Birthstones

There are number of wonderful stories, legends, myths, poems, paintings and sculptures
in every culture around the world weaved around birthstones.
Since antiquity, artists were inspired to create beautiful objects incorporating gemstones.
Here is some of the jewelry that KapKa Design created
FOR YOU:

January - Garnet (alternate stone: Rose Quartz)
The Garnet gemstone color varies from shades of green, yellow and orange to red.
The most common color associated with garnet is deep dark red.
KapKa Design Rose Quartz Bracelet with Red Garnet and Sterling Silver Floral Ornaments
Rose Quartz Bracelet with Red Garnet and Sterling Silver Floral Ornaments
green garnet Natural Green Garnet with Two-Sided Green and White Drusy Crystal 
Rose Quartz is an alternate birthstone for the month of January. Rose quartz is a type of quartz which exhibits a pale pink to rose red hue.   KapKa Design Tiny Genuine Red Garnet and Clear Swarovski Necklace with Rose Quartz Pendants
Tiny Genuine Red Garnet and Clear Swarovski Necklace with Rose Quartz Pendants
rose quartz flower
Rose Quartz Flower among Burgundy Coral Thorns

Triple RED Garnet necklace
Triple RED Garnet necklace
 
February - Amethyst  
Amethyst is the violet variety of quartz.
Amethyst is found in hues from a light pink violet to a deep purple.
The most prized are the dark purple tones of
“Deep Russian” amethyst. 
There are many wonderful tales in Mythology about god Dionysus, god Artemis, and a beautiful young woman, Amethystos.
amethyst and quartzFresh Amethyst and Clear Quartz Dewdrops amethyst Rough Amethyst Crystal on Faceted Bohemian Art Glass Necklace
 
KapKa Design Big Amethyst Stone and Swarovski Crystal Sterling Silver Earrings
Big Amethyst Stone and Swarovski Crystal Sterling Silver Earrings

amerhyst and Swarovski Sophisticated Amethyst Crystal Cluster Necklace
 
 
KapKa Design Light Purple Amethyst Crystal Circle and Purple Jasper Sterling Silver Earrings
Light Purple Amethyst Crystal Circle and Purple Jasper Sterling Silver Earrings


KapKa Design Amethyst and Purple Jasper Gemstone Necklace
Amethyst and Purple Jasper Gemstone Necklace



KapKa Design Sparkly Amethyst Crystal Necklace
Sparkly Amethyst Crystal Necklace

KapKa Design Hot Amethyst Swarovski Crystal Sterling Silver Earrings
Hot Amethyst Swarovski Crystal Sterling Silver Earrings



KapKa Design Huge Rough Amethyst Crystal Cluster Sterling Silver Ring
Huge Rough Amethyst Crystal Cluster Sterling Silver Ring


KapKa Design Statement Amethyst Necklace
Statement Amethyst Necklace
March - Aquamarine, Bloodstone, and Jade
The first birthstone of March is Aquamarine.
Aquamarine is an aqua tone variety of beryl. Varieties of beryl are: aquamarine, morganite, emerald and heliodor. All beryl varieties have been considered gemstones since prehistoric times.  
KapKa Design Genuine Aquamarine Gemstone and Black Lava Stone long Sterling Silver Earrings
Genuine Aquamarine Gemstone and Black Lava Stone Llong Sterling Silver Earrings


KapKa Design Black Lava and Aquamarine Gemstone Necklace with Wild Crystal Slice
Black Lava and Aquamarine Gemstone Necklace with Wild Crystal Slice
aquamarine XL Intense Dragon Vein Agate Nested in Brazilian Aquamarine Crystals 
The second birthstone of March is Bloodstone.
The mineral heliotrope, also known as bloodstone, is a form of chalcedony. The "classic" bloodstone is dark green to black chalcedony with red inclusions of iron oxide or red jasper. Sometimes the inclusions are yellow to pink.
   
The third birthstone of March is Jade.
Jade is an ornamental stone.
It was not until the 19th century that a French mineralogist determined that "jade" was in fact two different materials, nephrite and jadeite.
Nephrite can be found in a creamy white form as well as in a variety of green colors.
Jadeite shows more color variations, including blue, lavender-mauve, pink, and emerald-green colors.
Of the two, jadeite is rarer. Burma and Guatemala are the principal sources of modern gem jadeite, and Canada of modern lapidary nephrite.
Delicious Jade Necklace
Delicious Jade Necklace
 
jade necklace
Green Jade Sun with Picture Jasper and Indian Agate
 
April - Diamond and Sapphire (alternate stone: Clear Quartz)
The first birthstone of April is Diamond.
There is rightfully a lot of controversy surrounding this beautiful gem; from child labour and slavery issues to blood diamonds funding all sorts of revolutionary groups. It is up to each one of us to make the conscious decision about how we influence the world around us. 
   
The second birthstone of April is Sapphire.
Sapphire is one of the two gem varieties of corundum, the other being the red ruby. Although blue is the most well known hue, sapphire may be any color of corundum except red.
KapKa Design Intricately Weaved Blue Sapphire & Swarovski Crystal Bracelet
Intricately Weaved Blue Sapphire & Swarovski Crystal Bracelet

 
Clear Quartz is an alternate birthstone for the month of April.
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust, after feldspar.
There are many different varieties of quartz, several of which are semi-precious gemstones.
Since antiquity, varieties of quartz have been the most commonly used minerals in the making of jewelry and hardstone carvings, especially in Europe and the Middle East.  

 

Frozen Heart
Frozen Heart


Volcano Cherry Quartz
Volcano Cherry Quartz Chandelier Necklace XXL


clear quartz
Summer Splash


KapKa Design Cobalt Blue Silver Leaf Murano Glass and Rock Quartz Stone Sterling Silver Earrings
Cobalt Blue Silver Leaf Murano Glass
and Rock Quartz Stone Sterling Silver Earrings


KapKa Design Amber Silver Leaf Murano Glass Ball and Rock Quartz Sterling Silver Earrings
Amber Silver Leaf Murano Glass Ball and Rock Quartz Sterling Silver Earrings


KapKa Design Genuine Blue Coral Necklace with Huge Frosted Blue Agate and Clear Rock Quartz
Genuine Blue Coral Necklace with Huge Frosted Blue Agate and Clear Rock Quartz
Chunks of Glacier Ice
Chunks of Glacier Ice


phantom quartz
Mysterious one-of-a-kind Golden Phantom Quartz


clear quartz and silver agate
Silver Abundance XL

quartz bracelet
Tumbled Rock Quartz Bracelet



KapKa Design Chunky Rock Quartz Wrapped VORTEX Sterling Silver Earrings
Chunky Rock Quartz Wrapped VORTEX Sterling Silver Earrings


KapKa Design Chunky Rock Quartz and Natural Blue Coral Ball Sterling Silver Earrings
Chunky Rock Quartz and Natural Blue Coral Ball Sterling Silver Earrings
May - Emerald and Agate
The first birthstone of May is Emerald.
Emeralds are a variety of the mineral beryl. The primary hue must be green and bright. Only gems that are medium to dark in tone are considered emeralds. Light toned gems are known by the species name, green beryl.
   

The second birthstone of May is Agate. Agate is a variety of chalcedony. Many semi-precious gemstones are in fact forms of chalcedony.

Agate is characterized by its superiority of grain and brightness of color.
There are endless varieties of agate with a multi-colored curved or angular banding.
Fire agate shows iridescent phenomena on a brown background; iris agate shows exceptional iridescence when light is shone through the stone.
Landscape agate is chalcedony with a number of different mineral impurities making the stone resemble landscapes.

Agate is one of the most extensively used materials in the art of stone carving, and has been recovered at a number of ancient sites, indicating its widespread use in the ancient world. For example, archaeological recovery of beautifully detailed agate seals at the Knossos site on Crete.  

black agate necklace
Smart Black & White Agate with Drusy Inclusion


agate drusy with copper necklace
Drops of Copper Inside Agate Crystal Cave


KapKa Design Chunky Rough Aqua Blue Agate Stone and Swarovski Crystal Sterling Silver Wrapped Earrings
Chunky Rough Aqua Blue Agate Stone and Swarovski Crystal Sterling Silver Wrapped Earrings


KapKa Design Frosted Blue Agate Gemstone and Natural Blue Corral Sterling Silver Earrings
Frosted Blue Agate Gemstone and Natural Blue Corral Sterling Silver Earrings


KapKa Design frosted blue agate gemstone disc necklace with enormous Swarovski crystal rondelles
Frosted Blue Agate Gemstone Disc Necklace with Enormous Swarovski Rondelles


KapKa Design Dark Brown Agate & Cat’s Eye Gemstone Necklace
Dark Brown Agate & Cat’s Eye Gemstone Necklace


KapKa Design Faceted Gray & White Agate with Cat’s Eye Gemstone Necklace
Faceted Gray & White Agate with Cat’s Eye Gemstone Necklace
purple agate bracelet
Purple Agate Banded Beauty


agate necklace
Agate with Black Lolite Quartz Gem Necklace


agate crystal necklace
Agate Crystal Landscape



KapKa Design Natural Brazilian Agate and Amethyst Swarovski Crystal Long Dangle Sterling Silver Earrings
Natural Brazilian Agate and Amethyst Swarovski Crystal Long Dangle Sterling Silver Earrings


KapKa Design Peridot Gemstone Necklace with Apple Green Banded Agate
Peridot Gemstone Necklace with Apple Green Banded Agate


KapKa Design Sense of Direction Necklace
Sense of Direction Necklace


KapKa Design Sun Goddess Egyptian Necklace
Sun Goddess Egyptian Necklace
June - Pearl, Alexandrite, and Moonstone

The first birthstone of June is Pearl.
The most valuable pearls occur in the wild, but they are very rare. Cultured or farmed pearls from pearl oysters make up the majority of those that are currently sold. Pearls from the sea are valued more highly than freshwater pearls. Pearls are prized for their luster, shape and size. Pearls are mentioned in religious scriptures, legends and poems of many cultures. They have been used in art forms from jewelry, decorations to sculptures. Pearls are the cornerstone of any woman’s jewelry collection.

 

 

KapKa Design Fabulous Pearl Bracelet Fabulous Pearl Bracelet


pearls Champaign Pearls with Snow White Lace Agate

pearls Black Onyx with Mocha Pearls 


KapKa Design Carved Watermelon Quartz with Pearls Sterling Silver Earrings
Carved Watermelon Quartz with Pearls Sterling Silver Earrings


KapKa Design Contemporary Silver Perl Sterling Silver Earrings
Contemporary Silver Perl Sterling Silver Earrings
pearls Dark Freshwater Pearls with Exquisite Madagascar Pineapple Quartz 

pearls Dark Green Biwa Pearl Necklace with Golden Patina


pearls Gentle Amazonite and Biwa Pearls


KapKa Design Contemporary Silver Perl Necklace
Contemporary Silver Perl Necklace
The second birthstone of June is
Alexan
drite.

Alexandrite displays a color change dependent upon the nature of ambient lighting. The optimum or "ideal" color change would be fine emerald green to fine purplish red, but this is exceedingly rare. Because of their rarity and the color change capability, "ideal" alexandrite gems are some of the most expensive in the world.
   
The third birthstone of June is Moonstone.
Moonstone is famous for an enchanting play of light. The stone has a mysterious bluish shimmer, 'adularescence' which always looks different when the stone is moved. In earlier times, people believed they could observe the moon phases in the stone. In many cultures, this gemstone is surrounded by mystique and magic.
   
July - Ruby and Onyx
The first birthstone of July is Ruby.
Red Ruby is one of the two gem varieties of corundum, the other being the sapphire.
The ruby is considered one of the four precious stones, together with the sapphire, the emerald, and the diamond.
The finest ruby is best described as being a vivid medium-dark toned red.
Teeny Tiny Ruby Red Necklace
Teeny Tiny Ruby Red Necklace

 
The second birthstone of July is Onyx .
Onyx is a cryptocrystalline form of quartz. The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color. Pure black onyx is familiar, and perhaps the most famous variety. It has a long history of use for hardstone carving and jewelry, where it is usually cut as a cabochon, or into beads, and is also used for intaglio or cameo engraved gems.
Onyx was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Carved onyx art objects were recovered at the Knossos archaeological site. Onyx was used in Egypt as early as the Second Dynasty to make bowls, perfume vessels and other items.
onyx necklace
Original Onyx & Amazonite Freeform Necklace


KapKa Design Colorful Onyx & Turquoise Necklace
Colorful Onyx & Turquoise Necklace
KapKa Design onyx necklace
Sophisticated Black Onyx and Mother of Pearl Geometry


KapKa Design onyx necklace
Chocolate Mother of Pearl and Black Onyx Display Necklace


KapKa Design Free-Flow Silver Necklace
Free-Flow Silver Necklace
August - Peridot and Carnelian
The first birthstone of August is Peridot.
Peridot is gem-quality olivine.
Olivine in general is a very abundant mineral, but gem quality peridot is rather rare.
Olivine has also been identified in meteorites and on the Moon and Mars.
Peridot is one of the few gemstones that occur in only one color: an olive green. The most valuable color is considered a dark-olive green. Peridot olivine is sometimes mistaken for emeralds and other green gems.  

 

 

KapKa Design Fascinating natural pearlescent shell and olive green peridot with Swarovski Crystal Sterling Silver Earrings
Fascinating Natural Pearlescent Shell and Olive Green Peridot with Swarovski Crystal Sterling Silver Earrings


KapKa Design Natural Pearlescent Shell and Olive Green Peridot Bracelet
Natural Pearlescent Shell and Olive Green Peridot Bracelet


KapKa Design Petite Natural Pearlescent Shell and Olive Green Peridot with Swarovski Crystal Sterling Silver Necklace
Petite Natural Pearlescent Shell and Olive Green Peridot with Swarovski Crystal Sterling Silver Necklace
peridot
Unexpected Encounters



KapKa Design Natural Pearlescent Shell and Olive Green Peridot Swarovski Crystal Necklace XL
Natural Pearlescent Shell and Olive Green Peridot Swarovski Crystal Necklace XL


KapKa Design Peridot Gemstone Necklace with Apple Green Banded Agate
Peridot Gemstone Necklace with Apple Green Banded Agate
The second birthstone of August is Carnelian.
Carnelian is a reddish-brown variety of the mineral chalcedony commonly used as a semi-precious gemstone.
The color can vary greatly, ranging from pale orange to an intense almost black coloration.

Big Carnelian Gemstone Heart Necklace
 
September - Sapphire (alternate stone: Lapis Lazuli)
Sapphire is also the second birthstone of April.
Sapphire is one of the two gem varieties of corundum, the other being the red ruby. Although blue is the most well known hue, sapphire may be any color of corundum except red.
   
Lapis Lazuli is an alternate birthstone for the month of September.
Lapis Lazuli is a rock, not a mineral. Lapis lazuli is formed from more than one mineral.
The finest color is intense blue, lightly dusted with small flecks of golden pyrite.
Lapis takes an excellent polish and can be made into jewelry, carvings, boxes, mosaics, ornaments, and vases. In architecture it has been used for cladding the walls and columns of palaces and churches. In ancient Egypt lapis lazuli was a favorite stone for amulets and ornaments such as scarabs; it was also used by the Assyrians and Babylonians to carve seals. Lapis jewelry has been found at excavations of the Predynastic Egyptian site Naqada (3300–3100 BC), and powdered lapis was used as eyeshadow by Cleopatra.
KapKa Design Vivid Royal Blue Lapis Lazuli and Silver Stardust Spheres Sterling Silver Earrings
Vivid Royal Blue Lapis Lazuli and Silver Stardust Spheres Sterling Silver Earrings


KapKa Design Silver and Blue
Silver and Blue
KapKa Design Huge Blue Lapis Lazuli and Silver Stardust Spheres Sterling Silver Earrings
Huge Blue Lapis Lazuli and Silver Stardust Spheres Sterling Silver Earrings
October - Opal and Tourmaline

The first birthstone of October is Opal.
Precious Opal can express every color in the visible spectrum.
Australia produces around 97% of the world's opal. In late 2008, NASA announced that it had discovered opal deposits on Mars.

Besides the gemstone varieties of opal, there are other kinds of common opal such as:
• the milk opal (milky bluish to greenish)
• resin opal (honey-yellow with a resinous luster)
• wood opal (caused by the replacement of the organic material in wood with opal)
• menilite (brown or grey)
• hyalite (colorless glass-clear opal sometimes called Muller's Glass)
• geyserite (also called siliceous sinter, deposited around hot springs or geysers and diatomite or diatomaceous earth, the accumulations of diatom shells or tests)

Fire opals are transparent to translucent opals with warm body colors yellow, orange, orange-yellow or red and they do not usually show any play-of-color, although occasionally a stone will exhibit bright green flashes. The most famous source of fire opals is the state of Querétaro in Mexico and these opals are commonly called Mexican fire opals.
Peruvian opal (also called blue opal) is a semi-opaque to opaque blue-green stone found in Peru.  

 

opalite copper blue chalcedony necklace
Oxidized Copper and Blue Chalcedony Harmony Necklace

opalite flower necklace
Delicate Opalite Flower with Cobalt Blue Crystals

opalite blue mop necklace
Opalite and Royal Blue Mother of Pearl Gemstone Necklace


opalite flower necklace
Fine Opalite Flower with Clear Glass Filaments


opalite necklace
Blue Cornflower Summer Necklace

The second birthstone of October is Tourmaline.
Tourmaline is highly prized transparent to translucent gemstone.
Tourmaline is easily the most colorful of all the gemstones. The colors range from black to bluish-black, light brown to deep brown, yellow, blue, green, red, yellow, pink etc. Rarely is it colorless.
Bi-colored and multicolored crystals are common, reflecting variations of fluid chemistry during crystallization. Crystals may be green at one end and pink at the other, or green on the outside and pink inside: this type is called watermelon tourmaline. At the moment, watermelon tourmaline is tremendously popular.
Some forms of tourmaline are dichroic, in that they change color when viewed from different directions.
  Picture Jasper Intarsia Triangle Pendant Genuine Tourmaline Gemstone
Picture Jasper Intarsia Triangle Pendant & Genuine Tourmaline Gemstone Necklace
November - Topaz and Citrine
The first birthstone of November is Topaz.
Pure topaz is colorless and transparent but can be lightly tinted by impurities.
Orange topaz is also known as precious topaz.
Imperial topaz is yellow, pink (rare, if natural) or pink-orange.
Brazilian Imperial Topaz can often have a bright yellow to deep golden brown hue, sometimes even violet. Many brown or pale topazes are treated to make them bright yellow, gold, pink or violet colored.
Some imperial topaz stones can fade on exposure to sunlight for an extended period of time.
Naturally occurring Blue Topaz is quite rare. Typically, colorless, gray or pale yellow and blue material is heat treated and irradiated to produce a more desired darker blue.
Mystic topaz is colorless topaz which has been artificially coated giving it the desired rainbow effect.
  Volcano Cherry Quartz Rose Necklace
Volcano Cherry Quartz Rose Necklace
 
The second birthstone of November is Citrine
Citrine is a variety of quartz with a color range of pale yellow to brown.
It is nearly impossible to tell cut citrine from yellow topaz visibly.
Much of the natural citrine may have started out as amethyst crystals but heat from nearby volcanoes and other magmatic sources may have caused the change to citrine. 
The name is derived from Latin "citrina" which means "yellow".
citrine carved
Carved Citrine Crystal Necklace


citrine and Pineapple quartz necklace
Pineapple and Citrine Quartz Arrangement


KapKa Design Citrine with Purple Mother of Pearl Chunk and Amethyst Swarovski Crystal Sterling Silver Earrings
Citrine with Purple Mother of Pearl Chunk and Amethyst Swarovski Crystal Sterling Silver Earrings


KapKa Design Citrine Quartz Necklace with Caramel Fused Glass
Citrine Quartz Necklace with Caramel Fused Glass
citrine coral
Wild Coral and Citrine Organic Necklace XL


citrine chip bracelet
Fresh Citrine Crystal Bracelet


KapKa Design Amber Silver Leaf Murano Glass Ball with Citrine Sterling Silver Earrings
Amber Silver Leaf Murano Glass Ball with Citrine Sterling Silver Earrings


KapKa Design Chunky Citrine Necklace with Golden Phantom Quartz Pendant
Chunky Citrine Necklace with Golden Phantom Quartz Pendant


KapKa Design Composition in Yellow Gemstones
Composition in Yellow Gemstones
December - Zircon, Turquoise, and Tanzanite
The first birthstone of December is Zircon.
Large specimens are appreciated as gemstones, owing to their high refractive index. Zircon has a refractive index of approximately 1.95; diamond has approximately 2.4. Zircon resembles diamond in luster and fire. Colorless zircons have been mistaken for diamonds by even the most experienced jewelers. Zircon can make a very attractive and affordable gemstone.
Just to clarify, zircon is not Cubic Zirconia. Cubic zirconia (or CZ) is a synthesized material.
   
The second birthstone of December isTurquoise.
Turquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral. It is rare and valuable and has been prized as a gem and ornamental stone for thousands of years due to its unique aqua hue. The pastel shades of turquoise have endeared it to many great cultures of antiquity: it has adorned the rulers of Ancient Egypt, the Aztecs, Persia, Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley, and ancient China. The most well-known jewelry pieces incorporating turquoise are those recovered from Tutankhamun’s tomb, most notably the Pharaoh's iconic burial mask which was liberally inlaid with the stone.  Even to this day, we follow the same design principles of combining turquoise with other gemstones as our ancestors.  Turquoise with coral for example is absolutely timeless.
KapKa Design Stunning Bright Red and Natural Blue Turquoise Gemstone Sterling Silver Earrings
Stunning Bright Red and Natural Blue Turquoise Gemstone Sterling Silver Earrings

KapKa Design Rich Orange Turquoise and Persian Green Swarovski Crystal Sterling Silver Earrings
Rich Orange Turquoise and Persian Green Swarovski Crystal Sterling Silver Earrings



KapKa Design Rich Turquoise Natural Necklace
Rich Turquoise Natural Necklace


KapKa Design White and Gold Turquoise Necklace
White and Gold Turquoise Necklace
turquoise coral necklace
Ocean Flower



KapKa Design Bright Purple Mother of Pearl with Natural Turquoise and Aqua Swarovski Crystal Drop Sterling Silver Earrings
Bright Purple Mother of Pearl with Natural Turquoise and Aqua Swarovski Crystal Drop Sterling Silver Earrings


KapKa Design Colorful Onyx & Turquoise Necklace
Colorful Onyx & Turquoise Necklace


KapKa Design Sea Sediment Jasper & Turquoise Necklace
Sea Sediment Jasper & Turquoise Necklace
The third birthstone of December is Tanzanite.
Blue-lavender Tanzanite
was found in Tanzania in 1967. It has become so popular that in October of 2002 the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) announced that tanzanite had joined zircon and turquoise in the traditional list of birthstones for the month of December.  
Tanzanite is universally heat treated to produce a deeper blue-purple hues. Since heat treatment is universal, it has no effect on price, and finished gems are assumed to be heat treated. 
   


The Twelve Signs of the Zodiac

Aquarius 
The Water Bearer
January 21 - February 19 
Garnet 
garnet
Pisces
Fish
February 20 - March 20
Amethyst
amethyst
Aries
The Ram
March 21 - April 20
Bloodstone
bloodstone
Taurus
The Bull
April 21 - May 20
Sapphire
sapphire
Gemini
The Twins
May 21 - June 21
Agate
agate
Cancer
The Crab
June 22 - July 22
Emerald
emerald
Leo
The Lion
July 23 - August 23
Onyx
onyx
Virgo
The Virgin
August 24 - September 23
Carnelian
carnelian
Libra
The Scales
September 24 - October 23
Peridot
peridot
Scorpio
The Scorpion
October 24 - November 22
Beryl
aquamarine beryl
Sagittarius
Centaur The Archer
November 23 - December 21
Topaz
topaz
Capricorn
The Sea-Goat
December 22 - January 20
Ruby
ruby

 

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at the KapKa Design Jewelry Store

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