Opal, commonly known as "opalus" (meaning "a stone") in Latin is the birthstone for the month of October. Opal is found in various shimmering colors with elegant flashes of yellow, orange, green and many more. The opal is often considered to be the most beautiful and desirable of all gems because it is highlighted with all the colors of the rainbow.Opal is formed from particles called amorphous silica which is found between the cracks in rocks. This birthstone is very brittle and sensitive to heat so this gemstone can be molded in any form.Opals were first discovered in 1872 in the deep caves of Australia. Opals are also found in Mexico, U.S and many other countries. This gemstone captures the imagination and inspires legends - a fantastic gem for jewelry and gifts.Ancient Traditional Birthstones:
An alternate birthstone for the month of October is Tourmaline. With its rainbow of colors, tourmaline is an endless source of artistic inspiration and so it is called the "rainbow gemstone".Tourmaline comes in a variety of colors depending on the minerals present when the gemstone was formed. Tourmalines are found in many countries having the major deposits in Brazil, Sri Lanka and many more.Tourmaline is considered as one of the best gemstones in terms of jewelry, as you can get the best jewelry without breaking your budget.
The ones born in the month of June, your birthstone is "The Pearl". The word 'Pearl' is derived from the Latin word "pirum" which means "pear" and this reflects the shape of this gemstone.Pearls are unique as they are the only gems from living sea creatures and require no faceting or polishing to reveal their natural beauty. Natural Pearls are formed inside oysters. It is a hard object produced within the soft tissue of a living mollusk and it is made of calcium carbonate. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and smooth, but many other shapes of pearls occur.Ancient Egyptians valued pearls above other precious metals. The oldest pearl necklace is thought to be inside the sarcophagus of a Persian princess who died in 520 B.C.Before the creation of cultured or manmade pearls, they were reserved only for the noble or rich. In the early 1900s, the first successful commercial culturing of round saltwater pearls began. Since the 1920s, cultured pearls have almost completely replaced natural pearls in the market.Ancient Traditional Birthstones:
Moonstone is another birthstone for the ones born in the month of June and is the best gift for 13th anniversary. This gemstone belongs to the family of feldspars (the mineral that occurs in many igneous and metamorphic rocks.).The name "Moonstone" was derived from the belief that the stone's appearance changed with the changing phases of the moon and this name was given by Romans in ancient times.Moonstones are found in many places like USA, Brazil, Australia, Myanmar and Madagascar, but the most valuable moonstones are traditionally of Sri Lankan origin, and have a shimmering pale blue color.Some of the qualities associated with this gemstone is good health and symbolize the unfolding of spiritual and psychic development.
Another birthstone of this month is "Alexandrite". Alexandrite is a form of "chrysoberyl", which is formed in the earth's crust. These gemstones are very rare and have a quality of changing their color.This gemstone was first discovered in the Ural Mountains of Russia during the reign of its namesake, Czar Alexander II. The stones from this region usually are the highest quality, largest in carat size and aesthetically beautiful.Alexandrite is said to bring joy, good luck and improve self-esteem.