Unique Birthstones Make Unique Gifts

There are three lists of birthstones for every month. Some people use the modern birthstone list, some go by the traditional list and some favor the mystical list. Here’s a list of the modern birthstones for each month:

• January’s modern birthstone is garnet, which is thought to represent victory, fidelity, chastity and truth. Blood-red garnet has been used in jewelry since the ancient Egyptians. Not all garnet is red. The rarest garnet is bright orange mandarin. Tsavorite garnet is bright green and is the most desired color.

• Amethyst is February’s birthstone. Purple amethyst is said to bring clarity of thought, luck, health and wit to the wearer. The Greeks thought that wearing amethyst would protect against drunkenness.

• The March birthstone is aquamarine, which is light-blue like the sea. Mermaids were thought to horde aquamarine. It gives the wearer confidence, courage and victory. It is less brittle and longer lasting than its cousin, the emerald.

• Diamond is the birthstone for April. Diamonds symbolize love. Most diamonds are yellow or brown, but there are diamonds in nearly every color. People born in April are thought to be the luckiest.

• May’s birthstone is the emerald because it is the color of springtime. Emerald is said to symbolize rebirth, hope and success.

• The pearl is the birthstone for June. Pearls are supposed to represent love and are associated with Venus, the Roman goddess of love. Legend has it that dew drops dripping into the ocean form pearls.

• For the middle of summer, July’s birthstone is the ruby. Due to the red hot days, all three birthstone lists name ruby for July. Diamond is the only gemstone harder than ruby.

• Green peridot is the birthstone for August. Peridot is reputed to encourage healing, fertility and prosperity. In ancient times, it was called the gem of the sun.

• The birthstone for September is the sapphire, whose name comes from the Greek word for blue. Sapphire is a cousin to the emerald. Both stones are varieties of the corundum mineral.

• October’s birthstone is the opal. Ancient royalty treasured opal for its fiery colors and beauty. Don’t wear opal if you weren’t born in October. That brings bad luck.

• Citrine is the birthstone for November. It supposedly guards against evil thoughts and deeds. Citrine comes in gold, yellow or orange-brown.

• The December birthstone is blue topaz. Greeks thought it could increase strength, cool tempers, restore sanity and make the wearer invisible.