Natural gemstone home GEM / Natural gemstone
Birthstone
People classified characters and colors of each gemstone by seasons since we wear jewelry as ornaments and accessories. It is viewed as an effort to lure more customers.
January Birthstone - Garnet
Gemstone for the 2nd wedding anniversary
(Meaning=unchanging friendship, trust, eternity, health)

1. Almandite Garnet
2. Pyrope Garnet
3. Spessartite Garnet
4. Rhodolite Garnet
5. Maiaia Garnet <Discoloration effect> Reflects various shades in daylight and turns blue in artificial light
6. Grossularite Garnet
7. Hydrogrossularite Garnet
8. Andradite Garnet<Green Garnet>
9. Uvarovite Garnet

Garnet species are found in many colors and categorized as group.
The garnet group=Garnet, the January birthstone, has various shades and has many names by color. Most people are familiar with the almandite garnet, which is deep red in color.
Almandite garnet is the most common stone and has the lowest price among the garnet group.
February Birthstone - Amethyst wedding
Gemstone for 6th wedding anniversary
(meaning=wisdom, symbol of power and wealth)

The origin of amethyst comes from a Greek myth and the stone was considered to be a strong antidote against drunkenness.
According to the myth, Bacchus, the god of wine, was angered to Diana, the moon goodness, as she gave the cold shoulder to him. Bacchus swore revenge on a mere mortal that would cross his path as a sacrifice. In order to perform this, he created fierce tigers. Along came the unsuspecting Amethyst, a beautiful young maiden on her way to pay tribute to the goddess Diana. Diana turned Amethyst into a statue of pure crystalline quartz to protect her from the brutal claws of the tigers. Bacchus wept tears of wine in remorse for his action at the sight of the beautiful statue. The god's tears stained the quartz purple, creating the gem we know today.
The exceptional purple of amethyst is traditionally considered to be spiritually transformative in both East and West.
Still, the pope and cardinals wear rings of amethyst as a symbol of sanctity. People have looked to amethyst for wisdom and believed to win the battle when he wore the stone.

A glimpse of history
Purple was a symbol of dignity for ancient Romans. From the emperor, ruler of the ancient world, to most powerful men, all dressed in purple in ancient Rome. Purple prevailed throughout history. In the middle age when the Roman Catholic Church ruled many European countries, all clothes of powerful figures including the Pope and cardinals were purple.
Both the Pope¡¯s ring-known as the Fisherman¡¯s ring-as well as the cardinals were made of Amethyst. And the tradition passed on today.

England was called as the empire on which the sun never sets in modern history. People in England deeply loved Amethyst and believed the power inherited in it. Amethyst was the most expensive item. It was difficult to find out whether that power was real, but England put half of the world under its colonial rule during the time
As the popularity of Amethyst gradually faded, the nation, which once thought to prosper forever, began to lose its power. The glory of the gem moved to Germany and coincidentally the nation increased its dominance at the world stage soon. However, Germany misused the increasing power and countries of the entire world had to face the unfortunate event of World War ¥±. By the middle of the war, Germany took over much of Europe without defeat. One day, Hitler went to a party with family members of Nazi guards and was outraged to see excessive amethyst accessories. He scolded them for their greed when soldiers were dying at the battlefields. Since then, Amethyst consumption in Germany declined as people refrain from extravagant lifestyles in line with Hitler¡¯s order. The nation defeated the war and collapsed as well. The large consumption of amethyst in Germany is related to the nation¡¯s occupation of France and African nations, main producers of Amethyst during the war.
The massive inflow of amethyst at reasonable cost led to reckless spending.

After World War ¥±, Amethyst was introduced in Japan in late 1960s and became the most beloved gemstones by Japanese.
The nation was devastated from the defeat of the Second World War. From the end of 1960s and end of 1970s, however, it successfully achieved a remarkable economic growth, establishing itself as a major power in the world. Popularity of Amethyst was same in Korea. The massive inflow of Japanese visitors to Korea in the early 1970s was an opportunity for Koreans to realize the beauty of the stone. In addition to this, Amethyst was abundant in Korea. The jewel was hugely popular by the mid-1980s. Our economy grew during the same period at a level to stun the world. The popularity of Amethyst in Korea faded as some malicious tradesmen began to sell synthetic stones-so-called Russian Amethyst and which were newly introduced to the market-as genuine Amethyst. Then, the fame of Amethyst was finally moved to the U.S.
The nation was the largest consumer of Amethyst from 1980s to early 2000s. The U.S. is still recognized as the center of the world. Similarly, amethyst is gaining popularity among Chinese people these days.
Many people arguably predict that China will be a new leader of the world in the future.
March Birthstone - Aquamarine, coral, bloodstone
Gemstone for 20th and 35th wedding anniversary
(meaning=faithfulness, kindness, goodness)

As the origins of the name presents-¡®aqua¡¯ means water and ¡®marine¡¯ is for ocean-Aquamarine is considered as a symbol of the ocean.
Aquamarines shine over light blue colors and indicate happiness and endless youth. In the middle age, people believed that aquamarine brings the power to predict the future and insight and that the gem helps to get a good night¡¯s sleep. The gemstone is supposed to have powers to defeat evil and people thought that an aquamarine in the mouth can summon the devil to answer questions. In the medieval ages, water in which an aquamarine had been soaked was believed to cure eye troubles.
April Birthstone - Diamond
Gemstone for 10th and 60th wedding anniversary
(meaning=endless love, power, success)

The name diamond derives from the ancient Greek adamas, meaning unconquerable.
Until Renaissance era, no one succeeded in melting diamonds by any means. Due to its extreme hardness, ancient Indians used Diamond to indicate invincibility. Only a selected few including king and royal family members could posse diamonds and common people were not allowed to have the stones by law, even though they were belonged to the upper class of society.
Diamond was an important symbol in Buddhism as well. In ancient India, diamond was called as vajra, Sanskrit for ¡°adamantine¡± and meant calmness, tranquility, control of the internal sense organs, free spirit. A Legend has it that Buddha sat at the 100-ft diamond throne in circumference when he finally reached to the end of the world.
May Birthstone - Emerald
Gemstone for 12th wedding anniversary
(Emerald meaning= sincerity, kindness, goodness// Jade meaning=benevolence, fidelity, courtesy, etiquette, wisdom)

* Emerald green gemstone represents the season spring. Emerald gemstones are beloved because of it pleasant green color. Green color is considered as symbol of germination and the beauty of nature. The chemical composition of emeralds is beryllium aluminum silicate that is also found in aquamarine.
The beryl family includes several other important gemstones and is classified by color such as emerald for green, aquamarine for light-blue, golden beryl for gold, red beryl, morganite, and goshenit.

* The enriching green color of emeralds lures many people. However, finding a flawless emerald is nearly impossible. It is said that finding a flawless emeralds is more difficult than to come across a specimen without any flaws. Unlike other gemstones in the beryl family such as aquamarine, only emeralds have much residue. Thus, people compared it to garbage in the sea, if residues were found in aquamarine gemstone jewelry.
June Birthstone - Alexandrite, pearl, moonstone
Alexandrite (meaning) purity, chastity, health, longevity, gemstone for 30th wedding anniversary
Pearl (meaning) health, longevity, gemstone for 3rd and 30th wedding anniversary
Moonstone (meaning) mercy, happiness, hope, passion.

Alexandrite : Alexandrite makes its color change. In normal day light, the stone appears to have a beautiful green and turns red in artificial light. The stone was first discovered during the reign of Nicholas ¥° and it was named ¡°alexandrite¡± in honor of the youth who would become Czar Alexander¥±.

Pearl : Most pearls traded today are cultured.
Natural pearls were found in warm, shallow waters of Gulfs, such as the Persian Gulf but pollution has taken a toll and Natural pearls are almost extinct. The Persian Gulf stopped the production in 1930s. The pearl culture technique was first used in the early 13th century in south of China. It was called blister pearls and resembled the statue of Buddha. In 1916, Nishikawa succeeded to produce spherical pearls and these are selling now. Since then, Japan is dominating cultured pearl market.

Moonstone : Hindus thought shimmering Moonstones to be earthbound bits of moonbeams. Moonstone is considered a good luck stone as well as a sacred jewel. In India, gem dealers never display moonstone except on a yellow cloth, since yellow is an especially sacred color. A legend of India says that people who placed a Moonstone under their tongues during a full Moon may see their future. People in the east considered it as a sacred jewel and believed that Moonstone would bring the wearer a bright future as merciful soul was placed inside the stone.
July Birthstone - Ruby, Carnelian agate
Ruby (meaning) passion, truth, affection, dignity, gemstone for 15th and 45th wedding anniversary
Carnelian agate (meaning) courage, happiness, gemstone for 17th wedding anniversary

Ruby : Ruby was said to be the most precious stone God created when he created all creatures and this "lord of gems" was placed on Aaron's neck by God's command. The most important factor in the value of a ruby is color. The fire red color resembling that of flesh predominates was considered the best reflection of man¡¯s passion and truthfulness both in the east and west. The deep red color shines bright and cannot be missed even in a faraway place. The doctrine of Braham described that heaven was reflected by ruby and emerald and the bible said that the warm red of the garnet illuminated Noah's Ark. Ruby was said to remove malicious thoughts and to make the wearer strong and stay in good health. It was also considered to open the heart and helps the wearer overcome fear to succeed in having both wealth and wisdom.

Carnelian agate : It is also known as sard. Carnelian agate is the stone of self-expression. It helps a person speak the truth and it makes it easier to express their thoughts. It is believed that the wearer can achieve his wishes and have a sense of happiness and satisfaction.

AugustBirthstone - Peridot, Sardonyx
Gemstones for 16th wedding anniversary
Peridot (meaning=harmony and happiness in marriage)
Sardonyx (meaning=fidelity, purity, harmony and happiness in marriage)

Peridot : : It was said that Peridot possessed the power to light up darkness, to defeat the demons, to protect the wearer from all kinds of fear, and to empower the ability to predict the future to have divine virtue when the stone was set in gold.
During the Crusaders¡¯ march, peridot was used as a lucky charm as it was believed to remove fear.

Sardonyx : Consider the best combination of white and red flowers. The most popular white flower is white lily. White lilies represent innocence and chastity. The most beloved red flower is rose, meaning love. Likewise, sardonyx, which boasts a beautiful combination of white and red, indicates love and marriage and one can easily presume the meaning of the stone, harmony and happiness in marriage.
Septembe Birthstone - Sapphire, Iolite, Lapis Lazuli
Sapphire (meaning) happiness, truth, eternity=gemstone for 5th and 45th wedding anniversary
Iolite (meaning) chastity, friendship, courage=gemstone for 9th wedding anniversary
Lapis Lazuli (meaning) chastity, friendship, courage=gemstone for 9th wedding anniversary

Sapphire : Sapphire gets its name from the Latin word Saphirus, meaning blue. The stone is often called as the gem of soul and autumn and is believed to bring luck to the wearer. In Christian society, Sapphire was known as the symbol of St. Paul. Accordingly, medieval clergy wore sapphires to represent heaven. In 7th century, archbishops who were performing coronation ceremony wore gold rings set with sapphire. In the middle ages, sapphire often used to decorate clowns as it was considered as the king of gemstones. It was also said to protect soldiers from being captured and to make a peaceful relations with the counterpart.

Lapis Lazuli : The Chinese called it ¡°dark blue goldstone¡± and used the powder of the Lapis for makeup or wall painting. The stone was believed to protect against tricks of the Devil and to help the wearer communicate with angels and was a symbol of chastity. It was also said to encourage true friendship.
October Birthstone - Opal, tourmaline
Opal (meaning) hope, purity, truth= gemstone for 14th wedding anniversary
Tourmaline (meaning) comfort, hope= gemstone for 8th wedding anniversary

Opal : The gemstone¡¯s different beautiful color reminds the fall tree foliage in the clear sky. Opal has earned its nickname the rainbow gemstone. Opal was considered a lucky charm that brought happiness to its wearer, especially women. In ancient times, it was called as a lovely child and was a symbol of beauty. According to a legend of Australia, main producer of opal, god created opal with red, green, and blue stars from the galaxy by soaking them with milk. Ancient Romans considered opal as a symbol of hope and purity and believed that wearer of the stone would be loved by god and people and be protected by illness. It was also said to enhance eye vision and to prevent pandemics and to mitigate the effect of poisoning.
In the east, opal was highly valued as it was considered as the sacred jewel with sincerity. The stone was well known to have magical powers due to its splendid colors.

Tourmaline : : The name of the stone comes from the Singhalese words, meaning stone with mixed colors and another name is 'pyro-electricity¡¯ as tourmalines can become electrically charged when they are heated over 100 Celsius degree. The stone contains various colors and has many names; Rose or pink-rubellite, Green-verdelite, Colorless-achroite, Dark black-schorl, Light blue to bluish green-indicolite

November Birthstone - Topaz, citrine, smoky quartz

Topaz (meaning) integrity, longevity, beauty, intelligence
<Blue topaz for 4th wedding anniversary> <imperial topaz for 23rd wedding anniversary>
Citrine (meaning) longevity, beauty, wisdom, intelligence.

Topaz derives its name from the Greek word topazos meaning ¡°to seek.¡±
Topazos is a legendary island in the Red Sea and was said to be difficult to locate as it was shadowed by thick mist. Topaz was named after the island after the yellow gemstone was discovered there. The book of apocalypse described topaz as no. 9 among the world¡¯s most precious gems. Topaz, written in the book, did actually mean yellow peridot. Topaz often is one of popular autumn jewelry with profound beauty that only people who truly understand the meaning of life can appreciate. It was said to refresh tired eyes and to cure insomnia as it sparkled and shined at night. For ancient men, fluorescent topaz could be considered as magical power as they had no light at night. It is known as the stone of integrity in Catholic society, The Hindus used the gem as a charm of longevity, beauty, and intelligence.
December Birthstone - Turkey stone
Turkey stone, <Tourquoise> (meaning) happiness, health, gemstone for 11th wedding anniversary

Turkey stone is a popular kind of jewelry due to its universal appeal of the morning sky. Turquoise comes from old French for ¡°Turkish.¡± The French called it ¡°Turkish stone¡± or ¡°Turkish woman.¡± Seen from the origin of the name, one can easily be confused that the stone came from Turkey. However, Turkey stones are not produced in Turkey. It did arrive in Europe from Turkey because of trade routes, but originated in Sinai Pen. People still misunderstand that tourquoise comes from Turkey. In the mid 17th century, turkey stones were widely beloved by European men. Men would not even go out in front of people without wearing tourquoise jewelry as it was a sign of a well dressed man. American Indians worshiped the stone and African natives thought that the beautiful blue color was stolen from the sky and sea, so they considered turkey stone as a symbol of divine power. Tibetans still believe that the stone brings happiness and health and protects them from pandemics and the evil eye.