Ms. B.'s Grade Fours

Answer these questions:

What is your birthstone?

Does it have any special meanings?

What colour is it?

Where is it found in the world?

Any other interesting fact?

January Birthstone - Garnet

Garnet is the January birthstone. Garnet is said to give the wearer victory, chastity, truth and fidelity. Garnet's use in jewelry began with the ancient Egyptians and possibly even earlier. This blood red gemstone is perfect to brighten up the day during winter.

The garnet gemstone comes in variety of colors, not just red. The most sought after color of garnet is the tsavorite variety which is a gorgeous bright green. Rhodolite garnet is also prized for its bright red color with fiery flashes. Hessonite garnet is orange-brown. Mandarin garnet is the rarest garnet and is bright orange. You find garnets in places like the United States, Russia, Kenya, Tanzania.

February Birthstone - Amethyst

Amethyst is the February birthstone. This gemstone is thought to impart clarity of mind, health, luck and wit to its wearers. In ancient times it was a symbol of peace.

Amethyst is actually a variety of quartz. It is a popular stone and is the most valuable stone of all the quartz varieties. Large, almost gigantic crystals of amethyst can be found in Brazil. Amethyst is purple because of small amounts of iron in the quartz. When exposed to heat amethyst will turn yellow.

Amethyst was thought, in ancient times, to be an antidote against drunkenness as the Greek word amethystos means not drunken. They had many wine goblets carved from amethyst for that reason. Amethyst was also thought to be a symbol of understanding.

March Birthstone - Aquamarine

Aquamarine is the March birthstone. It is a light blue like the colors of the Mediterranean sea. The aquamarine is said to give courage, victory and confidence. Aquamarine is said to be mermaid treasure and has the power to keep sailors safe.

Aquamarine is from the Latin phrase "water of the sea" due to the blue to blue-green color. Aquamarine can be found in Brazil, Zambia, Mozambique, Angola, Nigeria and other countries.

April Birthstone - Diamond

The diamond is April's birthstone. Since ancient times, diamonds have been treasured for their brilliance and fire. Diamonds are also the symbol of love. Romans called this month April as it means to open, like the opening of buds on plants in spring.

Diamonds are of course the most wanted gemstone, but there is more to a diamond that its brilliance. Diamonds are the hardest natural substance and only a diamond can cut another diamond.

Diamonds can occur in any color though yellow and brown are the most common. There are even black diamonds, though they are really dark brown from so many inclusions in the diamond. Fancy colored diamonds are rare due to their intense, bright color. The rarest colored diamond is the blue diamond.

You find diamonds all over the world, especially South Africa and Canada

May Birthstone - Emerald

Emerald is the May birthstone. The emerald is a green that brings to mind the colors of spring. Emerald is said to represent hope, success and rebirth.

The emerald is the green variety of the mineral beryl. The green color is due to chromium and iron impurities. Emerald has a perfect six-sided crystal structure. Emerald can be scratched easily and should not be worn every day as a ring or bracelet.

Emeralds from Colombia are the best in the world. The deep green color reflects the jungles in which it is found. The Colombian emerald industry has on average 60% of the emerald market.

June Birthstone - Pearl

Pearl is the June birthstone. Pearls are formed when an irritant, such as a piece of sand, enters an oyster. The oyster coats the piece of sand over and over and a pearl is formed. An arabic legend states that pearls are formed when dew drops fall into the ocean. Pearls have been associated with Venus, which was named after the Roman goddess of love.

The iridescence shimmer shown by some pearls is due to the overlapping of layers laid down by the oyster. Pearls are usually white but can be tinted cream, pink, yellow, green, blue, brown, purple or black. Black pearls commonly called Black Tahitian Pearls are expensive due to their rarity.

There are two kinds of pearls, freshwater and saltwater. Freshwater pearls are formed by freshwater mussels. Most freshwater pearls today are farmed from mussels in China. Saltwater pearls are formed by oysters in the ocean, usually in protected oyster farms in lagoons. Akoya, South Sea and Tahitian are the three main kinds of saltwater pearls.

July Birthstone - Ruby

Ruby is the July birthstone. The ruby is a lovely red gemstone and has been a favorite since ancient times. The ruby is said to be a gem of passion and promotes balance in love. The ruby has also been said to promote health and courage.

The gemstone ruby is a variety of the mineral corundum. Ruby is actually rare and one of the most precious and valuable gemstones. Rubies are the second hardest gemstone, after diamonds. Ruby is said to represent the sun.

The most popular ruby color is deep vivid red to slightly purple red. The best source for rubies is Burma. Burmese rubies are very well known for their pigeon blood color. Thailand is also well known for its dark red rubies.

August Birthstone - Peridot

Peridot is the August birthstone. This green gemstone is believed to help with nightmares, bring prosperity, fertility and healing. Peridot was once called the "gem of the sun" in ancient times.

Peridot is actually a variety of the mineral olivine. This gem is hard enough to be suitable for every day wear. Good quality peridot looks like a delicious green apple. The best peridot comes from Italy and has a rich olive color. Peridot from America is a light yellow green color. If you went into space you could mine peridot from meteorites as some have been found with peridot crystals.

Peridot is a unique gem in that it is formed in volcanic fire. Peridot comes in only one color, green. This is unusual as most gemstones come in at least a few colors.

Peridot olivine is mined in Egypt, in the US; Australia, Brazil, China, Kenya, Mexico, Myanmar (Burma), Norway, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania.

September Birthstone - Sapphire

Sapphire is the September birthstone. Sapphire is well known for its blue color but sapphire can actually come in many colors besides blue. Sapphire is derived from sappheiros the Greek word for blue. This gemstone does produce some of the most beautiful blue colors.

A gem quality sapphire is rarer than diamonds. Sometimes sapphires are found with a star light phenomenon called asterism.

Sapphire is well known as a blue color but the padparadscha sapphire, a pink orange color, is actually the rarest color and most sought after by gem collectors. The padparadscha sapphire is found in Sri Lanka. The royal blue sapphire is found in Kancha Thailand and the cornflower blue sapphire is found in Montana. White sapphires have been used as diamond substitutes.

October Birthstone - Opal

Opal is the October birthstone. The word opal is derived from the Latin word opalus meaning precious stone. Ancient kings treasured opal for its beauty and fiery colors. Opal is said to be a symbol of hope and beauty.

Opal is the most colorful of all gemstones due to the myriad of colors that are displayed. No two opals are alike. Precious opal is rare and is prized as a gemstone.

It is a common myth that if you wear opal and it is not your birthstone, it will bring you bad luck. Another myth is that opal jewelry must not be soaked in water or it will lose its fiery shimmery luster.

Australia mines over 90% of the world's supply of opal.

November Birthstone - Citrine

Citrine is the November birthstone. Citrine is a yellow variety of quartz. The name citrine is from the French word citron which means lemon. Citrine looks very similar to topaz but is actually a softer gem and has less brilliance. In ancient times it was thought that citrine protected the wearer against evil words and thoughts.

Citrine can be yellow, gold, orange brown. Citrine can be next to amethyst and form crystals. The bi-colored quartz is called ametrine. Natural, not enhanced, citrine is rarer than amethyst. Amethyst and smoky quartz can both be enhanced by heat to turn a yellow color.

It is found in many places all over the world.

December Birthstone - Blue Topaz

Blue topaz is the December birthstone. Blue topaz is one of the most popular gemstones due to its stunningly clear blue color. There are different varieties of the blue topaz such as sky blue, swiss blue and london blue. Greeks in ancient times thought topaz had the power to increase strength and make one invisible. Blue topaz was thought to do that as well as cool tempers and restore sanity.

Topaz is a common gem and has been used in jewelry for centuries. Gem quality topaz is quite durable with a hardness of 8. It is suitable for every day wear.

It is found in Russia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Italy, Japan and several other places around the world.