Birthstones of the month - July, August & September

birthstones of the month – July, August & September

What’s July’s Birthstone? – Ruby
What’s Ruby’s meaning – Vitality
Color – Red

“Rubies are a special form of the mineral corundum that would be considered a sapphire if it weren’t for their characteristic dark red color. This red color comes from the chromium present in the ruby. Rubies with an insufficient amount of chromium are labelled ‘pink sapphires’ and aren’t allowed to play in any of the gemstone games when they’re growing up in volcanic rock formations.

There is something special about rubies that have made them absolutely fascinating to humans for millennia. No small part of the ruby’s appeal is the red luminescence that results from absorbing natural light and re-emitting it later. The most valuable rubies in the world are called pigeon-blood, after the dark-red with blue undertones that makes them look eerily like blood. This similarity to the color of blood has caused an association with vitality and physical strength. Since we toast each other’s health, it made sense to set rubies into drinking vessels since ancient times. Today, a ruby makes a great gift for someone who could use a reminder that they are full of energy and life and have a lot to offer the world around them.

What’s August’s Birthstone? – Peridot
What’s Peridot’s meaning? – Beauty
Color – Olive Green

Peridot is the term used to differentiate gem-quality olivine from lesser specimens. Peridot is always a yellow green and the darker a specimen, the more valuable it is. The darkness of the stone is dictated by the amount of iron present. Ancient records indicate that the Egyptians mined peridot on an island in the Red Sea, but the location was lost until it was relocated in 1900. Since then, new deposits of ultra-high quality stones that are larger, more opaque, and darker colored than previously discovered deposits.

One of the distinctive characteristics of peridot (and a chief distinction from other similarly colored gems, such as emeralds) is that their color is the same in both natural and artificial light. This ability to give off the same green glow at night led to their association with great beauty, especially in Egyptian culture. Unlike the beauty of those wearing these stones, peridot is susceptible to breaking easily and require a lot of preventive care to continue looking its best. Today, the gift of a peridot can tell the recipient that they light up a room regardless of the circumstances they are in.

What’s September’s Birthstone? – Lapis Lazuli
What’s Lapis Lazuli’s meaning? – Truth
Color – Deep Blue

There is evidence that lapis lazuli has been mined since 4,000 BC in Afghanistan and had been a hot trade commodity with other developing civilizations like the Egyptians. Lapis is a soft gemstone which made it easier to work with by hand. Unlike many gems, the color blue that is characteristic of lapis lazuli is pretty uniform across most specimens. The chief difference in appearance is the concentration and arrangement of pyrite crystals that dot the exterior of lapis specimens.

After Alexander the Great conquered Egypt and parts of Persia, he began importing lapis along with many other gems to his home in Macedonia and eventually the rest of Europe. In Europe, lapis was ground up and used as a paint pigment called ultramarine. Ultramarine was unique among the other blue pigments available because it did not lose its color when exposed to direct sunlight. This made it very expensive. This true blue stone has since become associated with encouraging honesty in your relationships and making better decisions, making lapis lazuli the perfect gift for Frank Underwood or the other politicians in your life.”

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