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October Birthstones

Madame Constella — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 10:53:30 +0000

Gemstones that represent October: find out what they are, what are their meanings, and what makes them October birthstones.

October is the tenth month of the Gregorian calendar. The reason why the tenth month of the year has the word “octo,” which means eight, in it is not a coincidence. Before January and February were added, October was originally the eighth month in the Roman calendar. Generally speaking, October is either spring or fall (autumn) depending on where you’re located. It’s fall in the Northern Hemisphere and it’s spring for the Southerners. Naturally, this doesn’t apply to tropical countries. October is host to two zodiac signs: Libra and Scorpio. The birth flowers of October are Marigold and Cosmos.

Birthstones refer to gemstones that represent a person’s period of birth. There are birthstones by month, year, day, and even zodiac sign. The concept of birthstones is believed to have originated from the Breastplate of Aaron in the Bible.

While the birthstone concept may have ancient roots, it is constantly reinventing itself. In other words, at a different time or in a different culture, you’re likely to find a different list of October birthstones than what you’ll find here. Having said that, the October-born is fortunate to have three spectacular gemstones as their birthstones: opal, tourmaline, and aquamarine. Let’s take a closer look at these gorgeous October gemstones.

1. Opal

Above: Opal and its “play of color.” Credit: tshearer@Flickr

Opal is both a modern and traditional October birthstone. It is one of the few monthly birthstones that has stood the test of time and remained a designated October birthstone since the 15th century. The word opal came from Sanskrit word upala which means “jewel”.

The October gem’s signature “play of color” has fascinated mankind for thousands of years. The term play-of-color refers to the gemstone’s unique structure that reflects light in patches of rainbow colors.

Ancient Romans believed opals were a bringer of good fortune and prosperity, and the Greeks believed they would grant their owners the gift of prophecy. Arabic legend says that the stones fall to earth with strikes of lightning. Indian mythology claims that the rainbows inside the gem come from the transformed spirit of their rainbow goddess. It is that unique shifting of colors or “play of color” inside opals that make them so desirable. Many cultures believed opals held the powers of all gemstones since they held all of their colors.

Opals are notoriously hard for jewelers to work with as they are one of the softest stones and prone to breakage. Natural opals are up to 30% water, and if they dry out they can crack. They can also be damaged by steam and chemicals, so it is not advised to submerge them or wash them with soap. Man-made opals created in labs are more durable but are still fragile compared to harder stones.

Before moving on to the next gemstone, there’s an interesting myth about opal: some people believe that opal has such strong ties to October that it is unlucky for people not born in October to wear an opal. It’s not entirely clear where this superstition came from but don’t let it stop you from adding this marvelous gemstone to your collection.

2. Tourmaline

Photo: Green tourmaline. Credit: Amila Tennakoon @ Flickr

Tourmaline is a modern October birthstone. The name tourmaline has a Sinhalese root, it came from the word “tōramalli” which means “mixed gems.”

While tourmaline may not have the flamboyant “play of fire” demonstrated by opal, tourmaline can also be a gemstone of many colors. Tourmaline crystals are usually long and slender. And they can be colored differently from one portion to another. For example, a tourmaline crystal may be red at one end, gradually changes to colorless then becomes green as it approaches the other end. Of course, whether a gemstone will come out multi-colored or single-colored depends on the nature of the crystal and the cut.

Although tourmaline most likely has a much older history, tourmaline is a relatively modern gem in the world of gemology. Because of its wide range of colors, tourmaline was mistaken for gems such as emeralds and rubies for centuries. It wasn’t until the 1800s that it was recognized as a distinct type of stone–tourmaline. Since that first discovery in Brazil, deposits have been found from California to Afghanistan. However, thanks to the clever marketing of Tiffany’s in the 1800s, it is seen as an “American Gem.”

Some people believe that pink tourmaline shares the strongest affinity with October-born and that it is the best October stone. Pink tourmaline is a stone of healing and empathy. These stones are useful when the wearer needs help quieting their mind and grounding themselves. They are popular with healers, such as counselors and therapists, because they help tap into a patient’s emotional state.

Others believe that the entire spectrum of tourmaline is fit to represent October. Tourmaline in different colors vary in symbolism and carry different meanings. But in general, tourmaline is believed to be a stone of reconciliation. It keeps the owner calm and their thinking clear. It attracts positive energies that are said to improve relationships and other aspects of life.

3. Aquamarine

Photo: Aquamarine Credit: Amila Tennakoon @ Flickr

Aquamarine is a traditional October birthstone. Even if someone had never seen an aquamarine, the name alone would give them a pretty clear picture of the stone. Coming from two Latin words, “aqua” meaning “water” and “marina” meaning “the sea” the word aquamarine is an accurate description of this clear blue stone.

Aquamarine symbolizes clarity, tranquility, purity, hope, and truth.

Like the element of water, aquamarine is thought of as a calming stone that promotes relaxation and self-reflection. This power of reflection makes it popular with shamans and mystics looking to get to the root of a particular issue. Large aquamarines have been known to be cut and polished into crystal balls for fortune-telling. Smaller stones are often used in pendulums and other forms of divining. With its lovely teal color, aquamarine is associated with the throat chakra and is helpful for people who are having trouble articulating their thoughts or who often speak in groups.

Historically, the October gemstone aquamarine was thought of as “the sailors stone” and was often worn by men going on sea journeys to help keep seasickness at bay. It was also thought to protect sirens and other sea monsters. Pliny the Elder wrote about aquamarine in Natural History and tells that the stone is a cure for ailments of the eyes. Centuries ago, the greener-hued stones were more popular, but over time that has shifted, and today the bluer the aquamarine, the higher its value.

Wrapping Up

In this article we discussed three gemstones that represent October: opal, tourmaline, and aquamarine.

Birthstones by Month

Birthstones by Zodiac Sign

The post October Birthstones appeared first on Metropolitan Girls.

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.

Birthstones by Month

Birthstones by Zodiac Sign

Birth Flowers

January / February / March / April / May / June / July / August / September / October / November / December

Aries / Taurus / Gemini / Cancer / Leo / Virgo / Libra / Scorpio / Sagittarius / Capricorn / Aquarius / Pisces

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