Gem Guide
From the dawn of time, people have believed that various gemstones possess mystical, magical powers. Many gems are designated as "birthstones" and are believed to represent certain virtues and personality traits related to the Zodiac signs and astrological forces. Whatever your beliefs, the sheer beauty of these gems can create a magic all their own. Garnet
January’s
birthstone is a symbol of faith, truth, and fidelity. The transparent
red and orange hues of this stone seem to almost change as the stone
is moved. Legend has it that garnet eliminates sadness and depression
and even warns of possible danger by changing color.
Amethyst
February's
birthstone carries quite a legend dating back to ancient Rome. A
curse on the beautiful maiden, Amethyst, turned her into a pillar
of white stone. Regretting his curse, the god of wine poured the
juice of a grape over the stone maiden giving amethyst its beautiful
violet color.
Aquamarine
The
birthstone for March is the Latin word for "sea water." This aptly
named, cool blue stone captures the refreshing color of the most
beautiful waters. The ancient Greeks used aquamarine often in jewelry,
believing it captured the true spirit of the sea. Bloodstone is
an alternative birthstone for March.
Emerald
This
birthstone for May was believed to have special powers to improve
a person’s psychic abilities. Emerald, the color of envy, would
help reveal the truth of a lover’s words. The emerald is a garden
of delights. Indeed, the emerald usually has a garden of included
crystals trapped within it. Emeralds are always in vogue and always
held in the highest esteem. They are often reserved for regal pieces
of jewelry encrusted with diamonds or pearls. Small to medium-size
stones are faceted in the step-cut (also called the emerald cut)
or other popular shapes for rings, pendants, pins and earrings.
They are also cut into a dome shape and occasionally carved. Pretty
emeralds all in a row make up rich-looking anniversary rings that
may be worn alone or combined with diamond circlets.
Pearl
June’s
birthstone was treasured by Roman Emperors Caligula and Nero. Legend
has it that Nero even built pearl couches for his paramours. Pearls
were also considered the symbol of purity and chastity.
Ruby
The
appeal of the rich red ruby goes back to ancient times. Ruby represented
passion, power, affection and majesty to the ancients. Rubies of
old were often associated with dragons. It was believed that wearing
rubies in war made a soldier invulnerable. It has always found its
way into the coffers of kings and queens. Large rubies are usually
wedded to diamonds in rings, necklaces and bracelets. Smaller stones
are linked with gold, clustered into earrings or suspended from
a fine gold chain. They may represent the petals of a flower or
the eyes of a lion.
Peridot
The
ancients called August’s birthstone the "gem of the sun." When set
in gold, the mystical yellow-green hues create an enchanting beauty.
It was believed that Peridot could chase away evil spirits and dissolve
curses... but only when set in gold. Sardonyx is an alternative
birthstone for August.
Sapphire
September’s birthstone is calming and soothing. The variety
of color makes the sapphire one of the most fascinating of all the
precious stones. Sapphire is ruby’s sister stone. Legend states
that sapphire was considered a remedy for various ailments, poisons,
melancholy and even eye problems. Sapphire is actually made of the
same mineral that ruby is made from—corundum. Red corundum is called
ruby and all other colors are called sapphire. And sapphire does
come in many colors. A rich, velvety blue is the most popular, but
sapphire may also be pink, orange, yellow, violet, green, brown,
colorless or black. Blue sapphire is especially fashionable because
its color complements just about any outfit. Sapphire may be faceted
or dome-shaped. A luminous star may be seen in stones whose internal
structure is just right.
Opal
The
birthstone for October was believed by the ancients to bring good
fortune and banish evil spirits. Arab cultures believed that opals
fell from heaven in flashes of lightening. The opal is a phenomenal
gemstone because of the interesting visual effect its structure
creates. A pattern of silica platelets causes a diffraction grating,
resulting in a variety of color combinations, mainly reds, blues,
greens and oranges. Opals are cut into dome shapes, formed into
beads or carved into pendants. They are often accented by diamonds
or colored stones which pick up the flashes in the gem. A fine opal
with a predominance of red welcomes the company of fine rubies or
garnets.
Topaz
Legend has it that November’s birthstone was discovered on an ancient,
mysterious island in the Red Sea. The stone was carefully guarded.
Those who attempted, without permission, to approach the island
were put to death. Sherry topaz is so called because it catches
light like sherry wine in fine crystal. This golden color is what
most people think of when topaz is mentioned, but actually the reddish-orange
Imperial topaz is considered the finest color. Sometimes topaz is
found in blue, pale green and violet. This elegant gemstone is usually
set into rings, pendants and pins with diamond accents.
Turquoise
December’s
birthstone is rich with legend and folklore, from ancient Turkish
culture to the Spanish explorers who settled the American southwest.
This intricate bluish-green stone has minute traces of copper to
give it a truly distinctive beauty all its own. An alternative birthstone
for December is Zircon.
Tourmaline
Tourmaline is a relatively young stone in the history of gemology,
only being known since the 18th century. Because of its electrical
properties, it easily attracts light objects and was a favorite
toy of Dutch children before its gem nature was established. Tourmaline
is an important gemstone today because of its availability, moderate
price, and variety of colors. Tourmaline occurs in many shades of
pink, red, green, blue, yellow and brown. During crystal growth
the color may change abruptly, so it's not unusual to find a bi-colored
gemstone. Red ringed in green is called watermelon tourmaline. Tourmaline
is faceted, dome-shaped, carved or made into beads. The most fashionable
colors are the rich raspberries, reds, greens and teal blues.