March Birthstone: Fun Facts

Aquamarine is the modern birthstone for March, as adopted by the American National Association of Jewelers in 1912. Other gemstones known to represent the month of March are Jade, Amethyst, Bloodstone, and Jasper. Aquamarine is suggested as a gem to give on the 16th and 19th wedding anniversaries.

Aquamarine comes from the beryl family and ranges in color from a nearly colorless pale blue to a bluish-green or teal. The rarest, and most valuable color found in Aquamarine is a deep blue color. It is a 7.5

to 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness, and gets its name from the Latin word meaning water and sea.

The most valuable aquamarine stones are mined in Brazil, but they are also known to come from Kenya and Nigeria. Most aquamarines in the market today are faceted, but when cut as a cabochon, the gem may display a cat’s eye effect known as asterism.

Aquamarines are often heat treated to change a lighter bluish-green or teal colored stone a pure blue. This heat treatment results in a permanent color change.

Since ancient times, aquamarines have been believed to empower the wearer with courage and happiness. It is said to increase intelligence and make one youthful. As a healing stone, it is said to be effective as a treatment for anxiety, and in the Middle Ages, it was thought that aquamarine would reduce the effect of poisons. Legend also says that sailors once wore aquamarines to keep them safe and to prevent seasickness.

February Birthstone Fun Facts

The birthstone for February is Amethyst, and it is also the zodiac stone for the constellation of Pisces. Throughout history Amethyst has been associated with spirituality, wisdom, sobriety, and security.

The name "amethyst" comes from the Greek and means "not drunken." According to legend, amethyst originated when Bacchus, the God of Wine, grew angry at mortals. He vowed the next mortal that crossed his path would be eaten by tigers. At that time, a beautiful young maiden named Amethyst was on her way to worship the Goddess Diana. Diana, knowing of Bacchus vow, turned Amethyst into a pillar of colorless quartz to protect her from the tigers. Bacchus, witnessing the miracle, repented and poured wine over Amethyst, staining her purple.

This legend and the connection to Bacchus led to the belief that drinking wine from a cup made of amethyst would prevent drunkenness, and later, that wearing amethyst would also prevent the wearer from becoming drunk or being poisoned. Amethyst is also considered as an aid to the brave because it was believed to protect soldiers in battle.

Amethyst is the purple variety of the mineral quartz and is a popular gemstone. Amethyst does not come in any other variety of colors like many gemstones do, but it does come in several different shades of purple. The darker colored stones are typically more valuable and expensive, but due to the stone’s widespread availability, amethyst is a relatively inexpensive gemstone.

However, amethyst is not the same everywhere. Different localities can produce a unique amethyst to that particular region or even to that particular mine. Experts can often identify the source mine that a particular amethyst came from. The key to this is the specimen's color, shape of crystal, inclusions, associations and

character of formation. The stone is most commonly mined in Brazil, Mexico, Africa, and some parts of the United States.

January Birthstone Fun Facts

Garnet Fun Facts

• Garnet is the name of a group of minerals that comes in many different colors, from the deep red of the pyrope garnet to the vibrant green of tsavorites.
  

• Garnet is derived from the word granatum, which means seed. It was first called that because of the gemstone's resemblance to a pomegranate seed.
  

• Garnets are known to be the stone of the 2nd and 6th wedding anniversary.
  

• Garnets were first mined in Sri Lanka over 2,500 years ago. Now the garnet is most prominently found in Africa, Australia, India and Russia. It is also sometimes found in South America and in the United States, in Arizona and Idaho.

Garnet Legends and Folklore

• One Biblical legend says that Noah hung a garnet on the ark to light his way through the dark and stormy nights of God's wrath.

• A Greek myth linked to the garnet is the story of the young goddess of sunshine, Persephone, who was abducted by Hades, god of the underworld. Hades eventually released Persephone, but not before he offered her some pomegranate seeds, which guaranteed her return to him.
  

• Garnets are still thought today to be signs of save journeys. Many people like to wear garnet jewelry when going on a trip to ensure safety.
  

• Garnets healing powers include being an aide to the blood, heart, and lungs and is also known to promote romantic love, passion, sensuality, and intimacy.