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Taurus Birthstones

Madame Constella — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 05:01:26 +0000

These gemstones are said to represent Taurus. Find out what they are and what are their meanings. Decide for yourself if you think they’re worthy as Taurus’s birthstones.

Photo: Emerald ring. Credit: hpochop @ Pixabay

Taurus (April 20 – May 20) is ruled by Venus, the planet and goddess that embodies love, elegance, and beauty. The sign of the bull is blessed by Venus and this explains Taurus’s appreciation for all things beautiful, sensuality, and good taste. Astrologically speaking, Taurus natives are characterized by tenacity, stability, pragmatism, beauty, artistic sense, calm, patience, fidelity. They are also known to have a practical spirit but can sometimes become greedy their pursuit of wealth.

Birthstones refer to gemstones that represent one’s birthday. There’re birthstones for a particular day of the week, month, and, of course, zodiac sign. Similar to Astrology, there isn’t a central authority that dictates what gemstone is a Taurus birthstone and what isn’t. With that said, there are indeed some gemstones that are more popular as Taurus gems than others. And there are also stones that are believed to be more spiritually aligned to Taurus. The gemstones that have earned the title of Taurus birthstones are diamond, emerald, rose quartz, aventurine, and amethyst. Let’s now take a closer at each of these marvelous gems.

1. Emerald

Photo: Cut Colombian emeralds. Credit: Mauro Cateb @ Flickr

Emerald is the most popular gemstone for Taurus men and women. Known for its deep green color and namesake rectangular cut, emerald is one of the most famous gemstones alongside diamond, sapphire, and ruby.

In terms of symbolism, emerald is a stone of prosperity, love, and wisdom. It also symbolizes fertility, peace, hope, healing, nurturing, and growth. Many of these aspects are deeply valued by Taurus. For being an earth sign, Taureans are drawn to nature and greenery. As such, in many ways, emerald represents what Taurus wants and who they are. This makes emerald an excellent gemstone for Taurus.

In Roman Egypt, emerald was favored by Cleopatra. It is said that the Egyptian queen adorned herself in emerald jewelry and used emerald as decoration. The locally-mined emerald was given out as gifts to foreign diplomats as local specialties.

Emerald is a variety of beryl. Other notable members of the beryl gem family include aquamarine and morganite. Emerald is also a birthstone for the month of May. This means that emerald represents both April and May Taurus, but it doubly represents May Taurus.

2. Diamond

The symbol of forever, diamond, is another birthstone for Taurus. Since diamond is also an April birthstone, it is especially appealing to April Taurus.

Diamond is the most famous and most sought-after gemstone. It is known for being one of the hardest naturally-occurring substances on earth. A properly cut and polished diamond draws attention with its captivating sparkle.

The symbolism and meaning of diamond are closely related to its physical properties. See if you can detect a theme here. Diamond symbolizes invincibility, perseverance, strength, commitment, purity, and perfection. As an expensive gemstone, is also a symbol of luxury, wealth, achievement, self-confidence. This is to say that the diamond represents Taurus’ desires and traits. Taurus are hard workers and they work toward building wealth through perseverance. While they do seek luxury, they tend to be humble and do so with a pure intention. They just want to feel safe and secure in their position. All of these are embodied by the diamond. For having so much in common, it’s safe to say that the diamond is an excellent Taurus birth gem.

3. Rose Quartz

Photo: Rose quartz on filigree ring. Credit: starbright, Flickr

Rose quartz is the gemstone of love and relationship for Taurus. As a fixed earth sign, Taurus can be an introverted sign. But just because they are quiet doesn’t mean that they aren’t romantic. On the contrary, Taurus is one of the most romantic signs of the zodiac, in part due to the influence of the Goddess of Love Venus. Coincidentally, Venus is said to be the reason how rose quartz came to be.

Before Venus became Venus to the Romans, she was known as Aphrodite by the people of ancient Greece. It is said that when Aphrodite risked herself to save her love Adonis, they got hurt and their blood mixed and landed on a piece of quartz. Their blood stained the pure quartz, giving it a rosy pink color, forever. For rose quartz came to be from an act of love by the goddess of love herself, rose quartz is forever known as a stone of selfless love.

As a stone of love, it is favored by newlyweds or by those who are engaged to be married. Some believe that wearing rose quartz helps you to gain a more profound understanding of love and friendship. This understanding makes you wiser when it comes to these delicate but important matters. This means that the pink Taurus crystal would not turn Taurus into a hopeless romantic. But instead, it provides the wisdom and clarity that Taurus need in coming out as a winner in terms of love and relationship.

4. Aventurine

Photo: Aventurine, polished. Credit: Content Pixie, Unsplash

Aventurine is a healing birthstone for Taurus. Aventurine can exist in many different colors, but green color is the most common and also the color we recommend as Taurus birth crystal.

Aventurine is said to be a universal healing crystal. It is believed to promote healing and good health in general. And this applies to both mental and physical health. It is believed to sharpen and provide clarity to one’s mind. Purportedly, the green gemstone also helps prevent hair loss, mitigate allergies, soothe allergy reactions, and improve skin conditions.

Just like emerald, aventurine belongs to one of the colors the represent Taurus which is green. Unlike emerald, the green aventurine is opaque and has a dusty green color. In any case, aventurine has a much cheaper price range than emerald. Consequently, aventurine the Taurus stone can be used in areas that emerald can’t, such as home décor or even as paper weight using lesser-grade aventurine.

5. Amethyst

Photo: Amethyst. Credit: Amila Tennakoon, Flickr

Taurus is also lucky to have amethyst as their birthstone. The purple gemstone is a symbol of peace, calmness, relaxation, purity, gentleness, kindness, and clarity. While “luck” isn’t a symbol of the gemstone, I’d venture to say that amethyst is the lucky stone for Taurus. Why? I’ll explain more below.

The Taurus gemstone amethyst is believed to bring inner peace. It’s the perfect gemstone to have around especially when you’re going through some rough patches in life. For it symbolizes peace and relaxation, consider placing it in your living room or bedroom as decor. Gem-grade amethyst is more expensive, but there are other more affordable amethyst grades that are excellent as home decor.

The literal meaning of amethyst is “not intoxicated.” When you’re intoxicated your judgment is clouded. In other words, amethyst offers clarity and perhaps the wisdom you need to see things clearly. This couples with the stone’s calming effect makes it an excellent companion crystal for studying and learning. This brings us back to why amethyst is a lucky stone for Taurus. That’s because of the clarity it brings to the mind. Taurus is perseverant and hardworking, however, one of their biggest weaknesses is stubbornness. Amethyst can help Taurus see past their own stubbornness and this creates luck for the bulls.

Conclusions

We’ve discussed five unique gemstones that represent Taurus. These five gemstones are unique in their own ways. They’re not only aesthetically pleasing as jewelry and decor, but they are also believed to have many beneficial properties. While many of the effects can’t be proven scientifically, one cannot deny the positive psychological effects of wearing your own birthstone. In other words, it makes you feel good. And good things happen when you feel great about yourself.

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Aries Birthstones

Madame Constella — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 12:34:28 +0000

These are the four birthstones of Aries according to astrology. What are these mysterious gems, stones, and jewels? What are their meanings and symbolism? What benefits do they have for Aries?

Birthstones of Aries

Aries is ruled by Mars, a planet that controls physical energy, aggression, courage, enthusiasm, boldness, endurance, and dynamism.

Under the direct influence of the planet that is named after the God of War, Aries natives are drawn to adventures and risks. At work and other areas in life, they are eager to change and they tend to be innate leaders. Arians are competitive and they are confident in their own strengths and bravery.

For being a fire sign that is so intense and passionate, it is perhaps not surprising that the characteristic colors of Aries are fiery: red and orange. This affinity to fire extends to Aries’ birth gems and you’ll see that many of their representing gems contain warm colors. However, this is not a given. There are many gemstones with cold hues in the following list that will help Aries to counterbalance their immense energy. Let’s take a look at these breathtaking gemstones for Aries the ram sign.

1. Bloodstone

Photo: Bloodstone Credit: Ra’ike @ Wikimedia Common

The bloodstone is the birthstone for March Aries. You might know it by its ancient name, heliotrope or the Sun Stone. The bloodstone is an opaque green jasper with red spots of hematite. Hematite’s bloodlike color resembles blood and that inspired the name bloodstone.

Some believe that the bloodstone offers protection against negative energies, physical attacks, injuries, and accidents. Warriors in the past had been known to wear this stone into battles.

In terms of health, bloodstone is said to have a strong healing effect. This is important for Aries who has the infamy of being impatient and the tendency of rushing into things without thinking of the effects. This gemstone will protect Aries by getting them out of harm’s way. And if they do get hurt in the process, the stone will help them recover and encourage them to stand up again.

In other words, the gemstone has the power to repel negativity. With less negative energy, there’s one less thing that will wear down the ram’s passion and motivation. Is this a good thing for the sometimes overconfident Aries? That is for you to decide.

The bloodstone’s affordability makes it a wonderful gift to give and receive for just about anyone.

2. Diamond

The diamond is the birthstone for April Aries. It is perhaps the most popular and sought-after precious stone. Some of its fame include “a diamond is forever,” made popular by the famous De Beers ad campaign, and being the hardest natural material in the world.

In the spiritual realm, the diamond is said to purify toxicity. It detoxifies your systems by eliminating the bad stuff in you. And that includes negative thoughts. In some cases, the gemstone of purity may even prevent negative energy from entering you in the first place.

The unofficial precious stone for engagement rings and wedding rings is a symbol of everlasting love. On a personal level, it promotes self-confidence and courage. This comes in handy when the Aries’s confidence is less than optimal when they’re influenced by other heavenly bodies.

Some believe that the diamond attracts abundance and positive energy. Obstacles that stand in your way will be pushed aside by the aura of this gemstone and it will lead you to success.

If you’re in a less happy period in your life, the strong and unyielding diamond will help you overcome your fears and help you to move on. Feeling uninspired? The diamond, through its brilliant sparkles, will fill in the empty void, giving you the motivation and inspiration to reach greater heights.

Wear it with caution though because the diamond has the power to amplify your thoughts, regardless if they are positive or negative.

3. Carnelian

Photo: Carnelian / Cornelian / Sard Credit: Elderberry Arts @ Flickr

Carnelian is a protective Aries stone.

Carnelian, sometimes called cornelian, is a semi-precious stone known for its fiery orange and red color spectrum. It is a stone with a very high vibrational energy. Carnelian the gemstone and Aries have many similarities. First, their ruling planets are both Mars. Second, they both have an unmistakable affinity to the element of fire.

A proud member of the Chalcedony family, the carnelian is believed to protect you from psychic attacks and negative energies. This translucent and glassy gemstone is more than just a protector for it also helps you to understand your inner self and fortify your ability to concentrate.

For someone who is having depressing thoughts, wearing a carnelian will give you the self-confidence to fight off these negative thoughts. Whether the effect is spiritual or psychological is up for debate, but if you’re facing hardships in life, the carnelian will be able to help.

When used as a decorative object, the carnelian will purify the room in which it is placed and fill it with positive energy.

4. Citrine

Photo: Citrine Credit: Amila Tennakoon @ Flickr

Citrine is a lucky gemstone for Aries men & women.

Citrine is a variety of quartz known for its pale-yellow and sometimes brownish hue. Its name is derived from the word citrina which means yellow in Latin. This yellow gemstone has been referred to as the money stone or merchant’s stone because it is believed to bring prosperity.

The citrine’s warm color tone shows its elemental affinity. In this case, it turns out to be the same element as Aries which is the fire. Despite being ruled by the same element, citrine is a different kind of flame and this is good news for it complements the Aries personality. The yellow quartz citrine is a symbol of clarity and hope. It is a controlled fire that offers warmth and sustenance–not a fire that burns and destroys. Wearing this gemstone helps the Aries to control and direct their boundless energy in the right direction. It helps to bring clarity to their thinking and in doing so prevents them from getting into trouble for being impatient.

From the health perspective, the gemstone is believed to cure headaches and treat depression and diseases of the liver, spleen, digestive system, and bladder.

Wrapping Up Gemstones of Aries

In this article, we’ve discussed four gemstones that represent Aries. Some of them are the traditional birthstones for Aries. Others are gems that we believe qualify as Aries birth gems in each and every way.

All four of the gemstones are unique and carry different benefits. But in general, they belong to two groups. One group enhances and amplifies Aries’s energy. The other group complements the ram sign by either helping them to overcome their weaknesses, protect them against harm, and in some cases–counterbalance their intensity.

Whether you’re an Aries who’s looking for a suitable gemstone to wear or you’re looking for a good gift for Aries, these are the gems that you should definitely be considering.

References

https://archive.org/details/gemsgemminerals00farrrich/

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April Birthstones

Madame Constella — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 10:17:27 +0000

These three gemstones are the birthstones of April. Find out the identities, origins, and myths of these April gems–as well as their meanings and symbolism.

April & Birthstones

April is the fourth month in the Gregorian calendar. In the Northern Hemisphere, April is considered spring in countries such as the US, UK, Canada, and Germany. The origin of its name is ancient. Long ago, the Romans named the month Aprillis in Latin. Many believe that since Roman months were named in honor of gods and goddesses, and that April was a sacred month for the Goddess of Love Venus, April might have been derived from Venus’s equivalent Greek goddess Aphrodite.

Author: Unknown, Source: Tiffany & Co. (1870 & 1907). More about this poem.

Birthstones or natal stones are gemstones that designate your birthday. Besides monthly birthstones, there are designated gemstones that represent your particular birth year, birthday, day of birth, and zodiac sign. It is important to understand that it is a fluid list. Throughout history and across different cultures, there had been a number of different gemstones designated as the April birthstones. For the purpose of this article, we’re picking three unique gemstones to represent April: diamond, sapphire, and opal. The former two are the most popular April birthstones in the western culture while the latter, opal, is a mystical birthstone that originated from ancient Tibet that will add some variety to this list.

Three Birthstones of April

1. Diamond

Diamond is both a modern and traditional birthstone for April. The symbol of forever love has stood the test of time and remained on April’s birthstone roster.

The name ‘diamond’ came from the Greek word ‘adamas’ meaning ‘unconquerable; indestructible.’ A natural diamond takes billions of years to form. While there are other factors to consider, diamond is generally considered the more expensive gemstone compared to other gemstones.

In terms of chemical composition, diamond is a transparent crystalline form of carbon that is four times harder than corundum. In fact, it is one of the hardest natural materials found on earth.

Cutting a diamond requires knowledge and craftsmanship because of its extreme difficulty. Only one in a million rough diamonds are large enough to produce a one-carat diamond. Today, the ‘Golden Jubilee’ holds the title of being the largest cut diamond in the world. The 755-carat rough stone was cut and polished by Gabriel Tolkowsky. It took him two years to design the world’s largest cut diamond. The diamond was named ‘Golden Jubilee’ because it was sent as a gift to the King of Thailand for his 50th Coronation Anniversary in 1997.

Aside from being a symbol of love, diamond also symbolizes strength, perseverance, courage, elegance, and luxury. Wearing a diamond is beneficial for it is believed to make you become strong physically. Diamond is purported to carry energy that promotes mental clarity that helps you to overcome the challenges and difficulties in life. For being one of the hardest materials in the world, it is understandable that diamond is also believed to be a protective gemstone that protects the wearer from physical harm and curses. As a specific example, diamond is believed to ward off the curse of evil eyes. One anonymous second-century BCE poet wrote about this particular belief about diamond:-

The evil eye shall have no power to harm
Him that shall wear the diamond as a charm.

For over 500 years, diamond has been the most preferred jewel for engagement rings and wedding rings. This tradition can be traced back to medieval Europe in the year 1477 when Mary, Duchess of Burgundy, received a diamond engagement ring from Archduke Maximilian of Austria. This inspired many wealthy people and other royalties. Later on as diamond became more affordable (but still expensive), it became a common practice among regular folks.

2. Sapphire

Above: Cut sapphire gemstone. Credit: johno49 @ Pixabay

Sapphire is a traditional birthstone for April. Some call it the ancient April birthstone because its history as an April gem traces back to the Renaissance period. Nowadays, sapphire is perhaps better known as the September birthstone, but the fate of April borns and sapphire are intertwined through centuries of association, and that isn’t something that you can just shake off. Tiffany’s birthstone poem in 1907 gave a nod to sapphire’s position as April birthstone (see the beginning of this article).

Although sapphire exists in many different colors, its most famous color is blue. Due to the presence of different chemical elements, sapphire forms in all possible colors. Besides blue sapphires, other sapphire colors are yellow, purple, green, brown, violet, orange, pink, colorless, and black.

The mysteriously fascinating black sapphire is a variety of corundum. It can either be in semitransparent or opaque form. The Black Star of Queensland mined in Australia is the world’s largest black star sapphire which weighs 733 carats. A star sapphire is a unique variety that displays a prominent star pattern that seems to float on its surface. The rare gem was cut by Harry Kazanjian who decided to sacrifice over 400 carats for it not to lose its star pattern.

In terms of meaning and symbolism, sapphire takes a different direction from its modern counterpart diamond. While sapphires are also believed to protect to their owners, the blue gemstones are better known as a symbol of truth, sincerity, intelligence, knowledge, wisdom, and nobility. Sapphire also has a heavenly connection, for it was believed that it symbolizes heaven. For this reason, sapphires were worn by clerics of the Middle Ages.

Sapphire is a good gift option for those born in April considering its positive vibrational patterns.

3. Opal

Above: Opal and its rainbow colors. Credit: tshearer@Flickr

Opal is the mystical birthstone for April and a modern birthstone for October. The mystical birthstone list originated from a Tibetan culture that existed from the 7th to 9th centuries AD. If you’re interested in the metaphysical realm, this mystical birthstone may just have a stronger spiritual connection to April borns better than its modern and traditional counterparts.

The name opal was derived from upala in Sanskrit. Upala means “jewel,” or “stone.” Interestingly, opal used to be a popular female name in the US in the early 20th century. However, its popularity dwindled as the century unfold.

Opal differentiates itself from other gemstones with its unique rainbow hue, better known as “play-of-color.” The gorgeous array of colors that seems to be trapped inside this stone will always leave one mesmerized.

Chemically, the opal gem is a shapeless form of silica that is chemically combined with water molecules. The stone forms as the silica deposits are carried by rainwater into cracks and voids through the earth.

Opal symbolizes truth, hope, purity, and energy.

People born in April are lucky to have this rainbow gem as their birthstone. Just like the rainbow, opal brings the promise of better days and grants the feeling of hope to its wearer. It is also believed to possess moon energy that can boost intuition. Coincidentally, opal is one of the stones that can be found in the moon together with peridot.

April Birthstone Poem

She who from April dates her years,
Diamonds shall wear, lest bitter tears
For vain repentance flow. This stone
Emblem of innocence is known.

Innocent, repentant —
Sun and shower —
Wears a diamond or a sapphire
As her dower.

The April birthstone poem found at the beginning of this article and in the image above was published by Tiffany’s in 1870 and 1907.

In 1870, Tiffany & Company (also known as Tiffany & Co. and Tiffany’s) published twelve poems dedicated to the monthly birthstones in a pamphlet. The poems were credited to an “unknown author.” From the source that we have, we believe that only the first stanza of the poem was published during this time.

About forty years after that, in 1907, Tiffany’s published Natal Stones: Sentiments and Superstitions Associated with Precious Stones authored by George Frederick Kunz. In the 30-page book, a second stanza was added for each of the poems. The second stanza for the April poem was the only one that gave acknowledgment to the older April gemstone which was sapphire.

The book also suggested that the April flower was Daisy.

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