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January
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GARNET
The oranges of autumn leaves, the glowing red coals of a winter fire, the sparkling green
of a summer field, and the beautiful pinks and of spring flowers, garnet is a gemstone for
all seasons. Garnets are a closely related group of gemstones that are available in every
color. Dark reds, tangerine orange, vivid lime green, soft bluish-pink, garnet is all
these colors and more.
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February
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AMETHYST
Amethyst ranges in colour from pale lilac to deep purple. The pale
colours are sometimes called "Rose de France" and can be seen set in Victorian
jewelry. The deep colours are the most valuable, particularly a rich purple with rose
flashes.
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March
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AQUAMARINE
Aquamarine, the "gem of the sea", derives its name from "sea water".
The reference is obvious: aqua sparkles like the sea and its color is pale to medium blue,
sometimes with a slight hint of green.
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April
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DIAMOND
Diamonds are the hardest of all gemstones and the hardest transparent substance. Natural
diamonds are found in kimberlite or lamproite pipes produced by volcanic magma millions of
years ago. Diamonds are a simple crystalline structure of carbon produced by extremely
high pressure and temperature. The melting point of a diamond is 4,000 degree C or about
2.5 times higher than the melting point of steel. Gem quality diamonds are rare; this
helps to account for their value
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May
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EMERALD
Because the rich green colour of emerald is the colour of spring, the ancients prized it
as the gemstone symbolizing love and rebirth. Treasured for at least 4,000 years by
different cultures all around the world, emerald is said to quicken the intelligence as
well as the heart. Legend gives its owner the gift of eloquence.
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June
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PEARL
A pearl is unique, it is the only gemstone to be created from a living creature.
Pearls are characterised by their translucence and
lustre and by a delicate play of surface colour. The most perfect shapes are round, or
tear drop and their value increases with their size and lustre.
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July
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RUBY
The top qualities are as red as you can imagine: a saturated pure spectral hue without any
overtones of brown or blue. The word red is derived from the latin for ruby, ruber, which
is derived from similar words in Persian, Hebrew, and Sanskrit. The intensity of color of
a fine ruby is like a glowing coal, probably the most intensely colored substance our
ancestors ever saw. It is no wonder they ascribed magical powers to these fires that
burned perpetually and never extinguished themselves.
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August
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PERIDOT
Peridot, the birthstone of August, this gemstone is born in fire: the volcanic gem. Small
crystals of peridot are often found in the rocks created by volcanoes and also can be
found in meteors that fall to earth! A few samples of extraterrestrial peridot have even
been faceted into gems!
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September
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SAPPHIRE
Sapphire, the birthstone of September known as the celestial gemstone, has been treasured
for thousands of years. The ancient Persians believed that the earth rested on a giant
sapphire and its reflection colored the sky. Sapphire is found in all the colors of the
heavens: from midnight blue to the bright blue of noon sky in the Mediterranean, golden
sunrise to firey reddish-orange sunsets, and the delicate violet of twilight. The most
famous and valuable sapphires are a rich intense blue, a truly royal hue.
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October
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OPAL
Mysterious opals contain the wonders of the skies - sparking rainbows, fireworks, and
lightning - shifting and moving in their depths. Opal has been treasured throughout
history around the world.
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November
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TOPAZ
The Egyptians said that topaz was colored with the golden glow of the mighty sun god Ra.
This made topaz a very powerful amulet that protected the faithful against harm. The
Romans associated topaz with Jupiter, who also is the god of the sun. Topaz sometimes has
the amber gold of fine cognac or the blush of a peach and all the beautiful warm browns
and oranges in-between. Some rare and exceptional topaz are pale pink to a sherry red.
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December
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TURQUOISE
Turquoise is one of the oldest known gem
materials. The Egyptians were mining turquoise in 3,200 BC in the Sinai. The blue of
turquoise was thought to have powerful metaphysical properties by many ancient cultures.
Montezuma's treasure, now displayed in the British Museum, includes a fantastic carved
serpent covered by a mosaic of turquoise. In ancient Mexico, turquoise was reserved for
the gods, it would not be worn by mere mortals.
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