Category — Birthstone

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14K Solid Gold Diamond Earring (0.50 ct.tw.)

“She who from April dates her years,
Diamonds shall wear,
lest bitter tears
For vain repentance flow.”

If you were born in April then you may be lucky enough to receive a large amount of diamond jewelry in your lifetime, as this is your birthstone. Diamonds are formed when carbon deep in the earth is compressed under massive pressure to form a clear stone, this diamond ore is brought closer to the surface by volcanic activity. Diamond’s are the hardest natural mineral in the world, and this, along with their ability to reflect light makes them highly desirable in jewelry.

Roughly 130 million carats of diamonds are mined each year, and almost 50% of these come from Africa. Diamonds are also found in Australia, Russia and even the US.
Diamonds have always been considered attractive and valuable gemstones, and have been associated with engagement rings and weddings. Although many men struggle to find just the right engagement ring, with the huge selection of designer diamond rings available at reputable locations, there are hundreds of beautiful rings available to suit any budget or style.

Diamonds are believed to pass their clarity and longevity to the wearer and their relationships, helping them to find balance, strength and courage. The stone is associated with the crownchakra, meaning that when worn it is thought to be able to encourage clearer thinking and focus.

Diamond jewelry is a gift to be treasured forever, and diamonds have been included in the designs of rings, bracelets, necklaces, earrings and broochesfrom as early as the 8th century BC, when they were only found in India. Traditionally, alongside diamond engagement rings, diamond tennis bracelets are one of the most popular jewelry designs to use the stone, and these are often given as a special gift to express love.

Sapphire is sometimes considered an alternative birthstone for April, and with the popularity of colorful gemstone rings , why not treat your loved one to a beautiful diamond and sapphire ring with a dazzling pink, blue or yellow sapphire.

A Tanzanite and diamond ring is another beautiful combination, as the vibrant purple Tanzanite is highlighted by the clear, white sparkle of diamonds.

The traditional birth flower associated with April is the daisy, so what better gift that a piece of jewelry which incorporates both diamonds and daisies? Flower designs in jewelry have been particularly popular over the recent months, and the trend looks set to continue. Diamond and daisy jewelry is a wonderful birthday gift for milestone ages such as 18, 21, 30 and 40, as the diamonds add class and significance while the daisy shape creates a feeling of fun and youth. These diamond daisy earrings are cute and fashionable.

Of course, if you like things simpler, what woman wouldn’t be overjoyed to receive a classic pair of diamond stud earrings for her birthday? And if she was born in April, your gift will hold even more meaning.

Sometimes, it can be harder than expected to find that perfect present for her -
whether the ‘her’ in question is a close female relative, your wife or a
girlfriend that you’ve been with for several years. Maybe you got her a necklace
for her Valentine’s Day and a pair of earrings for Christmas – but don’t feel
that you’ve exhausted the gift possibilities of jewellery. Birthstones, for
instance, can make a fantastic – and unique – birthday present that will lend a
wonderful personal touch to her birthday.

Each month of the year is represented by a separate birthstones, each of which
has its own distinct meaning. And the use of the birthstone as a symbol of good
luck on one’s birthday has a history which is said to stretch back as far as the
first century. In 1912, the American national association of Jewellers – the
Jewellers of America – created a standardised
People born in January have the garnet as their birthstones, a deep red stone
that was originally used in thirteenth century as an insect repellent and a
guard against evil spirits! Essentially, the garnet birthstone is said to
represent constancy, a symbol of faith and devotion. The February birthstone -
the delicate purple amethyst – on the other hand, was once considered by the
Greeks as an effective antidote against drunkenness! Despite this association,
the amethyst birthstone is now seen to infer sincerity.

Those born in March will have the benefit of the clear blue aquamarine as their
birthstone, a precious jewel that symbolises courage – a feature that
perhaps dates back to the stone’s use as a “magical” antidote to poison in the
Middle Ages. But April birthdays will enjoy the luxury of having the world’s
most stunning jewel, the diamond, as their birthstone. Diamonds have been a
symbol of purity and innocence since their first discovery, with attachments to
divine beings across the world. If your loved one is born in April, a diamond is
sure to show them how special they are.

People with a birthday in May will take pleasure in the rich green emerald, a
symbol of love and success, as their birthstone, while June birthdays will be
able to enjoy the soft hues of the pearl as their unique birthday stone. The
pearl symbolises health and longevity, and has traditionally been an emblem of
feminine regenerative power – an aspect of this particular birthstone that’s
sure to have its female recipients beaming with glee.

The strong red of the ruby, July’s designated birthstone, has long been
associated with the passion of love. But the birthstone ruby is more than this -
it also stands for contentment, freedom and charity. If your special someone has
a birthday in August, you’ll be able to offer them the light green peridot, a
birthstone that is said to traditionally bring its wearer peace and good luck.
What’s more, the peridot is a symbol of marital happiness – so if your wedding
anniversary is in August as well, the peridot will have a rich double meaning
for your wife.

While for many, September may signal the beginning of the year’s short days and
long nights, people with birthdays in September will love the feeling of having
the sapphire as their birthstone. One of the most beautiful blue jewels, the
sapphire is conventionally believed to attract the favour of the Gods, while it
represents clear thinking in the birthstone context. Opals will adorn the skin
of people with birthdays in October; opals are unique in that they’re available
in a variety of colours and hues, and symbolise hope.

November birthdays take the topaz as their birthstone. This orangey-brown jewel
has long been seen as the gemstone of spiritual rejuvenation and fidelity.
Ultimately, people born in December will be able to take pleasure in the
prophylactic qualities of the turquoise stone, a blue gem that is said to bring
prosperity to its owner – something that’s sure to come in handy at Christmas.

Birthstones can be set in a variety of jewellery type and in a range of
different types of metals. So whether you’re seeking sapphires set in white gold
earrings for your girlfriend’s birthday in September, or you’re keen to find a
diamond gold necklace for your mother’s 50th birthday next April, you’ll
definitely be able to find birthstone jewellery to fit your budget and your
special someone’s personal tastes.

When purchasing jewelry as a gift, you may want to consider buying jewelry that includes a person’s birthstone. For this month, the month of May, emerald is the birthstone of choice. As stunning as this popular, precious stone is, there is much to consider when purchasing it. You may be in the market for a loose emerald stone, emerald ring, emerald anniversary band, emerald diamond ring, three stone emerald ring, emerald bracelet, emerald necklace, whatever your choice, there is much to look for and consider. Learn about emeralds and buy with confidence. The 4c’s cut, clarity, color and carat., apply to emeralds as well as diamonds, and to all gemstones. There is also much folklore and history that surrounds the emerald stone. color.

Color is the most important factor when determining its’ price.  In fact, smaller emeralds with richer, better color, command a higher price than bigger stones with a weaker color.  When it comes to cut, the precision and delicacy of the cut determines the price of the stone.  emeralds can be cut in a variety of ways including the traditional “emerald cut”  as well as rounds, ovals, squares and cabuchons.  Heavily flawed stones are most frequently given cabuchon cuts.  As far as clarity goes, (clearness of the stone) unlike diamonds,  emeralds, almost always have inclusions and are rarely flawless.   In fact, emerald connoisseurs will not purchase an emerald unless they can see the inclusions because they assume they are fake or laboratory created.   emeralds are measured in carat.   emeralds with the best color and few inclusions become very expensive, as they are so rare.

Emeralds have a fascinating history.  Traditionally, emeralds are worn to promote healing and enhance love and contentment. emeralds are traditionally thought to enhance the clairvoyance of their wearers. Mummies were often buried with emeralds and the gems were popular in ancient Rome, but some think that many of the stones called emeralds in ancient times were actually peridot. They have graced Crown Jewels and embellished the thrones of some of the oldest dynasties in history.  In ancient times emeralds held a real fascination for the people.  emeralds were, in fact, considered to be a cure for many diseases.  As a result of such claims, emeralds were greatly sought after and a profitable trade was established between Egypt and nations as far away as India.

The Egyptian monopoly on the world supply of emeralds lasted right up until the Sixteenth Century, C E.  Cleopatra valued her lustrous emeralds so greatly that the ancient mines in Egypt are now called Cleopatra’s Mines — there they discovered emeralds of breathtaking size and beauty. From mines in the Egyptian desert, not far from the Nile River, emeralds made their way to all parts of the ‘known world’… The finest emeralds are found in Colombia; other sources are Russia, Zimbabwe, and Australia. In ancient times emeralds were believed to improve low I Q and poor eyesight.emeralds have an interesting legacy of violence, romance, and controversy. Scholars wore emeralds to strengthen their memory and become more eloquent. Unlike diamonds and rubies, there is no abundance of emeralds, and that is probably the reason why these mystical pagan green gems are more expensive than any other jewel. And, carat for carat, they are the most expensive gems in the world. Why such a high price? A large part of the reason is that emeralds are rare gems. Buying emerald jewelry for the May birthday girl, makes it that much more personal and special.  The emerald, so brilliant,  beautiful and steeped in history and folklore, will make the perfect gift, as long as you know what your buying, so you get the best quality for your money.

The modern birthstone associated with the month of October is opal. Opal is one of the things that Australia is famous for, and that country has the largest known deposits of this amorphous mineral. Consequently, the Australians have adopted precious opal as their national gemstone.

Opal structure

Although most opal has a non-crystalline or amorphous structure that is somewhat similar to that of glass, some opals do exhibit localized micro-crystalline structures. Viewed through a microscope, regular amorphous opal consists of tiny spheres of silica that have been stacked together in layers, with water filling the spaces between the silica spheres. Generally, the greater the micro-crystallinity of an opal specimen, the more striking its appearance becomes and the more its value increases. Other minerals that find their way into the opal structure become impurities that provide additional physical properties (color variations, for example) to an opal.

Play of color

Opals come in a wide variety of colors and color patterns; but the most valuable types, the precious opals, display different shimmering rainbow-like color “flashes” or patterns when viewed from different angles. This striking visual display of “color play” is a type of iridescence which occurs as white light passes through the layer boundaries of the silica spheres and gets diffracted into the separate wavelengths of visible radiation that comprise white light. Also, the multiple structural layers redirect or reflect these diffracted wavelengths of light in such a way that they mix or interfere with one another. The same optical phenomenon can also be observed on the plumage of some birds, on insects wings, on some snail shells, on some pearls and agates, and on soap bubbles.

Hydrated stones

Opal stones typically contain about 10% water by weight. This water is chemically bonded to the silica spheres but the bonding is weak enough that excessive exposure to heat can cause this water to evaporate. Therefore opals need to be kept away from sources of heat to prevent them from dehydration. Excessive heat can alter the color or translucence of an opal gem and can even cause the gem to crack.

Opal beauty

Numerous legends, both good and bad, have been associated with opals since ancient times; but it is the distinctive and delicate beauty of the opal that has made it desirable to many men and women throughout history. World-renowned opals include the Olympic Australis, the Andamooka Opal, the Flame Queen Opal, the Halley’s Comet Opal, the Roebling Opal, and so on. Combined with other precious gems as accents and set in silver, gold, palladium or other metals, the opal is truly a beauty to behold.