Birthstones

Birthstones

Just about everyone knows what his or her birthstone is.
Why is that?
Because people still enjoy the folklore associated with the tradition of the birthstone. They like believing that wearing a birthstone brings them good luck and protects them.
Early civilizations as far back as the Assyrians (1400 BC) invested rare and beautiful gemstones with magical properties. Some minerals were thought to contain a force or possess certain values and powers. For instance, amethyst was said to prevent intoxication. Tradition associates a gem with each sign of the zodiac based on a color system. Color was thought to unleash the power attributed to the stone.
In time, birthstones became associated with the calendar months rather than the zodiac. And people began to select birthstones in colors other than the original. The Roman, Arabic, Jewish, Polish, Russina and Italian lists were all different.

See the list below for a sampling of the many varieties of birthstones available at Adamas.

January (dark red), Garnet, including these varieties:
Almandite Garnet - faceted, cabochon, bead necklaces.
Color Change Garnet - faceted.
Grossularite Garnet - faceted.
Hessionite Garnet - faceted.
Malaya Garnet - faceted.
Rhodolite Garnet - faceted
Star Almandite Garnet - cabochons
Tsavorite Garnet - faceted.

February (purple), Amethyst
Faceted, beads and bead necklaces, carved cabochons, rough, cabochons, small carvings, cameos.

March (pale blue), Aquamarine and Bloodstone
Aquamarine - faceted, rough, small carvings, carved cabochons.
Bloodstone - cabochons, faceted, rough.

April (white), Diamond
Faceted ( many different shapes available ).

May (bright green), Emerald
Faceted, cabochons, carved cabochons, bead necklaces, small carvings.

June (cream). Alexandrite, Moonstone and Pearl
Alexandrite - faceted
Moonstone - cabochons, bead necklaces, cameos, rough
Pearl, including:
Saltwater cultured pearls - mabe, blister, beads, bead necklaces, ( various colors including black saltwater cultured pearls ).
Also available are various sizes of half-drilled round pearls and various sizes of completely drilled pearls suitable for starting add-a-pearl necklaces.
Freshwater cultured pearls - beads, bead necklaces, ( various shapes, including potato, rice, button and various colors including black rice shape freshwater cultured pearls).

July (red), Ruby
Ruby - faceted, cabochons, bead necklaces.
Star Ruby - cabochons.

August (pale green), Peridot and Sardonyx
Peridot - faceted, bead necklaces, rough
Sardonyx - cabochons.

September (deep blue), Sapphire:
Blue sapphire - faceted, cabochons, small carvings, rough, bead necklaces
Star sapphires - cabochons (various colors, including blue)
Fancy Color Sapphires - faceted ( from pastel colors to intense colors).

October (variegated), Opal and Tourmaline
Opal Varieties:
White Crystal Opal - cabochons, bead necklaces, cameos, small carvings, triplets, rough
Fire Opal - faceted, cabochons, rough
Boulder Opal - irregular-polished sections, mosiac-inlay, doublets

Tourmaline Varieties:
Faceted, small carvings, carved cabochons, bead necklaces
Chrome Tourmaline
Rubellite Tourmaline
Indicolite Tourmaline
Dravite Tourmaline
Parti-Colored Tourmaline
Watermelon Tourmaline
Cats-eye Tourmaline
Achroite Tourmaline

November (yellow), Topaz and Citrine
Topaz Varieties:
Faceted, bead necklaces, rough, small carvings
Cats-eye Topaz - cabochon.

Citrine varieties:
Faceted, cabochons, small carvings, carved cabochons, bead necklaces

December (sky blue), Turquoise and Zircon
Turquoise - cabochons, cameo, rough.
Zircon - faceted.

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