Birthstones – Gemstones that tell about you: October, November, December

The final three birthstones for October, November and December are Opal, Orange Topaz and Turquoise.

Opal:

The name opal actually means “to see a change in color.” The opal occurs in several types of color. The White opal has a white body color with pastel glints of rainbow color. Black opal has a blue, gray or black body color. The black Boulder opal contains ironstone. 

Crystal or water opal is The transparent or colorless opal contains brilliant flashes of color within it. 

Fire opal is a transparent or a translucent opal with a yellow, orange or red body color that may also have a flash of color.

This delicate gemstone has a large color scale. 

Opals are said to bring hope, innocence and purity to its user. 

Opals can help also with dreams, healing, imagination and visualization. Opals are believed to bring loyalty, confidence and happiness to people who carry it. Opals can help with health issues in eyes.

November: Orange Topaz

Topaz is a common gemstone that has been used for centuries in jewelry. Its golden brown to yellow color is classic but is confused with the less valuable citrine, which is sometimes wrongly sold under the name topaz. The blue topaz that is often confused with aquamarine is rarely natural and is produced by irradiating and then heating clear crystals.

Topaz is the hardest silicate mineral and one of the hardest minerals in nature. Topaz crystals can reach incredible size of several hundred pounds. Topaz can make very attractive mineral specimens due to their high luster, nice colors and well formed and multifaceted crystals.

Topaz may be colorless, yellow, orange, red, blue and green.

Orange topaz, sometimes called the precious topaz is said to have powers including loyalty, friendship, constancy, happiness, rejuvenation and faithfulness. Orange topazes are believed to help with releasing tension, balancing emotions and strength. This gemstone will help with health problems like asthma, blood disorders, sanity and insomnia.

December: Turquoise

It is a blue to gray green mineral consisting of copper aluminum phosphate. It is a hydrous phosphate of aluminum with a small percentage of copper which gives it the blue coloring. When associated with iron the color tends to be greenish.

Natural turquoise may have been cut and polished, but no artificial changes have been made to the gemstones.

The properties with which the Turquoise, the birthstone of the Zodiac sign of Sagittarius, is associated are as follows: prosperity, success, happiness and good fortune, open communication, protection against all diseases, regeneration, and strengthening.

Sandra Kemppainen, Susan Fred; photos: Sandra Rugina, wikipedia.org

Birthstones – Gemstones that tell about you: August, September

For August, we have peridot and sardonyx, and for September we have two blue stones, sapphire and lapis lazuli.

August: Peridot, Sardonyx

Peridot is the gem variety of olivine. Peridot is the birthstone for August and the Zodiac stone for the constellation Libra (astrological sources refer to peridot as Chrysolite). Peridot is associated with the values of fame, dignity, protection, and success.

Peridotes are olive green gemstones. Peridotes are associated with love, faithfulness, loyalty and truth.

 Peridotes are believed to help with dignity, protection, openness, growth and fame. This gem is said to help with illness in lungs, sinuses and lymph.

Gem quality peridot comes from the ancient source of Zagbargad (Zebirget) Island in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt; Mogok, Myanmar (formerly known as Burma); Kohistan, Pakistan; Minas Gerais, Brazil; Eifel, Germany; Chihuahua, Mexico; Ethiopia; Australia; Peridot Mesa, San Carlos Apache Reservation, Gila County, Arizona and Salt Lake Crater, Oahu, Hawaii, USA. The best quality peridot has historically come either from Myanmar or Egypt.

Sardonyx is a banded variety of chalcedony (cryptocrystalline quartz), with layers alternating between Sard and Onyx. It is an impure fine-grained quartz whose crystals are too small to see. The color is usually a yellow-brown alternating with white, but other variants are also called sardonyx.

The banded nature of sardonyx is used to advantage by lapidaries and artisans, as a careful selection of material and design allows the creation of bas-relief art, where one layer is left as a foreground, and another is used as the background for a carving.

Sardonyx is the traditional birthstone for August. It is associated with relaxation and security.

September: Sapphire, Lapis Lazuli

Sapphires are well known from such places as Sri Lanka and India, and excellent specimens are also found in Tanzania and the Kola Pennensula of Russia. In addition, sapphires are found in many places throughout the world, including North Carolina, Brazil, and China.

Sapphires are extremely durable (only diamond and moisannite are harder).  Artificial sapphire crystals are used are used as the crystal face in genuine Rolex watches, and they are extremely scratch resistant.

Sapphires are gems that come in various colors, including, white, pink and blue. Sapphires will bring truth, constancy and sincerity. Sapphires are believed to help with insight, interpretation and clairvoyance and sapphires banish bad thoughts. The healing properties that sapphires have are cancer, burns, hearing problems and they are said to lower fever.

Lapis Lazuli

Lazurite is a popular but generally expensive mineral. Well-formed, deep blue crystals are rare and valuable. It is more commonly found massive and combined with other minerals into a rock called Lapis Lazuli, which is an alternate birthstone for the month of September.

Lapis lazuli (often simply called lapis) is mostly lazurite but commonly contains pyrite and calcite and some other minerals. The name means “blue rock” and is always a brilliant blue with violet or greenish tints. The rich blue color is due to the sulfur that is inherent in the structure of lazurite. Small crystals of pyrite are always present in lapis and their brassy yellow color is both attractive and diagnostic in distinguishing lapis from its also blue cousin - sodalite rock, which lacks pyrite. The calcite produces white streaks in the lapis and too much calcite will lower the value of the stone.

Lapis lazuli has been mined for centuries from a locality still in use today in the remote mountain valley called Kokcha, Afghanistan. First mined 6000 years ago, the rock was transported to Egypt and present day Iraq and later to Europe where it was used in jewelry and for ornamental stone. Europeans even ground down the rock into an expensive powdered pigment for paints called “ultramarine”. Today ultramarine is manufactured artificially. Although no longer the only source of lapis, Afghanistan still produces the finest quality material.

Sandra Kemppainen, Susan Fred.

Birthstones – Gemstones that tell about you - June, July

In this article we will present the birthstones for the months of June and July.

For June, we have moonstone and pearl. Both have a delicate shine, reflecting light in a captivating and mysterious way.

For July, we have two strong stones, ruby and jade. 

Moonstone: 

This mysterious gem, captivating as a full moon gleaming in the night sky, is considered sacred in India, where it has appeared in jewelry for centuries. The gem is also the traditional gift for the 13th wedding anniversary. 

Moonstones are named because their sheen is similar to moonlight. Moonstone has another synonym, which is Selenite, according to the Greek godess of the moon, Selene.

Top quality blue Moonstone displays an incredible “three-dimensional” depth of color, it will be seen clearly only when playfully tilting the stone and moving it. They are very rare and thus highly valuable and coveted. 

It is believed moonstone have special properties:

To arouse the passion of lovers.

If placed beneath the tongue when the moon is full, a moonstone is said to reveal what is in store, good or bad, for a romance.

Used to protect women and babies.

Used by females to attract men.

Pearls: 

These amazing Minerals are formed by living Oysters and mussels and come in various colors. 

Pearls symbolize loyalty, faithfulness and friendship. 

Pearls are believed to help with purity, modesty and chastity. 

Health problems related to the heart, stomach, spleen and intestine are believed to be eased by using pearls.

July: Ruby, Jade

Ruby:

Rubies are deep red gemstones, and the color may vary from pinkish red to blood-red. 

Rubies symbolize integrity, courage, happiness and devotion. Rubies are believed to help with success, vitality, generosity, confidence and strength.

Health problems linked to blood and infection are believed to heal with rubies.

Jade:

In ancient China and Egypt jade was used as a talisman to attract good fortune and friendship. 

Worn as an amulet it is believed to protect one from evil while traveling and to promote wisdom and ensure a long life.

Helps to protect the kidney, heart, larynx, liver, spleen, thymus, thyroid and strengthens the body. Jade is known as a symbol of love and virtue.

Sandra Kemppainen

Susan Fred.

Birthstones – Gemstones that tell about you April, May

Are sapphires lucky for you and when will you benefit from using them the most? Do you know your birthstone?

For every month, there is a gemstone that is set to describe the person thatis born in during the month. Birthstones include precious gemstones, like diamonds, and semiprecious gems, for example turquoise. Birthstones describe the twelve months and people that are born in certain month the same way than horoscopes do.

All the birthstones are believed to have healing powers for different illnesses and health problems. All the birthstones also have different good features in them, like creativity or happiness. Birthstones are believed to bring extra luck on its own chosen month, so if you feel like you need some extra help with your lottery numbers, read on what gemstone will benefit you the most.

April: Diamond

The most appreciated gemstone of all, Diamond, is the birthstone for April. These expensive birthstones come in almost every color. Diamond is believed to bring increasing inner strength and make relationships better. Diamonds bring balance, clarity and abundance to its user. 

If you have health  problems relating with brain diseases or want to remove toxins, diamonds are believed to help.

May: Emerald

May birthstone is gorgeously green emerald. Emeralds are said to bring Friendship, loyalty and faithfulness to its user. Emeralds will help with clairvoyance, memory and faith. If you have problems with fertility, spine or headaches, emeralds are believed to help.

Text: Susan Fred; photos: Sandra Rugina, Pasi Torkkeli

Birthstones – Gemstones that tell about you January, February, March

Text: Susan Fred; photos: Sandra Rugina, Pasi Torkkeli

Are sapphires lucky for you and when will you benefit from using them the most? Do you know your birthstone?

For every month, there is a gemstone that is set to describe the person thatis born in during the month. Birthstones include precious gemstones, like diamonds, and semiprecious gems, for example turquoise. Birthstones describe the twelve months and people that are born in certain month the same way than horoscopes do.

All the birthstones are believed to have healing powers for different illnesses and health problems. All the birthstones also have different good features in them, like creativity or happiness. Birthstones are believed to bring extra luck on its own chosen month, so if you feel like you need some extra help with your lottery numbers, read on what gemstone will benefit you the most.

The twelve Birthstones:

1. January - garnet

2. February - amethyst

3. March - aquamarine

4. April - diamond

5. May - emerald

6. June - pearl

7. July - ruby

8. August - peridot

9. September - sapphire

10. October - opal

11. November - orange topaz

12. December - turquoise.

January: Garnet

Garnet is a gemstone comes almost in every color from red to yellow. It is

believed to bring Truth, Faithfulness, friendship and purity to the person who carries it. Some say, that Garnet brings commitment and awareness and also helps to remove negativity. This beautiful stone will help with blood, infection, lung and heart related health problems.

February: Amethyst

Amethyst is a beautiful Lilac Quartz. This gemstone is believed to bring inner strength, courage, peace, balance and sincerity to who uses it. In the ancient times the Greeks and the Romans thought that Amethyst helped to prevent drunkenness. Amethyst will help with health problems related with different addictions, insomnia, pain relief, issues concerning circulatory system and general healing.

March: Aquamarine

Beautiful blue aquamarines are the birth stone for March.

The properties that are linked to Aquamarines are friendship, courage and faithfulness. Aquamarines are believed to help with communication problems, awareness and responding time. This gemstone will help with health issues that include stress and throat related problems.

We will write about the other birthstones in each upcoming issue of Design Jewelry and Accessories Magazine.