Fall/ Winter 2008

Jewel Tool

Your Mouth-By-Mouth Guide to Gemstones.

by Loukia Borrell

If you plan to add a little more color to your wedding, gemstones are a great way to get started. They also make thoughtful birthday and anniversary gifts. Hampton Roads Bride checked the internet for facts and trivia about gemstones. Here’s a look at what we found:

January: Garnet. So-called by the Ancient Greeks who thought the gemstone looked like a pomegranate seed. Used by Egyptian artisans in jewelry in 3100 BC. Although deep red is best known, the garnet comes in a variety of colors including orange, green, purple and brown. Signifies eternal friendship and trust.

February: Amethyst. Purple gemstone treasured by the Romans as a lucky charm to ward off the intoxications of Bacchus. Used in England during the Middle Ages to symbolize royalty. The golden variety is called citrine and was revered in ancient times as a gift of the sun. Citrine serves as an alternate birthstone for November.

March: Aquamarine. Represents youth, hope, health and fidelity. Found in different shades of blue, though deep blue is more rare. Said to capture the beauty of the sea. Aquamarines were given as gifts by Neptune to his mermaids. The alternate birthstone for March is bloodstone, a jasper with vivid red spots that is believed to have healing powers.

April: Diamond. The hardest natural material known, diamonds get their name from the Greek word for “invincible.” About half of all diamonds come from Central and Southern Africa. Diamonds are best known as being colorless, but they also can be yellow, blue, pink and black, among other colors. A diamond’s melting point is more than 6,400 degrees Fahrenheit.

May: Emerald. Symbol of fertility, rebirth, youth and spring. Mined by ancient Egyptians 4,000 years ago and avidly collected by Cleopatra. Believed to empower the owner with foresight into the future.

June: Pearl. Pearls are usually white but can have an array of hues, including yellow, cream, pink, black and purple. The pearl is the only gemstone formed within a living creature. Pearls are also noted as gifts to celebrate wedding anniversaries. Alternative birthstones for June are the moonstone and alexandrite.

July: Ruby. Color varies from light pink to blood red. Durable, making ruby rings a good choice for the daily use of an engagement or wedding ring. Symbolizes passionate love. Gets its name from the Latin word for red.

August: Peridot. Sometimes called the “poor man’s emerald.” Color varies from yellow-green to olive or brownish-green. Brings the wearer success, peace and good luck. Believed to be able to ward off nightmares and protect against evil. In Hawaii, peridot symbolizes the tears of Pele, the goddess of the volcano. Alternate birthstone for August is the sardonyx, a form of onyx. Has reddish-brown and white banding. Often used in cameos.

September: Sapphire. Represents innocence and truth. Said to protect the wearer from poisons and evil spirits. Sapphires and rubies are of the gem species “corundum” and are considered “sister” gems. Both are durable and good choices for jewelry worn daily. Sapphire gets its name from the Latin word for blue. Most often recognized as a blue gemstone, but a sapphire can be other colors and those are known as “fancy sapphires.” Prince Charles presented Lady Diana Spencer with a sapphire engagement ring. Ranked among the four most valued stones. The other three are diamonds, rubies and emeralds.

October: Opal. Variety of colors. Greeks and Romans thought opal represented hope, innocence and purity. Tourmaline is the alternate birthstone for October. Milky white to black with flashes of color in between.

November: Topaz. Symbol of love and affection. Said to cure insomnia and asthma. Red, orange, peach, pink, gold and yellow. Citrine is the alternate birthstone for November. Citrine is a gold gemstone said to support vitality and health in the wearer.

December: This month has three birthstones: Turquoise, Zircon and Tanzanite. Turquoise comes in a variety of colors, but robin’s egg blue is best recognized by consumers. Among the oldest known gemstones. Worn by Egyptian Pharaohs and early Native Americans. Apache warriors attached turquoise to their hunting bows to increase accuracy. Attributed with healing powers. Popular in America’s Southwest. Zircon can be red, brown, yellow, green, black or colorless. Not the same thing as cubic zirconia. Thought to bring wisdom, honor and wealth to the wearer. Tanzanite: Resembles sapphire. Purple to blue. Gets its name from the country where it first was found, Tanzania. Compared to other gemstones, tanzanite is a relative newcomer to the gemstone world, having been discovered about 40 years ago. In recent years, the American Gem Trade Association added tanzanite as a December birthstone, the first change to the list in almost a century. Some jewelry resource Web sites also list blue topaz as a December birthstone.

Sources: The American Gem Trade Association, the American Gem Society, and Wikipedia