by another diamond. The name itself is derived from the Greek word “adamus,” which means “invincible.” Diamonds are typically colorless, but yellow, brown, green, gray, black, pink, blue, red, and purple stones can also be found along the diamond color spectrum. Jewelry-grade diamonds are rated based on color from bluish-white to yellow, and on clarity, which ranges from pure to various levels of flawed. Diamonds are measured in carats—the higher the carat weight and purity level of a stone, the more valuable the gem.

May Birthstone - Emerald

Emerald, the birthstone for May, represents wisdom, faith, success in love, and domestic bliss. Known for its brilliant green color, emerald can also have blue or yellow undertones and loses all color when subjected to high heat. The earliest emeralds were mined in Upper Egypt as early as 2,000 B.C. They were mined throughout the reign of Alexander the Great and were well-loved and collected by Cleopatra. The Aztecs and Incas also coveted emeralds, and the Moguls of India revered them so much they inscribed the gems with sacred text to be used to ward off evil. Historically, emeralds have been mined from Russia, Austria, Australia, and Norway. Today, the majority of emeralds are found in Brazil, Zambia, and Columbia.

June Birthstone - Pearl

Pearl, the birthstone for June, symbolizes success, happiness, and love. Unlike most other gemstones, pearls are not mined. The most highly valued pearls are created inside of saltwater oysters and freshwater clams whose shells are lined with mother-of-pearl, or nacre. Pearls from other mollusks lack the desired luster and are considered to be of less value. When a foreign particle enters the mollusk’s mantle, shell-secreting cells attach themselves to the particle and form a protective barrier. The resulting pearl is measured in grains and is more sensitive to elements such as humidity, acid, and dryness than other gemstones. Cultured pearls are essentially the same as those found in nature, the only difference being that a foreign particle is intentionally inserted into the mollusk with the express purpose of creating a gemstone. The process of “pearling” began before 1,000 B. C. in China and continues today in many freshwater and saltwater areas of the world.

July Birthstone - Ruby

coming soon

August Birthstone - Peridot

coming soon

September Birthstone - Sapphire

coming soon

October Birthstone - Opal

coming soon

November Birthstone - Topaz

December Birthstone - Blue Topaz

coming soon