Birthstones

It has been a while since we have visited the topic of birthstones and we found some fun facts about the that are just too good not to share!

The history of birthstones may extend back to the Book of Exodus and the 12 stones decorating the breastplate of Aaron. The stones symbolized the 12 tribes of Israel and are not the same stones as our modern birthstones. Later the 12 stones became associated with the apostles of Jesus Christ.

The stones we are familiar with were assigned in 1912 by the National Association of Jewelers for mainly commercial reasons. Since then, the list has been updated, adding additional options for some of the months.

Here is a fun fact about each month’s primary birthstone:

• January – Garnet: The name derives from the Latin word for seed or grain which may be a reference to the seeds of the pomegranate.
• February – Amethyst: The ancient Greeks believed amethyst prevented drunkenness and carved wine glasses from it.
• March – Aquamarine: Often associated with emotional depth and healing, aquamarine is also associated with youth and happiness and an ability to reveal hidden truths.
• April – Diamond: The strength of diamonds is known around the world, in fact the word diamond comes from the Greek word “adamas” meaning invincible or unbreakable.
• May – Emerald: The perfect stone for May when the world begins to turn green with Spring, the emerald is associated with prosperity, security and fertility.
• June – Alexandrite: Named after Alexander II, Russia’s Czar from 1855-1881, alexandrite is believed to be a good omen and is associated with luck, fortune and glory.
• July – Ruby: These gorgeous red gems, second only in hardness to diamonds, are associated with love, passion and romance. The deepest hued rubies are referred to as “pigeon’s blood.”
• August – Peridot: Peridot is Egypt’s national gem and was believed to have come from the sun. Associated with good health, tranquil sleep and body/mind harmony, it has been discovered in meteorites and volcanic lava.
• September – Sapphire: Known for their deep blue color, sapphires come in many colors – pink, yellow, green. Blue sapphires symbolize purity and spirituality and are thought to have healing powers.
• October – Opal: A symbol of hope and good fortune, the opal is often called the Queen of Gemstones due to its ability to encompass a multitude of colors.
• November – Citrine: With a name that comes from the French citron meaning lemon, these brown or reddish/orange gems are associated with the warmth and energy of the sun, happiness and joy.
• December – Blue Topaz: A stone known for association with open communication, honesty, great wisdom, and good energy, blue topaz also the traditional gift for a 4^th wedding anniversary.

There are so many fun facts about gems, we have just touched the surface! Whatever your favorite of these gems, we hope you wear them often and share their beauty with the world. Stop into Bridgewaters to find a new favorite gem!

We’ve shared about amethyst a few times (https://bridgewaterjewelers.com/the-powers-of-amethyst/ and https://bridgewaterjewelers.com/caring-for-gems-amethyst/), but there are so many great facts about this beautiful purple stone that we couldn’t help sharing once again. We all know amethyst comes in hues of light lavender to dark, reddish-purple and is a member of the quartz family. Check out these other great facts:

• Valentine loved amethyst and so it is considered a symbol of love.
• Amethyst is a tough stone, a 7 on Mohs scale. There are only a few other stones that are harder including diamond, ruby, and sapphire.
• Be careful with your amethyst stones as heating them can cause the stone to lose its color or even create citrine, a yellow gem.
• What’s in a name? In Greek, amethystos means “not intoxicated” and was thought to ward off drunkenness and cure hangovers. Amethysts are also associated with Baccus, the Greek god of wine.
• Amethyst is also thought to protect the holder from evil and poison, cure headaches and help the wearer to get deeper sleep.
• Leonardo da Vinci thought the stone could quicken intelligence and fight off evil thoughts.
• Brazil and Uruguay are leading suppliers of amethyst.
• Amethyst is the official gemstone for the province of Ontario.

So many fun facts about this beautiful stone. Stop in to Bridgewaters and find your new favorite gem!

Opals are one of October’s birthstone, with pink tourmaline being the other. They are also the gem for the 14^th wedding anniversary. Opals are amazing with their play of color or rainbow colors. They have long been associated with hope, happiness, innocence and good luck. What do you know about these color shifting gems?

• Australia mines about 95% of all precious opals used in jewelry and opal is the nation’s national gemstone.
• Opals come in many colors and black opals are one of the rarest gemstones, having only been discovered in Australia.
• Opals were the favorite gemstone of Queen Victoria in England.
• Opal deposits have been discovered on Mars!

These are very cool facts, but let’s consider the myths around opals as there are many.

• Arabic legend says opals fell from the sky in bolts of lightning.
• Greek mythology has opals originating as joyful tears from Zeus, after winning the battle against the Titans.
• Aborigines of Australia believe the Creator cam to Earth on a rainbow and opals were left where his feet touched the ground.
• In the Middle Ages opals were thought to possess the powers of each gemstone whose color appeared in the opal.
• While generally associated with luck, there have been stories that marred the perception of this gorgeous gem:
  • In 1829, Sir Walter Scott’s book, Anne of Geierstein, about an enchanted princess whose opal changed color with her moods, changed perception of the gem when a few drops of holy water extinguished the stone’s magic and the princess died. Opal sales in Europe dropped by 50% within a year of the book’s publication.
  • King Alfonso XII was gifted an opal ring for his wedding. He gave it to his wife who died. The ring was given to Alfonso’s grandmother, sister and sister in law, all of whom died. Alfonso was the last to wear the ring, dying shortly after.

Luckily these beautiful and colorful gems are back in popularity! Stop by Bridgewaters to learn more about opals and, perhaps find your next favorite piece of jewelry!

Blue is the color of December, at least as far as birthstones go! Blue topaz and turquoise are both gorgeous gems – we have written about them both here and provide more details about blue topaz here. Let’s check out more fun details about turquoise, which is the traditional December birthstone.

• Turquoise was one of the earliest gems mined, between 5,000 and 7,000 years ago.
• The name turquoise means “Turkish Stone” as it was originally imported to Europe from Turkey. The name comes from the French word for Turkey since it was believed that the mineral originated there.
• The most desirable color of turquoise is a strong sky blue to “robin’s egg” blue. The value decreases with the increase of green hue, lightening of color, and mottling.
• Turquoise is the only gemstone to have an official color named after it.
• Turquoise is the gemstone for the 11^th wedding anniversary.
• Tibetans revered the gemstone as a talisman of good fortune. To this day, turquoise remains to be the most prized gemstone in Tibet.
• Turquoise is sacred to many Native Americans and was often used as a shaman’s stone, which were stones believed to have strong metaphysical properties for spiritual growth.
• With a Mohs rating between 5 and 6, turquoise should be handled carefully and stored separately from other harder gemstones.

If you are looking for a great gift for a Sagittarian, turquoise is a true bargain – beautiful and affordable! Stop by Bridgewaters for all your holiday shopping needs!

Those born in November have a choice of birthstones, the beautiful topaz which comes in a rainbow of colors or the yellow, gold or amber citrine. We’ve written generally about both stones here and about citrine here. Let’s focus on the gorgeous topaz today.

Topaz come in various tones and saturations of blue, green, yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple. Colorless topaz is plentiful, and is often treated to give it a blue color. Imperial topaz refers pink topaz, named in honor of the Russian Czar when found high in the Ural Mountains in Russia in the 17^th century. The pink stone was so rare, every specimen found was automatically owned by the Royal Family.

There is no definitely answer for how topaz received its name. It may have been named after a small island in the Red Sea which was named “Topazios” (this island is named Zabargad today). Topaz was never mined on Tapazios, but peridot was and the two were confused throughout history. Alternatively, some scholars believe the topaz was named from the Sanskrit word topas or tapaz which means “fire.”

Over the centuries, topaz has been thought to protect against enemies, to give strength, and to protect against spells and magic. Today, topaz is associated with friendship, loyalty, and faithfulness. Blue topaz is the gem of the 4^th anniversary and Imperial topaz is the gem of the 23^rd anniversary.

With so many reasons to gift topaz, stop in to Bridgewaters today to find the perfect color and setting!

Those lucky enough to be born in October have a modern (pink tourmaline) and a tradition (opal) birthstone. We’ve written about opal last year, so thought we would delve into the beautiful pink tourmaline. In addition to being a birthstone of October, it is also the gift for the 8^th wedding anniversary. Read on for more fun facts about pink tourmaline.

• Pink tourmaline stones vary from pastel to vivid pink in color.
• The most desirable pink tourmaline gemstones are those with an intense, vibrant pink hue.
• Pink tourmaline is one of the rarest shades found in the tourmaline family.
• Watermelon tourmaline, named for its pink center surrounded by an outer green “rind.”
• Pink tourmaline has a hardness of 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale, making it a perfect choice for different types of jewelry.
• Tourmaline comes in many different colors and was misidentified as other stones based on color until the development of modern mineralogy in the 1800s.
• Pink tourmaline has the ability to become electrically charged by heating or rubbing it. When charged, one end becomes positive and the other negative, allowing it to attract particles of dust or bits of paper.
• It symbolizes love, compassion, and tenderness.
• Clean your pink tourmaline regularly with mild soap and warm water and get your jewelry checked by your favorite jeweler at least yearly.

Stop into Bridgewaters – we would love to help you find a perfect pink tourmaline!

The September birthday, Sapphire, is beautiful and a favorite of royalty, think “royal blue,” for centuries. We’ve written about them several times sharing and . But there is still so much to know! Keep reading for some fun and interesting facts about sapphires!

• Toughness: Sapphires are a tough gem, a 9 out of 10 on the Mohs scale. Only diamonds are harder.
• Rainbow of Colors: Sapphires come in just about every color of the rainbow with hues varying from violet, green, yellow, orange, pink, purple to white. The different colors are caused by the trace elements within the mineral corundum that makes up the sapphire.
• Rarest: The rarest variety of sapphire is known as padparadscha, a captivating pinkish orange gem traditionally found in Sri Lanka.
• Engagement Rings: Sapphires were a popular choice for Victorian era engagement rings as they symbolized love and devotion.
• Most Famous: Lady Diana’s 12 carat blue sapphire engagement ring is most famous royal blue sapphire in the world.
• Lab Grown: Dating all the way back to 1902, Sapphires were one of the first gems to be artificially grown in a lab.
• Most Desired: Sapphires with a mid-tone blude with a strong hue that doesn’t change color are the most desired and most valuable.

We hope that you have enjoyed the fun facts about sapphires. Stop in to Bridgewaters see if we can find your perfect gem!

August babies are super lucky – they get to choose between three different gems: Peridot, Sardonyx and Spinel. We’ve shared details about peridot and sardonyx in past blogs and so today we will focus on spinel, a stone that comes in a multitude of colors from red to purple to blue and bluish green.

Spinel was often mistaken for other gems including rubies like the 170 carat Black Prince’s “ruby” which wasn’t determined to be red spinel until the 18^th century. This large stone is set in Great Britain’s Imperial State Crown.

Aside from the amount of colors, spinel is also one of the hardest gems with a Mohs scale of 8. It also is very tough and doesn’t break, cleave or fracture easily and there are only a few materials that can scratch it. This makes spinel one of the most durable gems, making it a great choice for jewelry.

Spinel is known as the stone of revitalization and may also help in releasing anxiety and stress, bringing inspiration and new hope.

Looking for a great gem that brings durability and many color options then spinel is for you! Stop in and see the beauty of this stone for yourself.

The gorgeous ruby is the July birthstone as well as the traditional gift for celebrating 15^th and 40^th wedding anniversaries. Rubies have symbolized power and protection throughout the ages. They were believed to protect warriors in battle. A more modern day connection to this belief are the ruby slippers worn by Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz which were thought to protect her from evil.

Rubies are also associated with love and passion based on their bright red color. Red is the color of roses, cupid and hearts and rubies, with their brilliant, fiery red fit right in. Rubies often look like there is an eternal flame burning within the store which symbolizes everlasting love.

Whether you are looking for your own new favorite piece of jewelry or as a gift for your wedding anniversary, stop in to Bridgewaters and let us help you find your perfect gem!

The last couple of years, we have explored two of the three June birthstones – the pearl and moonstone. Not to be forgotten is the third June birthstone (and gemstone for the 55^th anniversary) – alexandrite. Legend has it that alexandrite was named for Alexander II, the emperor of Russia from 1855 – 1881, due to being discovered on his birthday in 1834. Imperial Russia loved alexandrite because the green and red colors mirrored their military colors, which changes colors under different light sources, appearing green in sunlight and fluorescent light and purple or purplish red in dim light or incandescent light. It is also called an “emerald by day, ruby by night” due to the changing of colors in different lights.

Unfortunately, alexandrite lost its popularity after the Russian mines were exhausted until new sources for it were found in Brazil in 1987. The gems from the newer sources, Brazil, Sri Lanka, East Africa, are not as vividly colored as the Russian gemstones.

Alexandrite remains a very rare gem, more rare than diamonds, which makes it extremely expensive, even with lower quality gems. Alexandrite has been lab grown since the 1960s, but is an expensive process making even lab-grown stones quite costly. Alexandrite is thought to bring good luck, fortune and love. Stop by Bridgewaters to find your new favorite gem!