Birthstones

Birthstone Guide

Birthstone Guide

Buying a meaningful birthday gift can be daunting. Individual tastes, preferences and the sheer availability of choice can confuse the best of us. Out of all these options, we would recommend considering birthstones as a gift for your loved one as a meaningful gesture on their day.

However, while choosing a birthstone, it is important to consider the birth month and the stone it corresponds to. Here is a guide for you to understand the twelve birthstones by month.

January Birthstone- Garnet

The dark red, almost maroon colour of the Garnet is supposed to symbolise protection from harm and promote good health and vitality. The neutral undertones of this stone makes it stunningly versatile to wear with pretty much any outfit. So, whether you are a January baby looking to add to your jewellery collection or are just looking to spoil your loved one born in the month of January, a beautiful piece of Garnet jewellery can make for a perfect gift.

February Birthstone- Amethyst

 

 

The February birthstone Amethyst contains the second most abundant mineral found in the earth’s crust- Quartz. Quartz is a mineral often found in the lining of the geodes. These geodes contain the beloved Amethysts. Amethyst is nothing but transparent forms of silicon dioxide (SiO2), an important piece of information for all our chemistry nerds out there. It is not yet clear as to why these stones assume the rich purple or the faint mauve colour. Egyptians believed that the amethyst possessed great power and was used as medication to dispel sleep, sharpen the intellect of the wearer, as well as protect him/her from sorcery. It is also used to heal individuals who are prone to getting bad dreams and gout.

March Birthstone- Aquamarine

 

 

The March birthstone Aquamarine is probably the most peaceful sounding name for a gemstone. As the name suggests, this stone resembles the aqua or water and is found in different shades of blue and sometimes with a tinge of green. When you look at an aquamarine, you are sure to be reminded of the bright blue sea or the pastel sky. For ages, this gem has been associated with youth, fidelity and the power of hope. The resemblance of this stone to the skies and the sea has made it the symbol for eternal life. Aquamarine is said to have soothing properties such as calming influence on married couples, and can therefore make for a perfect anniversary gift.

April Birthstone- Diamond

The April birthstone Diamond has been an object of admiration for many years. To think that they’re nothing but coal that did well under pressure, is quite a baffling thought. Diamonds are supposed to have healing powers and have been adorned by women and men for years as a symbol of eternal love. For a long time, there was no standardised evaluation method for diamonds, however, that changed when GIA established the now global standards to describe diamonds: by its 4 C’s – Cut, Color, Carat and Clarity. You could learn more about these stones from our education guide on diamonds.

May Birthstone- Emerald

The colour green is always associated with spring and vitality and symbolizes love and rebirth. Emerald, as the gem of Venus, is also considered to aid in increasing fertility amongst men and women alike. In Ancient Egypt, women were known to wear Emerald carved with the symbol of verdure- or the flourishing greenness to symbolise eternal youth. Emeralds, known for its rareness, almost always come with some form of birthmark or inclusions. Unlike diamonds, these inclusions do not detract from the actual value of the stone. The most valuable Emeralds have a slight blue tint to them which boldens the underlying green colour of the stone.

June Birthstone- Pearls

 

Throughout generations, mankind has been mesmerized by and worshipped pearls. In Ancient Persia, pearls have been referred to as “tears of gods” whereas in an old Chinese legend claims have been made that the moon held the power to bring pearls into existence and instil them with the ethereal glow and mystery. Pearls are the only gemstone that are found inside the shell of a living organism. Natural pearls are rare and difficult to recover from the depths of the sea, therefore a new technique to create synthetic pearls has been invented by mankind, OFCOURSE! Pearls are known for its calming properties and can be a perfect gift for June born babies.

 

July Birthstone- Ruby

 

The colour red is associated with fire, power and strength. For centuries, this gem with its bright red colour has been considered as the king of all gems. It is believed that wearing a bright red gem Ruby brings fortune into your life. Ruby has been time and time again been known to man as a gem possessed by affluent kings and emperors throughout ages, and not a lot has changed; as Ruby remains to be one of the most valuable gems to ever exist. Rubies come in a variety of colour ranging from purplish red to blue toned red as well as orange toned red. The brightest and the most vibrant ruby is also called as a “Burmese Ruby”. These rubies are extremely rare and valuable often costing hundreds and thousands of dollars. So, this birthday season, shower your July born loved one with prosperity by gifting them this valuable stone.

August Birthstone- Spinel and Peridot

 

Peridots are August months primary birthstone. They come in a variety of colours ranging from deep olive green to a gorgeous light lime- and all peridots symbolise one thing: good fortune Peridots are born out of a mineral called olivine, which is sourced from a volcano. This means that all peridots come either from deep inside the earths mantle or from the pallasite meteorites. Peridots that occur from meteorites are extremely rare and will probably never be seen at a retail jeweller. However, that being said, Peridots that occur from underground sources are plentiful and abundant in nature, more specifically in America. The Arizona’s San Carlos Reservation is the leading supplier of peridot- producing about 80-95%. Apart from the United States, peridot is sourced from countries such as Pakistan, China, Myanmar and regions of Brazil. This stone is also been spotted in various regions of Australia, Mexico, Norway, Kenya and Sri Lanka. The vivid colour and symbolic meaning of Peridots make it a perfect gift and ideal for gemstone jewellery.

To an untrained eye, Ruby and Spinel would be one and the same. In fact, in many of the Sanskrit literatures, Spinel has been referred to as the daughter of Ruby. However, Spinels are rarer than Rubies, however, unlike Rubies these precious gemstones can be found in large sizes as well. Spinel can also be found in shades of orange, pastel pink and shades of purple. The most famous and sought-after type of Spinel is of a hot pink colour with an orange undertone and is only mined in the exotic country of Burma. Spinels also occur in blue colour however, these are extremely rare to find. Spinels are known to protect its wearer from any external harm and soothe sadness and anxiety. Spinels have a large appeal thanks to its affordability, range of colour and beauty.

 

September Birthstone- Sapphire

“Sapphire” – the word makes people picture a bright blue-violet stone. “Sapphire” stands for blue in Greek language, after all. Since ancient historical times, Sapphire is known to be a physical embodiment of promise, honesty, loyalty trust and purity. Therefore, Sapphire is one of the most common choice when it comes to an engagement ring. Princess Diana, Meghan Markle etc have all donned sapphire engagement rings in the past. Sapphires are rare and the ones with saturated blue violet colour are rarer and therefore more expensive. The purer the blue the higher the price. Contrary to popular belief, sapphires come in multiple colours such as pink, orange, yellow, peach etc and the most expensive sapphire is of a pink-orange corundum with a distinctive salmon colour that is reminiscent of a Hawaiian tropical sunset. If you’re looking to win a September baby’s heart over, sapphire is the way to go!

October Birthstone- Opal

Opal, available in spectrum and myriad of colours, is a precious gemstone that displays a gorgeous play of colour. The gemstone has bi-colour and often tri-colour and the ones with multiple colours has a greater value in the market. These October birthstones were discovered in Australia around year 1850 and 95% of the world’s opals come from Australia itself. Opals are associated with good luck and fortune and are often a famous choice not just for the October born but for everyone.

November Birthstone- Topaz

Topaz occur in multiple shades of yellow, brown, honey, green, pink and are sometimes even colourless. The most common colour is yellow or amber gold, however, the most sought-after colour is the sherry red. The most prized colour however is the Imperial Topaz which is orange in colour with a slight pink tinge. The rarest type colour of Topaz is blue; however, it is also very common nowadays due to man-made techniques. It remains the rarest naturally occurring colour of Topaz. This gem is associated by both the Egyptians and the Romans to the sun gods, thereby giving it the property to protect and heal. Once you find your perfect topaz, you’re sure to be mesmerised by it, after all if legends are to be believed, topaz possesses the power of enchantment.

December Birthstone- Turquoise

Arguably the oldest known gemstones to mankind, the popularity of these stones has spanned over centuries. Egyptian Pharaohs and Native Americans have adorned these stones and now this robin’s egg stone graces the necks of many people around the world. This stone is attributed to healing, status, wealth as well as good luck. Unlike most gemstones, Turquoise is opaque and comes in light to dark blue colour sometimes a shade of bluish green, however the most sought-after stones are intense blue. These stones contain veins or network of other elements into it. These patterns can be black, amber brown or yellow and is known as matrix. These patterns are often termed as spider webs thanks to their appearance. If you are looking for a piece of statement jewellery to gift your December born friend or just about anyone including yourself, we highly recommend looking at Turquoise jewellery.