The spectacular purples in February’s birthstone, the amethyst, range from a light, delicate lilac to an intoxicating winey blend of rich purple and red. Speaking of intoxicating, its name comes from the Greek “amethystos,” meaning not drunk—it was believed that the stone could keep you from overdrinking. (Don’t try this on your own!) Until the […]
It’ll be a Blue Christmas…but in a good way. December has three luscious birthstones, all vibrant blue: zircon (traditional), turquoise, and tanzanite. If you’re in snowy areas, these stones reflect the icy blue tinge of snow and winter sky. If you’re a snowbird, these stones shine with the depths of the ocean and sunny sky. […]
May is the month of rebirth and growth—so it’s very fitting that its birthstone is the emerald. Emeralds are actually a form of beryl, which also gives us the blue-green aquamarine. To make things even more confusing, light green stones are considered to be green beryl. But only the vibrant green emerald is one of […]
As the world grows green in the spring, it’s fitting that the emerald is May’s birthstone. It’s been revered for centuries…its name comes from the ancient Greek word for green, ‘smaragdus.’ The first known mines were in Egypt, dating from at least 330 BC. And it’s one of the four “precious” gemstones of the world, […]
We all love hearing about our special birthday month’s birthstone. But did you ever wonder how the stone became associated with the month? And why they have special traits and healing qualities? Here’s some backstory on birthstones. Origin of monthly birthstones The origin of birthstones seems to stem from the bible, namely the twelve stones […]
