Birthstone Articles

Love the look and feel of handmade jewelry and need to celebrate a special day? Choose a birthstone piece that features one or more topaz beads. While the term “birthstone jewelry” may conjure up images of tiny gemstone chips in bland settings, handmade topaz pieces are anything but boring. Learn more about this fascinating stone and why it makes an ideal gift for anyone celebrating a birthday in November.

October has arrived, and the weather has grown cool.  Thoughts turn to shorter days and Halloween.  Pumpkins and gourds are starting to appear. What color would say October better than copper?  A warm color whose reflection adds coolness, copper so also the color of dried leaves and hot fires.

Dried Leaves

The colors of fall leaves are a joy even for those who aren't looking forward to winter.  The Carved Jade Copper Gemstone Beaded bracelet calls to mind all the colors we see in the changing leaves as they near the end.  The carving in the multi colored jade calls to mind the veins we see on leaves close up, while the copper reminds us of those last sparks of bright color.  

The Garnet gemstone is the birthstone of January. The stone is a group of minerals that comes in a rainbow of colors ranging from a deep red/orange of the Mandarin Garnet to a green color of the Tsavorite and the usually recognized Pyrope Garnet. It can be given for the second, sixth, and nineteenth wedding anniversaries and it symbolizes eternal friendship and trust. The name comes from the Latin word granatum meaning "seed-like" referencing it to a pomegranate because of it's looks and color. The garnet gemstone is an interesting stone in terms of history, legends, and Greek mythology.

merald gemstones signify the month of May. Like spring, emeralds represent rebirth, good fortune, youth, and renewal. 

Emerald is rooted from smaragdus, defining green in Greek.

The first emerald was unearthed in Egypt in 300 B.C. Cleopatra infamously adored the stone. In ancient Egyptian texts, Cleopatra found the "Cleopatra Emerald" weighing at an unimaginable 97 karats. She split the gemstone in half, giving it to Marc Antony. After Marc Antony fought the Romans and died, architects tried to find his missing half. They never located it.

Precious and semi-precious stones have been honored for many centuries. The folklore concerning them is definitely fascinating. All cultures treasure the stories that go back to the beginning of history.

Birthstones Originated in the Bible

It is believed that the Breastplate of Aaron is the origin of birthstones. Exodus 28, 15-30, calls for the twelve stones of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, corresponding to the zodiac signs of the time, be set into four rows. Since our calendar month system was not known at the time of Exodus, birthstones became more commonly associated with a person’s calendar month of birth.

Rubies are red, emeralds are green. What the heck color is tourmaline?

The tourmaline gemstone comes in many colors, often in the same stone. Its very name means mixed stone: "tura mali" from the Singhalese phrase "stone mixed with vibrant colors." Red, pink, peach, orange, yellow, brown, green, blue, purple, even black -- tourmaline is one of the most versatile gemstones, appearing in a variety of shades. Bi-color and tri-color stones are especially prized for jewelry. One of the more popular variations is the "watermelon tourmaline," with pink, green, and white color bands appearing naturally in the same stone.

Aquamarine is a beryl gemstone which beautifully ranges in pale blue, blue-green, and teal. Legend states it originated in the treasure chest of mermaids. Sailor's made it their "lucky stone," and even Romans and Greeks believed it kept them safe. No wonder the name derives from Latin words meaning water and sea! Adopting aquamarine as the March birthstone took place in 1912 and it is also the planetary stone for the month's opening zodiac sign, Pisces. 

Amethyst is an instantly recognizable purple quartz stone that is used for jewelry and healing purposes throughout the world. Ranging in shade from pale lavender to the deepest purple, the gem is prized for its beauty and properties and is the birthstone for the month of February. With these amazing properties, amethyst birthstone jewelry is an ideal gift for a beloved friend or family member -- or even for yourself.

Amethyst Origins

One of the earliest legends surrounding the amethyst comes to us from Ancient Greece and explains the origins of this highly regarded purple stone. In the story, Dionysius, the Greek god of wine and revelry was angered at a mortal woman, who failed to pay him the proper respect.

In today's tough economic times, most people don't  have the same budget that they used to have.  Not only have people had to cut back on the essential items, but the extra type items have definitely taken a back seat.  Items that have taken the backseat are things like jewelry and expensive accessories.  Well if you have noticed, handmade beaded jewelry is definitely in these days as most fashion magazines show a model or celebrity wearing it.

Beaded jewelry has really taken off because people are able to make it themselves and the sky is the limit when it comes to creativity and design.  Many people like to use their birthstone when making these types of bracelets and necklaces to give the pieces special meanings.  One such birthstone is especially popular.  Topaz is the birthstone from the month of November and is used in many beaded jewelry creations.  Why is Topaz so popular?

The main reason is because of the look that Topaz has.  This type of birthstone has a very clean and clear look as you can see through it.  This is fun to make a part of a beaded jewelry piece as you can have shiny little Topaz beads that not only reflect light, but give some dimension and depth to your beaded jewelry creation.   This look is very popular as the Topaz beads usually come in the color blue, but can also come in other colors such as red, gold, and green.  With all of these different types of colors to choose from, it is easy to find the right Topaz beads to be able to match the outfit or look you are wanting to achieve.

Another reason why Topaz beaded jewelry is such a hot item is because of the cut of the beads.  Topaz is usually cut into very pentagonal shapes which give it many flat surfaces.  These flat surfaces do a fantastic job reflecting light which gives the Topaz a blingy feel.  This shimmer makes the jewelry look much more expensive than it really is as it glistens in most light settings.  Most people like having the appearance of wealth without having to spend the money, and Topaz is one of those secret birthstones that can give off that type of appearance.  

As you can see, beaded jewelry is getting more and more popular as people are saving money by creating their own pieces.  When pairing up beaded jewelry with the November birthstone Topaz, many people find the look they have been craving to pair with any outfit or accessory.

The enchanting verdant tones of the peridot have long been recognized as the eighth month’s birthstone. But little do people know that the alluring green gem shares its limelight with a darker, more mysterious counterpart–the sardonyx.

A form of onyx from the mineral family of chalcedony, sardonyx differs in appearance from its more famous jet-black cousin. Since ancient times, sardonyx has enchanted with its reddish brown coloring caressed with delicate white bands. The smooth face of the gem has made it a popular choice for cameo jewelry. In fact, Greeks and Romans were so taken with it, that they used sardonyx as talismans. Warriors carved the raised, cameo style emblems of godly heroes like Mars and Hercules in the stones, believing these tokens would protect them, and give them an advantage in battle.