The Birthstone of April: Diamond
Calling all April babies! Whether you’re an Aries or a Taurus, there’s one thing that unites you all: your beautiful birthstone. April has one of the most beloved gemstones as its birthstone: the dazzling diamond. The diamond birthstone has captured the hearts of jewelry lovers and gemstone enthusiasts for centuries. So, let’s delve into the world of the April birthstone and discover the magic that it holds in its symbolism, history, and features.
Why does April have one birthstone?
April is associated to one birthstone, the Diamond, gaining its association throughout history. While some months are associated with only one birthstone, and others with up to three, April is only associated to one!
The number of birthstones varies from month to month, each of the gemstones also differing in classifications as either modern or traditional. Modern birthstones, which were officially named by the Jewelers of America in the 1950’s, are more commonly used today.
On the other hand, traditional birthstones are the gemstones that were historically associated with each respective month, dating back to the early 20th century and beyond. Many of these traditional birthstones have become too rare and are not as available on the market in this day and age, and therefore is the reason why some months have modern birthstones that differ from its traditional associations.
Whether you prefer to follow the modern or traditional birthstone list, these precious gems continue to hold a special place in our hearts and play an important role in our lives.
Dazzling Diamonds
Features of Diamonds
Both the modern and traditional birthstones for the month of Diamond is the Diamond.
The name “diamond” has the origin from the Greek word “adamas,” which translates to “invincible.” The name comes from both its property of being one of the hardest stones, as well as the lore and ancient myths associated to it.
The aquamarine gemstone is a species or variety of the mineral beryl, which makes it a very similar form to emerald. This form of aquamarine gemstone is most commonly found in a light tone and has a color ranges consisting of blue and green. The popular blue hue of this crystal comes from the presence of iron.
The larger and darker the gemstone, the more valuable the aquamarine is.
However, the color of the gemstone is often intensified by the size of the crystal, so the smaller the gemstone, the lighter the color usually is. Aquamarine gemstones grow in six-sided crystals that can be up to a foot long, which allows these very large stones to be cut and polished into many individuals ones of large carat values.
Aquamarine is also classified as a pleochroic gem, which means that the color may look different when viewing the gemstone at different angles. The gemstone can also be heat-treated to emphasize the blue hues while decreasing the amount of green, yellow, and brown colors it may have.
The History and Symbolism of Diamonds
Aquamarine sources can be found in Kenya, Nigeria, Madagascar, Mozambique, Pakistan, and Zambia. They were also found to be present in the United States, China, Myanmar, Russia, and Ukraine. However, the main producer of aquamarine is Brazil, which has been an important source for this particular gemstone for the past two centuries.
The aquamarine gemstone was believed to have many properties and powers from many different cultures. Generally, aquamarine is famously known for being a source of calming waves and keeping sailors safe at sea. Here are some beliefs and lore surrounding the gemstone in a variety of cultures:
- In Ancient Greek culture, it was believed that the God of the Sea, Poseidon, actually created the gemstone directly from seawater.
- Other cultures had legends that mermaid tails were made up of aquamarine gemstones.
- In Ancient Rome, fishermen used this gemstone coined “water of the sea” as protection during boat travel and luck in catching fish.
- Ancient Roman physicians also used the aquamarine to treat overeating and bloating.
- In other eras, Aquamarine was thought to bring happiness in marriage.
- In relation to its ability to calm waters, the gemstone was also believed to soothe tempers and prevent conflict in interpersonal relationships, hence its ability to strengthen marriages.
With the aquamarine gemstone being associated with the 19th wedding anniversary, this magical stone of calmness is a great gift for those celebrating their milestones as well as a March birthday!
Maintaining and Caring for Your Diamonds
Diamonds score a 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness. They have the highest level of hardness amongst all, including other high scoring gemstones such as emeralds, rubies, and sapphires.
To put the scale of hardness into perspective, quartz has a hardness of 7 – 7.5 and are present in the particles of dust seen floating in the air and settling on uncleaned objects in your home. These particles have the hardness that is able to remove the polish from your table and the finish from your car. Diamonds have a hardness of 10, being the hardest gemstone, and the softest includes talc, which is a gemstone that even your fingernail can scratch. These minerals can only be scratched by the hardness level above it, so diamond jewelry owners can usually use their pieces as everyday wear as they don’t need to worry about other minerals with lower scoring hardness scratching them.
Your precious gemstones still deserve care and maintenance to keep it looking as sparkly and pristine as possible. Fortunately, caring for your aquamarine jewelry is easy! You can use mild soap in warm water and gently clear it with a soft brush or cloth.
To learn more about our professional gemstone services, such as a professional clean and polish, feel free to check out a Gemstone Services.
Replacing Your Diamond
Thinking about restoring a loved one’s sentimental birthstone piece? You’re in the right place to restore their precious memories.
Gemstones provide life and brilliance to any piece of jewelry, yet have the highest potential to damage. Whether it be a loose, lost, or scratched-up diamond, we take restoring the life of your treasures seriously. Any gem, any damage, we’ll make your jewelry sparkle as bright as the day you got it.
We have a team of specialists in place to properly source every type of gem needed for your treasured item. We understand your gemstones are unique and require specific attention. Our Professional Stone Sourcing team makes sure that all of your gems, even the ones that sometimes go unnoticed, are replaced by stones of the right caliber for your piece.
Visit our Gemstone Replacement Services page to learn more about restoring the brilliance of your Diamond.
Have Questions?
“If you were born in April, your month’s birthstone is the Diamond.
If you didn’t already know, there are some months that have multiple birthstones, whereas some only have one. Traditional birthstones are gemstones that were most commonly associated with its respective month in the early 20th century and even beyond, with Ancient Greek and Roman philosophers associating these gemstones with the star signs. Those that are more commonly known in this day and age are the modern birthstones, which were officially named by the Jewelers of America in the 1950’s.
If you would like to learn more about birthstones in general, visit our Ultimate Birthstone Guide!“
“A basic clean, polish, and inspection is part of the routine care and maintenance needed to keep your jewelry looking like new. The inspection process includes looking for loose stones, bent prongs, and any damage to the metal or stones that need to be repaired.”
“A stone setting repair can be a simple re-tipping of a worn prong (which is considered routine care and maintenance) or the complete rebuilding/replacing of a damaged prong. In the case of severe damage, the entire head of the ring may need to be replaced.
Regardless of whether or not the prongs are compromised due to normal wear and tear or a result of accidental damage, we can provide the routine care and maintenance in order to ensure you do not lose a stone in your setting.”
“The process of a Gemstone Replacement is simple enough, yet requires trained eyes to be able to make a flawless switch. We aim to leave no trace of our work, which means not only will your setting be perfected, but the gemstone we choose will complete your jewelry piece effortlessly.”
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