A birthstone is a stone that aligns with the month you were born in and a lot of jewelry sellers have these stones. They can also make great gifts (like for Mother’s Day!!!)
January
The January birthstone is garnet. The name comes from the Latin word granatus which means pomegranate. “There are more than twenty garnet categories, called species, but only five are commercially important as gems. Those five are pyrope, almandine (also called almandite), spessartine, grossular (grossularite), and andradite” (gia.edu) The garnet represents protection, love, strength, warmth, and vitality. They have a very wide color range such as, the green, orange, yellow, and blue varieties.
Fun Facts About Garnet:
- Garnet beads were found in Egyptian tombs dating all the way back to 3800 BC!
- Some recently discovered garnets can change from blue-green in daylight to purple under incandescent light
- Traditionally symbolized friendship, love, and the pledge to meet again
- Most commonly found in metamorphic rocks
- Some famous people with this birthstone are Florence Pugh, Bradley Cooper, Joan of Arc, Nicolas Cage, Elvis Presley, David Bowie, Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali, Jake Paul, Dolly Parton, Alicia Keys, Oprah Winfrey, Christian Bale, and Alexander Hamilton
February
The February birthstone is amethyst. Amethyst is a variety of quartz and can be in different shades of purple from lilac to a deep purple. The name “amethyst” is derived from the Greek word amethystos which means not intoxicated (or a remedy against drunkenness). “Amethyst was also believed to keep the wearer clear headed and quick witted in battle and business affairs.”(gia.edu) Amethyst represents peace, protection, spirituality, and sobriety.
Fun Facts About Amethyst:
- It is traditionally a gem given on the 6th wedding anniversary
- When heated, it often turns into yellow citrine
- Most commonly found in volcanic rock
- Greeks believed drinking from amethyst goblets prevented intoxication
- Some famous people with this birthstone are George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks, Langston Hughes, Rihanna, Harry Styles, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Aniston, George Harrison, Michael Jordan, Christiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr., and Thomas Edison
March
The March birthstone is aquamarine. The name comes from the Latin word aqua marina meaning sea water. “ancient mariners claimed it would calm waves and keep sailors safe at sea.” Aquamarine is a variety of beryl, which was believed to give protection against foes in battle and litigation, to make the wearer unconquerable and amiable, and to quicken the intellect. It was also perceived to bring happiness into marriage. Aquamarine represents tranquility, serenity, and clarity.
Fun Facts About Aquamarine:
- Given as a 19th wedding anniversary present
- Aquamarine is also Colorado’s official state gemstone since 1971
- Mostly thought to cure illnesses related to the liver, throat, and stomach
- Some famous people with this birthstone are Justin Bieber, Dr. Seuss, Chuck Norris, Albert Einstein, Elton John, Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga, Vincent van Gogh, Celine Dion, and Mc Hammer
April
The April gemstone is a diamond. The name “diamond” comes from the Greek word adamas meaning “indestructible” or “invincable” since they are the hardest natural substance. They were formed billions of years ago through extreme heat and pressure, and brought to the surface of the earth through volcanic activity. Diamonds are one of the most widely known gemstones in the world. They symbolize love, strength, purity, and courage and were believed to offer protection. The traditional diamond is usually colorless but some fancy diamonds can be yellow, brown, blue, pink, and green.
Fun Facts About Diamonds:
- “The first diamond engagement ring on record was given by Archduke Maximillian of Austria to his betrothed, Mary of Burgundy, in 1477”- gia.edu
- The largest diamond was the Cullinan Diamond, weighing 3,106 carats before being cut into pieces
- 70-80% of mined diamonds are used for industrial purposes
- At the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas, you can hunt for diamonds and keep any you find
- Some famous people with this birthstone are Eddie Murphy, Jane Goodall, Robert Downey Jr., Maya Angelou, Pharrell Williams, Jackie Chan, Kristen Stewart, Mandy Moore, Emma Watson, Leonardo da Vinci, Jennifer Garner, Victoria Beckham, Kourtney Kardashian, Queen Elizabeth ll, William Shakespeare, Gigi Hadid, Ella Fitzgerald, Channing Tatum, and Travis Scott
May
The May birthstone is an emerald. The word “emerald” comes from the ancient Greek word “smaragdos” meaning green gem. The emerald is normally seen to represent wit, foresight, and royalty. They can also symbolize fertility and rebirth. The emerald was once thought to have magical powers explaining why it symbolizes foresight. “By placing it under the tongue, one could see into the future” (gia.edu)
Fun Facts:
- A one-carat emerald can look bigger in size than a one-carat diamond due to its lower density
- Cleopatra had a great passion for emeralds
- High-quality emeralds are rarer than diamonds
- They are a 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale of hardness
- Some famous people with this birthstone are Tim McGraw, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, David Beckham, Adele, Billy Joel, Sabrina Carpenter, Stevie Wonder, Megan Fox, Cher, and Michael Myers
June
The month of June actually has 3 birthstones, but the primary birthstone is the pearl. The pearl symbolizes purity, wisdom, and serenity. There are saltwater and freshwater pearls. Natural pearls are mostly found in the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Mannar, still they are very rare! Most pearls you see today are farm-raised “in the oceans of Japan, French Polynesia, Australia, and in freshwater rivers and lakes, predominantly in China.” (www.thepearlsource.com)
Fun Facts:
- Pearls were traditionally given as a wedding gift
- One of the most famous natural pearls is La Peregrina, which is 50.56 carats!
- The most expensive pearl, once owned by Marie Antoinette, was sold in 2018 for $32 million
- Pearls can be white, black, gold, and pink or lilac depending on where they’re found
- Some famous people with this birthstone are Morgan Freeman, Tom Holland, Kanye West, Johnny Depp, Natalie Portman, Chris Evans, Paul McCartney, Chris Pratt, Meryl Streep, Ariana Grande, Aubrey Plaza, and Tobey Maguire
July
The July birthstone is a ruby. The name “ruby” is derived from the Latin word “ruber”, meaning red. The ruby is mostly found in Myanmar and Vietnam. They symbolize love, passion, and in India, power and youthful energy. It was once believed that this stone could predict misfortune or danger. “[O]thers claimed that it would cure inflammatory diseases and soothe anger. Burmese warriors believed it made them invincible in battle. Medieval Europeans maintained that rubies bestowed health, wisdom, wealth, and success in love.”(gia.edu)
Fun Facts:
- Rubies are one of the hardest natural gems, being a 9 on the Mohs Scale, only second to diamonds
- The largest ruby is the 125 West Ruby weighing 8.2lbs, or 18,696 carats
- The most expensive ruby was sold for over $1.2 million per carat (the stone was 25.59 carats). That’s about $30.7 million!
- Some top-quality rubies can be more expensive than diamonds!
- Some famous people with this birthstone are Margot Robbie, Tom Cruise, Post Malone, Kevin Hart, 50 Cent, Tom Hanks, Sofia Vergara, Harrison Ford, and Selena Gomez
August
The August birthstone is the peridot. The name “peridot” is derived from the Arabic word “faridat” meaning gem. Peridot used in jewelry today can be found in China, Myanmar, Pakistan, Tanzania, Vietnam, and the United States. It symbolizes strength, protection, and prosperity. It was used for centuries as protection and was said to shield the owner from evil spirits and “terrors of the night”. This gem is often mistaken with emerald due to their similarity in colors. “The Shrine of the Three Holy Kings in Germany’s Cologne Cathedral is decorated with 200 carats of gems that were believed to be emeralds but are, in fact, the August birthstone peridot.” (gia.edu)
Fun Facts:
- Some historians believe that some of Cleopatra’s emerald collection could have actually been made up of peridot
- In Hawaii, peridot is believed to be the tears of Pele, the goddess of volcanoes
- Peridot is given to celebrate the 16th wedding anniversary
- Some famous people with this birthstone are Halle Berry, Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Hemsworth, Jason Momoa, Blake Lively, Madonna, Barack Obama, Neil Armstrong, and Kobe Bryant
September
The September birthstone is a sapphire. The word “sapphire” comes from the Greek word “Sappheiros” meaning blue stone. The sapphire symbolizes sincerity, truth, faithfulness, and nobility. The most historically important sources for sapphires are Kashmir, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. “Medieval Europeans believed that sapphire cured plague boils and diseases of the eye…was also thought to be an antidote to poison.” (gia.edu) Some famous sapphires are the Rockefeller Sapphire and the sapphire engagement ring first worn by Princess Diana, then given to Kate Middleton from her son.
Fun Facts:
- Sapphire celebrates the 5th and 45th wedding anniversary
- Sapphires are water resistant making them durable for everyday wear
- The largest sapphire is called the “Adam’s Star,” weighing 1,404 carats and costing over $300 million
- Some famous people with this birthstone are Zendaya, Maddie Ziegler, Beyoncé, Freddie Mercury, Pink, Adam Sandler, Sydney Sweeney, Prince Harry, Tom Hardy, NIck Jonas, Jimmy Fallon, Will Smith, Serena Williams, Jenna Ortega, and Halsey
October
The October birthstone is an opal. It was called upala in Sanskrit meaning a “precious stone.” The opal symbolizes love, hope, purity, and passion. It can be found in Australia, Ethiopia, Mexico, and Brazil. In fact, nearly 95% of opals are mined in Australia. Opals were considered lucky in the Middle Ages but later became associated with bad luck. The black opal is the most expensive and the rarest of the colors.
Fun Facts:
- The most expensive opal is the “Virgin Rainbow” costing about $750,000
- Opals contain between 1-20% of water
- Shakespeare referred to opals as the “Mother of all Gemstones” in Twelfth Night
- Some famous people with this birthstone are Winona Ryder, Bruno Mars, Chuck Berry, Snoop Dogg, Katy Perry, Theodore Roosevelt, Hilary Clinton, SImon Cowell, Ryan Reynolds, Drake, Julia Roberts
November
The November birthstone is citrine. The name “citrine” is derived from the French word “citron” meaning lemon. Citrine symbolizes joy and success. It is mostly found in Bolivia, Spain, Madagascar, Mexico, and Uruguay. It has been used in jewelry for thousands of years and has been mistaken with other gems, like topaz (the alternative November birthstone), so people often thought citrine had the same powers as topaz. “They believed the citrine birthstone could soothe tempers and calm the wearer.” (gia.edu)
Fun Facts:
- The largest faceted (polished) citrine is called the “Malaga,” weighing 20,200 carats!
- In ancient times, citrine was believed to ward off evil thoughts, protect against snake venom, and prevent skin diseases
- Brazil is the largest producer of citrine in the world
- Citrine is given for the thirteenth wedding anniversary
- Some famous people with this birthstone are Emma Stone, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Gosling, Scarlett Johansson, Miley Cyrus, and Alan Shepard
December
The December birthstone is tanzanite. The name tanzanite comes from Tanzania since that is the only place it can be found in the world. The Maasai people of Tanzania traditionally gifted tanzanite to mothers after childbirth, believing the stone brings luck, prosperity, and a healthy life for the newborn. The stone appears to change color depending on the lighting. It looks more blue in daylight and more violet under warm lighting.
Fun Facts:
- Experts believe the current mining areas might become exhausted within a generation resulting in making it a “one-generation” stone
- The largest tanzanite stone ever found was 9.2kg and the second largest was 5.8kg, both found by the miner Saniniu Laizer in 2020
- Due to its limited source, tanzanite is 1,000 times rarer than diamonds
- It is also a 24th anniversary gem
- Some famous people with this birthstone are Britney Spears, Amanda Seyfried, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift, Brad Pitt, Billie Eilish, Jimmy Buffett, Timothée Chalamet, Stan Lee, LeBron James, and Tiger Woods
