Birth Stones

January Birth Stones

Garnet or Rose Quartz

Garnet a deep red gemstone used primarily in antique jewellery. Ample supplies, in varying colours have been discovered, particularly in Africa, ensuring modern & up to date jewellery can be designed around this spectacular stone
Rose Quartz is pale pink in colour and is very rare in its transparent form, however the more readily available translucent rose quartz is very popular for bead making. It shows very little colour until used in large quantity such as carvings & architecture.

February Birth Stones

Amethyst or Onyx

Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz name comes from the Ancient Greek and translates to ”not intoxicated” The Greeks & Romans would use this violet colored quartz on drinking vessels believing it would prevent drunkenness
Onyx although available in a variety of banded colors, black is common, and perhaps the most used of all the types, It has a long history of use for jewellery & carvings.

March Birth Stones

Aquamarine or Bloodstone

Aquamarine - from the deepest blue to summer day skies, this extraordinary gem is loved by women all over the world. Its colour spectrum gives feelings of trust and peace and is complementary to almost eye colour, facial shape & skin tone.
Bloodstone has long been the birthstone for March, its green jasper dotted with bright red spots, that are supposed to resemble spots of blood (hence the name) of iron oxide, this pretty quartz, also with yellow deposits, was once described as reflecting the sun off the sea

April Birth Stones

Diamond or Rock Crystal

Diamonds, apart from being a girl’s best friend, are one of the most popular of all gemstones. Although available in a variety of colours, pale pinks and blues, to name but a few, the colourless type is more freely available.
Rock crystal, or clear quartz, as it’s sometimes known pure quartz, is colorless and transparent and has often been used for jewellery and hard-stone carvings.

May Birth Stones

Emerald or Chrysoprase

Emerald derived from the Greek word “smaragdos” meaning green gem. It is a fascinating gemstone, even more valuable that diamonds. This unique stone is the most intensely radiant, most beautiful green.
Chrysoprase is normally apple-green in color, but varies to deep green. As a hard-stone it is durable, and not prone to chips & cracks thus making it extremely popular for everyday jewellery

June Birth Stones

Alexandrite, Moonstone or Pearl

Alexandrite will change colour from green to red and orange-yellow colors depending on lighting and viewing direction. It is one of the rarer and among the most expensive of gemstones.
Moonstone owes its name to that mysterious shimmer which always looks different when the stone is moved. This is called 'adularescence', and the colours vary from red, blues and ambers according to the light and depth of layers in the stone.
Pearls are organic, created in the sea by an oyster covering a foreign object with layers of nacre. The perfect pearl is round and smooth; the finest quality natural pearls are very rare and are made into the finest of jewellery

July Birth Stones

Ruby or Carnelian

Ruby – red, the primary colour associated with love. It’s not surprise then that this is the stone of passion and power.
Carnelian is a semi precious gemstone and is a reddish-brown colour. It was widely used by the Romans as an engraving gem for signet rings and seals for imprinting with wax.

August Birth Stones

Peridot or Sardony

Peridot is olive green and one of the few gemstones that occur in only one colour. The darker the olive green the more valuable the stone
Sardonyis an onyx variant with bands of red rather than the most commonly available black.

September Birth Stones

Sapphire or Lapis

Sapphire as blue as the sea, and the colour of trust & loyalty, has proved to be one of the most popular stones picked for engagement rings. It is little known that sapphires can also come in glorious colours like pink, purple, orange and yellow.
Lapis is a rock not a mineral and is a relatively rare semi-precious stone. It is intense blue dusted with flecks of gold to give a delightful marble effect. It is used for jewellery making as well as mosaics, carving & ornamental boxes.

October Birth Stones

Opal or Tourmaline

Opal captures all of natures glory and reflects it in this one “rock”. From fiery orange to softer colours found in the milk opal, the variety seems endless and has been popular in jewellery making for centuries.
Tourmaline is a semi-precious stone and comes in a wide variety of colors from blacks to greens, reds & blues.

November Birth Stones

Topaz or Citrine

Topaz, although traditionally thought of as a colored crystal is in fact colorless and transparent. It is the impurities that tint it giving it the glorious colour spectrum. Orange topaz is a symbol of friendship.
Citrine is a variety of quartz whose color ranges from a pale yellow to brown. Although it has little in common with Topaz, is lovingly called “gold topaz” due to its colour resemblance.

December Birth Stones

Tanzanite, Zircon or Turquoise

Tanzanite, so named after the only place in the world it can be found, Tanzania. Colours ranging from light blue tints to streams of violet make this one of the most sorts after of all gemstones.
Zircon comes in a variety of colours, with blue being the birthstone for December. In its clear form is very similar to a diamond. It is natural gemstone, not to be confused with the man-made cubic zirconia.
Turquoise is an opaque and is still one of the most popular stones in jewellery & fashion items. It dates as far back as 3000 BC when it was believed to ward off un-natural death & bring a sense of wellbeing to the wearer.