BIRTHSTONES January - December

1. BIRTHSTONESJanuary - December

2. Garnet Mg3 Al2Si3O12 • Hardness 6.5-8.5 (most are 7-7.5) • Garnets are the official January birthstone. • They come in many colors (except blue) and can even be colorless. Ones that are red to deep violet are the most common. They get their color from iron. • Garnets come from Arizona, S. Africa, Australia, Brazil, Burma, Scotland, and Switzerland. • They form in areas undergoing very high temperatures and pressure so are found in or near metamorphic rock. • It gets its name from the Latin word for pomegranate because its crystals are often the same color as the pomegranate’s seeds.

3. Myth and LegendGarnet's powers include healing, strength, and protection and it is often worn to relieve inflammations of the skin. It is also believed to regulate the heart and blood flow and aid in curing depression. In earlier times, garnets were exchanged as gifts between friends to demonstrate their affection for each other and to insure that they meet again. They were also worn to protect from nightmares and travelers from dangers.The Crusaders used them to protect them in battle and ensure a safe return home.

5. Amethyst SiO2 • Amethyst’s color ranges from deep purple to lavender to pale lilac.; the deeper shades are more valuable. • It is a variety of quartz. • The stone is thought to represent sobriety; its name is from Greek meaning “not drunken”. • It is the February birthstone. • According to mythology, Diana, goddess of the hunt turned a maiden named Amethyst to quartz, saving her from Dionysus, god of wine. His tears stained her purple.

6. Myth and Legend • Throughout history amethyst has been used to guard against drunkenness and is thought to be helpful in overcoming addiction. It has been used for hearing disorders, insomnia, headaches and other pain. Some sources suggest it is used to stabilize mental disorders. • Worn to make the wearer gentle and amiable. Amethyst powers include: dreams, healing, peace, love, spiritual uplifting, courage, protection against thieves, and happiness. It quickens the wit and protects soldiers in battle.

8. Aquamarine Al2Be3(Si6O16) • Hardness 7.5-8 • Aquamarine is in the beryl family and means “water of the sea” in Latin. • Its color may vary from light blue to dark blue to a blue-green/teal. The coloring agent is Iron. • Aquamarine crystals can be as large as 200 pounds. Stones are usually faceted for jewelry • The most valuable deposits are in Brazil. • It is the March birthstone. • The earliest sailors took these stones along to throw overboard as a gift to satisfy Poseidon, the angry god of the sea. They also wore the aquamarine stones to protect them against seasickness and keep them safe.

9. Myth and Legend • Since early times, aquamarine has been believed to endow the wearer with foresight, courage, and happiness. It is said to increase intelligence and make one youthful. As a healing stone, it is said to be effective as a treatment for anxiety and in the Middle Ages it was thought that aquamarine would reduce the effect of poisons.

11. Diamond C • Hardness of 10—hardness known substance; it is estimated to be 10-150 times harder than a corundum, the only material with a hardness of 9. • It takes a temperature of over 1200 F to burn a diamond. • The largest producer of diamonds is Israel and S. Africa. • They were first discovered and mined in India during the 4th century B.C. • Most diamonds are used for abrasives and cutting or polishing tools for hard surfaces. • The largest gem quality size diamond found to date was over 3000 carats (or about the size of an ostrich egg). It was found in S. Africa. • The value of a gem diamond depends on its color, cut, clarity, and carat size. A gem can be ruined if not cut correctly with correct proportions. • A “carat” came from early measurements using carob beans to weigh out diamonds. “Grains” were also used as measurement from some countries using rice grains as a balance to measure against. 1 carat=4 grains=200mg • Diamond is the April birthstone. • They were not considered to be of any real value because they were colorless. • Colored diamonds account for about .1% of diamonds mined—most from S. Africa

12. Myth and Legend • Diamonds were considered strong medicine. They were supposed to ward off magic and give the wearer courage, virtue, and invincibility. It was designated as April’s birthstone to give hope of the new life of spring after the winter. • Associated with pure, eternal love and gave the wearer balance and clarity in relationships. • Ancient cultures believed the gems were crystal lightening, splinters of stars, and tears of gods.

14. Emerald Be3Al2(Si6O18) • Hardness 7.5-8 • It is the green variety of beryl. The finer ones are deep grass green with a bluish tone—lesser quality ones have a yellowish tone and are lighter green. • The finest emeralds come from Columbia. Brazil is also a very large producer, but emeralds are found in many other countries including the U.S. • It is the May birthstone and is 2-3x more valuable than a diamond. • Emeralds were known and sold as early as 4000 B.C. in Babylon. They were worshipped by the Incas above all. • The “Cleopatra Mines” in Egypt were worked as early as 2000 B.C. Cleopatra prized emeralds above all other gems, but many of her mined “emeralds” turned out to be peridot. • Emeralds are very brittle and should not be cleaned in steam or ultrasonic cleaners. Many are oiled to reduce the visibility of cracks and other marks. • It is the stone of love and romance.

15. Myth and Legend • The ancient Egyptians believed the emerald stood for fertility and rebirth. In Ancient Rome, Nero supposedly watched gladiator fights through a large transparent emerald as he found the color to be calming. In some legends of King Arthur, the Holy Grail is described as being fashioned from an emerald. In China, Thursday was the day for wearing green and emeralds for good luck. However, various countries in the East and West varied in opinion on which day the emerald would bring good luck. • It was also believed that gazing at an emerald was beneficial to the eyes and could even cure diseases of the eye. It soothed the soul, sharpened your wit and memory, and changed color if the wearer was unfaithful.

16. Myth and Legend (cont.) • In various languages, it was also stated that emeralds enable people to foretell future events if put on the tongue or worn on the left side of the body. Emeralds were also believed to reveal what was true or false and was said to be a sure antidote for enchantments and spells. They were also to give eloquence in speech and make people more intelligent and honest. It is believed that emeralds contain the energy that is necessary to bring creative form to your work and it was once believed that a high quality emerald would change hues to alert the wearer to impending danger. They also help one express love, devotion, and adoration.

18. Pearl CaCO3 • Hardness 2.5-4.5 • Pearls are very sensitive to extreme heat, acids, dryness, and humidity. They should be carefully stored and worn. • Pearls are the “gems of the sea”; being organic material they do not meet the requirements to be considered a mineral. • It is the traditional birthstone for June. • The largest quantities of pearls come from Sri Lanka, Philippines, China, and Japan, and the Persian Gulf. Many “freshwater” pearls are grown in rivers including the Mississippi in the U.S. • “Cultured” pearls are grown by inserting an irritant (sand, pieces of shell, etc.) into the oyster (first done in 1893) and placing them back into the sea or river. It can take from 18 months to 7 years to grow a pearl depending on the water temperature, type of mollusk, weather conditions, type of water, etc. • The quality of pearls and their value depends on LUSTER, COLOR, SHAPE, and SIZE.

19. Myth and Legend • Cultured or freshwater pearls are considered to offer the power of love, money, protection, and luck. Pearls are thought to give wisdom through experience, to quicken the laws of karma and to cement engagements and love relationships. They are thought to keep children safe. • Early Chinese myths told of pearls falling from the sky when dragons fought. Ancient legend says that pearls were thought to be the tears of the gods and the Greeks believed that wearing pearls would promote marital bliss and prevent newlywed women from crying. Other cultures thought them to be the “teardrops of the moon” • Early cultures believed a single drop of rain once fell from the heavens and became a heart of the oyster, bringing forth the birth of the pearl.

21. Ruby Al2O3 • Hardness 9 • Ruby is the red variety of corundum. Its name comes from Latin “rubrum”. It ranges from orangey red to purplish red, but the true red stones are the most valuable. • The red color is due to a trace of chromium. • It is the traditional birthstone for July. • High quality gems are “Burmese grade”. The ruby is consiseredthe “lord of gems” representing great heat and power. They were believed to have great magical powers and were and were carried to ward off evil. • The wearer of a ruby was thought to be able to live in peace with his enemies. • A star ruby is considered a sign of good luck and fortune (especially if worn on the left hand). • Wise men carried rubies because they were thought to be a gem of great wisdom and wealth. • Ground to a powder and placed on the tongue, they were used to calm digestion problems.

22. Myth and Legend • In the 15th and 16th Centuries, rubies were thought to counteract poison - and were therefore much in demand! The stone was supposed to darken when you were in danger. • When rubbed on the skin a ruby is thought to restore youth and vitality.

24. Peridot (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 • Hardness 6.5-7.0 • Peridot is a transparent gem variety of olivine. • Iron gives it the green color. It is one of the few found in only one color. • It has been mined for over 3500 years. The first mines were on St. John’s Island, a volcanic island in the Red Sea. These are considered the rarest and most valuable of the peridot gems along with ones from Pakistan. • Peridots were used to bring luck, peace, success, attract love, calm anger, soothe nerves, and disspell any negative emotions. • Traditional birthstone for August.

25. Myth and Legend • Ancient Egyptians called them the "gem of the sun," because of their dazzling brilliance when seen in the desert sun. Early Egyptian priests drank a stimulating beverage called Soma from cups made of Peridot, believing this practice to draw them closer to Isis, the  goddess of nature. It was believed that the Peridot glowed with light even as darkness fell, which is why miners were said to have scouted for these gems during the night, marking their location, and returning in the light of day to retrieve them. • The ancients believed that it had the power to dissolve enchantments and to drive evil spirits away. Peridot was even able to strengthen the power of any medicine drunk from goblets carved from the gemstone. For peridot to exert its full powers as a talisman, it had to be set in gold, and when worn in this way, it was thought to dispel the terrors of the night. When used as protection against the wiles of evil spirits, peridot was pierced and then strung on the hair of a donkey, and attached to the left arm. In powder, peridot was used as a remedy for asthma. When held under the tongue, it was believed to lessen the thirst in fever. Many beautiful examples of peridot were brought back from the Mediterranean area during the Crusades and used to decorate European cathedrals, where they still remain

27. Sapphire Al2O3 • Hardness 9 • Blue variety of corundum • Can be many shades of blue from light blue to a dark black blue. • The finest quality stones come from Kashmir, India and Burma. Madagascar and Sri Lanka produce most of the quality stones now though. • Titanium and iron are responsible for the blue color of the sapphire. • Sapphires called “fancy sapphires” come in a wide variety of colors. • A rare orange-pink variety actually has a higher value than the blue varieties. • It is believed that sapphires made the sky blue and refused to shine if worn by an evil person. • When dipped in cool water and placed on the eyes they could cure eyesight disorders.

28. Myth and Legend • Through history, sapphire symbolizes truth, sincerity, and faithfulness in relationships, and to bring peace, joy and wisdom to the wearer and owner. In the past, the sapphire was also believed to be a talisman that would protect you against evil spirits and other unsavory creatures of the night. The ancients regarded star sapphires as a powerful talisman protecting travelers and seekers. They were so powerful, they would continue protecting the wearer even after being passed on to another person. • Abbes Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) chronicled the healing powers of gemstones in her book Physica. According to her view, gemstone are formed through the powerful combination of water and fire, therefore they hold powers corresponding to these phenomena. She also believed that each stone had a certain, divine blessing from God. She said this about sapphire: Who is dull and would like to be clever, should, in a sober state, frequently lick with the tongue on a sapphire, because the gemstone's warmth and power, combined with the saliva's moisture, will expel the harmful juices that affect the intellect. Thus, the man will attain a good intellect.

30. Opal SiO2n(H2O) • HARDNESS 5-6.5 • Opal comes from an Indian word for “stone”. • Most formed 50-60 million years ago • The finest quality stones are found in Australia (about 95% of all opals come from here). Other sources are Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and the U.S. Black opals are the most rare and valuable costing more per carat than diamonds. • Opals are not considered minerals because they have no crystal form. Small silica beads form in pockets of water and individually reflect light like many prisms. An opal’s water content can be from 3-10% of its total weight. • Opals must be protected from heat and strong light to help prevent them from drying out and cracking. Over time they can lose their shine and may need to be repolished.

31. Opal (cont.) • There are 3 types: precious, fire, and common. Precious opals have what is called a ”play of color” or iridescence that reflects rainbow like colors through many tiny prisms of silicon in the stone. Common opals have a milky color to them and fire opals are orangey in color with no “play” to them at all. Pattern and brilliance determine the actual value of the stones.

32. Myth and Legend • Opals have a very long history and there are many myths pertaining to the stone. In medieval times, all blond maidens wanted a necklace made of opals, as this was considered an absolute guarantee to prevent their hair from fading or darkening. The opal was also thought to make a person invisible whenever he wished, and for that reason, it was called Patronus forum (patron of thieves). • Among the ancients, opal was a symbol of fidelity and assurance, and in later history it became associated with religious emotional prayer. It was believed to have a strong therapeutic value for diseases of the eye, and when worn as an amulet, it would make the wearer immune from disease as well as increase the powers of the eyes and the mind. Furthermore, many believed that to the extent the colors of red and green were seen, the wearer would also enjoy the therapeutic powers of those stones: the power to stop bleeding from the ruby or the power to cure diseases from the emerald. • They were believed to help one reach the highest spiritual level and gain understanding of “internal visions” • Being the tears of Zeus, one could hold the power of prophecy when touched by the stones. • Early people thought that they were a gift from the heavens because they contained every color of the rainbow caused by lightening strikes as they fell.

34. Topaz Al2(SiO4)(OH7F)2 • Hardness 8 • Topaz comes mainly from Brazil, but is mined in many countries around the world including the U.S. • Topaz comes in many colors, including clear, brown, yellow, orange, red, pink and blue. The blue topaz, with a pale to medium blue color created by irradiation, can be found in very large sizes at affordable prices. It may take as much as a year to “cool” and stabilize enough to wear safely. The fine golden-yellow variety, known as Imperial Topaz, is relatively scarce. Topaz colors are rarely vivid. The most common color is yellow with a red tint; the most valuable is pink to reddish; the most popular is blue. The coloring agents are iron and chromium. • Its name comes from Sanskrit meaning “fire”.

35. Myth and Legend • In ancient times it was believed that topaz helps to improve the eyesight. The Greeks trusted topaz's supernatural power to increase strength and make its wearer invisible in times of emergency. Topaz was also said to change color in the presence of poisoned food or drink. Its mystical curative powers changed with the phases of the moon. It was said to cure insomnia, asthma, and hemorrhages. • It is the “sun jewel” and tied to the Egyptian’s god Ra and the roman god “Jupiter”.

37. Turquoise CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8-4H2O • Hardness 5-6 chips easily • Turquoise means “Turkish stone” because Turkish traders first brought the stones to Europe. • The color ranges from a strong • Its been used as a valuable ornament for ages and was used by the Egyptians thousands of years ago. The color ranges vary from green and greenish blue to sky blue shades. The more copper, the bluer the color, the more iron the greener the color. A pure sky blue stone is considered the most valuable.

38. Turquoise (cont.) • For centuries, the most valuable turquoise came from Iran (Persia) but today some specimens mined in the southwestern United States compete with it. The Aztecs mined turquoise in an area now known as New Mexico and a large amount of turquoise comes from Arizona, California and Nevada. • Turquoise is often dyed and stabilized with resins to produce a harder stone which retains its color and polish.

39. Myth and legend • Turquoise attracts money, success and love. Its powers include protection, healing, courage,  friendship, and luck. Relaxes the mind, and eases mental tension. • Turquoise is sacred to many Native American's and was carved in the shape of animals and birds. These carvings were placed in the Indians tombs to attract beneficial spirits and to guard the dead. Turquoise was also used by medicine men for healing and by warriors who fixed turquoise to the end of their bows to insure accurate shots and kept its rider from falling off the horse. • Many cultures believed it had powers to protect its wearer from snake bite  • it is often used by shamans in rituals and ceremonies. It is said to promote mental and spiritual clarity and expansion and to enhance wisdom, trust , kindness and understanding.

40. Myths and Legends (cont.) • It was believed to endow its wearer with strength as well as wisdom. Some claimed that it also had the power to remove negative energy and bring good fortune to those who wore it. In Turkey, its land of origin, turquoise was often mixed in conjunction with pearls and set into headdresses, daggers, sabers, and even the bridles of horses. • In ancient Persia, turquoise was routinely worn around the neck or wrist as a protection from harm and unnatural death. The Persians believed that if the stone changed in color, it was a warning sign of impending doom. • In a few countries, like Mexico, turquoise was strictly reserved for the gods. The Aztecs decorated their ceremonial masks with turquoise. It was considered such a holy stone that they would execute any human found wearing it. Such an action was considered sacrilegious. • It is, however, the Native American tribes of the United States that are responsible for the current popularity and reverence with which turquoise is recognized. Even to this day, among many tribes, turquoise is considered a magical stone. It brings together the spirits of the sea and the sky to bless the gem's wearer.