Ruby
History
The name ruby comes from the Latin word ruber, which means "red." The most expensive ruby color is a deep, pure, vivid red. Stones a little pinkish, purplish, or orangey red are also considered rubies, but gem and jewelry professionals make careful distinctions between ruby and pink, purple, or orange sapphire. (Ruby and sapphire are both corundum varieties.)
People in India believed that rubies enabled their owners to live in peace with their enemies. In Burma (a ruby source since at least 600 AD — now called Myanmar), warriors wore rubies to make themselves invincible in battle, Rubies were worn in medieval Europe to guarantee health, wealth, wisdom, and success in love. As the US birthstone for July, ruby still captivates the hearts and imaginations of gem professionals and consumers alike.
Ruby is a variety of the mineral species corundum and has been a popular gemstone for centuries. It has picked up many legends along the way. Large, fine-quality rubies are extremely rare and valuable. Common cutting styles for ruby include mixed-cut ovals or antique cushions for transparent material, and cabochons or beads for translucent to opaque stones. Corundum has excellent toughness, and it's harder than any other natural gem except diamond. This makes it ideal for rings as well as many other types of jewelry.
Sources
Afghanistan, Kenya, Madagascar, Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Vietnam.
Gemology
Ruby has a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale, and usually has excellent toughness.
Stability
Heat can cause a change in color or clarity. Avoid heat and use of harsh detergents or scrubbing.
Emerald
History
The first known emerald mines were in Egypt, dating from at least 330 BC into the 1700s. Cleopatra was known to have a passion for emerald, and used it in her royal adornments. Emerald's lush green has soothed souls and excited imaginations since antiquity. Its name comes from the ancient Greek word for green, "smaragdus."
Legends gave emerald the power to make its wearer more intelligent and quick-witted. It was once believed to cure diseases like cholera and malaria. Its color reflects new spring growth, which makes perfect choice of a birthstone for the month of May. It's also the gemstone for twentieth and thirty-fifth wedding anniversaries.
Emeralds from what is now Colombia were part of the plunder when sixteenth-century Spanish explorers invaded the New World. The Indians had already been using emeralds in their jewelry and religious ceremonies for 500 years. The Spanish, who treasured gold and silver far more than gems, traded emeralds for precious metals. Their trades opened the eyes of European and Asian royalty to emerald's majesty.
Sources
Colombia is one of the largest commercial producers of emerald. Fine Colombian emeralds are highly regarded for their excellent color. Zambia is also a commercial source of emeralds with good clarity. Other sources include Afghanistan, Brazil, Pakistan, Russia, and Zimbabwe.
Gemology
Emerald is the most famous member of the beryl family. It has a hardness of 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, and has a toughness of poor to good.
Care and Cleaning
To clean emeralds, only warm soapy water should be used. Avoid the use of harsh detergents and vigorous scrubbing. Heat treatment is commonly used to improve Emerald’s clarity.
Tanzanite
History
Tanzanite is relatively new to the colored stone galaxy. This transparent blue gem first turned up in 1962, scattered on the Earth's surface in northern Tanzania, in eastern Africa.
The actual discovery of tanzanite remains something of a mystery. Although like any African myth, there are numerous versions. The most widely accredited narrative suggests that in July of 1967, Ali Juuyawatu, a local Maasai tribesman, found a piece of translucent crystal near Mount Kilimanjaro. Fascinated by its blue-violet hue, he shared his find with Manuel D'Souza, a tailor by profession and prospector by passion, who was looking for rubies in the region. Believing the find to be vibrant sapphire, D'Souza had no idea he had stumbled on an entirely new specimen.
Gemological tests revealed that the crystal had a composition more complex than sapphire, and that its color was more intriguing, more alluring, and more exotic than any other gemstone.
Sources
Rare and valuable, tanzanite is also found only one place on the planet: the Merelani Hills of Tanzania, in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Gemology
Tanzanite has a hardness of 6.5-7 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Care and Cleaning
Tanzanite should be cleaned by a professional jeweler only. Ultrasonic cleaners and steam cleaners should never be used.
Alexandrite
History
Abundant alexandrite deposits were first discovered in 1830, in Russia's Ural Mountains. Those first Alexandrites were of very fine quality, and displayed vivid hues and dramatic color changes.
The gem was named after the young Czar Alexander II, and it caught the country’s attention because its red and green colors mirrored the Imperial Russian flag.
The spectacular Ural Mountain deposits didn’t last forever, and now most alexandrite comes from Sri Lanka, Brazil, India, Tanzania, and Madagascar. You may still find some of the famed Ural Mountain Alexandrites in estate jewelry. They remain the quality standard for this phenomenal gemstone.
Alexandrite is the color-change variety of the mineral species chrysoberyl, and is the one of the birthstones for June. Alexandrite is said to enable its wearer to foresee danger.
The most sought after Alexandrites are a lovely green in daylight or fluorescent light, but change to red or slightly purplish red in the incandescent light from a lamp or candle flame.
Sources
Sri Lanka and Brazil are the two major producers. Alexandrite is also found in Madagascar, Tanzania, India, Sri Lanka, and Russia.
Gemology
Alexandrite has a hardness of 8.5 according on the Mohs hardness scale, and has excellent toughness. Alexandrites are typically transparent, and may contain fingerprint and silk inclusions.
Typical size range
Alexandrites typically come in sizes from .05 pt. to 5 carats. Larger stones are rare. Additionally, good quality stones can be very expensive.
Care and Cleaning
Alexandrite can be cleaned in warm, soapy water. Ultrasonic cleaning and steam cleaning are usually safe.
Australian Opal
History
Australia is the classical Opal country and today is the worldwide most important supplier of Fine Opals.
The history of Australian Opal began actually millions of years ago, when parts of Australia were covered by a vast inland sea, and stone sediment was deposited along its shoreline. When the water masses flooded back, they flushed water containing silica into the resulting cavities and niches in the sedimentary rocks, and also the remains of plants and animals were deposited there. Slowly the silica stone transformed into Opal, for basically Opals are simply a combination of silica and water. Or, to be more precise: Opals are a gel from silica, with varying percentages of water.
Sources
Almost 95 per cent of all Opals come from Australian mines. The remaining five per cent are mined in Mexico, and in Brazil’s north, also in the US states of Idaho and Nevada.
Gemology
Opal has a hardness of 5.5 to 6, on the Mohs hardness scale. They are delicate and should be worn with care
Care and Cleaning
Opals should be cleaned by a professional jeweler only.
October Birthstone
Citrine
History
In ancient times, citrine was said to have the power to ward off snakebite. Even more powerfully, the ancients believed citrine also protected against the venom of evil words and thoughts. Citrine is an alternate birthstone for November.
Shining with a golden glow, people have long treasured citrine as a gift from the sun. Citrine, a variety of transparent quartz, is named after the French citron , or lemon. Its color ranges from a juicy lemon yellow to a bright orangey brown. In all of its glorious golden and yellow colors, citrine is the most affordable of all the earth-toned gemstones, the perfect complement to all the warm tones in your wardrobe.
Sources
Most citrine is mined in Brazil, particularly the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Many citrines begin their lives as amethyst. After gentle heating, the purple fades and a golden yellow takes its place.
Gemology
The citrine has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale and is thus, to a large extent, insensitive to scratches.
Typical size range
Like all quartz gems, citrine is relatively plentiful and is available in a wide range of sizes and shapes, including very large sizes.
Care and Cleaning
Like other quartz gems, citrine is durable and great for everyday wear. Clean with mild dish soap: use a toothbrush to scrub behind the stone where dust can collect.
November Birthstone
Aquamarine
History
As you might expect from a gem whose name means sea water, Aquamarine captures the beauty of the sea. This member of the beryl family, which also includes emerald, is found in a range of pastel blue and greenish blue shades, from the palest hint to a deep sky blue. The elegant icy color looks as fresh with earth tones as with other paste shades. And it is the perfect accompaniment to grey and navy.
This elegant gemstone is the birthstone for March. Its icy color is a flattering complement to a wide range of skin tones, making this gem a timeless classic of the gem world.
Sources
Aquamarines are mined in a number of exotic places including Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Pakistan and Mozambique, but most of the gemstones available today come from Brazil.
Gemology
With a hardness of 7.5, on the Mohs hardness scale, aquamarine is a durable gem perfect for everyday wear.
Typical Sizing
Fine aquamarine is expected to have good clarity. This gem is often cut in ovals and emerald cuts. More saturated colors are unusual in small sizes: usually it takes some size for the color to reach a darker shade.
Care & Cleaning
Clean with mild dish soap: use a toothbrush to scrub behind the stone where dust can collect.
March Birthstone
Black diamond
History
Black diamonds were originally named "carbonados" by Brazilians who discovered them in quantity in 1840.
The black diamonds have many myths about them. Some people believe that these diamonds resemble the eyes of a snake so they were dedicated to an Indian god. One huge diamond made a perfect part for a statue of Buddha because of the black color. If you really want a piece of history then purchase a black diamond because it may be as old as the solar system itself.
Black diamonds are not new. They have been a curiosity for centuries; enjoying varying degrees of popularity.They are typically opaque, often with surface reaching inclusions and fractures that mar desirability. They are also very difficult to cut, so you often find them with poor makes. Basic treatments to color a diamond black include: Irradiation and High-Temperature annealing. Additionally, there have always been collectors of black diamonds and designers who have enjoyed using them to create unusual pieces.
Sources
Black diamonds are found in Brazil and the Central African Republic
Ammolite
Ammolite
History
Ammolite is the last precious gem to be discovered this century. It was granted official gemstone status in 1981 by the International Commission of Colored Gemstones.
Ammonites survived until the end of the Cretaceous period, 65 Million years ago, in a sea that covered what is now Alberta & Montana. Mother nature transformed these Ammonites into the rare gem layer known as Ammolite.
Ammolite is even rarer than Tanzanite, having increased 250% in value over the past decade
Sources
The Korite Ammolite mine located in Alberta, Canada, just north of the Montana border, is the only commercial mine in the world.
Gemology
Ammolite’s natural hardness is 4.5 to 5.5 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Typical Sizing
The ammolite itself is actually a very thin sheet, ca. 0.5–0.8 millimeters (0.02–0.03 inches) in thickness.
Care & Cleaning
A soft, non-abrasive cloth can be used to clean Ammolite when needed. Ultrasonic cleaners harsh chemicals can damage Ammolite & should not be used. Ammolite should be cleaned by a professional jeweler only.
Sapphire
History
Sapphire is the original “true blue”: the gem of fidelity and of the soul. In ancient times, a gift of a sapphire was a pledge of trust, honesty, purity, and loyalty. This tradition makes sapphire a popular choice for engagement rings. For example the sapphire engagement ring that Prince William gave to his fiance, Kate Middleton.
Sapphire comes from the Greek word for blue, sappheiros , and this gem provides the most beautiful blues of the gem kingdom. The ancient Persians believed the earth rests on a giant sapphire. Its reflection, they said, made the sky blue.
But sapphire doesn't have to be blue to be beautiful. Sapphire also comes in beautiful pinks, yellows, oranges, and peach and violet colors. These other colors are often referred to as fancy sapphire. In fact, sapphire comes in every color but red, because a red sapphire would be a ruby: both are the mineral corundum.
Sources
Sapphires are found in Kashmir, Burma, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Thailand, Cambodia, Australia, Tanzania, Kenya, and the United States.
Gemology
Sapphire has a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale. In its common form, it is even used as an abrasive. As a result, sapphires are the most durable of gems.
Typical Sizing
Sapphire occurs readily in sizes up to 2 carats, and yet, it is not unusual to see gemstones in sizes of 5 to 15 carats. Sapphires are most common in cushion and oval shapes. Other shapes, including rounds, emerald cuts, princess cuts, and trilliants are readily available in sizes under a carat.
Care & Cleaning
Clean with mild dish soap: use a toothbrush to scrub behind the stone where dust can collect.
Sapphire Birthstone
Morganite
History
Morganite was first discovered in California in the early twentieth century.
With pink a fashion favorite, morganite is a gem that is much in demand. It has a dazzling brilliance and soft color that ranges from clear pink to a lovely peach. If it reminds you of the beauty of aquamarine, that's not surprising since they are the same mineral: morganite is the pastel pink color and aquamarine is the pastel blue color of beryl.
There is something rich and dazzling about morganite. Although its color is pastel, it has a lushness rare in pink gems. And its brilliance makes it a dazzling addition to your jewelry wardrobe, adding a feminine touch to black, gray, earth tones, and navy. Like many other pink gems, Morganite looks beautiful set in pink gold. The warmth of its color means it also works well in white or yellow gold, blending beautifully with blue, celadon, peach, yellow, lilac and other rich pastels.
Morganite is extremely rare. In fact, its rarity keeps it relatively affordable, since it isn't available in enough quantity to cut in standard sizes and use in manufactured jewelry. Morganite remains a connoisseur gem, for those who are willing to seek it out for its unique combination of soft shades and dazzling brilliance.
Sources
Although morganite was also discovered in 1908 in Madagascar and there are also deposits in Brazil, Mozambique, Namibia, Afghanistan, and Russia.
Gemology
With a hardness of 7.5, on the Mohs hardness scale, Morganite is a durable gem perfect for everyday wear.
Typical size range
Morganite is occasionally be found in large sizes: the largest faceted Morganite is a 598.70-carat cushion-shape from Madagascar in the collection of the British Museum.
Care and Cleaning
Clean with mild dish soap: use a toothbrush to scrub behind the stone where dust can collect.
Amethyst
History
Since the middle ages, Bishop's rings have been set with amethyst as a symbol of piety and celibacy. Leonardo da Vinci wrote that amethyst has the power to protect against evil thoughts and to sharpen the intelligence. Buddhists believe that amethyst enhances the peace and tranquility of meditation, making it the preferred choice for Tibetan rosaries even today.
Treasured by the ancient Romans, amethyst was worn as a talisman to ward off the intoxicating powers of Bacchus. Amethyst comes from the Greek "amethystos" which means "not drunken."
Designers celebrate amethyst as an ideal gemstone for jewelry because of its royal color, variety of sizes and shapes, affordability, and wide tonal range, from pale lavender to dark purple. Amethyst is complements both warm and cool colors so it looks right set in both yellow and white metals. This chameleon quality means it complements almost every color in your wardrobe.
Sources
Mined mainly in Brazil, Uruguay, Bolivia, and African countries like Zambia and Namibia, small amounts of amethyst are also found in Arizona at the Four Peaks mine near Phoenix.
Gemology
Amethyst has a hardness of 7on the Mohs hardness scale. It's durable and great for everyday wear.
Typical Sizing
Amethyst, the traditional birthstone for the month of February, is available in a wide range of sizes and shapes, including very large sizes. The Smithsonian Institution has an amethyst that weighs more than 1,000 carats. Of course, very large sizes in rich, deep colors have always been rare.
Cleaning & Care
Clean with mild dish soap: use a toothbrush to scrub behind the stone where dust can collect.
February Birthstone
Diamond
History
The first recorded history of the diamond dates back some 3,000 years to India, where it is likely that diamonds were first valued for their ability to refract light. In those days, the diamond was used in two ways-for decorative purposes, and as a talisman to ward off evil or provide protection in battle.
Twenty-five countries around the world mine diamonds. Two exceptions are Europe and Antarctica.India was the only source of diamonds for 1,000 years. In 1725, Brazil was found to contain major supplies of diamonds, as was Africa around 1870. The finds in Africa significantly increased the diamond supplies for the world. Siberia in Russia and Australia also are major players in diamond supplies.
Diamond comes from the ancient Greek word adámas "unbreakable". Diamond has remarkable optical characteristics. Because of its extremely rigid lattice, it can be contaminated by very few types of impurities, such as boron and nitrogen. Combined with wide transparency, this results in the clear, colorless appearance of most natural diamonds.
Sources
Diamonds are found in many countries, including Canada, the United States, Africa, Brazil, China, Russia, India and Australia. Within these countries, several diamond mines dig up the precious stones that feed commercial as well as industrial demand
Gemology
Diamonds have a hardness of 10 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Care & Cleaning
Use a soft brush, soap and water. If you do not possess a special brush for cleaning jewelry you can use an eyebrow or even a lipstick brush - these are soft, small and acceptable.
April Birthstone
Blue Topaz
History
Legend says that topaz dispels enchantment. The ancient Greeks believed that topaz has the 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.
In 1969, blue topaz was named the state gem of Texas to celebrate a small deposit of natural pale blue topaz that was found in the state.
The beautiful cool blue of the sky is captured in blue topaz. This pastel blue gem is a designer favorite
since it is affordable and available in a wide range of gem shapes and sizes. Its bright and lively color looks right set in both yellow and white metals. You'll find that this versatile gem complements almost everything in your wardrobe, from browns and grays to vivid tones.
Sources
The pale or colorless topaz used in the process is mined in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and China.
Gemology
Topaz is a very hard gemstone. Topaz has a hardness of 8 on the Mohs hardness scale
Typical Sizing
Because blue topaz is readily available and affordable, it can be found in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, including unusual cuts. Large dramatic gems are readily available.
Care & Cleaning
Clean with mild dish soap: use a toothbrush to scrub behind the stone where dust can collect.
Peridot
History
Peridot is treasured in Hawaii as the goddess Pele's tears. The island of Oahu even has beaches made out of tiny grains of peridot. Although Hawaii’s volcanoes have produced some peridot large enough to be cut into gemstones, virtually all peridot sold in Hawaii today is from Arizona, another state with extreme geology.
The fresh lime green of peridot is its distinctive signature. Its spring green color also is ideal with sky blue.
Today most peridot is mined, often by hand, by Native Americans on the San Carlos Reservation in Arizona. Peridot found here is beautiful in color but relatively small in size. Faceted peridot from Arizona is rare in sizes above five carats. Fine large peridot are found in Burma and large quantities of peridot are also mined in China. In 1994, an exciting new deposit of fine peridot was discovered in Pakistan, 15,000 feet above sea level in the far west of the Himalaya Mountains in the Pakistanian part of Kashmir.
Gemology
Peridot is harder than metal but softer than many gemstones. Peridot has a hardness of 6.5-7, on the Mohs hardness scale.
Care & Cleaning
Peridot should be cleaned only by a professional jeweler.
August Birthstone
Garnet
History
Garnet traces its roots to the Nile Delta in 3100 B.C., where Egyptian artisans would craft the gemstone into beads or inlay them into hand-wrought jewelry. Garnet received its name from the ancient Greeks because the color reminded them of the "granatum," or pomegranate seed.
The versatile garnet comes in a virtual rainbow of colors, from the deep red Bohemian Garnet to the vibrant greens of the Russian demantoid and African tsavorite. The oranges and browns of spessartite and hessonite hail from Namibia and Sri Lanka and the subtle pinks and purples of the rhododendron flower, are also yours to explore.
Garnet is the traditional birthstone for the month of January, however, red need not be your color of choice if you are born in this month. Rich orange and golden hues, striking greens, petal soft colors of violet and lavender, all await your selection.
Gemology
Garnet has a hardness of 6.5-7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Care & Cleaning
This durable and brilliant gem is easy to care for with mild dish soap.
January Birthstone
Pearl
History
According to ancient Chinese legend, the moon holds the power to create pearls, instilling them with its celestial glow and mystery. Pearls have been treasured for their lustrous, creamy texture and subtle iridescent reflections since the dawn of humankind.Pearls are unique in the world of colored gemstones since they are the only gemstone formed within a living creature. Because natural pearls are so rare and difficult to recover from the ocean's depths, man invented the technique of culturing salt and freshwater pearls from mollusks carefully seeded with irritants similar to those produced by nature. Today, cultured pearls are grown and harvested in many parts of the world including the fresh waters of the Tennessee River. The majority of cultured pearls come from Japan, China and the South Pacific.
Gemology
Pearls have a hardness of 2.5-4.5 on the Mohs hardness scale
Care & Cleaning
Pearls should be cleaned by a professional jeweler only.
June Birthstone
