With the Pearl, Alexandrite and Moonstone as its birthstones, June is one of only three months that has three birthstones associated with it. Pearls are the only gemstones made by living creatures (mollusks) with its name derived comes from the Old French “perle”, and the Latin “perna” meaning “leg,” referencing the leg-of-mutton shape of an openRead more
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Diamond has its name derived from the Greek word “adamas” meaning “invincible” or “unbreakable”; In Sanskrit, it is called “vajra”, which means “lightning”. It is the hardest naturally occurring material on earth and also one of the world’s most sought-after gemstone. Those born in April are lucky to call this dazzling gem their birthstone. Diamonds canRead more
The name Aquamarine is a derivative of two Latin words: “aqua”, meaning water, and “marina”, meaning the sea – and refers to its sparkling ocean-like color. This gem is the birthstone for March and like emerald, it possesses a color variety of the mineral beryl. Its best form is a combination of high clarity with limpid transparencyRead more
Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz, with the name originating from the Koine Greek word “amethystos” meaning “not drunken” in association to the belief that the stone protected its owner from drunkenness. The purple colour of Amethyst ranges from a light lilac to a deep, intense royal purple, and from brownish to vivid. ItRead more
The word “garnet” comes from “gernet” a 14th century Middle English word derived from the Latin word “granatus” which means grain. This is a possible reference to Punica granatum (“pomegranate”); a plant with its fruit having red seeds similar in shape, size, and color to some garnet crystals. This beauty is most often seen in red,Read more
Tanzanite regarded by specialists as the most beautiful blue gemstone of the 20th century was discovered in 1962, identified as the mineral zoisite up until 1967 when it got its current name in honor of its country of origin. The Merelani Hills of Northern Tanzania, near the city of Arusha and Mount Kilimanjaro is theRead more
Topaz is a derivative of the word “Topazios”, the ancient Greek name for the Egyptian island in the Red Sea now known as St John’s Island. Interestingly, this island never produced topaz, but it was once a source of a yellow gem, which was confused with topaz before the development of modern mineralogy. Some scholarsRead more
Did you know that blonde maidens wanted a necklace made of opals during medieval times because they believed that opals would prevent their hair from fading or darkening? The word opal originates in India. In Sanskrit, it was called Upala, meaning a “precious stone”. Later, in ancient Rome, Upala became opalus, meaning “to see aRead more
Did you know that not all sapphires are blue? Sapphires are sourced in various countries, including the United States, Myanmar, Australia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Kashmir. They come in many colours, including pink, peach, orange, yellow, green, teal, and purple, which may be surprising to some people. However, top-quality blue sapphires remain one of theRead more
Peridot is the birthstone for August. “Peridot” is derived from the Arabic word faridat, meaning ‘gem’ and pronounced ‘pair-uh-doe’. Most people recognize birthstones such as diamonds, rubies, opals, sapphires, and emeralds. Still, few are familiar with peridots, and that’s why peridots have been under-appreciated and thought of as a lesser gem. However, in recent years,Read more