The Diamond Spot’s Look Into Winter Birthstones

The Diamond Spot’s Look Into Winter Birthstones

Birthstones are traditionally associated with each month of the calendar year. For example, May’s birthstone is the emerald, while children born in September have sapphire as their birthstone.

Many traditions, customs, and belief systems have various ideas of birthstones. It is believed that the origin of birthstones dates back to the breastplate of Aaron, which possessed 12 gemstones that represented the twelve tribes of Israel.

The Diamond Spot showcases insight on what makes each gemstone unique, beginning with the winter months of December (tanzanite), January (garnet), and February (amethyst).

December – Tanzanite

The exquisite blue-purple color of the mineral zoisite, tanzanite, is found only in one area of the world. This stone is only found in Tanzania and has quickly jumped in popularity since its discovery in 1967.

Zoisite was discovered at the turn of the 20th century, and it took nearly a half a century to find the rare blue variety of tanzanite. It’s the trace amounts of vanadium, with a mixture of extreme heat, that creates a brilliant blue-purple color.

To highlight the more desirable blue and violent colors and deemphasize the undesirable brown tones the gem might have, it takes a skilled artisan to cut the stones properly for the desired effect.

Remarkably, tanzanite still can only be found in a small couple square-mile area near Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.  

January – Garnet

Derived from the 14th century Middle English word gernet, that means dark red, and the Latin word for seed, granatum, the garnet received this name due to the gemstone’s likeness of the pomegranate fruit’s stunning red seeds. 

Garnet is the name of a group of minerals that come in a rainbow of colors, from the deep red of the pyrope garnet to the vibrant green of tsavorites. Some rare garnets are even blue, colorless, or—most precious of all—change colors in different lights. The most common garnet color is in the stunning range of reds, from a deep violet-red to rust.

For January birthdays, this is the perfect gift idea for those special people in your life that share a birthday during the first month of the new year.

February – Amethyst

Purple quartz, or more commonly known as amethyst, possesses a wide range of colors from violet to red. Amethyst’s name comes from the Ancient Greek word, methustos, meaning “intoxicated.”  Ancient wearers thought the gemstone gave protection from drunkenness. 

Composed of quartz, which is the second-most abundant material found on Earth’s crust, amethyst gets its color from iron impurities in addition to other trace elements. 

The gemstone can range from light pinkish violet to a deep purple that can read more blue or red, depending on the light. Sometimes the same stone can have layers or color variants, so the way the gemstone is cut is essential to the way the color shows in a finished piece. 

In addition to being February’s birthstone, amethyst is also the gem used in celebrating the sixth and 17th marriage anniversaries.

If your birthday occurs during the winter months and looking for a unique piece of jewelry showcasing these gems, stop in at The Diamond Spot, where a custom-piece can be made just for you.

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Fall Birthstones

Fall Birthstones

The Diamond Spot continues its tour of all the birthstones on the calendar. We venture into the gemstones associated with birthdays during the fall season: the months of September, October, and November. These precious gems, sapphires (September), opals (October), and topazes (November), round out fall months’ birthstones.

September – Sapphire

Sapphires are the blue gemstone from the mineral corundum and come in every color in the rainbow other than red. That’s because rubies are the red variety of the gem from the same mineral.

Depending on the trace elements that would include; chromium, copper, iron, magnesium, and titanium, these elements determine the color of the gem since corundum is naturally colorless. “Fancies” are referred to as any sapphire color other than blue.

Pink sapphires tow a fine line between ruby and sapphire. In the U.S., these gemstones must meet a minimum color saturation to be considered rubies. Pinkish orange sapphires called padparadscha (from the Sri Lankan word for “lotus flower”) can draw higher prices than some blue sapphires. 

Coming from the Latin word sapphirus and the Greek word meaning “blue stone,” sappheiros, many believe that the word sapphire may have originally referred to the lapis lazuli. Others cite the Sanskrit word, sanipriya, which means “dear to Saturn” as the origin.

October – Opal 

Discovered in Australia during the mid-1800s, the “Land Down Under” accounts for 95% of the world’s supply of opals. They are also found in Brazil, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, and Mexico in addition to Nevada and Idaho in the United States.

There are dozens of opal varieties found in nature, but only a few that are universally recognized, like the Fire Opal and Boulder Opal. Typically, opals are categorized by their background “body color,” which is usually black or white.

Due to opal’s delicate construction, they can crack under such conditions as extreme temperature, dehydration, or direct light. With its unique beauty, wearing opal jewelry is definitely worth the extra care needed to preserve the gem.

This gem’s name originates from the Greek word opallios, meaning “to see a change in color.” In ancient Roman times, the scholar Pliny often used the word opalus, when describing the kaleidoscopic rainbow of colors that could stimulate any stone in his writings.

This precious gemstone has been associated with good luck for centuries.  Despite some superstitions that believe that wearing an opal by anyone not born in October is bad luck, the popularity of this gemstone remains at a high level.

November – Topaz

For many years, topazes were often named for all gemstones with a yellow color. 

In actuality, topazes come in a variety of colors, and many believe that the first stones that donned its name weren’t even real topazes.

Topaz’s name derives from the ancient Greek name for St. John’s Island in the Red Sea, Topazios. Yellow gemstones were famously mined from that island, but the likelihood of them being real topazes are low, despite the island being known for their yellowish stones.

Pure topaz is colorless but can be tinted with impurities that take on any color in the rainbow—colors of this gemstone range from a yellow to brownish orange. Many times, they are mistaken for smoky quartz or citrine quartz, but quartz and topaz are unrelated minerals.

The Imperial topaz is the most prized due to its unique color, which showcases a vibrant orange with pink undertones. Despite its abundance in the market, blue topaz is often caused by an irradiation treatment and rarely occurs in nature.

Topaz is a strong and durable gemstone, and it makes for very wearable and durable jewelry when it is cut correctly.

Fall’s gemstones, sapphire, opal, and topaz, offer a variety of colors, shapes, and meanings. Visit The Diamond Spot‘s convenient Downtown Boston location to purchase custom pieces with these precious gemstones.

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Summer Birthstones

Summer Birthstones

The Diamond Spot looks into summer birthstones for those who have birthdays during the months of June (Pearl), July (Ruby), and August (Peridot). These gems offer a wide range of opportunities for fantastic pieces of jewelry that highlight the uniqueness in its color and shapes that these gems are found or presented.

June – Pearl 

The only gemstone created by a living creature, pearls, are produced by mollusks by depositing layers of calcium carbonate around a microscopic irritant that is lodged in its shell. Unlike common belief, this irritant is not a grain of sand.

The name pearl comes from the Old French word perle, in addition to the Latin word for “leg,” perna. This definition is about the leg shape of an open mollusk shell.  

Pearls that are from nature without human interference are the rarest and most expensive in the world. A vast majority of pearls today are farmed by implanting a grafted piece of shell into pearl oysters or freshwater pearl mussels.

Appearing creamy white with an iridescent sheen, the most exquisite pearls have a naturally reflective luster that showcases many colorful hues.

Many freshwater pearls can be dyed, turning their color to yellow, green, blue, brown, pink, purple, or black.

July – Ruby

The ruby is July’s birthstone and the mineral is colored by the element chromium.

Ruby comes from two different ancient languages. The first definition is from the old Sanskrit word that meant “king of precious stones,” in addition to the Latin word for red, Rubeus.  Throughout history due to its color and vitality, these fiery gems have been treasured for ages.

Long associated with the life force and vitality of blood, ancients believed the ruby had many magical powers. This included the ability to bring success in battle, love, and wealth in addition to amplifying energy along with promoting courage.

August – Peridot 

Origins for peridot remain unclear, but this gemstone is widely recognized as from its brilliant green color. According to lore, peridot is often associated with prosperity and good fortune. Many historians believe peridot is rooted in the Greek word for “giving plenty,” peridona. While others feel it comes from the Arabic word for gem, faridat.

Formed deep inside the Earth’s mantle, this gem is brought to the surface by volcanoes. This gem once symbolizing the tears of Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess of fire, and who controls the flow of lava. In rare cases, peridot is also discovered in meteorites.

While the stone is found in China, Myanmar, Pakistan, and Africa, a majority of the global supply of peridot can be found in Arizona at the San Carlos Reservation.

These stones show a wide variety of colors and hues. Schedule a visit with one of The Diamond Spot’s gem specialists and let them help you create a custom piece highlighting your birthstone for someone special in your life.

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Spring Birthstones

Spring Birthstones

As the wintery months turn to springtime, the birth months of March, April, and May possess some of the most beautiful and precious birthstones.  Aquamarine (March), Diamond (April), and emerald (May) showcases some of the most vibrant and elegant gems available.

March – Aquamarine / Bloodstone
Aquamarine:

Aquamarine is the first of two birthstones for the month of March. Derived from the Latin word meaning water, aqua, and the Latin word meaning sea, marina, the ocean-like color of aquamarine invokes the tranquil images of blues and greens.

Ranging from greenish blue to blue-green, the darker the blue stones garner the most value.  Aquamarine is a variety of the mineral beryl, which emeralds also come from.

March’s first birthstone is also used in the celebration of the 19th wedding anniversary.

April – Diamond

Everyone knows a diamond is a girl’s best friend in addition to being the hardest gemstone made of only one element, carbon, the diamond is April’s birthstone.

At 58 times harder than anything in nature, a diamond can only be cut by another diamond.  

Ranging from brown, yellow, red, pink, blue, and green, diamonds not only range in color but also intensity from faint to vivid.  Generally speaking, the higher the value of the diamond gemstone stems from many ways including, the more saturated the color.

It is the perfect gemstone for individuals that want something that’s appropriate for everyday wear in addition to special occasions.

May – Emerald

May’s birthstone, the emerald, originated from the Greek word meaning “green gem,” smaagdus. 

The emerald is a variety of beryl, like aquamarine, which is a mineral that grows with six sides and up to a foot long on in length.  An emerald’s color ranges from light green to an intensely deep green. Depending on the cut from a skilled gemologist can really affect how the emerald’s color is presented in various pieces of jewelry.

The more valuable emeralds feature a deeper green color in addition to the rarest emerald’s appear with green-blue color.

These beautiful gemstones can be easily found at The Diamond Spot.  Commemorate your special someone’s birthday with a customized piece perfect for them to enjoy.

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