A History of Birthstones

Have you ever been curious about the origins of birthstones? The history, in truth, is a bit long and convoluted. In Western cultures, the concept of the birthstone evolved from a story in the Bible, from the book of Exodus. The prophet Moses decreed that a breastplate should be made for Aaron, his elder brother…

Gemstone Focus: Rubies

This July birthstone is one of the rarest gemstones in the world commanding some of the highest prices. It’s striking red colour has prompted associations with love, passion and blood. It was once worn by warriors as a protective amulet, believed to protect against wounds. Medieval Europeans wore rubies to guarantee health, wealth, wisdom, and…

Gemstone Focus: Emeralds

Emeralds have been prized for their stunning green colour for literally millennia. Purported to be Cleopatras favourite gemstone, she had a huge collection though some now believe many of the gemstones may have been peridot. The Incas used emeralds in their jewellery and much of it was stolen and sent back to Spain by the…

Gemstone Focus: Diamond

Diamonds have been treasured for thousands of years for their beauty and rarity. The earliest diamonds were from India found almost 3000 years ago where only the extremely wealthy had access to them. Ancient Greeks believed them to be the tears of the weeping gods. If you were born in the month of April, diamond…

Gemstone Focus: Aquamarine

March is the month of Aquamarine. But did you know that Aquamarine is a member of the beryl family, the same as Emerald? The gemstone was named for the sea whose colour it shares. Rarely do they come in darker hues. Aquamarines with their pale blue colour have had a connection to the sea for millennia….

Gemstone Focus: Garnet

“The seeds of life” The word garnet is a derivative of the latin word granatus meaning pomegranate. And it is thought that the stone was named because of its resemblance to the seeds of a pomegranate. This traditional January birthstone has inspired many legends and has popular associations with love, friendship, light, and vitality. It…

Gemstone Focus: Tanzanite

Tanzanite is the new kid on the block. It was officially recognised as a birthstone of December in 2019, replacing Blue Topaz which has been moved to join its cousins as the November birthstone. Tanzanite was first identified in Tanzania in 1962, but was originally not highly valued In 1967 the primary deposit was identified.Its…

Gemstone Focus: Turquoise

This December birthstone has been used for millennia in jewellery. It was a favourite of Egyptian Pharoahs who often adorned themselves in it. And it has been carved it into beautful pieces of art in China for over 3000 years. As such turquoise has rich history with lots of lore attached to it. It was…

Gemstone Focus: Zircon

Zircon is probably one of the most under-rated gemstones. This December brthstone is often confused with the diamond imitation cubic zirconia. Hoever Zircon is a completely natural gemstone and its beauty rivals any gemstone. Zircon can be found in a number of colours including blue, yellow, orange, green, brown, red and white. White zircon has…

Gemstone Focus: Topaz

Yellow Topaz is the traditional birthstone of November. Most people will associate the November birthstone with the colour yellow . However, as a family group topaz can be found in many colours including blue and the highly sought after and rare Pink Topaz and the orange- red Imperial Topaz aka Precious Topaz. I’ll talk more…