September Birthstones: Sapphire, Peridot, Agate & Moonstone

September Birthstones: Sapphire, Peridot, Agate & Moonstone

The traditional birthstones for September are Sapphire & Peridot. The modern birthstone for September is Sapphire, the mythical birthstone is Agate and the Ayurvedic birthstone is Moonstone.

Sapphire is a member of the corundum family and can be any color except red or pinkish-orange. Red corundum are Rubies and pinkish-orange are padparadscha. Sapphire has a hardness of 9.0 on Mohs scale; second in hardness only to diamonds!

The cost of natural sapphire varies depending on their color, clarity, size, cut, and overall quality as well as geographic origin. Significant sapphire deposits are found in Eastern Australia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, East Africa and in the United States at various locations (Gem Mountain) and in the Missouri River near Helena, Montana. Sapphire and rubies are often found together in the same area, but one gem is usually more abundant.

See our Sapphire, Peridot, Agate & Moonstone Beads and create a handmade gift for your favorite September Babe.

Speaking of handmade ... I have found some lovely handmade decoupage art. See Yana's art here: Dawanda or Artfire & read about her on her blog: Handmade by decoupage art.

August Birthstones - Peridot, Sardonyx, & Carnelian

The modern birthstone for August is Peridot. Peridot is gem-quality forsteritic olivine. Olivine is very abundant mineral, but gem quality peridot is rather rare. Peridot is one of the few gemstones that occur in only one color: basically an olive green. The intensity and tint of the green however depends on how much iron is contained in the crystal structure, so the color of individual peridot gems can vary from yellow-green through olive green to brownish green. The most valuable is considered a dark-olive green color. Peridot leads you to discover your higher self through perseverance and determination!


The traditional birthstones for August are Sardonyx & Carnelian.

Sard is a brownish mineral, and when it forms together with the straight white bands of onyx, the resulting stone is called Sardonyx. Sardonyx is a banded variety of chalcedony which is cryptocrystalline quartz. Sardonyx can be black with white bands or orange-red with white bands. It is said to increase courage and eloquence.

Carnelian Agate is also a variety of the silica mineral chalcedony colored by impurities of iron oxide. The color can vary greatly, ranging from pale orange to an intense almost-black coloration. The word carnelian is derived from the Latin word caro, carnis meaning flesh, in reference to the flesh color sometimes exhibited. Carnelian is said to assist in stimulating creativity. It seems to have a clearing effect, dispelling negative energies as it replaces them with positive ones.

June - The Pearl & Moonstone

June's Birthstones: Pearl & Moonstone

The traditional June birthstone is the pearl. Pearls have been a passion and even an obsession of people throughout the ages. They have been ground up and used in cosmetics and as a medicine to treat heart and stomach conditions. Some cultures swear by pearls as an aphrodisiac. These gems have adorned crowns, clothing, and temples, and were said to be a favorite of Cleopatra.

Only those with royal status once wore pearl jewelry, but eventually these gems were seen among all classes of people. They continue to be viewed as a mark of taste and refinement as well as a symbol of purity, and they are often given to celebrate a marriage or the birth of a child. Pearls are nature's perfect gift, suitable for all ages, and elegantly worn with everything from jeans to an evening gown.

An alternative birthstone for June is the moonstone. Moonstone, a type of feldspar named because of its uncanny resemblance to the iridescent sheen of the moon. Varying in color from clear to blue-white or peach, it was considered by ancient civilizations to be a sacred stone, bestowing the wearer with great spiritual understanding. Some believed that the Moonstone could even make a person invisible! Mined in Sri Lanka, Brazil, India, Madagascar, and the United States, a gift of this stone is symbolic of health and longevity.

See more Pearls and Moonstones here.