Rebecca Zemans Jewelry Blog — Birthstone

The traditional birthstone for December is the beautiful turquoise. Turquoise has been considered a holy stone for thousands of years, and was worn in ancient times around the neck or hands in order to protect from sudden death--and to bring good luck. The turquoise has played a big role in jewelry and people's lives since as early as 3000 BC, when it was mined and worn by the Egyptians. People would wear turquoise in their turbans surrounded by pearls as a protection against the "evil eye." Turquoise was also often used as talismans or to adorn daggers and sabres. The...

Topaz, the birthstone of November has been known for being quite the miracle worker. The Greeks believed this gem gave them strength, cooled their tempers, cured asthma, relieved insomnia and even saved them from sudden death. People in India had similar beliefs in this precious gem, and were convinced that a topaz worn above the heart assures a long life, beauty and intelligence. In many of these beliefs the power of the topaz increased or decreased with phases of the moon. People often use this stone to celebrate their sixteenth wedding anniversary. The blue topaz specifically can be used to...

The birthstone of the month of June is the Pearl. The word pearl comes from the Latin word "pirum", which means pear and refers to the shape of the "stone". I say "stone", because pearls aren't really stones; they are formed whenever an irritant, which can be anything from a parasite to a small fish, lodges in the flesh of an oyster, mussel, or clam, which leads to the production of a protective substance called nacre. Over the years one layer after another coats the intruder, creating a pearl. However, just like with any stone, there are many myths surrounding...

So we are continuing our Stone of the Month series with the aquamarine, the birthstone of March. The name of this stone comes from the Latin words 'aqua' meaning water and the word 'mare' meaning sea, which immediately describes its light blue color. Greek and Roman sailors also wore the aquamarine to prevent sea sickness and to get them home safe. The aquamarine is a favorite of many, due to its beautiful color, which it gets from the iron in it and which can range from a very light blue, to a blue with a green tint, to even a...

Hey Everyone, February is ALMOST over, but since it is a leap year I get one more day to post this new monthly blog series - The Stone of the Month. The birthstone for February is the amethyst, which is a crystalline quartz that comes in the colors of purple, lilac and mauve. The name of the stone comes from the Greek word 'amethystos' which means 'not intoxicated', and was given to the stone because the Greeks believed it helped against drunkenness and installed a sober and serious mind. The ancient Egyptians believed that the amethyst helped against guilty and fearful...