Posts Tagged ‘gemstones’

August’s featured birthstone: Peridot

Wednesday, July 8th, 2009

The standard birthstone for next month just happens to be well-represented at Rings & Things.  Let’s play with peridot

Peridot: August's featured birthstone at Rings & Things

August's featured birthstone is...

Did you know about peridot?

  • It’s also known as “Bastard Emerald”
  • Peridot is technically a variety of olivine
  • It turns out that quite a few “emeralds” in queens’ and kings’ treasuries are actually peridot!
  • Peridot is claimed to increase eloquence and remove speech impediments, and, um…oh, what’s that word?  (All this info & much more is in our awesome Gemstone Beads Index.)

Some of the styles of peridot that we stock are snazzy enough to wow any Leo/Virgo child of August.  You can even tuck a tiny birthday gift or note inside this peridot & sterling ‘wish box’ pendant:

Peridot & sterling 'wish box' pendant

Peridot & sterling 'wish box' pendant

For guys you might prefer going with a chunkier style like these hefty peridot chip beads:

Peridot chunky chips

Peridot chunky chips

Or you can go really smooth and classic with sleek round peridot beads:

Smooth as velvet: peridot rounds

Smooth as velvet: peridot rounds

Just bear in mind (and please tell your customers) that peridot is often enhanced in order to smooth out tiny natural irregularities in its surface — So go easy on the exposure to hazardous chemicals.  Also shield your peridot from high heat, deep cold, and hammers, okay?

* Alternative August birthstones are onyx or sardonyx, and carnelian.

I bet some of you have sold, or been commissioned to make, August birthstone jewelry.  You can share your experiences in a comment below!

DON’T MISS OUR June-July giveaway:
* in our online store, find a fave product & review it there, then…
* …leave a comment about it at the contest article in our blog
* On August 3, five winners will receive coveted Rings & Things gift certificates!
* Enter often & see if you win!

4 November birthstones

Tuesday, November 4th, 2008

“4 November birthstones”?  Mistake, or silly pun on today’s date?

Neither!  Here’s how there can be 4 different birthstones for November…meaning four times as much market for your jewelry creations this month!

STONE 1:  The original source of today’s usual birthstone list is the “Foundation Stones” of the book of Revelations, in the New Testament.  According to that ancient list, November’s birthstone is topaz.  The modern list agrees, and the traditional list of “zodiac stones” also has topaz for Sagittarius (November 23-December 21).

STONE 2:  But!  The modern birthstone list, established in 1952, contains an alternate November stone, citrine.

STONE 3:  Notice how Sagittarius doesn’t cover the whole calendar month?  Another sign occupies the beginning of the month, which is why the other November zodiac birthstone is beryl — the stone of Scorpio.

STONE 4:  There’s also a traditional list of stones associated with the 12 apostles in early Christianity, where Matthew is associated with November.  His stone is amethyst, which is also the stone of November’s guardian angel Adnachiel (in ancient rabbinical writings).  This gives us our fourth birthstone for this month.

All of this great information, plus the stones for the other 11 months and much more, is in Bruce G. Knuth’s superb book “Jeweler’s Resource: A Reference of Gems, Metals, Formulas and Terminology for Jewelers“.  Thanks for this Rings & Things staff favorite, Bruce!

Got to have even more options?  Check out Rings & Things’ selection of birthstone-related products!