Birthstones

Everyone knows that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but what more do you know about this shiny, dazzling gem? It is the April birthstone as well as the traditional gift for both the 60^th and 75^th wedding anniversary. Here are some other interesting facts:

• Diamonds are the only gem made of a single element, carbon.
• Diamonds are found in every color of the rainbow with blue, green, orange and red being more rare.
• Only 30% of mined diamonds are gem quality.
• 70-80% of mined diamonds are used for industrial purposes.
• The US is the world’s largest market for diamonds.
• Most natural diamonds were formed 1-3 billion years ago, about 100-200 miles below the Earth’s surface and have been brought to the surface by volcanic activity.
• You can dig for your own diamond right here in the US! The Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas is the world’s only diamond mine open to the public and for a fee, you can try to find your own diamond. One in 100 visitors find a diamond.
• When a diamond burns at more than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, it will simply vanish without leaving any ash.
• The planet named 55 Cancri e, discovered in 2004 is believed to be composed of mostly carbon and is one-third pure diamond.
• Scientists discovered a star that is basically a diamond of ten billion trillion carats. They named it Lucy after the Beatles song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.”
• Diamonds can be created in a lab with the same physical, chemical, and optical properties as mined diamonds. They are a sustainable option with minimal environmental impact.

Want to learn more about diamonds? Check out our past posts here and here. And don’t forget to stop by Bridgewaters to have your diamond jewelry checked and cleaned!

The beautiful aquamarine, the birthstone of those born in March and the anniversary gift for 19 years, has long been associated with water. Its qualities are thought to be especially strong when in water and placing the gem in water on the night of a full moon was thought to revitalize its powers. Aquamarine was believed to be the treasure of mermaids and sailors carried it as a talisman for luck. They were known to throw their gems into the water in an attempt to calm the gods during storms.

Today, aquamarine is a stone thought to bring happiness and protection to all who travel near or on water. It is considered an all purpose healing stone, used for spiritual, psychological issues as well as physical diseases. It is also believed to aid in communication and to calm nerves as it is a calming and soothing stone.

Looking to improve your sense of well-being, think more clearly and make quick decisions? Then stop in to see us at Bridgewaters to find your perfect piece.

Happy Valentine’s Day! We hope you enjoy a wonderful day with your loved ones.

If you saw our February 7^th Facebook post, you’ll know that February’s gem of the month is the lovely amethyst. Amethyst comes in hues of light lavender to dark, reddish-purple and is a member of the quartz family making it a durable stone perfect for all kinds of jewelry.

Amethyst is believed to have healing properties including protecting its wearer against negative energy, bringing clarity and peacefulness and purifying the body of toxins. Other benefits include helping to dispel rage, manage fears, anger and anxiety. It is thought that amethyst can enhance intuition, empowering wearers to embrace new ideas and put thought into action.

Amethyst is a beautiful and versatile stone. It is also the gem for both the sixth and 17^th wedding anniversary. Stop in to Bridgewaters to find a perfect piece!

Happy birthday to all our December babies! With two gorgeous blue gems to choose from, blue topaz and turquoise, it can be challenging to pick which is your favorite. We shared information on both gems in out blog here. Let’s dive deeper into blue topaz.

Blue topaz is the most popular topaz color with blues ranging from pale blue to deep blue. In nature, blue topaz is extremely rare and the gems found on the market today are created by treating clear topaz with radiation and heat. Two varieties of treated blue topaz dominate the market – London blue, a dark blue and Swiss blue, a bright and light toned gem. Blue topaz is also the 16^th wedding anniversary gift.

Blue topaz is a gem of peace and healing, thought to be soothing to nerves and emotions, helping to release anger and tension and helping the wearer relax. The Romans believed it could protect its wearer from enemies and bring reconciliation. Egyptians loved blue topaz which was said to hold mystical powers given by the sun god Ra.

The largest blue topaz is the Marbella Topaz, an oval cut gem of 8,225 carats. Named for the town of Marbella, the gem is the size of a grapefruit!

Blue topaz is inexpensive and a great addition to anyone’s jewelry collection. Stop by Bridgewaters to find your perfect piece!

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. Let’s focus on the sunny, durable and affordable citrine.

Citrine is actually pretty rare in nature and most citrine on the market is the result of heat-treating amethyst. Citrine is the top selling yellow to orange gem with the earthy, deep brownish or reddish orange color the most popular. Through the centuries, citrine has been mistaken for topaz and both gems are thought to carry similar powers.

Citrine, with its warm yellows to orange color is said to be a gift from the sun. Many feel that it is a healing gem, promoting calming, soothing and comfort. Others believe it sparks imagination and encourages new beginnings and prosperity. Today, many believe this stone is associated with success and wealth, giving it a nickname of the “merchant’s stone”.

Whether you love it for its healing powers or its ability to spark imagination, this golden gem will be perfect for brightening up a chilly November day. Stop by Bridgewaters to see if owning one brings you wealth and prosperity.

As we have mentioned before, those born in October have both a modern and traditional birthstone. October features both opals (traditional) as well as pink tourmaline (modern).

Precious opals diffract light, displaying the colors of the rainbow, which is known as “play of color.” This play of color has been compared to volcanos, galaxies and fireworks. Bedouins believed that opals held lightning and fell from the sky during thunderstorms.

Opals can be just about any color, with black being the most rare and white, gray and green the most common. While opals are found around the world, Australia is where the majority are mined, including prized black opal among other colors. Mexico is known for producing fire opal in yellow, orange to red.

The most expensive opal in the world is the Virgin Rainbow. Discovered in Australia, this very rare opal fluoresces with a rainbow of colors. It is worth over $1 million.

Love opals? Have a 14^th wedding anniversary coming up? Stop by Bridgewaters to find your perfect gem.

Blue sapphires are one of the most popular colored stones. And those lucky enough to be born in September have it as their birthstone. Throughout the centuries, people believed many different things about sapphires. The elite of ancient Greece and Rome believed they protected their owners from harm and envy. The clergy of the Middle Ages wore them because they symbolized Heaven and ancient Persians believed the earth rested on a giant blue sapphire which made the sky blue.

Sapphires are also believed to have healing powers. They were thought to be an antidote to poison and could heal eye ailments. Medieval Europeans believed sapphires could aid in mental health and overall well being. Depending on what finger the sapphire was worn, bestowed specific health benefits, for example, wearing one on the index or first finger eased ailments of the stomach and respiratory system while wearing one on the second finger strengthened the mind, liver and spleen.

Sapphires have been around longer than mankind and have been revered throughout history. What is your favorite belief about sapphires? Share on the Bridgewater Facebook page.

August is one of only three birth months that are represented by three gemstones. We’ve written about one of the three August birthstone’s, Peridot, the gem of the sun (you can find more information here). Today we’ll explore sardonyx, which was the original August birthstone until peridot was added. The third August gemstone is spinel, but we’ll delve into that one at another time.

Sardonyx has alternating layers of parallel bands of sard and onyx. Sard and onyx are two types of the mineral calcedony. Sard ranges in color from yellowish-red to reddish-brown while onyx is black or white with the white banding being most common in sardonyx.

Sardonyx is perfect for carving into cameos or brooches to show the color contrast of the layers. Ancient Greeks and Romans wore sardonyx carved with images of gods and heroes. Sardonyx was also used for Roman seals and signet rings used to imprint wax on official documents since hot wax doesn’t stick to it. Sardonyx is a symbol of strength, happiness and courage.

Sardonyx is relatively common and inexpensive making it a wonderful gemstone to add to any collection. Stop by Bridgewaters to get more familiar with this beautiful stone.

Last year, we celebrated our June birthdays by exploring one of the three birthstones associated, the pearl (see our June 1, 2021 blog post for more). June babies are also blessed to have the moonstone and alexandrite as their other stones. Moonstone, which is found all over the world, is valued for its blue to white “adularescence” which is the light that billows across the gemstone giving it a moonlight-like sheen.

Moonstone is associated with love, passion and fertility and believed to bring great luck. It is also prized for its healing properties, calming and stabilizing emotions. The most prized moonstones are blue and can only be found in Sri Lanka. India is known for producing rainbow moonstones.

Moonstone was adopted by Florida in 1970 as the official state gemstone to commemorate the Apollo 11 moon landing that launched from Florida. It is the preferred June birthstone over pearl and alexandrite in some parts of the world including Germany and Scandinavia.

Do you own any moonstone gems or jewelry? Stop by Bridgewaters to find your perfect piece featuring this magical gem.