Just like zodiac signs and birth flowers, we also have our own birthstones; every month of the year has a birthstone, associated with it. Tradition dictates that a birthstone brings luck to people born in that month.

Garnet

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Garnet is the birthstone for January. Garnets are found mostly in African countries, India, Russia and Central and South America. Garnets come in different colors including red, brown, orange, green, pink, yellow, blue, purple, black, and clear stones. The rarest of these is the blue garnet, discovered in the late 1990s in Bekily, Madagascar. Anyone who loves what is pure and natural and the warm, sun-bathed colors of late summer will be fired with enthusiasm by the color spectrum of the garnet.

Amethyst

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The birthstone for February is amethyst. Amethyst comes in many from pale violet to purple. For many years, amethyst has been a popular jewel worn by princes both ecclesiastical and secular. Some people once believed that amethysts had miraculous powers including the power to inspire the intellect, bring good fortune in war protect crops against locusts, drive out evil spirits and  to prevent drunkenness. It was also valued as a stone of friendship. Amethyst is often cut as brilliant round and/or oval stones to maximize the color.

Aquamarine

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For March, the birthstone is aquamarine. Aquamarine is one of our most popular gemstone and is a interestingly beautiful gemstone. Historically, the sea-green form that gives the stone its name was highly prized; today the blue varieties are the most valuable. The more intense the color of an aquamarine, the more value is put on it. Aquamarine has good hardness (7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale) and a wonderful shine. Women the world over love it for its fine blue shades which can complement almost any skin or eye color.

Diamond

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Diamond is the birthstone for April. Diamond is the hardest substance found in nature, and is the ultimate gemstone, having few weaknesses and many strengths. It has extreme hardness and durability, wide color range, high refraction, and very low reactivity to chemicals. Diamonds are commonly judged by the “four Cs”: carat, clarity, color, and cut. The record price for a diamond was paid in 1995 when the Star of the Season, a pear-shaped diamond of 100.10 carats, was sold for US$16,548,750.

Emerald

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Emerald is the birthstone for May. Emeralds are fascinating gemstones. They have the most beautiful, most intense and most radiant green that can possibly be imagined. A flawless emerald can command a greater price than a diamond of the same weight and quality. The green of the emerald is the color of life, love, harmony, love of Nature and of the springtime.

Pearls

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Pearl is the birthstone for June. A pearl is produced within the mantle of a living shelled mollusk. A pearl to be called perfect must be round and smooth, however, many other shapes of pearls occur. The finest quality natural pearls have been highly valued as gemstones. The unique luster of pearls depends upon the reflection, refraction, and diffraction of light from the translucent layers. The thinner and more numerous the layers in the pearl, the finer the luster. In addition, pearls can be dyed yellow, green, blue, brown, pink, purple, or black.

Ruby

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Ruby is the birthstone for July. The finest rubies are found in Mogok, central Myanmar.  where they have been mined since the 15th century. The most important thing about this precious stone is its color. The color of rubies varies from rose red to a deep purplish colour. Red is the color of love. It radiates warmth and a strong sense of vitality. Red also symbolizes fire and blood, meaning  warmth and life for mankind

Agate

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The birthstone for August is agate, a banded mineral that forms in concentric layers in a wide combinations of color. Agate is often found as a round nodule, with concentric bands like the rings of a tree trunk. Agate was highly valued as a talisman or amulet in ancient times. It was said to quench thirst and protect against fever.

Sapphire

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Sapphire is the birthstone for September. Blue is the main color of the sapphire and  it represents the  feelings of sympathy and harmony, friendship and loyalty. Therefore, blue of the sapphire fits in with everything that is constant and reliable. This is one reason why women in wish for a sapphire ring on their engagement. The sapphire symbolizes loyalty, but at the same time it gives expression to people’s love and longing.

Opal

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Opal is the birthstone for October. Opals includes several wonderful gemstones, which share one characteristic: It is characterized by brilliant colors that shift over the surface of the stone as it is moved. For many years, people believe that opals have healing powers. There are reported cases that people were relieved of depression and in some cases people found their true love by wearing Opal  stone in their bodies. . Opals are thought to further boost the positive personality for people born under the zodiac sign of Cancer. Black Opal is recommended to those born under Scorpio, and Boulder Opal is the lucky stone for Aries. Opals are like human emotions: you always experience them different and anew

Topaz

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Topaz is the birthstone for November. It is a fluorine aluminum silicate that occurs in different colors such as: orange, green, blue, and yellow. In mysticism, the topaz is said to a bringer of good fortune or a talisman. It is also said that  the stone drives out sadness, anger and nocturnal fears. Also, it is alleged to make men handsome and intelligent and sterile women fertile and happy.

Turquoise

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Turquoise is the birthstone for December. It comes in various colors including blue,  greenish-grey,  to bright blue-green. Since ancient times, turquoise is considered a holy stone, a talisman and a bringer of good fortune. It has been found in neckwear and bracelets recovered from old Egyptian tombs. Its color makes us feel happy and cheerful, for in it the light blue of the sky and the stimulating green of the sea are combined.