Happy birthday to all those born in July! July’s birthstone is the ruby, a fiery, red gem. The ruby is symbolic of passion, protection and prosperity. Despite being the hardest stone other than diamonds, rubies are prone to fractures and so large stones are very rare and can be more expensive than similar sized diamonds. To increase their strength, most rubies are heat treated which also improves their color.
In addition to being July’s birthstone, the ruby is also the traditional gift for celebrating 15th and 40th wedding anniversaries. And rubies are more than just beautiful gems, their strength and red fluorescence or fiery glow make them ideal for use in lasers, watches and medical devices.
So whether you are looking for a gift for your spouse to celebrate a milestone anniversary or for someone with a July birthday, stop in to Bridgewaters to find just the right piece.
Happy birthday to all our June babies! June’s birthstone is the pearl, an elegant and timeless jewelry staple. Once thought to be teardrops from heaven, pearls are organic gems that grow inside either an oyster or a mussel. Today, the majority of pearls are cultured pearls, raised in pearl farms as natural pearl beds have been over fished. Cultured pearls come in many sizes, shapes and colors.
For our May babies, it’s all about color – color of their birthstone, emerald, that is. The deeper or more green an emerald, the more valuable it is. Emeralds have been mined since as early as 330 BC by the Egyptians who used them in both their jewelry and their burials. Emeralds are found all over the world with Columbia as the largest producer.
Diamonds have nearly always symbolized lasting love and have become synonymous with engagement rings. In fact, the first diamond engagement ring on record was given to Mary of Burgundy in 1477 by Archduke Maximillian of Austria. Historically, diamonds were believed to be lightning made real on Earth and have been associated with healing powers. Diamonds are also the April birthstone.