April’s Birthstone: Diamond Showers and Spring Flowers
written for SWCreations by Stephanie Dray

April showers bring May flowers, so what better birthstone than diamond to represent that glistening awakening? Like nourishing raindrops on a sunny day, clear diamonds cast dazzling rainbows whenever exposed to the sun.

In fact, it was once believed that diamonds were made by the very rainstorms which loosened them from their deposits and swept them into riverbeds. The ancients who found diamonds washed ashore likened them to the tears of the gods, fallen stars. Some even believed that diamond gemstones were the physical manifestation of lightning bolts.

Then as now, the classic white diamond represented clarity of thought, purity of heart, and the joy of new life. April also brings with it the joy of new life, and wholly embraces the symbolism of the diamond. As a result, April’s birthstone has long been given as a token of rebirth and everlasting love.

Diamonds are forever because they’re nearly indestructible. In fact, diamond derives its name from the Greek word for invincible. This is because April’s birthstone is the hardest natural occurring material in the world, and scores a perfect 10 on the Mohs hardness scale. Nearly impervious to scratches, it is the most durable gemstone for daily wear.

Additionally, diamonds have long been used in industrial applications like engraving, carving and cutting. But even an industrial diamond carries with it the hint of springtime romance because during the Renaissance, lovers used uncut diamonds set in so-called scribbling rings to etch their names in window glass.

In light of this legacy, diamond’s practicality, utility and beauty should make it the ideal birthstone. Unfortunately, many April birthday girls have to satisfy themselves with white topaz or diamond simulants because diamonds are prohibitively expensive and beyond their budget.

This is not because diamonds are exceedingly rare. On the contrary, industry vaults are filled with them. Moreover, perfect synthetic diamonds can be produced for just a few dollars and Memorial diamonds can even be made out of the ashes of loved ones. No, the prohibitive price of diamonds has to do with the expense of mining and industry price-fixing. That, combined with diamond smuggling in war torn nations, has tarnished the good reputation of an otherwise peerless gem.

But those born under the sign of Aries and Taurus should despair neither at the bad press nor the encroachment of the wedding business on their birthstone. Certified conflict-free diamonds can be purchased from Canada and diamonds come in all the hues of springtime flowersnot just wedding white. These colored so-called fancy diamonds are actually rarer and more valuable than their icy brethren, and perfectly in keeping with the spirit of an April birthstone.

Links:

Wikipedia on Diamonds

Synthetic Diamonds

Memorial Diamonds

International Colored Gemstone Organization

Crystalline Rock Crystal Gemstone Necklace created with tiny pearl colored seed beads, Swarovski Austrian crystals, faceted rock crystal gemstones, bright Bali .925 silver, and sterling silver. Gorgeous citrine and topaz sterling silver pendant.
N40 – $94.00 Adjustable Necklace 21 – 22″

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November’s Citrine and Topaz:
Birthstones with a Sunny Disposition
written for SWCreations by Stephanie Dray

With fallen leaves swirling on chill winds, November marks our last fond farewell to warmer days. As trees turn color and people get cozy with spiced cider, the gemstones for this month are bound to bring seasonal cheer. Citrine and yellow topaz are November’s birthstones, heralding the harvest with their warm and sunny hues.

Topaz is one of the oldest and most revered ornamental gemstones in the world. The ancient Egyptians believed that the bright and beautiful stones were glowing drops of light cast to earth by the sun god Ra. The Romans attributed the golden gleam of topaz to Jupiter, their god of light and sky. And in the Bible, topaz was one of the twelve named gemstones set into the breastplate of Aaron.

In fact, at one time, all yellow stones were called topaz.

Topaz runs the gamut of autumn shades from the pale yellow of a chardonnay to ambered honey or a vibrant pumpkin orange. Topaz will not scratch because it is extremely hard (rating an 8 on the Mohs scale), but it also has what is known as “perfect cleavage.” This means that it can chip easily, which, combined with its expense, may be why many people with November birthdays prefer citrine.

Citrine, November’s other birthstone, is sometimes indistinguishable from topaz to the untrained eye. Citrine has often been sold to fool consumers under the names golden topaz, Madeira topaz, Brazilian topaz, Bahia topaz, and citrine topaz.

But as closely as citrine and topaz resemble each other, they are very different gemstones. In fact, citrine’s sister gemstone is actually the amethyst. Both citrine and amethyst are varieties of quartz. Amethyst can be heat treated until the purple color turns amber when it can then be sold as citrine. Of course, the same phenomenon occurs in nature when purple amethyst crystals are exposed to hot centers in the earth and transformed into citrine. So the distinction between the two gemstones is largely a function of color. (When a gemstone combines amethyst and citrine together, it is known as ametrine.)

But while citrine, amethyst, and ametrine are essentially the same stone, the two November birthstones, citrine and topaz, are entirely different minerals.

Of the two, citrine is more common. Ranging in color from a bright lemon yellow to a deep tawny brown, citrine brings out the gleam in any gold setting. Along its color spectrum, citrine even encompasses cinnamon orange and a shade of red that is reminiscent of Madeira wine.

There are not many yellow gemstones in the world, and of those that exist, citrine is the most affordable. It is also extremely durable. Citrine’s hardness measures 7 on the Mohs scale, which makes citrine largely impervious to scratches. But more importantly, its crystalline properties make citrine difficult to chip.

Historically, both yellow topaz and citrine were said to bring light and clarity of mind to those who owned them. Yellow topaz and citrine were both worn to gladden hearts, banish fear, and to help see through deception. Even in the contemporary world, these gemstones are known to evoke images of autumn gourds, roaring fires, sunflowers, and melted butter over cobs of corn. So what better way to commemorate the month of November than with one of these elegant birthstones?

Resources:
Healing Qualities of Gemstones
Citrine Crystals
Citrine on Wikipedia
Topaz on Wikipedia
More about the Month of November