Moonstone is one of the alternate birthstones for June. This hypnotizing, mesmerizing stone has been admired for ages, going all the way back to the Greeks and the Romans. In Ancient Rome, they believed that the stone was actually formed from solidified beams of moonlight. They also believed that if one looked at the stone [...]
To explain where Father’s Day came from, we have to start with Mother’s Day, because that came first. Mother’s Day started during the post-Civil War era in the 1860’s. Activist Anne Reeves Jarvis urged one divided West Virginia town to celebrate the mothers of both Confederate and Union soldiers. “Mother’s Work Days” helped bring two [...]
The word Emerald is derived from a Persian word meaning, “Green Gem.” It changed from Greek to Latin as smaragdus, then to esmaurde, esmralde, and in the 16th century to esmeralde. Because of their color, emeralds are often associated with the richest greens and the lushest landscapes. Seattle, Washington is the Emerald City. Ireland is [...]
The word diamond comes from the Greek word “adamas,” which roughly translates to “I tame,” “I subdue” or “unconquerable” The name refers to the hardness of a diamond, which has a mohs scale rating of 10, making it tougher than any other gem. As far as we know the earliest diamonds were found around [...]
Aquamarine is the birthstone for March. The word Aquamarine is a combination of two latin words, aqua meaning water, and marina meaning sea. Aquamarine is a beautiful blue color, so one could see how this mesmerizing gem received its name. Aquamarine was found ages ago, the Egyptians and Sumerians believed it was a symbol of [...]
Valentine’s Day is a special time when loved ones express their love, mainly through gifts. The holiday has origins that can be traced all the way back to the Romans. The Romans used to have a festival in mid-February called Lupercalia. The festival celebrated the change of seasons from winter to spring, and during this [...]
Amethyst is the purple color variety of quartz. It is said to be the most popular purple gem and one of the most popular gemstones of all time. Amethyst has been around for ages, the gem can be traced back to ancient Greece. The word Amethyst is actually driven from the Greek word “amethystos” which [...]
Signet rings have been popular for a long time, the Bible even mentions the use of signet rings. Their orgins can be traced back to 3500 BC in ancient Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt, and ancient Nubia. Originally, signet rings were used to sign or stamp documents. The rings would often be emblazoned with a family crest. [...]
"The garnet is a red gem, but not like the ruby, its red is much more like that of a flame ... It forms far in the east ... If correctly cut and polished it will reveal all its beauty and perfection." - Aristotle, ca. 322 B.C. The word garnet is derived from the Greek [...]
Pearls are officially the world’s oldest gem, and for that reason they are considered the “Queen of Gems.” Because pearls have been around since before written history, their discovery cannot be attributed to one person. It is believed that people searching for food along the shore discovered them. What we do know is that they [...]
In addition to Turquoise, December recognizes two other birthstones: Tanzanite and Zircon. Continue reading to learn more about the December birthstones. Tanzanite Tanzanite is relatively new to the galaxy of colored stones. The origin story of Tanzanite only dates back to 1967. A Masai tribesman stumbled upon a cluster of highly transparent, intense, violet-to-blue crystals [...]
A Love Knot ring symbolizes a knot that is not quite tied, yet has all the intentions of being tied. Much like a promise, this is why it is a type of promise ring. Promise rings date back to the old days of betrothals. Betrothals go back as far as Biblical times. They were a [...]
The word Turquoise comes from the french expression "pierre tourques," meaning "Turkish Stone," which references the stone being brought to Europe from Turkey during the 13th century. Turquoise has origins that can be traced all the way back to ancient Egypt, around the year 3000 BC. The stone was often used in protective amulets as [...]
