January I GARNET
Although garnet is commonly associated with the color red, these gemstones can be found in almost any color and are popular choices for jewelry of all types. That’s excellent news if you’re in the market for the January birthstone. The garnet family is one of the most complex in the gem world. It’s not a single species but rather consists of several species and varieties.
MEANING
Some believe that garnets are a protective stone, shielding the wearer from injury. This made them particularly popular amongst warriors and royalty. Occasionally associated with life-giving blood, red-variety garnets are also connected to vitality, love, and light.
COLOR
Depending on the type of garnet, you can choose from red, purplish, green, yellow, and orange options. It is not uncommon to find large garnet crystals with vibrant hues and clear transparency.
February I AMETHYST
Amethyst is crystalline quartz in colors ranging from pale lilac to deep reddish purple. It has a relatively high hardness of 7, which means it’s very scratch resistant. The February birthstone makes a fine gem for any kind of jewelry..
MEANING
As the color purple has long been connected with royalty, amethysts were favored by the ruling class. Over time, amethysts have also come to be associated with spirituality, mental clarity, and healing.
COLOR
Specifically a purple variety of quartz whose saturation may range from pale to vibrant. Generally speaking, vivid stones are more highly sought-after and valuable than paler ones.
March I AQUAMARINE
Named after the color of seawater, aquamarine is the blue to blue-green member of the beryl family. Readily available and moderately priced, the March birthstone makes an excellent jewelry stone.
MEANING
The name “aquamarine” comes from the Latin for “seawater”, and the stones were thought to protect seafarers. Some associate aquamarines with marital happiness and superior intellect.
COLOR
These stones can be found in both blue and blue/green hues. Aquamarine stones will always have light color saturation and tone so you will not see any dark blues or greens.
April I HERKIMER QUARTZ DIAMOND
The name of this gemstone comes from Herkimer County, New York, where the Mohawks discovered it. The majority of the structural qualities of Herkimer Diamonds are similar to those of other types of quartz.
MEANING
This stone helps with healing because of its brilliance and clarity. Believed to receive and magnify the influence of other stones and energy. Helps with research and study as this stone is believed to store knowledge.
COLOR
Like a diamond, it's translucent, yet some are hazy and colorless. It's an ideal crystal for any jewelry enthusiast or connoisseur. Herkimer diamonds are very uncommon, but it doesn't end up making them a little less desirable.
May I EMERALD
Emerald has been synonymous with the color green since ancient times. A fine emerald is a truly breathtaking sight, and this member of the beryl family deserves its placement among the traditional “Big Four” gems, along with diamond, ruby, and sapphire.
MEANING
Legand has it that wearing emeralds will imbue the wearer with heightened intelligence and allow them to think objectively. Others use the stone to promote healing. It has even been claimed that emeralds allow the wearer to predict the future.
COLOR
The best emeralds express an even, deep green. Some may have blue undertones. Emeralds are known to commonly include eye-visible inclusions. Generally speaking, the fewer the inclusions, the higher the value of the stone.
June
- MOONSTONE
- PEARL
- ALEXANDRITE
Moonstone is part of the feldspar mineral group. It is made of sodium potassium aluminum silicate and has a pearly opalescent look.
MEANING
Delight in the divine feminine, find your good fortune, and say yes to deeper levels of crystal healing with the powers of the Moonstone. This kaleidoscopic crystal loves to bring light into your life, and just like the cosmic rock that hangs in our sky, the Moonstone is connected to all our emotions, the turns of the tide, the light and the dark, and the depths of our own soul. The healing powers of the Moonstone crosses from the spiritual to the physical, take a look at all the ways this pearly stone can bring back balance…
COLOR
Moonstones are known to come in countless different colors, with the color of the mineral possible to vary from colorless to silver, brown, yellow, green, or pink. Moonstone can be transparent or translucent, and to varying degrees. The most valued stones have a blue luster and perfect transparency. And, of course, a quality moonstone must have adularescence, which is one of the main factors in their popularity.
Pearls are the only gems found within living creatures, both salt and freshwater mollusks. However, most pearls on the market today are cultivated or cultured, since they now occur extremely rarely in nature. While pearls require special care, they have an enduring appeal for jewelry, particularly as the traditional June birthstone.
MEANING
The finest pearls display unblemished surfaces with even coloring. Thus, there is a natural association with qualities like honesty, purity, and wisdom. Some cultures associate pearls with the divine, believing that pearls were tears shed from heaven, while others placed pearls in the graves of their loved ones. Ancient Chinese lore claims that pearls represent wisdom and power and are carried by dragons.
COLOR
While most still think of pearls as white, they are now available in a range of colors including black, green, gold, silver, and various pastels depending on where they were farmed.
“Emerald by day, ruby by night,” alexandrite is well-known for displaying one of the most remarkable color changes in the gem world — green in sunlight and red in incandescent light. However, this modern June birthstone is so rare and expensive few people have even seen a natural alexandrite.
MEANING
Alexandrite was first discovered in Russia in the early 19th century, and quickly became a favorite of Russian royalty. It was named after the future Czar Alexander II. Alexandrite is worn to enhance the intellect and invite good luck.
COLOR
When exposed to sunlight, high-quality alexandrite will take on a bluish-green color reminiscent of emeralds. At night, under incandescent lighting conditions, the gemstone will, instead, appear a purplish-red color akin to rubies. High-quality stones display clear and distinct color changes, while the color of lower-quality stones may appear to have a mixed/muddied appearance.
July I RUBY
One of the most popular traditional jewelry stones, ruby is exceptionally durable. Its colors — always red — can reach vivid levels of saturation. Fine-quality rubies are some of the most expensive gemstones, with record prices over $1,000,000 per carat.
MEANING
Rubies have long been connected with physicality and strength. Favored by warriors, rubies were thought to be intimately connected with the human body. They were credited with increasing the strength and stamina of the wearer. Rubies were also thought to calm anger and help the wearer navigate passionate social situations.
COLOR
Rubies are a radiant red gemstone. Technically, rubies and sapphires are both corundum. Rubies are corundum gems that have a dominant red hue. However, you can find rubies with orange or pink undertones.
August
- PERIDOT
- SPINEL
The modern August birthstone, peridot has been prized as a jewelry stone since ancient times. Always green in color but with considerable variations, a peridot’s particular shade depends on its source.
MEANING
Peridots have been credited with protecting their wearer during the night. This is due to the fact that the lively appearance of peridot fostered ancient associations between the gemstone and the sun. It was thought that keeping the stone close during dark hours repelled nighttime evil spirits.
COLOR
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Spinel is actually a large group of minerals. Gahnite, hercynite, ceylonite, picotite, and galaxite are all part of the spinel group. These materials are very dark and rarely used as gems.
MEANING
Spinel is a stone of hope, revitalization, and feeling the joy of being alive. It comes in a wide range of colors, which means it can be used to revitalize every chakra. Spinel is perfect to to reach for when you're feeling a lack of energy or enthusiasm, or finding it hard to pull out of negative thoughts.
COLOR
Various shades of red, blue, green; also brown, black, gray, lilac, purple, orange, orange-red, rose, nearly colorless.
September I SAPPHIRE
Few gems have held our attention over millennia as well as sapphire. Its pure blue colors and excellent durability make it an exceptional gemstone. However, not all sapphires are blue. The September birthstone comes in many colors.
MEANING
Sapphires are considered a protective gemstone. They may shield the wearer from physical harm as well as bad intentions and envy. It was also thought that sapphires had medicinal properties. Blue sapphires are considered a highly spiritual stone worn by priests. Lastly, sapphires are among the few gemstones that can exhibit natural asterism in the form of a six-rayed star.
COLOR
Like rubies, sapphires are corundum gems. They occur in a full rainbow variety of colors, except red. (Red corundum is ruby). Sapphires will be marketed according to their color, i.e., yellow sapphire or purple sapphire. However, the word “sapphire” on its own refers specifically to the blue variety.
October
- OPAL
- TOURMALINE
Opals are in a class by themselves. As a species, opal is so unique its patterns have their own descriptive vocabulary. More than any other gem, each opal is distinctly individual. Opals are also the most delicate gemstones commonly worn and require special care.
MEANING
Perhaps due to their dynamic appearance, opals are associated with light and magic. As such, some credited opals with healing properties, especially for the eyes. Some believed that opals could even make the wearer invisible. While some cling to negative superstitions about opals, others wear them for good luck.
COLOR
Some opals can display the phenomenon known as play-of-color, dazzling flashes of color that move as the stone is turned. Opals are the only gems that can show this effect, but not all opals do.
No other gem comes in as many colors, including multi-colors, as tourmaline, the modern October birthstone. Some of these color combinations are incredible.
MEANING
Tourmalines enjoy worldwide popularity. Some people believe tourmalines have healing and stress relieving properties. Tourmalines have also been credited with boosting creativity and are favored by artists and writers. Others wear them to soothe a broken heart.
COLOR
Tourmalines occur naturally in a wide range of colors. Some of these color varieties are known by trade names. Dark pink to red tourmalines are called “rubellites.” Neon-blue tourmalines known as “paraíbas” are highly prized. Unlike most other birthstones, tourmalines can even show zones of different colors in a single gem, like striking “watermelon tourmalines” with red, white, and green areas.
November I CITRINE
Citrine is the yellow to red-orange variety of crystalline quartz. Clever marketing and the rise of “earth tone” fashions have made this durable and readily available gem a popular modern birthstone in recent years.
MEANING
A cousin of amethyst, citrine is also part of the quartz family. Citrine is predominantly associated with healing and happiness. Whether you’re having a stomach ache, suffering from insomnia, or just feeling stressed, citrines are thought to bring relief.
COLOR
Citrines are famous for their warm orange and yellow hues, perhaps with some hints of brown. They can also come in large sizes. A notable proportion of citrines on the market come out of the ground as unimpressive amethysts or smokey quartzes. These stones are subsequently heated to enhance the yellow and orange colors.
December
- BLUE TOPAZ
- TANZANITE
- ZIRCON
Most blue topazes come out of the earth colorless or pale blue. A two-step heat and radiation laboratory treatment is then used to turn these stones vivid greenish blue. Blue topazes are not only beautiful but inexpensive.
MEANING
Through the ages, topaz has been popularly associated with wealth. This is likely due to its more common yellow color, which led some to believe that topaz had the mystical ability to attract gold.
COLOR
Blue topaz are refered to by trade names such as “London Blue,” “Swiss Blue,” and “Sky Blue.” London Blues have a dark steel blue or grayish blue color. Swiss Blues show a highly saturated greenish blue. Sky Blues show pale blue colors and may somewhat resemble aquamarines in hue and tone.
Found in Tanzania, tanzanite can show intense blue and violet hues after heat treatment. It can mimic fine sapphire at a fraction of the price but requires a protective setting.
MEANING
Tanzanite is believed by some to facilitate a higher consciousness, intuition, and perception. Its blue color is also thought to bring calmness to the wearer.
COLOR
Blue and violet tanzanites can also exhibit a slight color shift, depending on the light source.
Zircon is a natural, magnificent, and underrated gemstone that has been worn and treasured since ancient times. It’s not cubic zirconia. Zircons come in many colors, but blue is the most highly prized. Blue zircon has become a modern December birthstone.
MEANING
Due to the fact that blue colors are generally considered a soothing and spiritual color, it comes as no surprise that blue zircons are associated with serenity and purity.
COLOR
Blue zircon displays a light yet saturated color. Most blue zircon has been exposed to heat treatment to maximize its appearance.