Notable for its majestic blue velvet and intense royal purples, the first of December’s birthstones is named after the only country it can be found: Tanzania. Learn what gives tanzanite its stunning color and high clarity by reading GIA’s Tanzanite Buying Guide, where you’ll find tips on quality factors and answers to frequently asked questions.
www.americangemsociety.org
Garnet, the red gemstone for January babies, is a symbol of strength, peace, prosperity and good health. Also given on the 2nd and 6th anniversary, “garnet” comes from the 14th Century Middle English word “gernet” meaning dark red. Garnet is the name of a group of minerals that comes in a beautiful range of colours from rust-coloured to violet-red, the deep red Pyrope garnet and the vibrant green of Tsavorites. There are also rare blue and colourless garnets and very garnets which change colours in different lights.
A very durable gemstone (6.5-7.5 on the Mohs scale), garnet is found all over the world, including Wyoming, Czech Republic, Greece, Russian, Tanzania, Madagascar, Sri Lanka and India.
This beautiful gemstone makes a lovely gift of friendship, a January birthday, or celebrating a 2nd or 6th anniversary.
www.americangemsociety.org
Gemstones by Cally Hall
An easily recognizable gem, the amethyst is a beautiful purple quartz, often associated with qualities of peace, courage and stability. The name comes from the Ancient Greek word “methustos,” which means “intoxicated” as ancient wearers believed the gemstone could protect them from drunkenness. Amethyst is composed of quartz, which is the second most abundant material found in the Earth’s crust. Its color, from light pink violet to deep red or blue purple violet, comes from irradiation, iron impurities and the presence of trace elements.
It has the same hardness (a 7 on the Mohs scale) as other quartz and is found across the globe including the United States, Canada Brazil and Zambia.
A durable gemstone that can be worn every day, amethyst makes a great gift for those born in February or to mark the milestone of a 6th or 17th wedding anniversary.
www.americangemsociety.org
Gemstones by Cally Hall
March birthday individuals enjoy the distinction of two birthstones: Aquamarine and Bloodstone. Noticeably different in appearance, both stones share a similar symbolism of preserving the health of the wearer. The name aquamarine is derived from the Latin word aqua (water) and marina (sea). Its colour ranges from greenish blue to blue-green and is more intense in larger stones, while darker blue stones are very valuable.
Like emeralds, this gemstone is actually a variety of a mineral called beryl and mined mainly in Brazil, but also is found in Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Pakistan, and Mozambique.
Like diamonds, look for the 4Cs — cut, colour, clarity and carat weight — in aquamarine, when gifting it for birthdays or a 19th wedding anniversary.
www.americangemsociety.org
Gemstones by Cally Hall
The second birthstone for March is Bloodstone, a dark-green stone with red spots of iron oxide. It is also called Heliotrope, derived from the ancient Greek word meaning “to turn the sun”, from the ancient belief of how minerals reflect light. It is also sometimes known as Blood Jasper.
Bloodstone, found in India, Brazil and Australia, is both transparent (heliotrope) with red spots and more opaque (plasma) with little or no red spots. It comes in various shapes and cuts including traditional cuts like emerald, oval and cushion.
Prized for its symbolism and positive properties, Bloodstone makes a beautiful gift that can be worn everyday.
Gemstones by Cally Hall
For those fortunate to be born in April, the most prized gemstone of all is their birthstone. For this month, diamonds truly are a girl’s (or a boy’s) best friend. Made of just one element: carbon, it is the hardest gemstone with a structure that is 58 times harder than anything in nature and can only be cut with another diamond.
Diamonds come in a variety of colors like yellow, red, pink, blue, and green, and range in intensity from faint to vivid. In general, the more saturated the color, the higher the value. Fancy-color diamonds are color-treated diamonds, created in a laboratory and have become very desirable. Diamonds are found in South Africa, Russia, Bostwana and elsewhere in Brazil, China, Canada and the United States.
Synonymous with wedding engagements, diamonds make an everlasting gift for other special occasions like a 60th or 75th wedding anniversary.
www.americangemsociety.org/en/april-birthstone
www.gem-a.com/april-birthstone
Gemstones by Cally Hall
Gemstones by Cally Hall
