WHAT'S YOUR BIRTHSTONE???
Garnet
is the traditional birthstone for the month of January. Its rich, burgundy red
color and inner fire have helped make it a favorite addition to jewelry for
more than 5,000 years. High-quality garnets have vivid, saturated color and
good translucency.
Brilliant
purple amethyst is the birthstone for the month of February. These vibrant
gemstones have long been part of crown jewels and remain very popular today
because of their beauty and availability. Amethyst is a variety of quartz, and
high-quality specimens will have saturated color and pure purple hues.
The
birthstone for the month of March is aquamarine. These light to very light blue
gemstones are a variety of beryl, like emerald. They've long been associated
with water, and are especially treasured by seafaring people. A high-quality
aquamarine will have clear, bright colors and lighter tones.
Diamond
is the traditional birthstone of April. Treasured for their fire and
brilliance, diamonds have been prized for a wide variety of jewelry for
centuries. Look for high-quality diamonds that have a good balance of the Four
Cs; cut, color, clarity, and carat weight.
Rich
green emerald is May's birthstone. Emeralds have been prized in cultures around
the world for centuries, and their color is the definitive green. Emerald, like
aquamarine, is a variety of beryl and truly flawless specimens are
exceptionally
The
traditional June birthstone is pearl. Pearls are an organic gem, and only about
one in 20 pearl growing mollusks will produce gem quality pearls. The unique
iridescent luster of pearls have helped make pearls a jewelry essential for
generations of women around the world.
Because
of its fiery crimson color, ruby continues to make an eye-catching choice for
jewelry. Ruby is the traditional birthstone for July. It's a variety of
corundum, like sapphire, and shares sapphire's natural vibrancy. While flawless
examples are extremely rare, the best examples have good translucency and color
depth.
Bright,
green peridot is the birthstone for the month of August. Peridot's unique vivid
green will add a lively sparkle to any piece of jewelry. Peridot has been
treasured from Egypt to Hawaii for thousands of years. The finest peridot has
bright yellowish-green hues and good translucency.
Sapphire,
the September birthstone, is most well-known for its velvety blue hues and
dramatic highlights. However, pink sapphire is also a popular choice for
jewelry. A variety of corundum, sapphires are in the same gemstone family as
ruby.
Opal is
the birthstone for October and its fiery incandescence produces an endless
variety of color flashes. A high-quality opal offers a unique experience every
time you look at it. Opals are cut into rounded cabochons to enhance their
exceptional play of color. Never clean opals with an ultrasonic cleaner.
Golden
yellow-orange citrine is the traditional November birthstone. This fiery
gemstone gets its name from the French word for lemon. Citrine is a variety of
quartz, like amethyst, and high-quality examples will add a bright warm splash
of color to any piece of jewelry.
Radiant
blue topaz is the traditional birthstone for the month of December. This
dramatic gemstone has given jewelry designs a unique blue fire for thousands of
years. It is well-known for its dynamic color and range of vivid blue hues.
High-quality blue topaz has bright color and good transparency.
