Birthstones: June & July (Updated Pictures)

June's Birthstone is Alexandrite.

Alexandrite is a main variety of Chrysoberyl and very scarce due to its chemical composition.  Known for its ability to change color, called the alexandrite effect, the phenomenon occurs with a change in the source of illumination. Exhibiting green or bluish-green in daylight, it will be a soft shade of red, purplish-red or raspberry in incandescent light.

Did you know Alexandrite was named for Alexander II, the future tsar, because it was discovered on his 16th birthday?  Alexandrite displays the colors of old Imperial Russia and remains the country's national stone.

Opal

June's Alternate Birthstone is Opal.

Light enters an opal, curves around edges of wee particles of hydrated silicia, chips of silicon and oxygen suspended in water and is diffracted. The light that is made up of all visible colors of the spectrum, each in its own wavelength, produces a rainbow of colors.

Did you know Opal is the national gemstone of Australia? They produce 97% of the world's supply, which includes the production of the state of South Australia, which amounts to 80% of the world's supply.

Opaline is on the top right

June's Birth Crystal is Opaline.

Opaline is a word synonymous with Opal Matrix which is a thin layer of opal on a host rock; matrix. A matrix is a rock or mineral that has an embedded crystal or crystals emerging from it.

Did you know that opaline can also be a term for an opaque or semi-opaque whitish glass resembling a true opal?


July's Birthstone is Ruby

Pink to blood red in color, rubies are a variety of the mineral corundum. The color is caused by the presence of chromium.  Natural rubies have imperfections; inclusions (needles known as silk) and color impurities.

Did you know that the United States has a standard for minimum color saturation that must be met in order for the gemstone to be called a ruby? Otherwise the stone will be called a pink sapphire.


July's Alternate Birthstone is Carnelian.

Carnelian is a translucent chalcedony of orange or red or brown color. As a hard stone with bright

Carnelian

color, it is popular with jeweler's and is reasonably priced.

Did you know that individuals holding a high status were often buried with Carnelian?  Egyptians considered it "magical armor" for life after death.


July's Birth Crystal is Ruby.

Raw Ruby

Did you know that Catherine of Aragon wore a ruby that supposedly turned dark the day before Henry VII announced that he was divorcing her?


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Sources:
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5120594_alexandrite.html#ixzz2Yl9V9GDJ
http://www.gemselect.com/gem-info/opal/opal-info.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby
http://geology.com/rock-tumbler/gemstones/carnelian.shtml
http://www.shimmerlings.com/gemstones/carnelian.htm
All Photos Royalty Free from dreamstime.com

Gemstone Highlights: Alexandrite

What is it?
Alexandrite is a main variety of Chrysoberyl, and very scarce due to its chemical composition.  Known for its ability to change color, called the alexandrite effect, the phenomenon occurs with a change in the source of illumination. The stone exhibits green or bluish-green in daylight, yet will turn a soft shade of red, purplish-red or raspberry in incandescent light. Chromium, as the major impurity, with iron and titanium are the elements that facilitate the change.

Discovered by a Finnish mineralogist, Nils Gustaf Nordenskiold (1792-1866), it was named "Alexandrite" in honor of the future Tsar of Russia, Alexander II.

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Ancient Usages.
Found in the Ural Mountains of Russia in 1830, the old Russian Imperial colors were green and red, so Alexandrite was initially only mined for royalty. It wasn't until other deposits were found in various locations that the gemstone gained worldwide recognition.

Where is it found?
Russia was named the prime source for these gemstones, yet in the 1990's other deposits were located in India, Madagascar Ceylon, Brazil, Burma, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Sri Lanka, but said not to hold the color changing qualities of those found in the Ural Mountains.

Some gemstones are lab-grown (synthetic) and are not actually chrysoberyl, but corundum laced with trace elements or color-change spinel. These are referred to as 'simulated alexandrite' or 'Czochralski alexandrite' after the process that grows the crystals.

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Cleaning & Care.
On the Moh's Scale, alexandrite is a solid 8.5 and is noted for being tough, hard and durable. A simple cleaning includes warm water with a few drops of dish detergent, rinse and polish with soft cloth. Alexandrite jewelry  can be cleaned in an ultrosonic bath or steamed cleaned without problems.

Alexandrite jewelry should be stored separately because of it's capacity to damage and scratch other jewelry and stones, as well as be scratched itself.

The Mystic & Folklore
Alexandrite is the birthstone for the month of June and the 55th year marriage anniversary stone. It is also known as the stone of Friday, or the stone of "Friday's Child."

Because it's relatively a 'young' gemstone, there is not much information for this category. However, since it's discovery, the gemstone has been attributed to luck, good fortune and love, and in Russia, good omens. It is also said to increase creativity, imagination and intuition.

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Sources:
www.gemstone.org
www.khazargems.com
en.wikipedia.org
www.jewelsforme.com