Birthstone Jewelry, Always a Great Fit!
Welcome back, reader! A common question that comes up in our store is, “which birthstone represents each month?” Below you will find a quick breakdown on each month and the stone associated with that month. But first a little about me: My name is Andrea and I have been working in the luxury jewelry industry for 11 years. I currently work in a local jewelry store, Saxon’s Diamond Centers, in Harford County, MD that has been in the community for more than 65 years. As a team at Saxon’s, we have more than 200 years of combined experience and I will be sharing with you some of our tips, advice, and feedback through this blog.
Birthstone jewelry is always a great gift! In some cultures, it is considered lucky to wear the stone associated with your birth month. For moms, it has sentimental value to have your child/children represented on a piece of jewelry with his/her birthstone. Whether set into a ring, earrings, necklace, or bracelet, birthstones are always in high demand.
- January
14K Yellow Gold Garnet Ring
Garnet is fiery red in color and has been used in jewelry since 3,000 BC. On the Mohs hardness scale, it is 7/10.
- February
Le Vian Amethyst Ring
Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz and the ancient Greeks believed wearing amethyst would prevent intoxication. On the Mohs hardness scale, it is 7/10.
- March
Aquamarine & Diamond Pendant
Aquamarine is a pale blue-green beryl stone. Its name in Latin means “seawater” and it was said to calm waves and keep sailors safe at sea. On the Mohs hardness scale, it is 7.5-8.
- April
Diamond Stud Earrings
April babies won the birthstone lottery and have diamonds as their associated gemstone. Dazzling, brilliant, and scintillating, diamond is the toughest gemstone on the Mohs hardness scale at 10/10.
- May
Emerald & Diamond Halo Earrings
Emerald is a bright green variety of beryl and is a 7.5-8/10 on the Mohs hardness scale. Emerald was once the favorite gemstone of Cleopatra and was historically celebrated by many cultures all over the globe.
- June
High Luster Akoya Pearl Strand
Glow Studs - Rainbow Moonstone
Pearl and Moonstone are both used as birthstones for June. Pearls are delicate, lustrous, and organic. Pearls form in the mollusk/oyster by a piece of foreign tissue entering it and as a defense mechanism, the mollusk/oyster surrounds the foreign tissue with layers of nacre, forming a pearl. Moonstone is a variety of the feldspar group and “during formation, orthoclase and albite separate into alternating layers. When light falls between these thin layers it is scattered, producing the phenomenon called adularescence.” On the Mohs hardness scale pearl is 2.5-4/10 and moonstones are 6/10.
- July
Ruby Diamond Halo Ring
Gorgeous and vibrant red, rubies command the highest price per carat more than any other colored gemstone. These beauties are a popular colored stone to use in place of a diamond in an engagement ring. On the Mohs hardness scale, they are 9/10.
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August
Semi-Precious Gem Ring
Found in billion-year-old meteorites, lava, and in the earth’s upper mantle, peridot is an old and vibrant green olivine. “The ancient Egyptians mined peridot on the Red Sea island of Zabargad, the source for many large fine peridots in the world’s museums. The Egyptians called it the “gem of the sun.” Today this gem is still prized for its restful yellowish green hues and long history.” On the Mohs hardness scale, it is 6.5-7/10.
- September
Le Vian Ombre Ring
Intensely blue and velvety, sapphires are a coveted gem for jewelry. Made famous by Princess Diana’s engagement ring, sapphires are also a popular option for an engagement ring with color. In addition to the traditional royal blue color, sapphires come in a variety of colors, such as pink, yellow, peach, green, purple, and orange. On the Mohs hardness scale, it is 9/10.
- October
Opal Diamond Halo Pendant
Stunning and colorful, opal reflects the color of all gems in its depths. The Romans believed opals had power and other cultures believed they fell from the sky in lightning storms. Opal surprisingly consists of 20% water, which is trapped in this hydrated silica. Chiefly mined from Australia, opal is the main birthstone for October. On the Mohs hardness scale, it is 5-6.5/10.
- November
Leyla Bangle Citrine
Ranging in colors from yellow to orange to almost brown, natural citrines are a rare quartz. The presence of iron when the quartz is forming is how it gets its yellowish tone. It is 7/10 on the Mohs hardness scale.
- December
London Blue Topaz Ring
Blue topaz comes in a wide array of shades of blue (and many non-blue colors as well). As a versatile stone, “topaz is also pleochroic, meaning that the gem can show different colors in different crystal directions.” Topaz is 8/10 on the Mohs hardness scale.
Birthstone jewelry does range in quality and price, depending on the gemstones used, but it is always a crowd pleaser! Do you love your birthstone?