~ Birthstone Lists: Modern and Ancient ~

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 originals.

Early his century jewelers together created a the list of "modern" birthstones. Note that the modern consists of only transparent gems. This makes it much easier to create a memento jewelry like mothers rings and bracelets. Imagine trying to make piece containing a pearl, a cabochon of turquoise, ruby and an emerald look pretty. The ancient list is still used and people commonly mix the two.

January: 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. Garnets are durable and brilliant and will give years of pleasure. Care should be taken to protect garnet from scratches, sharp blows, and extreme temperature changes. Garnets are found in the United States, Africa, Sri Lanka, Brazil and India. [top]

February: 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. Care should be taken to protect it from scratches and sharp blows. It is found mainly in Brazil, Uruguay and Zambia. [top]

March: The ideal color of aquamarine is pastel sea blue. Stones with a clear blue color without green or gray are generally the most valuable. It is a member of the beryl family, which also includes emerald. As part of the normal finishing process, some aquamarines are heated to remove traces of green and yellow. To maintain the brilliance of this beautiful gemstone, it should be immersed in jewelry cleaner or in lukewarm soapy water and cleaned with a small bristle brush. Do not use an ultrasonic machine to clean aquamarine. Care should be taken to protect it from scratches and sharp blows. Aquamarine is found mainly in Brazil, Nigeria, Zambia and Madagascar. [top]

April: The name "diamond" comes from the Greek word "adamas," meaning unconquerable. Discovered about 2,500 years ago in India, the ancients believed they were splinters from the stars, perhaps crystallized lightening or hardened dew drops. Although diamonds are associated with being a colorless stone, they are occasionally found with a strong, bright color – green, red, pink, blue, canary yellow and amber. These "fancy" colored diamonds are highly prized. Occasionally, to improve appearance, diamonds are laser-drilled, and sometimes a foreign substance is used to fill surface cavities or fractures. Diamonds may also be irradiated or heated to induce fancy colors. Even though it is the most durable of gemstones, care should be taken to protect a diamond from sharp blows. Diamonds are primarily found in South Africa. [top]

May: 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 inclusions 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. 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 for emerald. Emeralds are found mainly in Colombia, Brazil, Zambia and Zimbabwe. [top]

June: A pearl is the product of an oyster's defense mechanism. When a foreign irritant is introduced either by man (cultured) or naturally, the oyster surrounds it with layers of a substance called nacre. This forms the exquisite gemstone know as pearl. Natural pearls are extremely rare. Almost all pearls on the market today are cultured by man. Cultured pearls come in a wide range of colors. Besides the popular round shape, there are stylish mabe (large hemispherical cultured pearls), freshwater (elongated in interesting shapes and colors), and South Sea (large cultured pearls 10mm and up from the waters of Australia and Indonesia), to name a few. Avoid household chemicals, cosmetics, hair sprays and perfumes. Don't use ultrasonic cleaners. Wash with mild soap and water and store in a protective chamois pouch or tissue paper. [top]

July: Ruby is known as the "Lord of the Gems" because of its rarity and beauty. Derived from the Latin word "rubber," it simply means red. Ruby  is a variety of corundum and only exists as a true red in color. The finest color is a vivid, almost pure spectral red.As part of the customary fashioning process, virtually all rubies are heated to permanently improve their color and appearance. The finest rubies emanate from Burma, having been mined there since ancient times. Other sources include Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania, Cambodia, Afghanistan and India.[top]

August: 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. 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 peridot. It is found in Burma and the United States with 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, and it is also found in China. [top]

September:  A variety of corundum, sapphire comes in all colors except red (the red variety being known as ruby), but is especially popular in deep blue. Fancy colored sapphires include pink, green, orange and golden yellow. As part of the customary fashioning process, virtually all blue, yellow and golden sapphires are heated to permanently produce or intensify their color. Care should be taken to protect it from scratches and sharp blows. Sapphire is found in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Australia, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, China and the United States. [top]

October:  
Opal: 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. Care should be taken to protect opal 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 United States.

Tourmaline: Tourmaline spans the spectrum from red to violet and also occur 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. [top]

November:
Topaz: Most people think of topaz as a transparent golden yellow gemstone. However, this gemstone occurs colorless as well as orange-yellow, red, honey-brown (dark sherry), light green, blue and pink. The name topaz is derived from the Greek word meaning "to shine" and also implies "fire." Orange-red imperial topaz and pink colors are rare and most valuable. As part of the normal fashioning process, most brownish to sherry brown topaz is heated to produce a permanent pink color. Certain types of topaz are irradiated and heated to produce shades of blue. Topaz is found mainly in Brazil, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and China. [top]

Citrine: Citrine is often used an alternative to topaz because it appears in many of the same colors as topaz. Unlike topaz, citrine is readily available and inexpensive even in large sizes. [top]

December:
Turquoise:  Colors of turquoise range from sky blue (the most desirable color) to blue green and apple green. The name means "Turkish stone," because the trade route that brought it to Europe used to come via Turkey. The best qualities are found in northeast Iran (Persian turquoise). However, the southwestern United States is now the world leader in production. Although large quantities of beautiful turquoise that have not been color enhanced are available, today's turquoise is commonly stabilized with plastic to improve its color and durability. Chalky varieties of turquoise are normally impregnated with oil or wax to enhance color. This color change may not be permanent. Care should be taken to protect turquoise from scratches, sharp blows, hot water and household chemicals. Do not use a home ultrasonic machine for turquoise

Tanzanite and Blue Zircon:  Tanzanite and blue zircon have become popular alternatives in recent years for those who prefer faceted stones. [top]

more gemstone information available from Jewelers of America