Birthstones

Ancient people believed garnets could provide illumination. According to the Bible, Noah hung a large garnet inside the Ark. It was not wired because electricity had not yet been created. Five thousand years later, garnets were used in lasers and optoelectronics, so Noah was a visionary. Apart from their imaginary light-emitting capabilities, garnets provided guidance at night and protection from nightmares. Garnet was antiquity's TripAdvisor, warning travelers of approaching danger.

A garnet was one of the twelve gemstones adorning Aaron's breastplate, representing one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Which one? No one knows, perhaps the one that was born in January. Ancient Christians highly regarded red garnet, thought to be a symbol of Christ's blood sacrifice. The ancient Persians regarded garnet as a stone that only royalty was allowed to own. According to Islam, the sixth Heaven—Arous (عروس)—is composed of garnets and rubies. Ancient Greeks believed that a garnet could guide its wearer through the night, allowing them to see what others could not.

Amethyst is a purple quartz variety. Its spectacular color ranges from deep violet and red to a lighter lilac hue. Ancient Greeks believed that Amethyst would prevent intoxication and enable a clear mindset. The word "Amethyst" came from the Greek phrase "not drunk yet."

Wearing an Amethyst symbolized peace, protection, and tranquility. Amethyst is linked to the Crown Chakra, which helps mind purification and clearing of negative thoughts, the negativity of stress, and anxiety. With a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, it is a durable stone. February offers an alternative to Amethyst: Bloodstone, a dark-green stone with flecks of red iron oxide spots.

The breathtaking color of a fine Aquamarine is similar to the rich crystalline blues of Caribbean waters. A sub-species of Beryl, Aquamarine is a close relative of May's birthstone, the Emerald. Aquamarine is a busy gemstone. In addition to serving on March duty, it is associated with Pisces and Gemini Zodiac signs. It also has a connection to Uranus and Neptune, and on top of that, Aquamarine marks the 19th marriage anniversary.
In ancient times, the stone aided seafarers. Dreaming about Aquamarine predicts the making of new friends. Wearing aquamarine earrings brings love and affection. It is the universal symbol of youth, hope, and health. The alternative birthstone for March is Jade, a designated Zodiac gemstone of Virgo.

People born in April are the luckiest people because diamonds are a well-known and universally accepted gemstone that is desirable and easy to buy. The hardest of all gemstones, diamonds were formed billions of years ago at great depths inside the earth. Lab-grown diamonds are produced en masse, and they are very inexpensive.
Diamonds epitomize love, purity, open-heartedness, and unity. In addition to being a symbol of everlasting love, they were once thought to give courage, which is vital for anything eternal.

In Sanskrit, the diamond is called "vajra," which means lightning; in Hindu mythology, vajra was Indra's weapon. For those who don't know, Indra is the boss of other Hindu gods. Diamonds symbolize a fresh new start that resembles springtime, beautiful and graceful. It's also said that April babies are more likely to display strong leadership and assertive nature. Lenin and Hitler counted diamonds as their birthstones.

Emerald has always been associated with the lushest landscapes. Ireland is the Emerald Isle, Seattle is the Emerald City, and Taiwan is the Emerald Island. Even the famous Emerald Buddha, which is carved from jadeite, is called Emerald Buddha. The capital of Oz—the City of Emeralds—is built entirely of emeralds (rumored to be green glass by fake news stations) and linked to Wamego, KS, via the Yellow Brick Highway. Emerald's color has been a benchmark of the most beautiful green color for thousands of years. Its most desirable color is a vivid green with a slight blue undertone in a medium-dark shade with intense saturation. The high concentration of Chromium and Vanadium impurities is responsible for the rich green color, which separates Emerald from green Beryl. Emerald clarity is a less critical property. Inclusions are well tolerated as long as the color is pretty. Most emeralds are infused with oil, which turns a heavily included specimen into a clear transparent crystal. The Emerald is one of the four major precious gems: Emerald, Sapphire, Ruby, and Paraiba.

In folklore, an Emerald represents youthfulness, growth, and intelligence because green is the most intelligent color. Just look at trees. The Emerald is thought to cure many ailments, including low IQ, poor eyesight, and infertility (probably caused by poor eyesight). Emerald enabled the wearer to predict the future.
Polycrates, the ruler of the Greek island Samos, once tossed an emerald into a sea at the urging of Amasis II, the Pharaoh of Egypt, to appease the gods.
The ostentatious and extravagant wife of Caligula Lollia Paulina once arrived at a party adorned with alternating emeralds and pearls worth the equivalent of 40,000 Roman soldiers' annual wages. Cleopatra was known to be a sucker for a good emerald.

In 1834, the newly discovered Alexandrite gemstone was named after the Russian Czar Alexander II on his birthday. Kissing royal ass was very popular in Russia then and still is today. "Emerald by day, ruby by night" - this is how Alexandrite was described before the invention of electricity. Alexandrite changes its color from bluish-green in daylight to purplish-red under incandescent light. Under normal light, both colors are mixed, so the stone looks brownish-green.

Alexandrite is a rare variety of chrysoberyl. The gem-quality natural stones are scarce and extremely expensive.
For those born in June who don't want Alexandrite, Pearls are another option.
Pearls are organically created inside clamshells. Today, most pearls are cultivated in oyster farms, which makes them very affordable. Pearls are recognized as the symbol of modesty, chastity, and purity. They symbolize a happy marriage.
The largest pearl in the world, 3 inches long, was gifted by Shah Jahan to his favorite wife, Mumtaz. At the time, it was more valuable than the Taj Mahal he also built for her. Coco Chanel, the fashion guru and Nazi agent F-7124, once remarked between anti-Semitic outbursts: "A woman needs ropes and ropes of pearls."

June babies with a distaste for Alexandrites and Pearls have yet another option: Moonstones. Up until the sixteenth century, people believed that moonstones changed their appearance with the moon's phases. Romans believed that the face of Diana, the Goddess of the Moon, could be seen within the stone. Moonstones have the power to bring victory, health, and wisdom. In India, moonstones are considered sacred stones. Moonstones are wrapped in a sacred yellow-colored cloth so they can bring good fortune, which is brought on by a spirit that lives within the stone.

Ruby, known as the "Lord of the Gems," happens to be Leon Megé's birthstone, making it extra special. Rubies are said to protect owners from all kinds of misfortune. A fine ruby assures its owner of life in harmony with neighbors, a significant advantage for condo owners. Rubies are believed to harness an inner flame burning eternally and protect from all sorts of evil, including bad real estate deals. Rubies are believed to enhance mental power and aid in making critical financial decisions.

Unfortunately, rubies proved to be unreliable for marital decisions. The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, married Prince Andrew and got a ruby ring. Ten years later, they filed for divorce. Ruby-studded slippers can beam you straight to the Superbowl at Arrowhead Stadium if you know the correct sequence of knocks. July substitute birthstones are Onyx (Quartz), Carnelian (reddish Quartz), and Turquoise (a light-blue plastic-looking gemstone). Wealthy Greeks and Romans' personal seals were carved out of hard gemstones such as Quartz. Carnelian was especially popular due to the even distribution of its color.

Peridot (pronounced pair-uh-doe) is an olive-green gem from the Olivine family of minerals. The magnesium iron silicate's color comes from traces of iron. Peridots ("poor woman's emeralds") are believed to host magical powers and are the most powerful amulets against evil. They are said to be pirates' favorite gemstones. Peridot allegedly helps with battling addictions such as tobacco or inhalant dependencies. Meditating with Peridot promotes understanding and teaches self-perfection and purposefulness of existence.

Spinel occurs in every color of the spectrum. It was added to the official list of birthstones in 2016 to relieve the drab olive monotony of peridot.
For thousands of years, any red gemstone valued for its beauty and used for jewelry or spiritual scams was thought to be a ruby. However, a large portion of these gems were actually tourmalines, garnets, and spinels.
The Black Prince ruby of the British Crown Jewels is actually a spinel.
Red spinels were thought to protect their wearer from harm and enhance vitality because of their association with blood.
Spinel helps eliminate the body's toxins and waste.
Among spinel's virtues is an ability to inflict rejuvenation, compassion, hope, stamina, and joy on those wearing it.

Without Sapphires, ancient priests and sorcerers were unable to foretell the future. The Ten Commandments were inscribed on a sapphire tablet, lending credence to the theory of its extraterrestrial origin. Unfortunately for ET fans, the Biblical sapphire was likely to be Lapis Lazuli, a soft gemstone that looks like blue marble. Ancient Greeks wore sapphires to ensure the oracles gave them decent advice. During the Middle Ages, blue Sapphires were thought to harness divine blessings from Heaven.

Buddhists thought Sapphires enlightened them. Hindus used sapphires for worship. Greedy European royalty hoarded Sapphires for their resale value and bragging rights. Lapis Lazuli is an alternate birthstone for September, a significantly less expensive option.

Those born in October have two birthstones to commemorate their birthdays. Opal is October's primary birthstone, while Tourmaline is considered an alternative. Opal is formed by rain soaking the ground and depositing silica into rock layers’ crevices. Because of its amorphous structure, opal is classified as a mineraloid, essentially a beautiful plastic made by nature.

Opal is as soft (Mohs 6) as glass and contains up to twenty percent water by weight. However, it can easily get scratched, dry out, and crack, so extra care is required. Each Opal is different in color and pattern, making it a unique gift. According to Arabian legend, opals fall from the sky during storms when lightning strikes the sand. Australian aborigines thought the creator visited the Earth in a rainbow and left them with opals as a gift.

Opal symbolizes hope, innocence, and purity; it favors children, theater, and friends. Ancient Greeks thought that Opal could give psychic abilities. Medieval writers believed that Opal could banish evil spirits and even make the owner invisible. In 2008, NASA discovered Opal deposits on Mars.

Tourmaline comes in various colors, the most common being red, green, and brownish-orange. Neon-blue Brazilian Paraiba is by far the most beautiful and precious variety of Tourmaline.
The Sinhalese word "toramalli," meaning "rainbow gem," gave Tourmaline its name because the same crystal is often bi-colored or multi-colored.
The pink color in tourmalines is due to prolonged natural irradiation.
Tourmaline is a hard, durable stone suitable for daily wear.
Tourmaline has magical powers that protect against toxins, pollutants, and depression.

Look who share October birthday:

• Pablo Picasso
• John Lennon

November's primary birthstone is Topaz, while citrine is the alternative. Topaz comes in a wide range of colors: blue, pale green, the spectrum of yellow from orange to pink, and the most unique, red. The intense pink Topaz is called Imperial Topaz. When it was first discovered in Russia, its ownership was restricted to the Russian Czar's family.

The most commonly available colorless Topaz is nuked to produce various shades of blue: London Blue, Sky Blue, and Swiss Blue. The ancient Greeks felt that Topazes gave them strength, prevented mental illnesses, and increased overall wisdom. The early Mediterranean literature described those who went nuts as "people who lost their topazes." Topaz is distinguished by having the widest range of curative magical powers, including changing its color in the presence of poison and even preventing sudden death.

Cheap and plentiful golden-yellow quartz called Citrine is a substitute birthstone for November. The Citrine gets its name from the French "citron," meaning lemon. You can find citrines in varying shades, from pale lemon yellow to deeper whisky brown. Citrine is said to be a gift from the Sun with minor healing powers. Wearers of this gemstone are said to have an increase in health, hope, and spiritual energy. How an increase in hope is measured is a trade secret among fortune tellers and clairvoyants.

Zircon is the oldest mineral on Earth, more than 4.4 billion years old. Blue is the most popular and expensive of its many colors. Zircon's color palette includes yellow, green (the rarest form), red, and reddish-brown. During the Middle Ages, people believed that Zircon warded off evil and brought prosperity and wisdom. Zircon is thought to induce sleep, making it a Starbucks executives' favorite gem. Tanzanite is a bluish-purple mineral Zoisite renamed by Tiffany executives to make it marketing-friendly. Zoisite rhymes with "suicide," which is how jewelers feel about setting it because Tanzanite is extraordinarily brittle. Tanzanite should be protected from knocks, pressure, and sudden temperature changes. Do not attempt to clean Tanzanite jewelry with an ultrasonic cleaner. Because Tanzanite was discovered in East Africa only recently, there are no associated superstitions yet, but inevitably there will be.

Native Americans used turquoise as currency and in weaponry. Attaching Turquoise to bows and rifles was supposed to improve accuracy. They also believed that Turquoise brought good fortune. It did not. The word itself comes from the French “Pierre Tourques” or “Turkish stone” because Turkish traders brought the brightly colored stone to Europe. Nowadays, it is mainly used in South-Western silver jewelry.