Crystal Lotus Jewelry

July Birthstones, Rubies :: King of Precious Stones

Charles IV, Chinese dragons, Book of Proverbs, July birthstones? What is the link between them? The fiery ruby, birth stones of July. Find out more about the magic and mystery of this king of precious stones.

Ruby :: What Makes The July Birthstone Fire?

July birthstones are made from aluminum oxide, just like sapphires. Next to the diamond, these birth stones are the hardest mineral known to man. They are usually found in areas that are rich in clay limestone. Pure corundum is colorless, but just add a few atoms of chromium and look, a ruby!

Rubies are pliochromatic which means they appear to be different colors when viewed from different directions.

Some of these birthstones have a red fluorescence about them. These particular rubies are called pigeon's blood.

Like sapphires, these birthstones are frequently enhanced to an even brighter color by heating.

$225,000 Per Carat and A Value Far Above Rubies :: The Historic Value of July Birthstones

Rubies comes from the Latin word ruber meaning "red," and from Sanskrit ratnaraj meaning "king of precious stones."

In Majok, Burma, rubies have been mined since the fifteenth century. These are where some of the best rubies are mined. Currently, Thailand near the Cambodian border is a major source of these July birthstones.

The largest ruby is in the crown of Charles IV, of Luxembourg, King of Bohemia. This birth stone is 250 carats and Charles placed this crown on the skull of Saint Wemaslas, duke of Bohemia, in 1346.

One ancient Chinese tradition was to carve dragons and snakes into these birthstones to increase the flow of money and power to them.

The July birthstone is found in Aaron's breastplate as noted in Exodus 39:10-13. It was one of the gems Job laments to God about in Job 28:15-19.

The Book of Proverb says "a capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman, who is he who can find her? She is more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies."

Not long ago, an exceptional 16 carat Burmese ruby sold for $225,000 per carat!!

Lighting the Night Sky :: Mythology and Legends :: July Birthstones

One of the legends that surrounds the July birthstone is that of a Burmese king. He supposedly had so many rubies that when he took them outside to gather moonlight for them, these birth stones lit up the sky above the city!

Not only the gemstones of kings, rubies were also the stones of thieves as they were supposed to have the power of invisibility.

An ancient Hindu belief was that the color of these birth stones came from an inner fire. The fire of the July birthstone could never be extinguished or covered by clothing.

Warriors actually imbedded rubies into their skin to bring them valor and invincibility in battle.

Ruby Ills :: The July Birthstone in the Healing Arts

The ruby has been used as a healing stone due to the fire it carries inside itself.

These birthstones are used in healing for:

* Energizing after exhaustion

* Intensifies emotions (passion, jealousy, impatience, love)

* Reproduction problems

* Infections

* Cholesterol

* Clots

* Blood detoxifier for alcohol and caffeine

* Sexual blocks

* Stimulating circulation

* Menses

* Pituitary healing

For its relationship with blood, circulation and the physical body, July birthstones can be seen as a stone that affects the 1st or root chakra. At the same time these gems also have a correspondence to the 4th Chakra, the chakra of the heart. Rubies are said to strengthen the physical and emotional heart, to support free flowing divine live and a courageous heart.

Symbolism of July Birthstones :: The Courage of Rubies

These birth stones, rubies, symbolizes:

* Love

* Courage

* Confidence

* Vitality

* Stamina

* Leadership

* Wisdom

To dream of rubies is to dream of success in business, money, and love. Rubies are also said to be good luck for gamblers.

The Burmese valued these birth stones not only for their beauty but also as a talisman of good fortune.

Not just the July birthstone, rubies are the traditional gifts for the fifteenth and fortieth wedding anniversary.

Rubies are also the gemstone of Montana.

July birthstones, rubies, are some of the most expensive gems in the world. These birthstones have long been a symbol of courage and wisdom. Enjoy the physical qualities and exquisite fire of these birth stones. Wear them courageously knowing you are divine.

August Birthstones :: Peridot

If yours is the August birthstone, you have a stone for prosperity, a gem treasured by Sultans, and jewelry even a pirate could love. Read on to find out more about these August birthstones and their myths and legends.

Peridot:: Properties of Light

August birthstones, peridot, are made from magnesium silicate and are a type of fosterite, one of the olivine minerals. Pure fosterite is colorless but iron makes it green by replacing 10% of the magnesium with iron. This August gemstone is found in volcanic basalts. They are soft and therefore can be scratched pretty easily.

Peridot has an oily appearance and a high birefringence. This is the name given to a particular property of light. When traveling through a crystal in a certain way, the light can split into two paths producing two images. In the case of peridot, light causes the edge of the back facets to appear doubled when viewed through the thickness of the stone.

Topazios :: The origin of the August birth stone

Peridot is a French word meaning unclean. This is probably due to inclusions in large peridot crystals which makes the stone appear cloudy.

Like many other birthstones, the August peridot is listed in the Bible as one of the gemstones on Aaron's breast plate. Biblically, peridots were called pitdah.

There is an island in the Red Sea, fifty miles north of Egypt. It was originally called Topazios. This is where Egyptians first mined these birthstones and fashioned them into beads for jewelry. Now the island is called Zabargad.

The peridot gems themselves were called "topaz." Gemstone lore indicates that the French changed the name of this stone to "peridot," thought the reason why is unclear. Topaz now refers to an entirely different gemstone.

During the Crusades, the August birth stone was made into religious relics to bring back home.

Even the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire treasured these gems.

Europeans were a little bit behind in the fashion world regarding these birthstones. The stone didn't become popular to wear until the ninetieth century.

The largest peridot ever found, is a 311.8 carat gem found on Zabargad.

August Birthstones :: Gem of the Sun

Many myths surround these birthstones for August.

Ancient Egyptians called peridot a gem of the sun. It was considered too bright to be looked upon in the Egyptian desert.

Miners were said to work in the moonlight as it made these August birthstones easier to see while working.

A similar legend has these birthstones glowing at night. Because of this peridot were used as a talisman against night terrors.

King Solomon traded cedar trees from Lebanon for 12 soma drinking cups made of peridot and 14 liters of soma. He is said to have become enlightened by drinking soma from these cups.

Egyptians traded peridot for ramp logs so they could make the Gisa pyramids.

Peridots are the stone associated with the Apostle Simeon.

One account of peridot lore says that pirates believed these gems would keep them safe from evil. (I must confess it made me wonder, did pirates think of themselves as the "good" guys?)

Peridot Healing Stones

When it comes to taking your medicine, drinking it from a peridot goblet was said to increase the potency of medication.

Because the August birthstone comes in different shades, there are different properties for each color: The green-blue variety is said to help mental, emotional and spiritual levels, while the yellowish color is more in tune with the physical.

Here are some of the healing qualities these birthstones are used for:

* Nervous butterflies

* Liver and endocrine system

* Strengthening the breath of life

* Lung ailments

* Lymph nodes

* Alleviating depression, anger, fear, jealousy,

* Clearing up mental fatigue

* Whole body tonic

On many healing stone lists, peridot is listed as corresponding to the 4th Chakra (or Heart Chakra.) My experience is that it's a more physical stone than a heart stone. (This may be because all of the peridot I've ever worked with is of yellow to lime green coloring.) It may act as a bridge from the lower more physical chakra energies to the heart.

Peridot is also said to strengthen the physical and emotional heart and to help with:

* Fear

* Emotional trauma

* Bruised egos

* Cure asthma

* Lungs, sinuses, wrists

* Relieving negative emotions.

Egyptians believed it would purify and cure the heart.

To dissolve the power of enchantment, it needed to be set in gold. To protect from evil spirits, these birth stones were pierced, strong on donkey hair and worn on the left arm.

Peridot was also used to channel spirits.

The Prosperity of Peridot

Peridots, symbolize prosperity and growth. They are used to denote fame, dignity, and protection.

In addition to being the birthstones for August, peridots are also the traditional gifts for the sixteenth wedding.

August Birthstones in conclusion...

If you have an August birthstone, you enjoy one most unique gems in the world. From being mined by moonlight to being a symbol of fame and dignity, these gems have a long and colorful history. Kings and pharaohs as well as sultans prized these birthstones. Wear peridot jewelry for it's brilliant light, for prosperity or healing, and enjoy your connection to this gem of the sun.