BLUE TOPAZ - THE DECEMBER STONE

White Gold Sapphire and Topaz Pendant

What is the birthstone for December?

There are actually three different stones associated with being the birthstone of December: the blue topaz, turquoise, and tanzanite. All three of these very different have one thing in common: a unique blue color that makes them perfect for use in birthstone jewelry or many kinds of fashionable and creative jewelry. But each of these stones also has unique characteristics and properties that make it special, so before choosing a December birthstone gift for yourself or a loved one, get to know each of these stones so you’ll be able to pick the perfect gemstone gift.

December birthstone: Blue Topaz

The most famous birthstone for December is the blue topaz, a variation on the common gem topaz. Topaz becomes blue when it is heated, a process that can happen naturally or artificially, and results in three shades of blue that varies in its intensity. The more intense and deep the color is, the more valuable the blue topaz is, although the most deep shade, London Blue, never occurs in nature and is only produced by gemological produces. Slight changes in the mineral composition, however, can create topaz with hues of green, yellow or pink.

The cool blue shade of the blue topaz, reminiscent of a clear mountain lake or a crisp, cold December sky, has made it a favorite for all kinds of jewelry for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks felt that its cooling effect could have the power of calming the temper and balancing one’s mental state. Some people believed that a topaz could even cool boiling water, perhaps because of its resemblance to a chunk of cold blue ice! Even today, blue topaz is said to represent love and loyalty, making it a romantic present as well as the perfect birthstone for December, the gift-giving month! Blue topaz is very well suited for use in fashionable jewelry like chandelier earrings and cocktail rings because it has a gem hardness level of 8 on the Mohs scale, making it durable and strong.

AQUAMARINE - THE MARCH STONE

Aquamarine is one of our most popular and best-known gemstones, and distinguishes itself by many good qualities. It is almost as popular as the classics: ruby, sapphire and emerald. In fact it is related to the emerald, both belonging to the beryl family. The colour of aquamarine, however, is usually more even than that of the emerald. Much more often than its famous green cousin, aquamarine is almost entirely free of inclusions. Aquamarine has good hardness (7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale) and a wonderful shine. That hardness makes it very tough and protects it to a large extent from scratches. Iron is the substance which gives aquamarine its colour, a colour which ranges from an almost indiscernible pale blue to a strong sea-blue. The more intense the colour of an aquamarine, the more value is put on it. Some aquamarines have a light, greenish shimmer; that too is a typical feature. However, it is a pure, clear blue that continues to epitomise the aquamarine, because it brings out so well the immaculate transparency and magnificent shine of this gemstone.
 
'Santa Maria' sets pulses racing
The bright blue of this noble beryl is making more and more friends. The various colour nuances of aquamarine have melodious names: the rare, intense blue aquamarines from the Santa Maria de Itabira mine in Brazil, which make every gemstone lover's heart beat faster, are called 'Santa Maria'. Similar nuances come from a few gemstone mines in Africa, particularly Mozambique. To help distinguish them from the Brazilian ones, these aquamarines have been given the name 'Santa Maria Africana'. The 'Espirito Santo' colour of aquamarines from the Brazilian state of that name is of a blue that is not quite so intense. Yet other qualities are embodied in the stones from Fortaleza and Marambaia. One beautiful aquamarine colour was named after the Brazilian beauty queen of 1954, and has the name 'Martha Rocha'.
It can be seen from the names of aquamarine colours just how important Brazil is among the countries where aquamarine is found. Most of the raw crystals for the world market come from the gemstone mines of that large South American country. Every now and then, large aquamarine crystals of immaculate transparency are also found with a magnificent colour, a combination which is very unusual in gemstones. And very occasionally, sensationally large aquamarine crystals come to light in Brazil, such as the crystal of 110.5 Kg found in 1910 in Marambaia/Minas Gerais, or for example the 'Dom Pedro', weighing 26 Kg and cut in Idar-Oberstein in 1992 by the gemstone designer Bernd Munsteiner, the largest aquamarine ever to have been cut. However, aquamarines are also found in other countries, for example Nigeria, Zambia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

AMETHYST - THE FEBRUARY STONE

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The gemstone Amethyst is the Birthstone for February. It is also the Zodiac stone for the constellation of Pisces. Amethyst is associated with spirituality, wisdom, sobriety, and security.Amethyst is the purple variety of the mineral quartz and is a popular gemstone. Although it must always be purple to be amethyst, it can and does have a wide range of purple shades. Its color is unparalleled, and even other, more expensive purple gemstones are often compared to its color and beauty. If it were not for its widespread availability, amethyst would be very expensive.
The name "amethyst" comes from the Greek and means "not drunken." This was perhaps due to a belief that amethyst would ward off the effects of alcohol, but most likely the Greeks were referring to the almost wine-like color of some stones that they may have encountered.
Amethyst can occur as long prismatic crystals that have a six sided pyramid at either end or can form as druzes that are crystalline crusts that only show the pointed terminations. As a mineral specimen, amethyst is popular for its color and nice crystal shapes that produce a handsome, purple, sparkling cluster.
 The color purple is traditionally the color of royalty and amethyst has been used since the dawn of history to adorn the rich and powerful monarchs and rulers. Today, amethyst is a lovely and affordable gemstone that is fortunately available in a wide variety of cut and uncut stones that we can all possess and admire.

White diamonds or Lady Di ( a la Kate Middleton)

White diamonds or colored stones a la Kate Middleton.  White diamonds are the number #1 choice for engagement and bridal jewelry. But if you are working with a smaller budget and the bride likes a big ring, a colored stone such as a blue sapphire looks really wonderful with a pave diamond surround like the Princess Di ring and is a good option to consider.  Sapphires come in all qualities and a jeweler will bring in several choices at different price points for you to see.

Bridemaid gifts - what to give

"What do I buy my bridemaids?", this is a question we hear often usually a week or two before the big day when money is scarce and the budget practically non existent. Shopping for the bridesmaid gifts seems to happen when wedding bills are due and budgets have been stretched to the max.  Pearl jewelry is the classic bridesmaid gift.  Understated and elegant.  With the vast choice of freshwater pearls available in today's market you can buy a really lovely bracelet, earrings or pendant for the bridesmaids at a fraction of the cost of Japanese pearls and they virtually look the same.  Depending on the budget you can get pearls in all price ranges.  Pearls are a jewel box basic and go with everything.

Trend Predictions for 2013

Trends for bridal jewelry is still white gold or platinum with micro pave halos and pave shanks with milligrain detailing.  These rings bring to mind the timeless elegance of the early 1900's, when rings were crafted by hand. These rings are the trend in 2012 and we see it continuing into 2013.  With regards to fashion jewelry, we are selling more pink and yellow gold jewelry than in the past and this trend seems to be getting stronger every year.  Another trend is for rings that maintain their white color and in response to this we offer 19 karat white gold, a super white that doesn't yellow over time.

Three important things to consider when choosing a wedding band

When choosing a wedding band, the buyer has to consider his/her lifestyle in order to decide whether the band should be made of 14 karat or 18 karat gold.  If you work a lot with your hands 14 karat gold, due to the higher alloy content, would be the best choice.  Platinum is also a good option though pricey. 
Comfort fit bands are definitely the best option for guys who don't normally wear rings because the inside of the ring is smoothed and rounded making it very comfortable to wear.
Style and design are also important factors to consider when buying a band. Ask yourself if the band will still look good in 10,15,20 years or will you tire of it over time. Should you buy yellow or white gold or two-tone? A classic style will always retain its appeal and look good over time.  Trendy items are "in" one day and "out" the next.