The June Birthstone is?
Unlike many other months, if you are born in June, you are lucky enough to have three stones associated with your birthday, with the June birthstone being pearl, Alexandrite, and moonstone. All three would look fantastic in a Bespoke piece of Jewellery.
Pearls
Pearls are officially the World’s oldest gemstone, and unlike most gems found deep into the ground, they are unique as they are created by living sea creatures (mainly oysters).
The date the first pearl was discovered in the World is somewhat vague. The first known recording is from a fragment of a pearl found in the tomb of a Persian Princess in 420 BC. Pearls are also known to have been used by Egypt in decoration in the 4th Century BC.
Natural pearls grow naturally inside oysters or mussels. Cultured Pearls have a human intervention by introducing a foreign body or ‘nucleus’ into an oyster or mussel, which it then covers in a ‘nacre’, better known as a mother of pearl.
Cultured pearls come in four forms.
Akoya pearls are found in saltwater off the shores of Japan and China. The warm sea temperatures of 15 – 20 Celsius are perfect for giving the Akoya pearl its white, cream, silver and pink colours.
Tahitian pearls come in silver, grey, and black colours with a tinge of pink, green, and blue. They are found exclusively in saltwater lagoons of French Polynesia.
Freshwater pearls are the most affordable pearls and most common. They were first found in Chinese freshwater mussels 800 years ago, and their colours ranged from pink to lavender to white and apricot.
South-sea pearls are widely considered the most luxurious due to their silky shine and are grown for two to three years in Pinctada Maxima oysters.
The pearls grown in silver-lipped oysters come in white with silver, pink and blue hues. Pearls in gold-lipped oysters come in gold colours with overtones of yellow and orange.
Alexandrite
A rare and gorgeous gemstone was first found in the Tokovaya River in Russia’s Ural Mountains in 1830.
The name Alexandrite came from Tsar Alexander on the day he came of age. It was found solely in Russia until 1987, when it was discovered in Hematite, Brazil.
Alexandrite comes in fantastic colours due to the changes in the light; during the day, the gemstone appears green; however, as the day turns to dusk, the appearance of the stone turns red. In mystic terms, the Alexandrite gemstone brings creativity, strength, intuition and imagination to the wearer.
Moonstone
Moonstone is often referred to as a ‘dream stone’ because it is said to bring sweet dreams to its owner. The name comes from the Greeks, who named it after its similarity to the moon’s silver light. It comes in various colours, from colourless to white, grey, brown, yellow, orange, green, and peach.
If you would like to find out more about June’s Birthstone, speak to David Law
