The alternative birthstone for May is Chrysoprase

Chrysoprase uncut gemstone exampleEvery month has its birthstone, and most have two.  For May, the birthstone most commonly accepted is the emerald, but there is a second birthstone for May – Chrysoprase.

Chrsyoprase is very much a lesser known gemstone, but it’s no ugly sister.  Usually apple green in colour, it can be found in deep dark green too and often has beautiful veins running through it, which are visible in larger pieces.

It’s a non-translucent gemstone, which means that it doesn’t have the dazzle and sparkle of those gems we more immediately think of as ‘precious’, but its fabulous colour has made it a popular gemstone throughout the ages; indeed, the word chrysoprase comes from the Greek χρυσός chrysos meaning ‘gold’ and πράσινον prasinon, meaning ‘green’.

Healing crystals: Chrysoprase

For those who believe in the healing power of crystals, crysoprase is certainly a powerful gemstone.

It is believed to promote joy and happiness, while healing the heart of depression and anxiety.  It is worn to attract new love, abundance and prosperity, will promote feelings of love and of forgiveness and releases ego-based negativity associated with clingy, or co-dependent, relationships.  We don’t really know about this, of course, as we’re just here for the beauty of the stone!

Chrysoprase is most often made into small beads, for necklaces, earrings and rings, and polished rather than faceted.  Its vibrant colour makes it a popular choice for summer jewellery – and is perfect for May of course.

Chrysoprase oval cabochonePerfect for men!

The wearing of birthstones is most often associated with women – most are sparkly and bright, of course – but we think this one would make a stunning gift for a man.  How about a pair of cufflinks?  Or a retro-style signet ring?  Lapel pin, anybody?

It’s a sadness for us that so far nobody has asked us to design and make a piece of jewellery with chrysoprase – but maybe that’s about to change…

The birthstone for March is also the bloodstone

Cut bloodstoneMost months have two birthstones associated with them, and both are usually already well known.  For March, there is the delightful pale blue aquamarine, but the birthstone for March is also the bloodstone, which is really not well known at all.

The bloodstone is a dark green stone flecked with spots and spatters of dark red – hence the name, not very original, we know!  Bloodstone is also known as heliotrope, which in ancient Greek means ‘turns the sun’, which probably refers to the way the red veins and lines glow when in the sun’s light.

Bloodstone might not have the immediate and obvious beauty of aquamarine, but its dark charms are certainly worthy of a second look.  In jewellery it is often used in pendants, or set into men’s signet rings or cufflinks.  There aren’t many dramatically masculine birthstones, but this one is definitely worth considering if you’re looking for a special gift for your March-born man, or indeed any man, as let’s face it – how many men are remotely concerned about birthstones?!

Polished bloodstone

The history of bloodstone

This lovely stone has been used in jewellery since the most ancient of times, when the facility to cut and polish the gemstones we consider jewellery-worthy today simply wasn’t there.  Often found in pebble form in riverbanks, or embedded in rocks, bloodstone was used by the Babylonians to make carved seals and charms and was believed to have healing powers — especially for blood disorders.

In Medieval times it acquired the name the ‘martyr’s stone’, as people believed it was created when drops of Christ’s blood stained some jasper at the foot of the cross.

Even today it is believed by many to support mental clarity, boost creativity and increase energy levels in the wearer.

Bloodstone in jewellery

In colour, bloodstone can range from light to dark green, with few and subtle or many and prominent splatters or veins of deep or ferrous red. Bloodstone can range from quite translucent to nearly opaque. When cut and polished properly, it should have a beautiful shine, almost glossy, although the lustre is different than other gemstone and will generally appear smooth or waxy rather than sparkling.

Depending on the size of the stone, it might be cut with facets into traditional gemstone shapes or left in its natural shape and simply polished to a high shine.  It can be carved too, hence its use as a seal or in signet rings.  It works equally well set into silver or gold and in a filigree or a bold setting, it really is the most obliging of stones!

Sadly, we have yet to be asked to make any jewellery using bloodstone here at Christopher Evans, but we would love to do so!

August’s birthstone is the peridot

Peridot-Yellow-Sapphire-Pendant cAugust’s birthstone is the Peridot (pronounced perry-dot, not perry-doh).  Said to be a stone of healing powers, ancient beliefs link it to the heart chakra and imbue it with the power to strengthen the heart in compassion and in relationships, but particularly in marriage and is associated with love, harmony and dignity.

The splendid vivid green of this glorious stone makes it the perfect birthstone for August: the ideal shade is leaf green with a hint of gold.  Unlike many precious gems, peridot comes in one colour only, though the depth and intensity of the colour can vary from yellowish green to dark olive and even to a brownish green.

The peridot was adored by the ancients; it has been found in Egyptian jewellery from as early as 2,000BC. The ancient Romans loved this captivating green gemstone too and celebrated the fact that its radiant green-gold shine doesn’t change even in artificial light, for which reason they nicknamed it the ’emerald of the evening’.

Peridot was popular in the middle ages and is in many medieval churches across  Europe, where it adorns many a treasure. During the baroque period, the rich green gemstone once again enjoyed a brief popularit and then it somehow lost its fashionable status.

Its recent resurgence in popularity (and not just with the summer-born)  is due in great part to the discovery, in the mid ‘90s, of significant peridot deposits in the Kashmir region. The stones from those deposits have an incomparably beautiful colour and transparency.

Peridot

The most beautiful stones come from the border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, the peridot as a gemstone also exists in Myanmar, China, the USA, Africa and Australia. Stones from East Burma, now known as Myanmar, have a vivid light green and fine inclusions with a silky shine to them. Peridot from Arizona, where it is popularly used in native American jewellery, often has somewhat yellowish or gold-brown nuances.

All this means that anybody seeking to celebrate their August birthday with their August birthstone can find a stone to suit their demands, from colour to carat weight to cut.

Here at Christopher Evans we love working with beautiful stones and have a precious gem collection open to choose from, or can source the perfect stone to meet your needs.