A Guide To
Birthstone Jewellery

Amethyst comes from the Greek word ‘amethystos’, translating to ‘not drunken’; it was believed that amethyst protected you from getting drunk. Historically, only royals were allowed to wear this gem and it’s been found in royal collections around the world.

A wonderfully romantic gem, it’s said that amethyst is the favourite gemstone of Saint Valentine, who had an amethyst ring carved with an image of Cupid.

Meaning ‘water of the sea’, aquamarine is quite literally named after the ocean. Historically, it’s been used by sailors to give them a safe voyage across the seas. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that aquamarine was an antidote to poisons.

Derived from the Greek word ‘adamas’ meaning invincible, diamonds have been the traditional symbol of love since ancient times. Some ancient civilisations believed that diamonds were the earth form of lightning, and have been associated with many healing powers throughout history.

The name emerald comes from the Greek word ‘smaragdus’, meaning green. Originally sourced from mines in Egypt, this vibrant gemstone is known for being Cleopatra’s all-time favourite. She claimed ownership of every single emerald mine in Egypt during her rule.

Originating from the French word ‘perle’ which means led, referring to the leg shape of a mollusc shell, pearls were once thought to be the tears of the gods.

Derived from the Latin word ‘ruber’, meaning red, this vivid gemstone was called the ‘King of Gems’ by ancient Hindus. It was believed that the glowing fire of rubies could boil water and melt wax.

The origin of the name is unclear, with some believing its derived from the Arabic faridat meaning gem and some believing its rooted in the Greek word perdiona – meaning ‘giving plenty’. Ancient Egyptians called it the ‘gem of the sun’, and Egyptian priests believed it harnessed the power of nature.

Deriving from the Latin word ‘sapphirus’, meaning blue stone, Greeks wore sapphires for guidance, Buddhists believed it brought spiritual enlightenment and Hindus used it during worship.

The word opal means ‘to see a change of colour’ in Greek. During the Middle Ages, Romans believed it was the most powerful because opal has the colours of all other gems with its rainbow iridescence.

The name topaz derives from the ancient Greek name for St. John’s Island in the Red Sea, where lots of yellow stones were famously mined there. Throughout its history, it was thought that all yellow gems were considered topaz and all topaz was thought to be yellow.

A relatively modern stone, tanzanite was discovered in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro in the 1960s – and it’s still only found in this one location today.