Birthstone Meaning

January – Garnet The Romans named this deep-red stone granatum, or pomegranate, because of its resemblance to the fruit’s rare, jewel-like seeds. Symbolizing faith and courage, garnets are believed to intensify affection and nurture the imagination. February – Amethyst A symbol of peace since ancient times, amethyst was once used to decorate the British crown jewels. Believed to promote tranquility, the stones are revered for their soothing characteristics. March – Aquamarine Named from the Latin words for water and sea, aquamarines were once worn by sailors to protect against seasickness. Today, the translucent blue stone is a symbol of courage and everlasting youth. April – Diamond During the Italian Renaissance, diamonds came to represent divine love from the translation dio (God) and amante (love). Today, diamonds remain the ultimate symbol of everlasting devotion. <pP May – Emerald Due to its rich green hue, the ancients equated emeralds with spring and prized them as symbols of rebirth. The vibrant stones are believed to quicken the intelligence as well as the heart. June – Pearl According to Arabic legend, pearls are formed when dewdrops fill with moonlight and fall into the ocean. The world’s oldest known gem, pearls are believed to promote prosperity and long life. July – Ruby Believed to promote balance in love and all spiritual endeavors, the ruby is not only the world’s rarest gemstone, but also the one many consider to be the most passionate. August – Peridot/Sardonyx Ancient Romans called peridot the “evening emerald”, since its vivid green color does not darken at night. Once believed to drive away evil spirits, the stone is still considered a symbol of good luck. September – Sapphire The ancients believed the earth rested on a giant sapphire, and its reflection colored the sky. Once worn by kings to protect against harm, today sapphires are believed to promote inner peace. October – Opal/Tourmaline Shakespeare onced used opals as his muse, their luminous surfaces mirroring the wonder of the skies, rainbows, fireworks and lightening at once. Today, the stone is a symbol of both intuition and joy. November – Citrine/Yellow Topaz Derived from the French word citron, meaning lemon, citrine is also known as the jewel of the sun. The golden stone has been aptly linked with light-heartedness, happiness and joy. December – Blue Topaz/Turquoise The ancient greeks believed topaz had the power to increase strength and make its wearer invisible. Still considered a powerful stone, today this dazzling gem is also a symbol of rejuvenation and...

The tanzanite gemstone was discovered in Tanzania by the Masaai people in 1967. Shortly thereafter, tanzanite was brought to the Western world by Tiffany and Co., who gave the stone its name and introduced it to the public. Tanzanite is popular for its dazzling color. A rare stone with the ability to appear several colors at once, tanzanite is mainly purple with shades of blue, flashes of red, and even tinges of green. The darker the tanzanite gemstone, the more valuable it will be. Lighter, more translucent stones can still be beautiful, but they are less valuable. Tanzanite gemstone jewelry is very popular, and can be found in a wide range of options to suit all needs and tastes. Pendants, bracelets, rings and earrings can all be crafted from tanzanite. Tanzanite can be cut into a variety of shapes, the most popular being cushion, oval, round and emerald-cut. Considered a birthstone for December since 2002, tanzanite gemstone jewelry makes a great gift for anyone born in that month. Care should be taken when wearing tanzanite jewelry because it is not the most durable. Tanzanite ranks a 6.5 on the Moh’s scale of gemstone hardness and is more easily damaged than stones like aquamarine, sapphire, and diamond. When cleaning your tanzanite gemstone take special care to be gentle and never use harsh jewelry cleaners. Also, using ultrasonic jewelry cleaners can ruin tanzanite. Tanzanite should not be exposed to water if at all possible. Also, leaving your tanzanite out in the sun can cause the color to fade. You can wipe your tanzanite clean with a dry cloth, or better yet, take your tanzanite gemstone to a professional jeweler who is knowledgeable in cleaning gemstones. A beautiful tanzanite necklace can also make a fantastic gift for anyone born in the month of December, as it was added to the list of December’s official gemstones in...