Australian Opal Direct: 12 Gifts of Birthstone Jewelry

Everyone has a birthday stone, and birthstone opal jewelry is a thoughtful and unique gift for anyone who enjoys wearing their own stone.

Traditionally, each month of the year has a gem associated with it. Where did this custom come from? The Encyclopedia Brittanica states: “Astronomers have long suggested that supernatural forces came from gemstones. Wearing a gemstone associated with a birthday party is generally thought to bring good luck or health.

Another theory is that the tradition of birthstones originated in Aaron's Breastplate: a ceremonial religious vestment of twelve gems representing the twelve tribes of Israel and corresponding to the twelve constellations and the twelve moons of the year.

Whatever the reason, beautiful opal rings, necklaces, earrings, and pins on 12 traditional birthstones have been cherished and worn for centuries.

Here are the traditional values for each month of the year:

January: Deep red Garnet is the traditional birthstone for January. Garnet exhibits a wide variety of colors of any mineral, available in all colors except blue. For more than 5,000 years, the rich red burgundy color and vivid, shiny color have made garnet a favorite gem. Dipped in gold, garnet radiates warmth.

February: A brilliant Amethyst, deep purple is the February birthstone. A variety of quartz, Amethyst has long been part of the crown jewels - the reference to the "Royal Purple". According to Greek mythology, Amethyst, a lovely girl who was on her way to pay tribute to the goddess Diana, was transformed into a crystal pillar to protect her from the snares of the furious Dionysius. The amethyst gemstones come in many shades of purple, but they have to be purple to be considered amethyst.

March: The birthstone for March is Aquamarine. Like emerald, this bright blue stone is a variety of beryl. Associated with water, aquamarines are especially appreciated by those living near the sea. Sailors often wore aquamarine talismen to protect them from the elements. High quality aquamarine stones will have bright bright colors.

April: The birthstone of April is Diamond, found in Kimberlite, an ancient volcanic rock. Diamonds have been valued for all kinds of opal bracelets for centuries and are well-matched with all other birth stones. High quality diamonds will have a good balance of four "C's - cut, color, clarity and carat weight.

May: Rich green emeralds are the birthstone of the month of May. In a clear, saturated color, emeralds mean green. Cleopatra was known for her extravagant, surrealistic dresses back in the very straight-laced 1930s. Emerald is a variety of beryl, which includes aquamarine blue.

June: June birthdays are represented by Pearl. A natural gemstone created by layers of nacre surrounding a delicate object within an oyster shell, a unique pearl glow makes gemstones around the world for centuries. Simple and beautiful, pearls are beautiful when made into necklaces, or as a single pearl earrings.

July: The birthstone of July is Ruby. With its reddish-brown color that attracts the eye, it is a variety of corundum, like sapphire, and has a similar natural vibration. The best rubies have a good color depth and clarity. The Burke Museum's website states that ancient Hindus called it “the king of treasures,” and royalty used rubies to ward off evil because they believed that it had magical powers. the existence of evil and ease when evil is no more - but only if it is controlled by its rightful owner ".

August: Peridot is August's birthstone. Introduced from the Middle East to the Pacific, the glossy peridot stands in contrast to the yellow-green, especially when paired with diamonds. The people of ancient Egypt called it the "precious stone of the sun".

September: The shiny blue sapphire is the September birthstone. From the same family of precious stones like rubies, sapphires with velvety blue shades and bright accents. In ancient times some people believed that sapphire had healing properties, such as the ability to cure arthritis, arthritis, blindness, and mental illness. Sapphires are best when set with diamonds in white gold or platinum.

October: The October birthstone is Opal. Endless color light provides a unique experience whenever the stone is moved or turned. To enhance its playfulness of the hot color, the opal is cut into cabochon shapes, round without earrings, as opposed to the partial composition of other gemstones. Opal was revered by ancient kings who believed that stones would ward off evil forces.

November: The golden orange color of Citrine is the traditional birthstone of November. Refreshing in bright autumn colors, citrine gets its name from a French word meaning "lemon". Like amethyst, citrine is a variety of quartz, and its warmth, combined with gold, adds a bright glow of color to any piece of jewelry. Like all forms of quartz, citrine was thought to have magical power.

December: Coinciding with the birth of the gemstone, December is the Topaz Topaz. With its bright blue color, blue topaz has been used as fine jewelry for thousands of years. Another December birthstone is Turquoise. Respected by Native Americans, and a key element in their silver jewelry, Turquoise comes in shades of blue from water to green.