It’s September again. Where on earth did the first eight months of this year go?! September’s official birthstone is sapphire, with lapis lazuli being an acceptable substitute. Other popular blue gemstones include turquoise, aquamarine, sodalite, blue lace agate, celestite,…

Stunning peridot, August’s birthstone, is unique amongst gemstones. Firstly, it’s the only gemstone in the world that comes in only one colour. Yes, that’s right. Would you like your peridot in lime green or lime green? Every single other…

One of only four precious stones, ruby, is July’s “official” birthstone. The other precious (or cardinal) stones are diamond, sapphire and emerald. Other stones, including July’s more affordable alternative – carnelian – are known as semi-precious gemstones. As well…

The month of June actually has three birthstones. These are pearl, moonstone and Alexandrite. I’ll be focusing on pearls here as they’re the most commonly acknowledged as the June birthstone. There’s also a link to moonstone jewellery at the…

02.05.22 May’s official birthstone is the very gorgeous, and often expensive, emerald. The most affordable emeralds are the least transparent, and the most included, and are therefore considered poor quality for fine jewellery. Beautifully clear emeralds, suited to cutting,…

01.04.22 The official birthstone for April is diamond which can be incredibly expensive depending on the quality of the five Cs: colour, cut, clarity, carat and certification. I will write here about diamonds although it is not generally a…

01.03.22 Aquamarine is the birthstone for March, its name coming from the Latin “aqua marinus” meaning “water of the sea”. Aquamarine is a member of the beryl family and incorporates any beryl that is pale blue, light blue-green, or…

01.02.22 February’s birthstone amethyst is the world’s most popular purple gemstone and has been used for jewellery and other adornments for thousands of years. It’s a variety of quartz and comes in many different shades and clarities from almost…

13.01.22 Pantone has announced the 2022 colour of the year and it’s a shade they have created, a periwinkle (lavender blue) called “Very Peri”. It is, states Pantone, a colour that symbolises “a carefree confidence and a daring curiosity”,…

01.01.22 Happy New Year all. Let’s take a look at January’s birthstone which is garnet. You know garnets, right? That deep pinkish red colour that looks like red wine? Well yes…  and no. Garnets are generally considered to be…

01.12.21 Turquoise is the traditional birthstone for December although some prefer tanzanite or even blue topaz, traditionally associated with November. Turquoise is a great choice as it can be relatively inexpensive and is often used in very affordable jewellery…

November has two most commonly recognised birthstones. Citrine is my favourite. The other November birthstone is topaz. Citrine, with its yellow, sunshine vibe, is known as “the stone of success” and brings abundance, happiness and optimism. It is a…

October’s primary birthstone is opal. Pink tourmaline is also considered to be one. Tourmalines are gorgeous but opal tends to get all the October-related attention, perhaps because they have such a unique appearance. 95% of the world’s opals come…

September has beautiful gemstones, one of which is sapphire. Sapphires are expensive but lapis lazuli, a lovely alternative rich blue, is rather more budget friendly. Blue stones – including both sapphire and lapis lazuli – align with the throat…