The Diamond Spot’s Look Into Winter Birthstones
Birthstones are traditionally associated with each month of the calendar year. For example, May’s birthstone is the emerald, while children born in September have sapphire as their birthstone.
Many traditions, customs, and belief systems have various ideas of birthstones. It is believed that the origin of birthstones dates back to the breastplate of Aaron, which possessed 12 gemstones that represented the twelve tribes of Israel.
The Diamond Spot showcases insight on what makes each gemstone unique, beginning with the winter months of December (tanzanite), January (garnet), and February (amethyst).
December – Tanzanite
The exquisite blue-purple color of the mineral zoisite, tanzanite, is found only in one area of the world. This stone is only found in Tanzania and has quickly jumped in popularity since its discovery in 1967.
Zoisite was discovered at the turn of the 20th century, and it took nearly a half a century to find the rare blue variety of tanzanite. It’s the trace amounts of vanadium, with a mixture of extreme heat, that creates a brilliant blue-purple color.
To highlight the more desirable blue and violent colors and deemphasize the undesirable brown tones the gem might have, it takes a skilled artisan to cut the stones properly for the desired effect.
Remarkably, tanzanite still can only be found in a small couple square-mile area near Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
January – Garnet
Derived from the 14th century Middle English word gernet, that means dark red, and the Latin word for seed, granatum, the garnet received this name due to the gemstone’s likeness of the pomegranate fruit’s stunning red seeds.
Garnet is the name of a group of minerals that come in a rainbow of colors, from the deep red of the pyrope garnet to the vibrant green of tsavorites. Some rare garnets are even blue, colorless, or—most precious of all—change colors in different lights. The most common garnet color is in the stunning range of reds, from a deep violet-red to rust.
For January birthdays, this is the perfect gift idea for those special people in your life that share a birthday during the first month of the new year.
February – Amethyst
Purple quartz, or more commonly known as amethyst, possesses a wide range of colors from violet to red. Amethyst’s name comes from the Ancient Greek word, methustos, meaning “intoxicated.” Ancient wearers thought the gemstone gave protection from drunkenness.
Composed of quartz, which is the second-most abundant material found on Earth’s crust, amethyst gets its color from iron impurities in addition to other trace elements.
The gemstone can range from light pinkish violet to a deep purple that can read more blue or red, depending on the light. Sometimes the same stone can have layers or color variants, so the way the gemstone is cut is essential to the way the color shows in a finished piece.
In addition to being February’s birthstone, amethyst is also the gem used in celebrating the sixth and 17th marriage anniversaries.
If your birthday occurs during the winter months and looking for a unique piece of jewelry showcasing these gems, stop in at The Diamond Spot, where a custom-piece can be made just for you.