A gemstone is a piece of mineral crystal that is used to make jewellery. A birthstone is a type of gemstone that is used to represent a person’s birth, usually the month of the year or their zodiac sign. There are a few different guides about what birthstone signifies each month, with plenty changing by year or country.
This guide uses the list published by the Gemological Institute of America, so read on to find out more about each one!
For the new year, we have garnet. The name derives from the Middle English word gernet, which means dark red and this perfectly describes the most popular shade of garnet that is often seen.
For the month of love, we have amethyst. It is a semi-precious stone known for its violet or purple shade and the name comes from a Greek word meaning intoxicate, as it was believed it would protect the owner from drunkenness!
Moving onto March and we have aquamarine, which is a type of beryl (which is a mineral if you didn’t know). It is typically pale blue to light green, and the colour can actually be changed by heat.
April is an all-time classic, with diamonds. They are often used in engagement rings but also make a perfect gemstone for any type of jewellery.
We arrive in May and another variation of beryl. As the name implies, emerald is a green-coloured gemstone that has always been a popular jewellery choice.
June is a bit different than the others on this list, as instead of a mineral it is obtained from animals. This is of course pearl. The most valuable pearls occur spontaneously, which has made them extremely sought after.
Another boldly coloured gemstone that is extremely popular is ruby. It can be a variety of colours, but blood red is one of the most sought-after.
August brings with it peridot. This is a yellowish-green type of the mineral olivine and is unique among gemstones as it only occurs in one colour.
Another bold gemstone that frequently appears in jewellery is sapphire. It is typically blue, but can actually come in a whole range of colours from yellow to purple.
For spooky season we have opal, believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word upala, meaning jewel. It comes in a variety of colours.
Topaz is a mineral of aluminium and fluorine. Common topaz is colourless, while impurities can make it colours such as brown, orange or blue.
And finally, to round out the year we have turquoise. This is a mineral popular for millennia due to its attractive blue-green hue.
Here at Ian Mundie & Son, while we might not be able to offer every birthstone, it's just lucky that diamonds look great on everyone! We sell one-of-a-kind diamond jewellery to our clients in Glasgow, so you can find the perfect choice for you, your partner or your loved one.
You’re absolutely spoiled for choice when it comes to our jewellery shop, so get in touch today to ask any questions.