The idea of birthstones has been around for thousands of years. Various gems were believed to have certain powers and these were particularly strong powers in certain months. Traditionally the birthstones bring luck to the wearer, especially if worn during the birth month.The modern list of birthstones has no real astrological significance. It was created in 1912 by the Jewelers of America and has been modified a couple of times since. The idea was to create a list of gems that people could actually find, since some traditional birthstones are a little on the rare side. Since costs are a consideration for most of us, birthstone jewelry is frequently made with either created (man made) stones or, in less expensive jewelry with colored crystals. Of course, fine birthstone jewelry will be made with the same quality gems as any other fine jewelry. The list of the modern birthstones, by month, is as follows: The January Birthstone is Garnet. While the birthstone color is a rich red the garnet also comes in a great variety of colors. It's a relatively soft stone, so it should be protected from impacts and scratches. I once saw a gorgeous green garnet ring, priced at $4,000. February's birthstone is the Amethyst. This fine purple/lilac gem is also relatively soft. Purple is, of course, the royal color and so Amethyst has been a favorite gem for a very long time. It was also a favorite of Catholic Priests. Leonardo Da Vinci believed that it dispelled evil thoughts and quickened the intelligence. It obviously worked very well for him. The March Birthstone is Aquamarine. Aquamarine color ranges from light blue to blue/green to dark blue and is a favorite of many jewelers. Its light blue color arouses feelings of harmony and friendship and reflects the color of the sky as well as the deep blue sea. No wonder it was also a favorite gem of sailors and was reputed to be one of the treasures found with mermaids. The birthstone for April is the diamond. Of course, everyone knows that the diamond is the hardest material known. Well cut diamonds of good quality are dazzling. Diamonds actually come in a range of colors: the clear ones we see most often, as well as various shades of yellow, brown, orange, blue, and green. Do you think that fine diamonds are expensive? Try finding a fine blue or pink diamond. The Hope diamond is a huge, perfect, blue-violet diamond. May has the Emerald for its birthstone. This beautiful stone ranges from a cloudy pale green to a deep clear green in perfect specimens. High quality emeralds will see a price close to that of diamonds. Energy healers like the emerald for its positive effects on relationships. June's birthstone is the Pearl. This is the only gemstone that is actually grown inside a creature. Certain oysters, if they ingest some kind of particle, will encase that particle with the pearl nacre. Truly fine pearls are carefully cultured and a long string of large, perfect pearls will set you back several thousand dollars. Fresh water pearls, which are quite affordable, can still be beautiful and some have very interesting shapes.
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