JANUARY Garnet
Garnets come in a range of colors, though most people think of it as a dark red stone. Different types of garnets include spessartine garnets, yellowish orange to reddish orange; almandite garnets, reddish-orange to red; and rhodolite garnet, pink to purplish-red. In the past, people believed that garnet could cure heart palpitations and diseases of the blood. It was also claimed that garnets could help ward off melancholy and inspire contemplation. Garnet is found primarily in Africa, North America and India. It is fairly hard, a 7-7.5 on the Mohs scale.
FEBRUARY Amethyst
The name amethyst comes from the ancient Greek word Amethystos, meaning 'without wine.' The stone was thought of as an amulet against drunkenness, because of its bright wine-colored, purple hue. Amethyst is actually a purple form of quartz. Amethyst is found in places such as Brazil, Canada, Sri Lanka, India, the U.S. and Australia.
MARCH Aquamarine
Today the coveted color for aquamarine is sky blue, but in the 19th century, the favorite color for aquamarine was sea green. The stone's name literally comes from a Latin word for seawater. The best quality aquamarines are found in Brazil. Other locations include Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nigeria. It has a good hardness, a 7.5 on the Mohs Scale.
APRIL Diamond
Diamond's are a girl's best friend...this colorless stone has long been celebrated by mankind. But why? The main reason is its incredible hardness, a whopping 10 out of 10 on the Mohs Scale. It is approximately 140 times harder than any other mineral! This means that while diamond can be shattered, it cannot be scratched by anything other than another diamond. Diamonds are found primarily in Australia, South Africa and Russia.
MAY Emerald
Emerald is the vivid green form of the mineral beryl, and is considered a fairly fragile stone. Most emeralds are oiled to fill small inclusions. Emeralds are found primarily in Columbia, Brazil, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
JUNE Pearls
Pearls have been revered for their luster and beauty for centuries. They are formed when, in response to an irritant in an oyster shell, a substance called nacre is secreted to coat the irritated object. After layers of nacre form, a lovely pearl is born. There are seawater pearls as well as freshwater pearls - most seawater pearls today are cultured on special pearl farms. Akoya pearls are the most famous, coming from Japan and now China, while larger South Sea pearls in colors such as white, black and gold are grown in Australia, Tahiti and Indonesia. Freshwater pearls are found in China, Japan and even the United States. Pearls have been used for centuries in Asian medicine, believed to cure indigestion, heart trouble and fever.
JULY Ruby
Ruby comes from the Latin word "Ruber" meaning, appropriately, red. It is the red form of the mineral corundum (meaning that it is really red sapphire), and is second in hardness only to the diamond. Rubies from Burma are the most coveted and prized, and the king of Burma was actually called the "Lord of the Rubies." Rubies are also found in Thailand and Kenya and rank a 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
AUGUST Peridot
Peridot, with its distinctive bottle-green color, has been mined on St. John's Island in the Red Sea for over 3,500 years, where ancient Egyptians thought of it as a gem of the sun. In the Middle Ages, crusaders brought this transparent to translucent gem to Europe. Peridot comes from Egypt, China, Myanmar, Brazil, Norway, the U.S. (in Arizona and Hawaii), Australia and South Africa. It has a hardness of 6.5-7 on the Mohs scale.
SEPTEMBER Sapphire
Sapphire, one of the world's most popular gems, is generally associated with the color blue. But it's made of the mineral corundum, comes in many other colors, including pink, yellow and green. Sapphire is mined in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Australia, Nigeria, and the U.S. (Montana). It has a hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
OCTOBER Opal
Opal is an opaque gemstone that is prized for its irides-cence. You can find opal in a variety of colors, including white, black, and fire opal (which is orange). Opal is actually a hardened silica gel, and contains 5-10 percent water. Since the 19th century, Australia has been the main producer of opal, though it can also be found in Czecho-slovakia, the U.S., Brazil, Mexico, and southern Africa. Opal is rather soft, with a hardness of only 5-6.5 on the Mohs scale, so it is delicate and requires special care.
NOVEMBER Topaz
Topaz can be found colorless or in shades of yellow, orange, red and brown. It is also sometimes treated with irradiation to create blue topaz. Today the major sources for topaz are Brazil, Nigeria, Australia, Myanmar and Mexico.
DECEMBER Turquoise
Turquoise is the intensely-colored, blue birthstone for December. Its color is so distinct that the color was named after the gemstone. Turquoise was one of the first gemstones to be mined, discovered by the ancient Egyptians in 3000 B.C.. In the treasures of King Tut turquoise was found combined in jewels with other gemstones such as Lapis Lazuli and carnelian. But most people in the U.S. associate turquoise with native American jewelry, set in silver. The Pueblo people used to place turquoise on the floor in their homes to bring good fortune. Turquoise is found in Iran, Tibet, Mexico, the U.S., Chile, Australia, and Cornwall (England).
