December Birthstone Blue Zircon

December has multiple birthstones to its name Turquoise or Blue Zircon, Blue Topaz, Lapis Lazuli, Onyx and Ruby.

Zircon has been known since antiquity. The derivation of its name is uncertain. Because of its high refractive index and strong dispersion, it has great brilliance and intense fire. There are two types of zircons, which vary greatly in their physical properties. Zircons with the highest values in optical properties and specific gravity are designated as normal or high zircon. Those with lower values are low zircon. Zircon is brittle and therefore sensitive to knocks and pressure (hardness of 6.5 to 7.5).

Zircon deposits are found in Cambodia, Burma, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. The gray-brown and red-brown are the most common and are frequently heat treated to become blue or colorless. Natural blue zircons are rare, and even rarer are green zircons.

by Aruni Phonphong

 

Topaz Birthstone for November

Topaz is the birthstone for the month of November, comes from a Sanskrit word meaning “fire.” This gem, with its lively fire, clarity, beautiful colors and hardness is ideal for jewelry such as clips, necklaces, brooches and bracelets. Pure topaz, when brilliantly cut, can be often mistaken for a diamond. Because of its rarity, topaz is an expensive gem.

The most valued and rarest color is red. Imperial topaz – sherry colored varieties of brownish-yellow, orangish yellow and reddish brown – are the most popular topaz stones and command high prices, as do pink colored stones. Light blue and pale yellow topaz are of less value, but are nevertheless stunning in beauty.

 

October Birthstone Opal

Opal is found in many varieties, but precious opal represents a remarkably small percentage of the total opal mined. Fine gem quality opal is more rare than rubies and emeralds. It is a more natural gem, and is a thing of beauty and obvious worth, even in its natural state.

A full range of colours swirls and flashes in the depths of a light opal. The background colour may be white or light blue. Light crystal opal is translucent and shows colours sharp and visible below the surface. When clear and colourless, this form is referred to as ‘water’ or ‘jelly’ opal.

Crystal opal refers to any kind of opal which is partially or fully transparent or translucent. However, there is a fine line between white opal and crystal opal. Sometimes there is only a mild or medium translucence which may lead to the opal being classified as either a white opal or a crystal opal, or even a “white crystal opal”

 

Discover the Birthstone for September the Sapphire

Blue sapphires have been mined since antiquity in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in the region of Ratnapura. Sapphires from this area tend to be light blue with a violet tinge. Fine blue sapphires are found in two regions of Thailand: the Chantaburi region, southeast of Bangkok and the Kanchanaburi region, west of Bangkok. These sapphires tend to be deep fine blue, with a blue green tinge.

The finest sapphires used to come from Kashmir, India in the Zaskar region. These deposits formerly yielded sapphires of a deep, cornflower blue. Most stones sold today as Kashmir sapphire come from Mogok, Burma. Deposits of sapphires are also found in Australia and Montana, USA. The Australian blue sapphires tend to be inky blue-green to nearly black with lighter blue colors having a green tint.

Montana sapphires, which have not been mined since the 1920s, tend to be pale or steel blue in color. Fine deep blue sapphires when properly cut can yield a gem stone both of deep blue color and fine brilliance. Most larger sapphires today are cut in round, oval, and cushion cut. However, they are available in almost all cutting forms.

 

August birthstone is peridot.

Peridot comes from the Arabic word “faridat,” meaning gem. Ancient Egyptians called them the “gem of the sun,” because of their dazzling brilliance when seen in the desert sun. 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. Perhaps this legendary mining method is the reason that the Peridot is sometimes called “evening emerald.”

Peridots can be found in a number of places throughout the world. They are mined in areas surrounding the Red Sea, Egypt, and Myanmar, but also are common to areas of Mexico. In the US, some peridots can be found in Arizona. These gems are usually less valuable than peridots found in the Middle East because they contain more flaws. The highest quality gems are currently being mined in Pakistan.

With new findings of peridots in Pakistan, the gem is enjoying a rise in popularity. It has always enjoyed certain popularity, being the August birthstone. Many people again confuse emeralds and peridots when choosing birthstones. Emeralds are the birthstones of May. Those who are not particular, however, could wear either green stone as a birthstone, and some find the bluer tendencies of the emerald to be more flattering depending upon skin tone..

Some historians even suspect that at least some of the “emeralds” worn by Cleopatra were actually peridot. Much of its recent popularity can be explained by its currently being recognized as the birthstone for the month of August, people wear the stone because it is supposed to bring the wearer success, peace, and good luck.

 

July Birthstone the Passionate Ruby

Ruby is the red variety of corundum and is the sister stone of sapphire. Rubies symbolise love and in the past it was believed they possessed the power to bestow peace and harmony. Also the wearer of a ruby was thought to be protected from discord all perils of war.

If you were born in July, ruby is your special gem and that’s the perfect excuse to buy one.

Ruby has been considered one of the most valuable gemstones on Earth. It has everything a precious stone should have: magnificent color, excellent hardness and outstanding brilliance.

Natural ruby shades vary from light to dark red and they often have different undertones, such a purplish cast, but the variations add to the charm and individuality of each gemstone. Rubies are the red members of the corundum family of minerals.

Its name originates from ruber, Latin for red. Natural rubies are exceptionally rare, though artificial ones (sometimes called created ruby) can be manufactured which are comparatively inexpensive. Rubies are mined in Africa, Asia, Australia and Greenland. They are most often found in Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand, though they have also been found in Montana and South Carolina.