Birthstones
Well, it's actually in the name. A birthstone represents the period in which a person was born. This is related to a specific month of the year and/or zodiac sign. Each stone has a unique meaning and significance. Birthstones are often used in jewelry. This way you can celebrate and respect your birth all year round by wearing the birthstone close to your body. Although birthstones are popular in today's modern society, wearing them has been believed for centuries to symbolize well-being and happiness.
In case you don't know your own birthstone yet, check out our schedule below! We have made a distinction between the traditional approach (15th century) and the modern interpretation.
| MONTH | Traditional | Modern |
| January | grenade | grenade |
| February | Amethyst | Amethyst |
| March | Aquamarine | bloodstone |
| April | Diamond | Diamond |
| May | Emerald | Emerald |
| June | Alexandrite | Pearl |
| July | Ruby | Ruby |
| August | Peridot or Spinel | Sardonyx |
| September | Sapphire | Sapphire |
| October | tourmaline | Opal |
| November | Gold Topaz, Citrine | Topaz |
| December | blue topaz | Turquoise or Lapis Lazuli |
January – Grenade
Garnet is often found in jewelry as a dark brown, reddish stone – but its original shape ranges from bright red to nearly black. Grenade is not a single so
ort, it is one of the most complex families of minerals. The first grenades ever fired
found are more than 5000 years old. The first garnet jewels were found in tombs of Ancient Egypt
te, about 3000 years ago. Due to a lack of technology, they were rather robust and unpolished. Nowadays gemstones like to be cut and polished into small works of art, which reflect the light in the most beautiful way.
Color : deep red/brown/warm black
Source : Found mainly in Eastern Europe, Brazil and the United States.
February – Amethyst
Amethyst forms deep in the Earth's crust under high pressure and temperature and grows in distinctive hexagonal crystal shapes. These crystals are so attractive that they are highly sought after even in their raw form. In addition, amethyst is often sharpened for use in jewelry. The mineral is relatively easy for gem cutters to facet into unique gemstones in a variety of different cuts. Because amethyst is easy to sharpen but also very strong, the stone is also used to carve small sculptures.
Color : purple, lilac
Source : Occurs in North America, France, Russia, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar.
March – Aquamarine
Aquamarine owes its name to the beautifully intense seawater-like hue. Aquamarine is a blue or blue-green beryl species. The effect of the stone is often described as clarifying, comforting and soothing.
Color : blue, light and clear as a white sand sea
Source : India, Brazil, Madagascar, Australia, Namibia, Nigeria
April – Diamond
Diamonds: a girl's best friend! Especially for girls born in April. Diamonds have achieved iconic status in jewelry, but only since the 20th century. Before that time, diamonds belonged only to the upper class of society. Diamond is very hard and therefore difficult to sharpen. In previous centuries, diamonds were therefore only intended for the super rich. They liked to wear diamonds because this "unbreakable" stone was thought to transfer its power to its wearer, making it unbeatable. Today, diamond is very popular for (engagement) rings, earrings and fine pendants because of its iconic status and hypnotic sparkle.
Color : colorless, or: all colors reflected in it
Source: Russia, Venezuela, South Africa, Brazil and United States.
May – Emerald
Genuine emerald is a truly breathtaking gemstone. She combines beautifully with diamonds and yellow gold, which gives it a chic look. Emerald is a gemstone from the beryl group. The coloring agent is chromium, sometimes vanadium. Because of its recognizable color, emerald green is a truly recognized shade. It is even used as a metaphor for some countries. Ireland, for example, is also known as The Emerald Isle – because it is so green.
Color : emerald green
Source : Colombia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Egypt, Russia
June – Pearl
Pearls are the only gemstones found in living things, oysters. We all know the Little Mermaid with her shiny pearl lying softly in the open oyster. Rare pearls like these are actually found in the ocean or other waters, but most of the pearls we encounter today are farmed or cultivated. Wait, what? This means that they are grown in a specially designed environment. This doesn't make them any less beautiful, it just helps not to deplete ocean life. All pearls also need specific care (or at least they handle it very well). They actually need to be worn often, as they “feed” on our skin's natural oils. This makes them shine! So June babes, don't hide your pearls, feed them and wear them with pride ;)
Color : ivory, shiny off-white, pink or brown, influenced by the color of your body
Source : Oceans worldwide (rare) or farmed.
July – Ruby
High-quality rubies are one of the most expensive gemstones, costing up to 1,000,000 per carat. Ruby has a high quality standard and a characteristic bright, vibrant colour. It is usually somewhere between bright red and warm pink.
Color : varieties of red
Source : Myanmar, Mozambique, Afghanistan, Kenya, Madagascar, Thailand
August – Peridot is not very widely known, but it is an incredibly chic gemstone. The color is almost like olive, but a bit brighter – which of course goes beautifully with yellow gold. It is the only gemstone that comes in only one color. The specific shade depends on the source and iron content. Peridot is a protective gemstone for the aura.
Color : different saturations of olive green
Source : United States, Ireland, Sri Lanka, Canary Islands
September – Sapphire
Sapphire has been loved for centuries. It is durable, timeless, charismatic and somewhat mysterious. Some kind of perfect gemstone; what else for a September Virgo. Sapphire is a classy gemstone and has been used in famous jewelry, such as Princess Diana's engagement ring.
Color : Blue as the night – but can also be colorless, gray, teal, violet, pink.
Source : Kashmir, Australia, Myanmar, United States
October – Opal
Opals are a class, a family, unto themselves. The name opal is derived from the word upala which means “gemstone” in Sanskrit. It has been used as a gemstone since ancient times. Opal can come in many different colors and variations. Usually, however, it can be recognized by its dynamic nature. White opal is never just white; it has thousands of tiny particles in it, which reflect the surrounding colors. Opals are an incredible piece of natural art, a beautiful birthstone of the month of October.
Color : Colorless, white, yellow, lilac, light blue, green, gray
Source : Brazil, Czech Republic, Honduras, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Poland
November – Citrine
Citrine is the warm yellow variety of crystalline quartz. Citrine made her appearance in the jewelry world a while ago. Like the color, citrine has a warming and glowing effect on people.
Color : warm yellow to orange-red variations
Source : Most are found in Brazil, some in Congo, Madagascar, Bolivia and Mexico.
December – Blue topaz
Topaz is a sunny gemstone that stimulates personal development in a soft and delicate way. It is found in river sand, especially in the United Kingdom. However, the origin of the name stems from the Ancient Greeks. They believed that wearing Topaz would bring you strength and even invisibility.
Color : light blue
Source : Northern Ireland, Scotland, Cornwall