Birthstones for the Summer Season
Birthstones offer a unique way to give a personalized touch to your jewelry. With every gemstone, associated with a specific month, there’s a unique story. Whether you’re searching for an engagement ring that holds special meaning or simply want to buy a piece of jewelry that celebrates your birth month in style, you can consider incorporating your birthstone into your next jewelry piece.
June Birthstones
June has not one, not two, but three different birthstones – pearl, moonstone, and alexandrite. With these options in mind and with so many different variables, you can have the perfect jewelry piece to add to your collection.
Much softer than a lot of natural gemstones, with a 2.5 to 3 rating on the Mohs scale, pearls exude beauty and elegance with its soft white color. Pearls are produced when an irritant enters the shell of a mollusk. As its defense mechanism, it secretes a substance called nacre. Over time, this substance hardens and eventually develops into a pearl. Pearls have a truly unique nature, due to them being the only gemstone that is found and formed inside of a living organism.
Moonstone is a bit harder on the Mohs scale coming in at a 6-6.5 hardness. Another gemstone that exudes elegance, moonstone ranges in color. From colorless to the sought after bluish color and from yellow to pink. Moonstone makes a great stone for a pendant, bracelet, or earring, however, you must keep in mind that it needs to be worn carefully. René Lalique was one of the most notable jeweler to work with moonstone. Some of his original moonstone pieces are still available for purchase today.
The hardest of June’s three birthstones on the Mohs scale, coming in at an 8.5 on the hardness scale, is Alexandrite. This stone changes color depending on the lighting. Under fluorescent lighting or natural sunlight, you’ll find alexandrite gemstones to be anywhere from a vivid green color to a bluish green, while under incandescent lighting, you’ll find the stone to range from a deep red color to a red with a purple undertone. These changes in color give it an extra appeal, making this stone a very unique choice in jewelry.
July Birthstones
Ruby, one of the most coveted gemstones, is the only birthstone for July. A stunning deep red color, and a 9 on the hardness scale, a ruby would make a great stone for any jewelry piece. Rubies don’t have the same hardness as a diamond, but still make a great engagement ring center stone.
Ruby and Diamond Platinum Engagement Ring
If you prefer to go the jewelry route, rubies make for great accent gems to bracelets, necklaces, and stacking rings.
Graduated Diamond and Ruby Wrap Ring
August Birthstones
Just like June, August has three birthstones; Peridot, Spinel, and Sardonyx. Similar to the summery month they belong to, these three gemstones are just as colorful and warm as they are beautiful.
Peridot is a gemstone with a bright green color that is reminiscent of a lime. With a 6.5 to 7 score on the Mohs scale, we recommend taking extra care so as not to damage the stone. A piece of jewelry using peridot would be best to wear occasionally rather than daily.
3.05 carat Round Peridot Two-Tone Pave Engagement Ring
Spinel comes in a variety of different colors ranging from red and pink to blue and green. With an 8 on the hardness scale, a spinel gemstone would be a better option for jewelry as it’s more durable and can withstand daily wear.
Burmese Spinel and Diamond Half Bezel Halo Ring
Sardonyx is a combination of two types of chalcedony, also known as cryptocrystalline quartz, sard and onyx. This gemstone ranges in color from yellowish red to reddish brown. Depending on the amount of iron oxide that’s present within the stone, the color can vary. Like peridot, it is a 6.5 to 7 on the Mohs scale, and would require careful handling as well.
Do You Have a Summer Birthstone?
Don’t see your birthstone on our website? No problem. At Lauren B, you can design your dream engagement ring, wedding band, or piece of jewelry. Whether you add your birthstone to a necklace, bracelet, or earrings, one of our talented design consultants would love to help you create something truly unique and special.
Feel free to check out our Instagram and/or Pinterest for more colorful inspiration!
