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...

Want to make or wear impressive costume jewelry, but running on a tight budget? Using semi-precious stones is one good way to achieve this. These stones come in a wide variety and are highly accessible to almost everyone. Semi-precious stones preserve the effect of sophistication. Many pieces of jewelry made of these stones are pleasant to look at without seeming opulent. Depending on one’s own taste and fashion sense, these gemstones have the greatest potential to enhance one’s personal sense of style. Some semi-precious stones are also birthstones, which correspond to people’s birth months. Some people believe that wearing stones that correspond with one’s birth month increases one’s inner strength. This special trait makes jewelry made of certain semi-precious birthstones especially useful as gifts. Examples of such birthstones are garnet (January) and aquamarine (March). Another popular belief is that certain stones have their own unique “powers.” For example, wearing garnet is said to help ease the pain of a bad breakup, or cause jealousy between lovers. Amethyst is said to protect its wearer against the ill effects of alcohol, slow down intoxication and prevent hangovers. Turquoise is said to give emotional strength. Jade has always had enormous importance in Asian civilization; it is said to have the mystical power to protect its wearer against nightmares and other psychic attacks. Quartz is said to be among the most important of the semi-precious stones, because it calls upon the power of love — especially the rare rose quartz. Wearing rose quartz is said to increase one’s chances of finding or maintaining a good romantic relationship. Some pieces of bead jewelry are also made of semi-precious stones. The stones are threaded together with cords, making fine webs and accentuating intricate designs. Jewelry made of semi-precious stones is always popular, partly because of the beliefs associated with the stones — but mostly because they’re so pretty and can go well with anything one...